Sindh Property Transfer & Registry: A Step-by-Step Guide

In short

Check the seller's title in the Sindh land record first. Records are held in LARMIS and can be accessed at People's Service Centres. Stamp duty is worked out on the government's notified valuation table, not on whatever price the parties prefer to write. The sale deed is registered at a Sub-Registrar office. Sindh launched e-Registration in February 2024 across 51 Sub-Registrar offices. After registry, get the mutation done so the record of rights shows the new owner. Federal advance taxes under the Income Tax Ordinance apply on top of provincial charges.

A property transfer in Sindh moves ownership from seller to buyer in two places: a registered sale deed, and the government's land record. If either step is skipped, the buyer can pay in full and still not be the owner on paper. This guide walks through the process in order, from checking the seller's title to the final mutation, for buyers in Hyderabad, Karachi and the rest of the province. It covers the registry route used for most freehold land and houses; plots inside a society or development authority scheme usually also need that body's own transfer.

Step 1: Verify the seller's title

What the land record is

Sindh's Board of Revenue keeps land records in LARMIS, the Land Administration & Revenue Management Information System. Digitisation began in 2010 with old records from 1985 to 2010, including the entries in Forms VII-A, VII-B and Form II collected from Mukhtiarkar offices. The Provincial Record Centre in Hyderabad continues to scan and index newer records, and a disaster recovery centre there backs up the main data centre in Karachi.

How to check

According to the Sindh government, citizens can use 27 People's Service Centres at district headquarters for land record services. Before paying any token money:

1. Get the seller's CNIC and the property's survey number, deh and taluka.
2. Ask for a current copy of the record entry and check that the seller's name, share and area match what is being sold. Urban plots in Sindh are usually described in square yards, so a 120 sq yd plot (1,080 sq ft) should appear as that area, not as a rounded figure.
3. Check for any mortgage, court stay or dispute noted on the record.
4. For inherited property, make sure every legal heir's share has been recorded, and that all heirs are party to the sale or have properly authorised it.

Step 2: Agree terms in writing

Most deals start with an agreement to sell and a token or advance payment. Keep this document simple and specific: names and CNICs, the exact property description, the total price, what has been paid, the deadline for the sale deed, and who pays which charge.

Receipts for money paid against immovable property also carry a small stamp duty in Sindh. Under the Sindh Finance Act 2024, effective 1 July 2024, the duty on such a receipt runs in slabs from Rs10 for amounts up to Rs50,000 to Rs2,000 for amounts above Rs5 million. This is separate from the main stamp duty on the sale deed.

Step 3: Work out the charges

Provincial charges: stamp duty and registration

The largest provincial cost is stamp duty on the conveyance (sale) deed, plus a registration fee. Under section 27-A of the Stamp Act 1899, as applied in Sindh, value-based duty is calculated on the notified valuation table for the area. The Sindh High Court has held that a Sub-Registrar cannot question the value stated in a deed when that value is not below the valuation table, and that the duty follows the table value.

We have not found a current official Sindh rate schedule for conveyance deeds, so we do not quote one here. Ask the Sub-Registrar office or a licensed deed writer for the rate in force on your registration date, and get the calculation in writing.

Federal advance taxes

The Federal Board of Revenue collects advance income tax on property deals: section 236K on the buyer and section 236C on the seller. The rates were restructured for 2026-27, replacing the earlier value-based slabs. Check the current rates with FBR or a tax adviser before you fix your budget, and keep the payment receipts, as the Sub-Registrar will ask for them.

Other costs

Plan for the deed writer's or lawyer's fee, any capital value tax that applies to your deal under current Sindh law, and, where relevant, society transfer charges.

Step 4: Register the sale deed

At the Sub-Registrar

The sale deed is presented at the Sub-Registrar office for the area where the property sits. Typically, both buyer and seller (or their attorneys) appear, show original CNICs, and sign before the Sub-Registrar, with witnesses. The office checks identity, title and the parties' capacity to sell.

e-Registration

Sindh launched e-Registration in February 2024 across 51 Sub-Registrar offices, delivered through the People's Service Centres. By July 2025, more than 100,000 documents and deeds had been registered through the system, according to the Sindh government. Ask your nearest office whether your deed can be processed this way.

Documents to bring

• Original CNICs of buyer, seller and witnesses, with copies
• The title documents and current record entry
• The draft sale deed on the required stamp paper
• Paid challans for stamp duty, registration fee and federal advance taxes
• A registered power of attorney if anyone is represented

Step 5: Complete the mutation

Registration proves the sale. The mutation updates the record of rights so that the land record shows the buyer as owner. Apply for it at the revenue office for the area with a copy of the registered deed. In July 2025 the Chief Minister directed the Board of Revenue to integrate e-Mutation with e-Registration, so check whether your district now links the two.

Until the mutation is entered, do not treat the transfer as finished. Keep certified copies of the registered deed and the updated record.

Society and authority plots

Plots in a housing society or a development authority scheme usually have an internal transfer process as well. The society records the new owner in its own books, often after a no-dues certificate and its own fee. Do both the society transfer and, where the land is freehold and registrable, the registry. Read more Hyderabad property guides for scheme-level checks.

Tips for overseas Pakistanis

• Use a specific, registered power of attorney that names the property and the powers given.
• Ask for scanned copies of every challan and the registered deed before releasing the final payment.
• Follow up the mutation yourself; it is the step most often left unfinished.

Frequently asked questions

How do I transfer property in Sindh?

Verify the seller's title in the land record, agree terms in writing, pay stamp duty, registration fee and federal taxes, register the sale deed at the Sub-Registrar office, and then get the mutation entered in the record of rights.

What is the stamp duty on property in Sindh?

Stamp duty on a sale deed is calculated on the government's notified valuation table for the area. Rates change through provincial finance laws, so confirm the rate in force with the Sub-Registrar office before you register.

What is the difference between registry and mutation?

The registry is the registered sale deed that proves the sale took place. The mutation updates the government land record so it shows the new owner. You need both.

Can I register property online in Sindh?

Sindh launched e-Registration in February 2024 across 51 Sub-Registrar offices, delivered through People's Service Centres. You still need to complete identity checks, so ask your nearest office how much can be done remotely.

Who pays the taxes in a property transfer?

Federal advance tax under section 236K is paid by the buyer and under section 236C by the seller. Provincial stamp duty and registration fee are usually paid by the buyer, but the agreement should state who pays each charge.

Sources

1. Chief Minister Sindh: CM reviews progress of land record digitalisation initiatives cm.sindh.gov.pk
2. Board of Revenue Sindh: Land Administration & Revenue Management Information System (LARMIS) bor.sindh.gov.pk
3. PkRevenue: Sindh notifies new stamp duty rates for immovable properties pkrevenue.com
4. High Court of Sindh: C.P. No. D-3522 of 2016 (valuation tables under section 27-A, Stamp Act 1899) caselaw.shc.gov.pk
5. PkRevenue: FBR property advance tax rates 2026-27 pkrevenue.com