Uttar Pradesh Certified Encumbrance Certificate

A Certified EC lists registered transactions and charges that affect the property for the selected period, such as:

• mortgages and equitable charges
• registered sales, gifts, or settlements
• releases, cancellations or discharge of charge

If no such burden is recorded in that period, the certificate is issued as a Non-Encumbrance certificate, stating that no registered encumbrance appears in the records for that period.

Because it directly answers the buyer's key risk questions:

• Is the property already mortgaged to a bank or lender?
• Are there registered dealings that the seller has not disclosed?
• Has a previous buyer's interest been registered?
• Are encumbrances properly released/cancelled before you buy?

Without a Certified EC, a buyer can easily step into an existing loan or charge without realizing it.

No.

A Certified EC covers registered encumbrances only — charges and dealings recorded in registration records. It does not show:

• unregistered agreements
• family disputes
• pending civil suits not reflected in registration entries
• revenue-side issues (for which buyers also check Khatauni, Girdawari, revenue-court cases)

So, EC is essential but must be read together with other UP records.

Buyers and lenders typically ask for an EC covering a long backward period (commonly 12 years or more) so that major mortgages, sales and registered dealings are visible. UP's own terminology includes "भार मुक्त प्रमाण-पत्र/बारह साला प्रतिलिपि" (Non-Encumbrance / 12-year copy), which reflects this practice.

Certified ECs are issued by the Stamp & Registration Department, Government of Uttar Pradesh, through the Sub-Registrar Offices (SROs), using data from the state's registration records.