Indian Registration Act, 1908
An Act to consolidate the enactments relating to the Registration of Documents.
- 1 Short title, extent and commencement
- 2 Definitions 3 judgments
- 3 Inspector-General of Registration
- 4 [Repealed.]
- 5 Districts and sub-districts
- 6 Registrars and Sub-Registrars 3 judgments
- 7 Offices of Registrar and Sub-Registrar
- 8 Inspectors of Registration offices
- 9 [Repealed.]
- 10 Absence of Registrar or vacancy in his office
- 11 Absence of Registrar on duty in his district
- 12 Absence of Sub-Registrar or vacancy in his office
- 13 Report to State Government of appointments under sections 10, 11 and 12
- 14 Establishments of registering officers
- 15 Seal of registering officers
- 16 Register-books and fire-proof boxes
- 16A Keeping of books in computer floppies, diskettes, etc
- 17 Documents of which registration is compulsory 65 judgments
- 18 Documents of which registration is optional 3 judgments
- 19 Documents in language not understood by registering officer 1 judgment
- 20 Documents containing interlineations, blanks, erasures or alterations 1 judgment
- 21 Description of property and maps or plans
- 22 Description of houses and land by reference to Government maps or surveys
- 23 Time for presenting documents 3 judgments
- 23A Re-registration of certain documents
- 24 Documents executed by several persons at different times
- 25 Provision where delay in presentation is unavoidable
- 26 Documents executed out of India
- 27 Wills may be presented or deposited at any time
- 28 Place for registering documents relating to land
- 29 Place for registering other documents
- 30 Registration by Registrars in certain cases 2 judgments
- 31 Registration or acceptance for deposit at private residence
- 32 Persons to present documents for registration 3 judgments
- 32A Compulsory affixing of photograph, etc
- 33 Power-of-attorney recognisable for purposes of section 32 5 judgments
- 34 Enquiry before registration by registering officer 3 judgments
- 35 Procedure on admission and denial of execution respectively 1 judgment
- 36 Procedure where appearance of executant or witness is desired
- 37 Officer or Court to issue and cause service of summons
- 38 Persons exempt from appearance at registration-office
- 39 Law as to summonses, commissions and witnesses
- 40 Persons entitled to present wills and authorities to adopt
- 41 Registration of wills and authorities to adopt
- 42 Deposit of wills
- 43 Procedure on deposit of wills
- 44 Withdrawal of sealed cover deposited under section 42
- 45 Proceedings on death of depositor
- 46 Saving of certain enactments and powers of Courts
- 47 Time from which registered document operates 7 judgments
- 48 Registered documents relating to property when to take effect against oral agreements
- 49 Effect of non-registration of documents required to be registered 23 judgments
- 50 Certain registered documents relating to land to take effect against unregistered documents 1 judgment
- 51 Register-books to be kept in the several offices 1 judgment
- 52 Duties of registering officers when document presented 2 judgments
- 53 Entries to be numbered consecutively
- 54 Current indexes and entries therein
- 55 Indexes to be made by registering officers, and their contents
- 56 [Repealed.]
- 57 Registering officers to allow inspection of certain books and indexes, and to give certified copies of entries 2 judgments
- 58 Particulars to be endorsed on documents admitted to registration 1 judgment
- 59 Endorsements to be dated and signed by registering officer 1 judgment
- 60 Certificate of registration 4 judgments
- 61 Endorsements and certificate to be copied and document returned 1 judgment
- 62 Procedure on presenting document in language unknown to registering officer
- 63 Power to administer oaths and record of substance of statements
- 64 Procedure where document relates to land in several sub-districts
- 65 Procedure where document relates to land in several districts
- 66 Procedure after registration of documents relating to land
- 67 [Omitted.]
- 68 Power of Registrar to superintend and control Sub-Registrars
- 69 Power of Inspector-General to superintend registration offices and make rules 3 judgments
- 70 Power of Inspector-General to remit fines
- 71 Reasons for refusal to register to be recorded
- 72 Appeal to Registrar from orders of Sub-Registrar refusing registration on ground other than denial of execution 1 judgment
- 73 Application to Registrar where Sub-Registrar refuses to register on ground of denial of execution
- 74 Procedure of Registrar on such application
- 75 Order by Registrar to register and procedure thereon 1 judgment
- 76 Order of refusal by Registrar
- 77 Suit in case of order of refusal by Registrar 1 judgment
- 78 Fees to be fixed by State Government 1 judgment
- 79 Publication of fees
- 80 Fees payable on presentation
- 81 Penalty for incorrectly endorsing, copying, translating or registering documents with intent to injure 1 judgment
- 82 Penalty for making false statements, delivering false copies or translations, false personation, and abetment
- 83 Registering officers may commence prosecutions
- 84 Registering officers to be deemed public servants
- 85 Destruction of unclaimed documents 1 judgment
- 86 Registering officer not liable for thing bona fide done or refused in his official capacity
- 87 Nothing so done invalidated by defect in appointment or procedure
- 88 88. Registration of documents executed by Government officers or certain public functionaries
- 89 Copies of certain orders, certificates and instruments to be sent to registering officers and filed 3 judgments
- 90 Exemption of certain documents executed by or in favour of Government
- 91 Inspection and copies of such documents
- 92 [Repealed.]
- 93 [Repealed.]
Source: India Code (indiacode.gov.in), the consolidated text published by the Legislative Department, Government of India. Text as updated on India Code on 15 October 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.