CERSAI search before buying property in Andhra Pradesh (Vizag, Vijayawada): check for a hidden bank loan
Short answer: before you buy a flat or plot in Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada or anywhere in Andhra Pradesh, search CERSAI (cersai.org.in) for a bank loan on it, as well as taking an EC from AP IGRS. CERSAI's public search works on the survey, plot or flat number, or on the borrower's name or PAN, for a prescribed fee. Under the SARFAESI Act, a sale made after a lender's filing is "subject to" that lender's claim.
What CERSAI is, and what its public search does (official)
- CERSAI is the Central Registry of Securitisation Asset Reconstruction and Security Interest of India, set up under the SARFAESI Act, 2002. Banks and financial institutions file the loans they secure on property with it.
- The CERSAI site says: "General Public can undertake an online search in the Central Register on payment of prescribed fee." The fee is on its fee structure page; that page did not load as text for us on 21 Oct 2026, so the amount is to verify.
- Asset based search ("Search for Movable, Immovable and Intangible properties on the basis of asset details"): for land or a flat you must fill at least one of Survey Number / Municipal Number, Plot Number or House / Flat Number.
- Debtor (borrower) based search: you must enter either the name of the debtor or their PAN. Search by the seller's name and also by the exact property details.
- The site warns that a search report "can be downloaded only once" for the selected Asset ID in a search, so save the PDF the first time.
- The CERSAI site also says not to reach it through search engines. Type cersai.org.in yourself (its current address is https://cersai.org.in/CERSAI/home.prg).
What the SARFAESI Act says a CERSAI entry means
"...the claim of such secured creditor or other creditor holding attachment order shall have priority over any subsequent security interest created upon such property and any transfer by way of sale, lease or assignment or licence of such property or attachment order subsequent to such registration, shall be subject to such claim"
SARFAESI Act, 2002, section 26C(2), India Code copy (read 21 Oct 2026)
- Public notice: a filing is "deemed to constitute a public notice from the date and time of filing" (section 26C(1)). A buyer can't easily say they didn't know.
- Deposit of title deeds counts: the Act's "security agreement" includes "the creation of mortgage by deposit of title deeds" (section 2(1)(zb)). This is the usual home loan, where the bank simply keeps the original documents.
- Anyone can inspect: the Central Register is open for inspection "by any person", also electronically, on payment of the prescribed fee (section 26).
- Attachments too: tax authorities must file attachment orders from a notified date, and a person holding a court attachment order may file it (section 26B(4), (5)).
- Loan closed: the lender must tell CERSAI of full payment "within thirty days from the date of such payment or satisfaction" (section 25(1)).
- After a bank notice: once a borrower gets the bank's section 13(2) notice, they can't sell the secured property (outside ordinary business) without the bank's prior written consent (section 13(13)).
EC or CERSAI? Check both
| Encumbrance certificate (EC) | CERSAI search | |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs it | State Registration & Stamps department | Central registry under the SARFAESI Act |
| What it lists | Documents registered at the Sub-Registrar office for that property | Security interests and attachment orders that lenders and authorities filed |
| Search by | Property details / document number | Survey, plot or flat number; or borrower name or PAN |
| Blind spot | A loan where no document was registered may not show | Only what was filed; private loans between people are not there |
The SARFAESI Act says the Central Registry is "in addition to and not in derogation of" the Registration Act (section 20(4)). One register does not replace the other, and a clean result on both still isn't proof that no loan exists.
The Andhra Pradesh side: your EC
- AP IGRS runs EC and CC (copy of document) services on registration.ap.gov.in, with an online EC search and a separate signed EC (page open on 21 Oct 2026). Our EC guide below covers the steps.
- The IGRS site's document templates list mortgage forms including mortgage with possession, simple mortgage and deposit of title deed. So some home loans in AP do appear as registered documents on the EC, but you can't assume every loan was registered (to verify for your property).
Five checks before you pay an advance
- Ask the seller in writing: is there any loan, mortgage or attachment on this property? Ask who holds the original sale deed today.
- Run a CERSAI search by property details and by the seller's name or PAN. Save the PDF report the first time.
- Take an EC for the full period your lawyer asks for, from the state portal.
- If a loan shows up, get the bank's outstanding letter, pay off the loan in a way your lawyer approves, and collect the closure letter, the original documents and any release document.
- Re-check CERSAI after closure: the bank has 30 days to record satisfaction. Put "free of all encumbrances" plus a remedy in the agreement, and have a lawyer read it.
Related guides
- Encumbrance certificate (EC) online in Andhra Pradesh
- Home loan mortgage by deposit of title deeds in AP
- Home loan closure and reconveyance in AP
- Prohibited property search in AP
Property in Hyderabad? See the Telangana CERSAI guide.
This page explains public portal information and the text of a central Act. It can't tell you whether a particular property is loan-free. Not legal advice.
A free sample from our Andhra Pradesh property do-it-yourself pack for NRIs: which portal to open, in what order, what to ask for, and what to keep on file.
Get it free (instant download)FAQ
What is a CERSAI search when buying property in Vizag or Vijayawada?
CERSAI is the central registry where banks and financial institutions file loans secured on property. Its site says the general public can search the Central Register online on payment of a prescribed fee, by property details or by the borrower's name or PAN.
Can I search CERSAI by survey number or flat number?
Yes. The asset based search asks for at least one of Survey Number / Municipal Number, Plot Number or House / Flat Number.
Does an AP EC already show home loans?
Some. AP IGRS has document templates for mortgage by deposit of title deed, so a registered one shows on the EC. A loan where no document was registered may not, which is why a CERSAI search is a useful second check.
How long after loan closure does CERSAI update?
Section 25(1) of the SARFAESI Act gives the lender thirty days from full payment to tell CERSAI. Re-check after that.
CERSAI shows a loan on the property I want to buy. What now?
Don't pay an advance yet. Under section 26C(2) of the SARFAESI Act a later sale is subject to the filed claim. Ask the seller for the bank's outstanding letter and plan the closure with your lawyer. Not legal advice.
Official sources
- CERSAI home (public search)
- CERSAI asset based search
- CERSAI debtor based search
- SARFAESI Act, 2002, India Code (s. 2(1)(zb), 13(13), 20(4), 25, 26, 26B, 26C)
- AP IGRS: EC and CC services
Not legal advice. We don't check properties or certify ads. A lawyer must confirm title, and the Authority's own notices override anything on this page.