20-year sale ban, graded rates and penalties notified
PANAJI
The State government has officially notified that the provisions of the three new laws – Goa Legislative Diploma, Goa Land Revenue Code (Amendment) Act, 2025 and Goa Regularisation of Unauthorised Construction Bill – will come into force in the State from October 4, 2025. The beneficiaries of the regularisation will not be able to sell or transfer the land or portion of the land for the next 20 years.
As notified, the three laws provide the framework to regulate and streamline the process of regularising certain categories of unauthorised constructions across the State. The Revenue Department has also made public various forms required to be filled in by the applicant for seeking regularisation, apart from submitting a self-declaration.
The applicant will have to submit documents including water and electricity bills, house tax receipts, Aadhaar card/passport, ration card, election card, bank passbook, etc. However, the documents submitted should be of such nature as to prove the existence of the structure before February 28, 2014.
The government, while notifying the rules, has said that the beneficiary of the regularisation will not be able to sell or transfer the land or a portion of it for a period of 20 years from the date of regularisation, and that even after 20 years, any transfer or sale of land will be subject to the government’s decision.
The amendment to the Goa Legislative Diploma No 2070 allows for the regularisation of houses built on Comunidade land; the Goa Land Revenue Code (Amendment) Act, 2025 permits the regularisation of homes built on government land; and the Goa Regularisation of Unauthorised Construction Bill addresses houses built on private land, providing a framework for their regularisation.
The government has also notified the minimum land rates to be paid by the encroachers. Houses existing prior to 1972 and reflected in survey records will be charged at a flat rate of Rs 25 per sq. m., irrespective of circle rates. For houses constructed between 1973 and 1986, 50% of the 2014 circle rate will be applicable. Those built between 1987 and 2000 will be charged at 75% of the circle rate, while homes constructed between 2001 and 2014 will attract the full circle rate. In cases of encroachment on Comunidade land, a 20% penalty on the total plot value will be imposed.
