The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act came into force in Bihar in 2017. By 2026, it has become the single most important consumer-protection law for property buyers in the state. Here's how to use it.

What RERA Bihar does

  • Mandates project registration for any plotted or built development above 500 sqm or 8 units.
  • Requires builders to deposit 70% of project funds in a project-specific escrow account.
  • Imposes penalties for delayed delivery (interest at SBI MCLR + 2% on the buyer's payments).
  • Sets up the Bihar Real Estate Regulatory Authority and Appellate Tribunal at Patna.
  • Bans pre-launch sales and false advertising.

How to verify a project is RERA-registered

  1. Visit rerabihar.bihar.gov.in
  2. Click "Search Projects"
  3. Search by project name, builder name, or location
  4. The result shows: registration number, completion date, status, total units, and link to the agreement template

A genuine RERA number looks like: BRERA/P/WCH/2025/00388 — BRERA (Bihar RERA), P (project), WCH (West Champaran), year, serial.

When is RERA registration NOT required?

  • Individual plot sales (where you're buying a standalone plot, not a development)
  • Plotted developments below 500 sqm
  • Apartment projects with 8 units or fewer
  • Resale transactions (RERA covers first sale by builder, not resale)

This is why most West Champaran plot transactions don't display RERA numbers — they don't need to. But any colony, township, or apartment development must be RERA-registered.

Your buyer rights under RERA

  • Carpet area: Builders must sell on carpet area, not super built-up area.
  • Right to project plan: You can demand sanctioned plan, layout, approvals.
  • Delayed possession: Interest payable from agreement date until handover.
  • Defective construction: 5-year structural warranty.
  • Right to refund: If builder fails to deliver, you can claim full refund with interest.
  • Right to redress: File complaints at RERA Authority (Patna). No advocate required.

What to do if you've been wronged

  1. Collect documents: agreement, payment receipts, builder communications, demand notices.
  2. File a complaint online at rerabihar.bihar.gov.in. Fee: ₹1,000.
  3. Attend hearings (often via video conference).
  4. RERA Authority typically delivers orders within 60–90 days.
  5. Appeal to RERA Appellate Tribunal if needed (within 60 days of order).

The honest truth

RERA is a strong law but enforcement is uneven. In our experience, registered builders generally comply because the reputational stakes are high. Unregistered developers — especially small-scale colonisers — are still common in semi-urban West Champaran, and chasing them through RERA can take 1–2 years.

The simplest protection: only buy from RERA-registered projects, or stick to individual plot transactions where title chain is your primary protection.

For every listed property on Champaran Bhumi, we disclose RERA status explicitly. If a project is unregistered when it should be, we won't list it.