How to Check the RERA Registration of a Project: A 2026 Step-by-Step Guide
Dasadia Editorial Team · Updated June 2026
Before you pay a single rupee of booking amount, there is one free, two-minute check that can save you from a stalled project, a defaulting builder, or a flat that legally does not exist yet: verifying the project’s RERA registration. The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 made it compulsory for builders to register most projects with their state’s regulator before advertising or selling — and to publish their registration number, approvals, finances and timelines on a public portal anyone can search.
This guide walks you through exactly how to check a project’s RERA registration — step by step on Maharashtra’s MahaRERA portal, how to read the registration number, what the project page should reveal, and the red flags that mean you should walk away.
Key Takeaways
- RERA registration is mandatory for projects on land larger than 500 sq m or with more than 8 units — builders cannot legally advertise or sell before registering.
- RERA is implemented state by state: a project is registered on the portal of the state where it is located (MahaRERA for Maharashtra, including Mumbai).
- You can verify any project free in minutes — search by project name, promoter name, registration number or location on the official portal.
- The registration number itself encodes the project: Mumbai numbers typically begin with P51900 followed by digits.
- Since 1 August 2023, every project advertisement in Maharashtra must carry a scannable QR code linking straight to the official project page.
- A builder who cannot or will not share a RERA number is the single biggest red flag in Indian real estate.
What Is RERA Registration?
RERA stands for the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, a central law that every state implements through its own regulatory authority and online portal. When a builder registers a project, the regulator issues a unique RERA registration number and creates a public web page for that project carrying its approvals, layout, carpet areas, declared completion date, finances and any complaints. The registration is, in effect, the project’s legal identity — proof that a regulator has the developer on record and is holding them to disclosed timelines and an escrow discipline for buyers’ money.
In Maharashtra, that regulator is the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA), which runs one of the most data-rich RERA portals in the country and covers Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Nashik and every other district in the state.
Source: MahaRERA
Why Verifying RERA Registration Matters
Checking the registration is not a formality — it is your main legal safeguard. A registered project gives you:
- Protection from misleading ads: declared carpet area, amenities and possession dates are on official record, not just in a brochure.
- Financial discipline: a large share of the money collected from buyers must sit in a designated project account and be used only for that project.
- A real possession date: the portal shows the originally declared completion date and any extensions the regulator has granted.
- A grievance route: you can file a complaint against the developer with the authority if commitments are broken.
- Confidence that the developer cannot legally sell what has not been approved and registered.
Which Projects Must Be Registered?
RERA registration is compulsory — not optional — for a project where the land area exceeds 500 square metres, or where the project has more than eight apartments (inclusive of all phases). The developer must register before any marketing, advertising or sale. Selling an unregistered project that crosses these thresholds is a punishable offence under the Act. Only very small plots or developments falling below both limits are exempt — so almost every apartment building you will consider in a city like Mumbai must be registered.
Source: The Propertist · Kumar Properties
How to Check RERA Registration: Step by Step
Here is the process on the MahaRERA portal. The same logic applies to any state’s RERA website.
- Step 1 — Go to the official portal: maharera.maharashtra.gov.in. Always type it yourself or use a verified link; avoid third-party look-alike sites.
- Step 2 — Open the 'Registered Projects' search (under the 'Registration' or 'Projects' menu).
- Step 3 — Search using any one of: project name, promoter/developer name, MahaRERA registration number, or district/location.
- Step 4 — Pick the matching project from the results and open 'View Details'.
- Step 5 — Confirm the registration status (registered, lapsed/expired or revoked) and that the number matches what the builder advertised.
- Step 6 — Download the registration certificate and review the uploaded documents for your records.
Source: The Wadhwa Group · RERA Easy
How to Read a MahaRERA Registration Number
A MahaRERA project number is not random. It begins with the letter P (for a project), followed by digits that encode the division and district, then a serial number — Mumbai suburban projects, for instance, commonly start with P51900. The key checks are simple: make sure the number on the builder’s hoarding, brochure or website is identical to the one on the official portal, and that the name, promoter and location on the portal match the project you are being shown. A number that returns no result, or returns a different project, is a serious problem.
Source: The Propertist · SSB Group
Checking RERA in Other States
Because RERA is enforced state by state, a project is registered with the authority of the state where it is built — not on any single national website. If your project is in Maharashtra, use MahaRERA; in Karnataka, use K-RERA; in Gujarat, GujRERA; in Tamil Nadu, TNRERA, and so on. The search method is almost identical everywhere: open the state portal, find the registered-projects search, and look up the project by name, promoter or registration number. If you are ever directed to a ‘central RERA’ site to verify a specific project, treat it with caution — project verification happens on the state portal.
The QR-Code Shortcut
Maharashtra has made verification even faster. Since 1 August 2023 (MahaRERA Order 46B/2023), every advertisement and prospectus for a registered project must display a project-specific QR code that, when scanned, opens the official MahaRERA project page directly. A follow-up directive, Order 46C/2025 dated 8 April 2025, tightened the rules: the registration number, the MahaRERA website address and the QR code must appear in the top-right quadrant of the ad, in a font size at least as large as the contact details. Non-compliance attracts penalties of ₹10,000 to ₹50,000 under Section 65 of the Act. For you, the buyer, it means one thing: if an ad has no QR code or registration number, that itself is a red flag.
Source: MahaRERA Order 46C/2025 · REMI · Desai & Diwanji
Don't Forget to Verify the Agent
RERA does not regulate only projects — it regulates the people selling them. Any broker or channel partner who markets a registered project must themselves be registered with MahaRERA and, since 1 May 2023, hold a Certificate of Competency. The portal has a separate ‘Search Agent Registration’ tool: enter the agent’s name or registration number to confirm they are authorised. An unregistered agent cannot legally facilitate your transaction, and dealing with one removes a layer of accountability — another box worth ticking before you commit.
Source: Thane Real Estate News · MahaRERA
Green Flags and Red Flags
Green flags
- A valid registration number that matches the portal exactly, with 'registered' status.
- A declared possession date with few or no extensions.
- Approved plans, Form A/B/C disclosures and a designated project bank account on the page.
- A scannable QR code and registration number on every advertisement.
Red flags
- The builder cannot produce a RERA number, or asks you to book before registration.
- The number returns no result, a lapsed/revoked status, or a different project.
- Multiple possession-date extensions, or open complaints and litigation on the portal.
- Advertisements with no QR code or registration number, or an unregistered selling agent.
Verified Key Facts
- RERA registration is mandatory for projects over 500 sq m or with more than 8 units: Verified (The Propertist; Kumar Properties).
- Maharashtra's official portal is maharera.maharashtra.gov.in: Verified (MahaRERA).
- QR codes on project ads are mandatory since 1 August 2023 (Order 46B/2023): Verified (REMI).
- Order 46C/2025 (8 April 2025) set QR-code position and font-size norms: Verified (MahaRERA; Desai & Diwanji).
- QR/display non-compliance penalty is ₹10,000–₹50,000 under Section 65: Verified (REMI).
- Selling agents must be MahaRERA-registered with a Certificate of Competency: Verified (Thane Real Estate News).
Frequently Asked Questions
Visit your state’s official RERA portal (maharera.maharashtra.gov.in for Maharashtra), open the ‘Registered Projects’ search, and enter the project name, promoter name, registration number or location. Open the matching result to confirm the registration status and view the project’s approvals, timelines and disclosures.
It is a unique code the regulator issues to a registered project, acting as its legal identity. In Maharashtra it begins with ‘P’ followed by digits that encode the division and district — Mumbai suburban numbers commonly start with P51900. The number must match between the builder’s advertising and the official portal.
Almost all. Registration is compulsory for projects on land larger than 500 square metres or with more than eight apartments, across all phases. Developers must register before advertising or selling. Only very small developments below both thresholds are exempt.
Yes. Searching and verifying a project on the official state RERA portal is completely free and takes only a couple of minutes. You can also download the registration certificate and disclosed documents.
No. RERA is implemented state by state, so each state and union territory has its own portal. A project is registered with the authority of the state where it is located — verify it there, not on any ‘central’ project-search site.
The registration status and validity, declared completion date and any extensions, approved plans and carpet areas, Form A/B/C disclosures, the designated project bank account, quarterly progress updates, and any complaints or litigation against the developer.
Since 1 August 2023, MahaRERA requires a project-specific QR code on every advertisement; scanning it opens the official project page. Order 46C/2025 further requires the number, website and QR code in the ad’s top-right quadrant at a font size at least equal to the contact details.
Treat it as a major red flag. If the project crosses the registration thresholds, the builder is legally required to register before selling. A missing or unverifiable number means you should not pay any booking amount until it is resolved.
On the MahaRERA portal, the registration status field shows whether a project is registered, lapsed/expired or revoked. There is also a ‘Lapsed Projects’ listing under the registration section. A lapsed status warrants careful scrutiny before proceeding.
Yes. In Maharashtra, agents marketing a registered project must be registered with MahaRERA and, since 1 May 2023, hold a Certificate of Competency. You can verify them using the ‘Search Agent Registration’ tool on the portal.
Largely, yes. A registered project must route a substantial portion of buyer funds into a designated project account to be used only for that project, reducing the risk of money being diverted — one of the core protections RERA introduced.
Yes. If a developer breaks disclosed commitments — such as missing the declared possession date — you can file a complaint with the authority through the portal, which provides a formal grievance-redressal mechanism.
Conclusion and Next Steps
Verifying a project’s RERA registration is the cheapest insurance a homebuyer can buy — it costs nothing, takes two minutes, and exposes most of the risks that derail property purchases. Confirm the number on the official state portal, read the project page for extensions, disclosures and complaints, scan the QR code on any advertisement, and check that the selling agent is registered too.
Next step: before you pay any booking amount, look up your shortlisted project on the official portal, download its registration certificate, and match every detail — name, promoter, carpet area and possession date — against what you have been promised. If anything fails to match, pause and ask questions before you commit.
Sources and References
- MahaRERA — official portal (Registered Projects search)
- MahaRERA — Order 46C/2025: QR code & registration display norms
- MahaRERA — Orders and Circulars
- Desai & Diwanji — MahaRERA advertising transparency rules
- REMI — MahaRERA QR code mandate overview
- Brickplot — MahaRERA registration guide (Form A/B, escrow)
- The Wadhwa Group — step-by-step MahaRERA project check
- Lodha — how to find MahaRERA project details
- The Propertist — MahaRERA project search guide
- RERA Easy — how to check a RERA registration number
Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. RERA rules, portal features, registration thresholds and penalties are indicative as of June 2026 and may change. Always verify a project’s status and details directly on the official MahaRERA portal (or your relevant state RERA portal) before making any booking or purchase decision.
Looking at a Verified Project in Andheri East?
153 East by Dasadia Developers LLP is registered with MahaRERA under registration number PR1180002502968 — a freehold residential project in J.B. Nagar, Andheri East, offering 1–4 BHK homes. Get the brochure with floor plans and details, or arrange a site visit, and verify every detail on the official MahaRERA portal.
