Guide
KDA Transfer Procedure and Fees
Guide
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Real Estate AnalystVerified author
9 min read
Selling or buying a plot in a Karachi Development Authority (KDA) scheme is not finished when money changes hands, or even when a deed is registered. The transfer has to be recorded on KDA's own file, through the right procedure and with KDA's fees paid. Until that happens, KDA's record still shows the old owner, and that record is what the next buyer, bank or court will check.
The procedure depends on where the plot sits in its life cycle. Our guide on how to verify property in Karachi explains that KDA holds the land layer for most of Karachi's older public schemes, and a transfer is how that land layer moves from one owner to the next. Getting it right protects the buyer; getting it wrong leaves a gap in the chain that surfaces years later.
This guide explains the four ways a KDA plot changes hands, the documents and forms each one needs, KDA's current service charges, worked cost examples, and the mistakes that hold transfers up.
| Situation | KDA procedure | KDA form | Registration at sub-registrar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plot not yet leased | Pre-lease transfer | Pre-lease transfer form | Not usually, as no lease exists yet |
| Leased plot sold | Mutation by registered sale deed |
| Mutation form |
| Yes, the sale deed |
| Leased plot gifted | Transfer or mutation by gift | Gift form | Yes, the gift deed |
| Owner has died | Mutation by inheritance | Inheritance form | Succession documents instead |
The key question is whether a lease has been executed. Before the lease, KDA itself records the change of owner through a transfer order. After the lease, the transfer is made by a registered deed at the sub-registrar, and KDA then records it as a mutation.
For plots that have an allotment but no executed lease.
A pre-lease transfer is weaker than a leased title because it depends entirely on KDA's file. Buyers of unleased plots should ask how and when the lease can be executed.
For leased plots, which covers most KDA plots in established schemes.
Skipping step 5 is the most common mistake. The registered deed proves the sale; the KDA mutation updates the land record.
A leased plot gifted within a family is transferred by a registered gift deed, then recorded by KDA. In Sindh, stamp duty on a gift deed is 2% of the valuation table value, while an affidavit of an oral gift to a close relative such as a spouse, child or parent is charged at one-fifth of conveyance duty. KDA then records the transfer on its gift form.
When an owner dies, the heirs apply to KDA for mutation by inheritance using succession documents, such as a succession certificate or letters of administration, along with the death certificate and the heirs' CNICs. Where several heirs inherit, the mutation records each one's share. A later sale by one heir needs the others' shares to be dealt with first.
KDA publishes its service charges scheme by scheme on its service charges page, under a schedule titled "New Service Charges 2023" that cites a Sindh Gazette of 25 July 2023 and a governing body resolution of 11 May 2023. The rates below are those listed in the schedules for Scheme 24 (Gulshan-e-Iqbal) and Scheme 36 (Gulistan-e-Jauhar), where the table header gives rates "per Sq. Yds".
| Service | Listed charge |
|---|---|
| Pre-lease transfer fee | Rs345 up to 120 sq yd; Rs518 above 120 sq yd |
| Mutation fee | Rs173 |
| Lease charges | Rs432 |
| Extension of lease charges | Rs518 |
| Permission to mortgage | Rs87 up to 240 sq yd; Rs104 above 241 sq yd |
| NOC for sale | Rs87 |
| Certified true copy, up to 120 sq yd | Rs3,680 per document |
| Certified true copy, 120 to 500 sq yd | Rs5,520 per document |
| Certified true copy, 501 to 1,000 sq yd | Rs7,360 per document |
| Transaction through power of attorney | Listed as "50% of transaction" |
| Cost of lease indenture | Rs6,900 per set |
| Payment certificate | Rs11,500 |
| NOC for utilities | Listed per connection for K-Electric, gas and telephone |
Rates can differ by scheme, and the schedule's formatting is not always clear about which column applies. Before paying, ask KDA's land department to confirm the exact charge for your plot, size and transaction, and keep the challan.
These examples apply the schedule's per-square-yard rates. Confirm the final figure with KDA.
Example 1: pre-lease transfer of a 120 square yard plot
Example 2: pre-lease transfer of a 240 square yard plot
Example 3: mutation of a 240 square yard leased plot after sale
Example 4: certified true copies for a 400 square yard file
Many old KDA files have changed hands through powers of attorney rather than registered transfers. KDA's schedule lists a separate charge for transactions through a power of attorney, recorded as "50% of transaction". In Sindh, a power of attorney given for consideration to sell immovable property also attracts stamp duty of 3% of the valuation table value or consideration, whichever is higher. Ask KDA how the power of attorney charge is calculated for your file before committing to this route.
KDA has also discussed full digitisation of its land records with barcode-based file tracking, and our report on KDA's plan to digitise land records explains how that could speed up transfers once it goes live.
| Mistake | Result |
|---|---|
| Registering a sale deed without applying for KDA mutation | KDA's file still shows the seller |
| Unpaid ground rent or dues | Transfer refused until cleared |
| Gaps in the transfer chain | KDA asks for missing documents |
| Name or CNIC mismatch | Transfer delayed for verification |
| Wrong form for the situation | Application returned |
| Relying on photocopies | KDA asks for originals or certified copies |
Crossing 120 square yards raises the transfer rate by half. Rs518 ÷ Rs345 = about 1.5 times the per-square-yard rate above 120 square yards.
Stamp duty dwarfs the KDA fee. In Example 3, stamp duty of Rs600,000 is about 14 times KDA's mutation fee of Rs41,520. Most of a transfer's cost goes to the province, not KDA.
Transfers keep KDA running. KDA's director general said in 2025 that the Sindh grant covers Rs400 million of a Rs530 million monthly salary bill, with the Rs130 million gap met from plot transfer revenue. That is about 24.5% of KDA's salaries, which is why transfer fees are unlikely to fall. For comparison, our guide on checking transfer charges in Islamabad and Rawalpindi shows how the twin cities structure the same costs.
A. Before a lease, by a pre-lease transfer recorded by KDA. After a lease, by a registered sale or gift deed followed by a KDA mutation. On death, by mutation by inheritance.
A. KDA's schedule lists Rs345 per square yard up to 120 square yards and Rs518 above 120 square yards. Confirm the exact charge with KDA.
A. The schedule lists Rs173 per square yard for mutation. Stamp duty and federal taxes are paid separately at registration.
A. No. The transfer must also be recorded as a mutation on KDA's file.
A. From Rs3,680 per document for plots up to 120 square yards to Rs11,040 for plots above 5,000 square yards.
A. KDA lists a separate charge for such transactions, and Sindh stamp duty on a power of attorney to sell for consideration is 3%. A registered sale deed and mutation give a stronger title.
A. Heirs apply for mutation by inheritance with succession documents, the death certificate and their CNICs.
This guide is for general information. KDA charges, forms and procedures change, and buyers should confirm every fee, document and requirement directly with KDA and a qualified lawyer before transferring.