7/12 vs 8A Extract: The Difference and What to Check

When you buy a plot near Mumbai, you will be handed two village revenue papers that look almost the same. Here is the 7/12 and 8A extract difference, how they connect through mutation entries, and what to verify on each before you pay.

One paper follows the land and the other follows the person

When you look at a plot of land in Maharashtra, the seller or developer will show you two revenue documents from the village office. People often mention them in the same breath, which makes first time buyers think they are two halves of one form. They are actually two separate village forms that look at the same land from two different angles.

The 7/12 extract (satbara utara) is the record for one specific survey number or gat number. It tells you everything about that single piece of land: who holds it, the exact area, whether the land is agricultural or non agricultural, what crops grew on it, and other rights such as bank loans. Our separate guide on how to read a 7/12 extract, linked at the end of this page, walks through every column, so we will not repeat it here.

The 8A extract (khate utara, or village form 8A) is the holder's account book for that village. Instead of tracking one piece of land, it tracks one person under one account number, called a khata number. It lists all the survey numbers that one person holds in that village and the total land revenue assessed on their holdings.

Why the 7/12 and 8A extract difference matters to a plot buyer

Think of the 7/12 extract as the biography of the plot you want to buy. Think of the 8A extract as the seller's passbook for every piece of land they hold in that village.

Knowing the 7/12 and 8A extract difference helps you cross check whether the seller's story adds up. If someone is selling you a plot carved out of a larger survey number, that survey number must appear on the 7/12 extract with their name as the holder. That exact same survey number and area must also show up inside their personal account on the 8A extract.

The 8A extract is also useful when you buy into a larger plotted township. A township layout is often put together from several adjoining survey numbers in the same village. One 8A extract lets you see at a glance whether all those survey numbers sit cleanly under the same holder's account in the village records.

How a mutation entry connects your sale to both records

Neither the 7/12 extract nor the 8A extract changes by itself when you sign a sale deed at the sub registrar's office. The bridge between your registered deed and the village records is a mutation entry (ferfar).

A mutation entry is the official record of a change in holdings, whether that change comes from a sale, an inheritance, a bank loan, or a conversion to non agricultural use. The village accountant, called the talathi, writes this change into the mutation register (village form 6). Once it is written, interested parties are given formal notice so they can raise an objection within the notice period if something is wrong.

If there is no valid objection, a revenue officer such as the circle officer certifies the entry. Only after that certification are the 7/12 extract and the 8A extract updated, and the mutation number appears on the 7/12 extract next to the change.

Here is the most important rule in Maharashtra land buying. A mutation entry records a change for revenue and tax purposes, and it is not by itself proof of legal title. A mutation entry can be challenged, which is why your lawyer must always check the chain of registered sale deeds alongside the revenue extracts.

How to view both extracts online on Mahabhulekh

You do not need to visit the talathi office just to see what is written on these two papers. The Maharashtra revenue department puts both forms online for free on the Mahabhulekh portal, so you can check them from your phone before you even drive out for a site visit.

To look them up, ask the seller or the sales team for four details: the district, the taluka, the village name, and the survey number or gat number.

• Open the official Mahabhulekh website and select your region from the list.
• Choose 7/12 or 8A depending on which form you want to view.
• Select the district, the taluka, and the exact village name.
• For a 7/12 extract, search by the survey number or gat number.
• For an 8A extract, search by the khata number, or look up the holder's name if you do not have the khata number yet.
• Use the state's Digital Satbara service when you need a digitally signed copy for a bank or a legal file.

What to look for on both papers before you book a plot

When you and your lawyer sit down with the 7/12 extract, the 8A extract, and the mutation register copies, you are checking that all three tell the exact same story without gaps.

If we take Nature's Nest by Pool City at Atgaon as a real example, it is a 27 acre gated township of 277 numbered freehold non agricultural plots off the Mumbai to Nashik highway, priced from ₹49 lakh with select plots available on a ₹50,000 a month payment plan. We offer plots at Atgaon where the roads, water, power, drainage, and clubhouse are already built, and we show every land document upfront so your lawyer can run these exact checks.

• Match the holder's name across the 7/12 extract, the 8A extract, and the seller named in your draft agreement.
• Check that the survey number and area on the 7/12 extract match the entry inside the holder's 8A extract.
• Look at the other rights column on the 7/12 extract to see if there are active bank loans, government restrictions, or court orders.
• Check the mutation numbers listed on the 7/12 extract and ask for the village form 6 mutation entries behind them, especially for past sales and the non agricultural conversion.
• Make sure the latest mutation entries are certified by the revenue officer and not still sitting uncertified in the notice period.

What to ask for before you pay a booking amount

Never pay a token or booking amount on the strength of a brochure layout alone. A printed map of plot numbers is a marketing sheet until you tie it back to the sanctioned town planning layout and the village revenue records.

Ask the sales team for a full document pack that includes the latest 7/12 extracts, the 8A extract, the village form 6 mutation entries, the non agricultural order, and the sanctioned layout map. Take that file to an independent property lawyer who represents only you, and let them verify both the revenue papers and the full chain of title deeds going back over the years.

If you are looking at our estates at Khardi or Igatpuri, or the plots we offer at Atgaon, ask our team for the document set on your first call. We want your lawyer to read every page before you decide.

Read next

• How to Read a 7/12 Extract Before Buying Land in Maharashtra
• Freehold, NA, Clear Title — What Actually Matters When You Buy Land Near Mumbai
• How to Check a Plotted Project Before Buying Near Mumbai
• See all Pool City projects, with prices and locations

*This article is general guidance for land buyers in Maharashtra and is not legal advice. Revenue rules and portal steps can change. Always have an independent property lawyer verify the title deeds, mutation entries, and revenue records before buying any plot or property.