What does an Encumbrance Certificate not show?

An EC does not show equitable mortgages created by deposit of title deeds, unregistered agreements, tax arrears, pending litigation, or oral tenancies. It only reflects instruments registered with that sub-registrar during the period searched.

What is the difference between Form 15 and Form 16?

Form 15 is issued when registered encumbrances exist on the property for the period searched and lists them. Form 16 is a nil-encumbrance certificate, issued when no registered transaction is found for that period.

Why do I need a CERSAI search if I have an EC?

Because an equitable mortgage by deposit of title deeds requires no registration and so never reaches the EC. CERSAI is the central registry where lenders file such charges, making it the only reliable way to surface them.

Encumbrance Certificates and Mortgage Checks in India

An Encumbrance Certificate lists the registered transactions affecting a property over a stated period, issued by the sub-registrar. Its critical limitation is that it only shows what was registered with that sub-registrar: an equitable mortgage created by deposit of title deeds is not a registered instrument and will not appear on the EC at all. Detecting that class of charge requires a separate CERSAI search. A property can therefore hold a clean EC and still be mortgaged.

All encumbrance & mortgage guides

How to Check Property Mortgage and Loan Records on CERSAI — Asset vs Borrower Search

Register as a public user on cersai.org.in, run an Asset-Based Search (address/survey) or Borrower-Based Search (PAN/name), pay ~Rs 10 and download the certificate. 'No record found' means no security

10 min read

Why an EC + CERSAI Still Misses Mortgages: How Lenders Detect Loan Stacking

Detect double-financing by cross-checking CERSAI (catches equitable mortgages legal searches miss), the EC, MCA charge filings for corporate borrowers, and bureau/KYC data. Documented cases show legal

10 min read

What Is an Equitable Mortgage vs Registered Mortgage (and Which Needs CERSAI)?

An equitable mortgage is created by deposit of title deeds (often with an MODT) and shows in CERSAI but may not appear in the EC; a registered mortgage is stamped/registered and appears in the EC.

7 min read

How to Check if a Property Is Mortgaged with CERSAI (and Why EC Misses Equitable Mortgages)

On cersai.org.in use Public Search > Asset-Based Search (or Borrower-Based by PAN), pay ~Rs 10 and view registered security interests. CERSAI catches equitable mortgages created by deposit of title

10 min read

What an Encumbrance Certificate Does NOT Show (and Why a Clean EC Isn't Clear Title)

An EC only lists registered transactions; it misses equitable/deposit-of-title-deed mortgages (CERSAI-only), pending litigation, oral agreements, tax dues and tenancy. A clean EC is necessary but

7 min read

Key terms

Encumbrance Certificate (EC)CERSAI Equitable Mortgage MODT (Memorandum of Deposit of Title Deeds)

Frequently asked questions

What does an Encumbrance Certificate not show?: An EC does not show equitable mortgages created by deposit of title deeds, unregistered agreements, tax arrears, pending litigation, or oral tenancies. It only reflects instruments registered with that sub-registrar during the period searched.
What is the difference between Form 15 and Form 16?: Form 15 is issued when registered encumbrances exist on the property for the period searched and lists them. Form 16 is a nil-encumbrance certificate, issued when no registered transaction is found for that period.
Why do I need a CERSAI search if I have an EC?: Because an equitable mortgage by deposit of title deeds requires no registration and so never reaches the EC. CERSAI is the central registry where lenders file such charges, making it the only reliable way to surface them.

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