Kerala Land Conversion Fee Calculator
and Form 5 / 6 / 7 finder
Enter the extent, the fair value and what the records say, and get the form you need, the Section 27A fee on the whole extent, the documents and the typical timeline.
Kerala’s land conversion (tharam mattam) fee under Section 27A is nil up to 25 cents, 10% of fair value above 25 cents up to 1 acre, and 20% above 1 acre — charged on the entire extent once you cross 25 cents (Supreme Court, February 2025). The form depends on the record: Form 5 if the land is in the Data Bank, Form 6 up to 20.23 ares (50 cents), Form 7 above that; no application if the land is already purayidam.
Reviewed 19 September 2026 by J Group Consultancy, Ernakulam. Slabs are revised by government order — confirm with the RDO before paying. This is an estimate, not a demand notice.
Form 6 — change of nature of land up to 50 cents
Extent up to 20.23 ares (50 cents), not in the Data Bank: apply in Form 6 on revenue.kerala.gov.in (Citizen Login) or at an Akshaya centre; the RDO decides after the Village Officer and Agricultural Officer reports. Typical time 45–120 days. The Section 27A fee below is payable after the order.
Section 27A conversion fee, Kerala
| Extent (whole plot) | Fee |
|---|---|
| Up to 25 cents (10.12 ares) | No fee |
| Above 25 cents, up to 1 acre (40.47 ares) | 10% of fair value of the whole extent |
| Above 1 acre | 20% of fair value of the whole extent |
Worked example: a 30-cent plot (12.14 ares) with a fair value of ₹5,00,000 per are has a fair value of ₹60,70,285; the fee is 10% of that — ₹6,07,028 — on all 30 cents, because the plot exceeds 25 cents. A 25-cent plot pays nothing. Applies to land not in the Data Bank that was reclaimed before 12 August 2008; payable after the RDO’s order.
Form 5, Form 6 or Form 7 — the rule of thumb
| Situation | Application | Decided by | Typical time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Survey number listed in the Data Bank, but land was already filled / dry before 2008 | Form 5 — Data Bank removal (then Form 6 / 7) | RDO, on the LLMC report | 30–90 days |
| Not in the Data Bank; recorded as nilam; up to 25 cents; filled before 2008 | Form 6 with sworn affidavit (2025 route) | RDO | Often under 45 days |
| Not in the Data Bank; recorded as nilam; up to 20.23 ares (50 cents) | Form 6 | RDO | 45–120 days |
| Not in the Data Bank; recorded as nilam; above 20.23 ares | Form 7 (with water-conservation plan) | District Collector / Government | 90–180+ days |
| Recorded as purayidam already | None — apply for the building permit | Panchayat / Municipality | — |
Questions about the conversion fee and forms
Is the Kerala land conversion fee charged on the whole plot or only on the part above 25 cents?
On the whole plot. The Supreme Court (State of Kerala v. Moushmi Ann Jacob, 2025 INSC 255, 21 February 2025) set aside the Kerala High Court view that only the excess over 25 cents is charged: the 25-cent exemption applies only when the total extent is 25 cents or less. A 30-cent plot pays 10% of the fair value of all 30 cents.
What is the land conversion fee in Kerala under Section 27A?
For land reclaimed before 12 August 2008 that is not in the Data Bank: nil up to 25 cents; 10% of fair value for extents above 25 cents up to 1 acre; 20% of fair value above 1 acre — in each case on the entire extent. Fair value is the Registration Department’s notified value for the survey number. Slabs are revised by government order, so confirm before paying.
When is the conversion fee paid — before or after the order?
After. The RDO or Collector issues the order permitting the change of nature of land; the fee demand follows and is paid through the Revenue eServices portal, after which the land is re-recorded as purayidam and the thandaper is updated.
How do I find the fair value of my land in Kerala?
Fair value is notified per are for each survey number (or block) by the Registration Department and can be looked up online by district, taluk, village and survey number, or asked for at the Sub-Registrar’s office. Multiply the per-are rate by your extent in ares (cents × 0.4047) to get the total fair value the fee is calculated on.
Which form do I need — Form 5, Form 6 or Form 7?
Form 5 if the land is in the Data Bank and was wrongly included (removal first). If it is not in the Data Bank but still recorded as nilam: Form 6 up to 20.23 ares (50 cents), Form 7 above that. If the records already say purayidam, no conversion is needed — go straight to the building permit.
Does the fee apply if the land is still real paddy field?
Section 27A is only for land that was already filled or reclaimed before 2008 and is not in the Data Bank. Genuine paddy land or wetland in the Data Bank cannot be converted for private purposes except in the narrow cases the Act allows, and no fee route exists for it.
Want us to file and follow it up?
Send the survey number and the thandaper. We check the Data Bank entry, confirm the form and the fee, file on the portal and chase the order — for owners in Kerala and NRIs abroad.