It currently covers the

• **first sale of plots or flats by developers and **
• the deposit of title deeds at the time a home loan is availed, when the property is mortgaged to the bank after purchase and the title deeds are handed over as security for the loan.

When the home loan is fully repaid, the Presenceless Receipt Deed comes into play.

A Receipt Deed records the loan repayment and the lender’s acknowledgment of receipt. The Registration Department’s manual provides a separate workflow for this, accessible only through Bank logins, and includes a Loan Repayment Details section.

In simple terms:

Property Purchase → Home Loan → Deposit of Title Deeds → Loan Repayment → Receipt Deed

.The manual explains how banks can create and submit a Receipt Deed through their login, although the actual availability of this facility may depend on the phased rollout of the Presenceless Registration system.

Step 1: Bank login

According to the manual, the Receipt Deed process starts through a Bank login.

The bank goes to:

Registration → Document Registration → Presenceless Registration

The bank then selects “Deed of Receipt” from the nature-of-deed dropdown.

The manual specifically states that the Deed of Receipt is available only through Bank logins.

Step 2: Enter the previous document details

The portal asks whether the previous document has been registered.

The two options are:

• Previous document is registered
• Previous document is not registered

If the previous document has been registered, its details have to be entered.

If it has not been registered, the bank can proceed by selecting Previous Document Not Registered.

This allows the Receipt Deed application to be connected with the earlier document where applicable.

Step 3: Enter the Mortgagee/Purchaser details

The next stage is to enter the Mortgagee/Purchaser details.

The party type is defaulted to Company/Firm/Trust.

The bank or relevant government body is selected from the dropdown, after which the required:

• Address details
• Contact details

are entered.

Click Add to place the party in the details grid.

Step 4: Enter the borrower or Mortgagor/Vendor details

The bank then enters the Mortgagor/Vendor details.

For an individual, the portal requires:

• Personal details
• Address details
• Contact details

For a company, firm, trust or government entity, the relevant organisational details are entered. The manual specifically mentions the name and TAN number, along with address and contact details.

Aadhaar requirement

The manual states that Aadhaar is mandatory as ID proof for all applicable parties.

After entering the details, click Add to add the party to the grid.

Step 5: Add a representative if required

If a party is unavailable to execute the document, or is a minor, a representative can be appointed.

The available representation options depend on the type of party.

For individuals, the options include:

• Special Power Agent
• Court-appointed Curator
• Liquidator
• General Power Agent

For government entities:

• Special Power Agent
• General Power Agent
• Government Representative

For companies or firms:

• Special Power Agent
• Company Representative
• Liquidator

Step 6: Add witnesses and select the presenter

The manual requires two execution witnesses, with Aadhaar used as their ID proof.

The system also displays an option for a consenting witness.

The claimant is the presenter by default, although another eligible party can be selected from the dropdown.

Step 7: Add the property

The next stage is to enter the property connected with the Receipt Deed.

The user selects the property type and clicks Add.

The manual lists property types such as:

• Plot with Building/Individual House
• Plot
• Flats
• Agricultural Land
• Agricultural Land with Building
• Pathway
• Easement Rights
• Special Kind of Buildings

Step 8: Enter property and title details

The bank then selects the property’s relevant:

• Sub-Registrar Office
• Registration Village

The Patta Number or Title Number must also be entered.

More than one Patta Number or other title number can be added.

The manual states that a Previous Document, Patta Number or Title Number is mandatory.

Step 9: Enter survey details

The next stage is the Survey Details section.

The bank selects:

• Unit of measurement
• Natham or Rural
• Single or Linked Survey
• Survey Number
• Subdivision
• Street Name

According to the manual, the survey number is populated based on the Natham or Rural selection, and the subdivision is populated after the survey number is selected.

The bank then enters:

• Total extent
• Receipt extent
• Market value of Receipt extent

The survey details are then added to the grid.

Step 10: Enter the property boundaries and measurements

The next stage is to enter the boundary details.

The portal provides options for:

• Regular Boundary
• Irregular Boundary

The relevant descriptions for the North, South, East and West boundaries are entered.

The user also enters:

• Linear measurements
• Property remarks
• Property items

Step 11: Enter the loan repayment details

This is the part that directly connects the Receipt Deed with the loan-closure stage.

The portal has a separate Loan Repayment Details section.

It specifically asks for the “Loan Amount as per Non-Registered Document.”

The manual also carries a note regarding the amount that the parties are willing to exchange between themselves.

Thus, unlike the initial property sale or creation of the loan security, this stage deals with the repayment-related details associated with the Receipt Deed.

Step 12: Enter supporting details

The bank then enters the Place of Execution details and selects the relevant Sub-Registrar Office.

The application then moves to document preview and valuation.

Step 13: Check the document and registration charges

Before creating the document, the portal provides a Document Preview so that the information entered can be checked.

The Document Valuation section allows the user to verify:

• Stamp duty
• Registration fee
• Computer fee
• DW fee

This provides an opportunity to check the details and charges before the document is created.

Step 14: Create the document and generate the TP number

After checking the information, click Create Document.

The system generates a TP number for the document.

The Receipt Deed can then be accessed through My Documents for the next stages.

Step 15: Capture photo and biometric details

From My Documents, select the Receipt Deed and click Photo Biometric Capture.

The system is used to capture the photo and fingerprint of the applicable parties.

Step 16: Complete Aadhaar validation

Aadhaar validation has to be completed for the listed persons.

The process involves:

1. Click Capture Photo.
2. Capture the photo.
3. Submit the photo.
4. Click Capture Biometric.
5. Capture the fingerprint.
6. Click Validate Biometric with Aadhaar.

After successful validation, the system displays “Validated successfully.”

Step 17: Upload the supporting documents

Once photo and fingerprint capture has been completed for all applicable parties, the Pay option becomes available.

However, the manual states that the required documents must be uploaded before payment. Otherwise, the system displays an alert.

The documents include:

• Identification proofs of the parties
• Property image
• Reference documents, where required

Step 18: Print the document

After completing the document upload and biometric capture, click Print.

The sequence is important because the system requires the document to be printed before payment.

If the user clicks Pay before printing, the portal displays an alert asking the user to print the document first.

Step 19: Make the online payment

After the document has been printed, the bank can click Pay and complete the online payment.

Once payment is completed, the file is submitted successfully to the back office.

What does this mean for a borrower who has repaid the home loan?

The Receipt Deed process described in the manual represents the loan-repayment side of the property registration journey.

The broad sequence is:

First Sale → Home Loan → Deposit of Title Deeds → Full Repayment of Loan → Receipt Deed

The Receipt Deed is therefore different from the documents involved when the property is originally purchased or when the loan security is initially created.

The manual’s inclusion of a specific Loan Repayment Details section supports its connection with the loan-closure stage.

What happens after payment?

According to the manual, after online payment the file is submitted to the back office.

The manual does not provide a separate numbered step explaining the subsequent download of the finally registered Receipt Deed.

Therefore, the article should not state that the registered Receipt Deed can definitely be downloaded online based solely on this manual.

Presenceless Receipt Deed: Process in brief

The complete workflow described in the manual can be summarised as:

Bank Login → Deed of Receipt → Previous Document → Mortgagee/Purchaser → Mortgagor/Vendor → Representatives → Witnesses & Presenter → Property → Survey Details → Boundaries → Loan Repayment Details → Supporting Details → Preview & Valuation → Create Document → TP Number → Photo & Biometric Capture → Aadhaar Validation → Document Upload → Print → Online Payment → Back-Office Submission

Conclusion

Tamil Nadu’s Anywhere Registration initiative is being introduced to simplify selected property registration transactions through a presenceless system. While the initial rollout focuses on the transactions that have been enabled by the Registration Department, the Department has also published a separate Presenceless Receipt Deed manual for the loan-repayment stage.

The Receipt Deed comes into the picture after the property loan has been repaid, rather than at the time the original property purchase or loan is created. The manual outlines a bank-led process covering borrower and property details, loan repayment information, Aadhaar-based biometric verification, document upload, printing, and online payment. However, since the system is being rolled out in phases, the publication of the manual does not mean the facility is currently live; it only explains how the process will work once enabled.

In simple terms: repaying a home loan ends the debt, but the formal discharge documentation is a separate step. The Presenceless Receipt Deed is the online process for completing that step through the bank’s login.

VRE Assistance in Obtaining a Presenceless Receipt Deed

Verified.RealEstate streamlines the process of securing a Presenceless Receipt Deed after full loan repayment by guiding homeowners through legal and administrative requirements. With expertise in property documentation and lender coordination, VRE ensures accurate completion of all steps, including loan closure verification, liaison with financial institutions, and document preparation and submission—making the process smooth and hassle-free for property owners.

An Encumbrance Certificate (EC) is a record of the registered transactions linked to a property for a selected period. In Tamil Nadu, the EC is issued through the Registration Department, and it generally reflects registered dealings such as sale, gift, partition, lease, and mortgage. TNREGINET is the official portal used for EC services in Tamil Nadu.

A mortgage entry in the EC means the property was used as security for a loan and that this mortgage-related document was recorded in the registration system. Since the EC shows registered transactions, a mortgage will usually appear only when the related document has been properly registered.

How is a mortgage added to the EC?

A mortgage is usually added to the EC in this sequence:

The property owner takes a loan from a bank or financial institution. Then a mortgage-related document is executed and registered in the Sub-Registrar Office. Once that document is entered in the registration records, it becomes part of the property’s registered history, and the mortgage starts appearing in the EC for that period. The Tamil Nadu Registration Department describes the EC as a way to see the transactions effected in respect of a property, and general EC guidance also states that mortgages are among the registered transactions shown in the certificate.

A mortgage is added to the EC when the loan-related mortgage document is registered in the Sub-Registrar Office. Once it is recorded in the registration system, it appears in the property’s EC history. It is usually cleared only after the loan is fully repaid and the required discharge, release, or reconveyance process is completed. A No Due Certificate is helpful, but owners should also ensure the legal record is properly updated.

When a property owner takes a loan against property from a bank, the bank usually creates a registered mortgage deed or memorandum of deposit of title deeds (MODT).

Step-by-step process

1. Loan sanctioned by bank
   • The bank agrees to give a loan using the property as collateral.
2. Mortgage document created
   • The borrower signs a ¹Mortgage Deed / MODT with the bank.
3. Document registered at Sub-Registrar Office
   • This document is registered in the same SRO where the property is registered.
4. Entry created in Registration records
   • The registration department records the transaction against the property’s document number / survey number.
5. Entry automatically appears in EC
   • When someone searches the EC for that period, the mortgage registration appears as an encumbrance entry.

In simple words:

Loan + registered mortgage document = mortgage entry in the EC.

What details may appear in the EC for a mortgage?

The EC usually shows the basic registered transaction details, such as the document number, year, nature of transaction, parties involved, and property details. So if the transaction is a mortgage, the entry may show that the owner created a mortgage in favour of a bank or lender.

Can a mortgage entry be removed from the EC?

Yes, but it is important to understand one thing clearly: the EC is a record of registered history. So, a mortgage entry is not normally erased like deleting a line from a file. Instead, the mortgage is usually shown as cleared or discharged through a later legal and registration step. Courts have also noted that a Sub-Registrar does not normally have unlimited power to cancel or delete a registered document just because someone asks.

How is a mortgage removed after the loan is closed?

This is the most common route.

After the borrower repays the full loan, the bank may issue a No Due Certificate, closure letter, or similar proof. But in many cases, that paper alone is not the full end of the registration trail. Banks and lenders usually complete a discharge, release, or reconveyance-related process for registered mortgages, so that the records show the mortgage has been settled. For example, South Indian Bank’s published procedure says that where a registered mortgage or memorandum is involved, a discharge receipt or reconveyance deed is executed in favour of the claimant or legal heirs.

So the practical rule is:

Loan fully paid + proper discharge/release registration process = mortgage shown as cleared in the record.

Is a No Due Certificate alone enough?

Not always.

A No Due Certificate is very useful proof that the loan has been paid. But the EC reflects what has been entered in the registration records. So if the mortgage was a registered transaction, owners should also make sure the lender has completed the required discharge or release formalities wherever applicable. Otherwise, the old mortgage entry may still remain visible in the EC history even though the loan is closed.

What if the mortgage entry is wrong or still causing problems?

If a mortgage entry is wrongly shown, wrongly continued, or connected to a legal dispute, the matter may need to be handled through a lawyer and, in some cases, through a court. Courts have made it clear that registration authorities are not meant to decide full civil title disputes on their own.

What buyers and sellers should remember

An EC is a very important property-checking document, but it must be read carefully. If you see a mortgage entry, do not just ask whether a loan once existed. Also ask:

• Was the loan fully closed?
• Was the proper release or discharge step completed?
• Does the EC show only the old mortgage entry, or does it also show the later clearing document?

That is why serious buyers should verify both the EC and the supporting loan closure documents before purchase.

How Verified.RealEstate can help

Verified.RealEstate can help buyers and sellers secure and verify their property’s EC legal status by check whether a mortgage entry in the EC is still active, whether a release or discharge document is missing, and whether the property needs deeper due diligence before sale or purchase. This becomes especially useful when the EC looks clear at first glance but the underlying documents need closer checking.

Verified.RealEstate helps not only with EC verification, but also with legal opinion, due diligence, and litigation support in cases where a mortgage entry is wrongly reflected or not cleared even after loan closure. This helps property owners understand whether the issue is a missing release document, a record mismatch, or a dispute that needs legal action.

Disclaimer:
The information shared in this article is intended only for general educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice, title certification, or a final opinion on any specific property. Since mortgage entries, loan closure records, EC corrections, and court remedies may differ from case to case, readers should obtain independent legal advice and document verification before proceeding with any purchase, sale, or dispute-related action.

1. MODT is a simple mortgage created by depositing property documents, while a Mortgage deed is a detailed registered agreement with full loan terms—both can appear in the EC if registered. ↩︎