TNRERA (Tamil Nadu RERA): How to Search a Registered Project, Read the RERA Number, File a Form M Complaint and 2025–2026 Rules

Posted by Akhilesh Upadhyay on 07/11/2026

Legal & RERA

Akhilesh UpadhyayUpdated 7 Nov 2026 · 7 min read

Checked against official government sources. General information, not legal or financial advice.

TNRERA is the Tamil Nadu Real Estate Regulatory Authority, and its official website is rera.tn.gov.in. On it you can search a registered building or layout project, open its approvals, and file a complaint against a builder in Form M for ₹1,000. TNRERA has also brought in strict rules since 2025 on advertisements, sales before registration and buyer money. This guide explains how to use the portal, what a TNRERA number looks like and what to check before you book.

TNRERA at a glance

Authority: Tamil Nadu Real Estate Regulatory Authority, Egmore, Chennai
Portal: rera.tn.gov.in
Law: Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 and the Tamil Nadu rules of 2017
Project types: Building, Normal Layout and Regularisation Layout
Complaint: Form M to the Authority, ₹1,000 online; Form N for compensation, ₹5,000
Three bank accounts: required for projects applying from 1 January 2026
Appeals: Tamil Nadu Real Estate Appellate Tribunal (Form L)

Use only the government website and type the address yourself. The TNRERA office is at Door No. 1A, 1st Floor, Gandhi Irwin Bridge Road, Egmore, Chennai 600008, open 10:00 am to 5:45 pm on working days.

In this guide

How to search a registered project on TNRERA
What to check on the project page
How to file a complaint with TNRERA
Registration rules for projects and property dealers
TNRERA updates in 2025–2026
Before you book a flat or plot in Tamil Nadu
Frequently asked questions

How to search a registered project on TNRERA

Open rera.tn.gov.in.
Go to Registration > Projects > Registered Projects – Tamil Nadu.
Choose the project type: Building, Normal Layout or Regularisation Layout.
Select the year of registration and look for the project name or promoter in the list.
Click the approved details links to open the registration certificate, plans and other documents.

Older Tamil Nadu numbers look like TN/9/Layout/1378/2024 or TN/…/Building/…: the state code, an office code, the project type, a serial number and the year. Numbers issued from late 2025 can look like TNRERA/5/LO/4109/2025, where LO stands for layout. Match the number with the brochure, advertisement and agreement for sale. If it is missing or opens a different project, do not pay a booking amount.

What to check on the project page

Section	What it tells you
Registration certificate	RERA number, validity and declared completion date
Promoter and landowner	Who is building the project, and the landowner in a joint development
Approvals	Planning permission or layout approval from CMDA, DTCP or the local body
Unit details	Number of flats or plots with carpet area or plot area
Progress reports	Construction stage and bookings each quarter
Orders	Any extension, penalty or order against the promoter

Compare the latest progress report with the site, and match the project address with the approved plan; in July 2026 TNRERA stopped advertising of a Chennai project until its advertised locality was corrected to match the records. RERA prices are quoted on carpet area; see carpet area vs built-up area.

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How to file a complaint with TNRERA

A buyer can complain for delayed possession, refund not paid, change in plans without consent, poor construction or a project sold without registration.

On rera.tn.gov.in, open the complaint section and register with your mobile number and email.
Fill in Form M (complaint to the Authority) with the project’s RERA number, your unit, payments made and the relief you want.
Upload the agreement for sale, allotment letter, payment receipts and letters exchanged with the builder.
Pay the fee of ₹1,000 online and save the reference number.
Send the hard copy of the complaint with attested documents to the TNRERA office by registered post or in person within 7 days of filing online, and send a copy to the builder.

A claim for compensation goes to the Adjudicating Officer in Form N, with a fee of ₹5,000, and is filed offline. If you disagree with an order, appeal to the Tamil Nadu Real Estate Appellate Tribunal in Form L within 60 days. See our guide on how to file a RERA complaint.

Registration rules for projects and property dealers

A project must be registered before it is advertised, booked or sold if the land is more than 500 sq m or it has more than 8 apartments or plots. This covers layouts as well as buildings.
The promoter cannot take more than 10% of the cost as advance before a registered agreement for sale.
For projects that exempt themselves from registration, advertisements must state the reason for the exemption.
Property dealers who sell in registered projects must register. Reported fees are ₹25,000 for an individual and ₹50,000 for others.
TNRERA also handles projects in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

TNRERA updates in 2025–2026

Advertisement rules (from 1 July 2025): every advertisement, including social media and hoardings, must show the TNRERA number at the top right, a QR code, the TNRERA website and the exact location. Distances to landmarks must be stated in kilometres by road, not as travel time. Online platforms must not list projects without valid TNRERA details.
Penalty for selling before registration (September 2025): the penalty is the highest of a fixed amount per unit (from ₹3,000 in village panchayats to ₹15,000 in Greater Chennai), 1% of the proportionate project cost for flats or 2% for plots, or 2% of the sale value. It rises by 50% if 10–50 units were sold and by 100% above 50 units.
Three bank accounts (from 1 January 2026): new and resubmitted applications must use a collection account for all buyer payments, a RERA account that receives 70% the same day for land and construction, and a transaction account for the remaining 30%. Joint development projects need a set for the landowner and one for the promoter.
Penalties for wrong advertisements (from 1 July 2026): minimum penalties of ₹50,000 to ₹5,00,000 depending on whether the violation is major or minor and whether the project costs more than ₹100 crore.
Four-month extension (August 2026): by a circular of 10 August 2026, TNRERA extended registration validity and completion timelines by four months for projects whose original, revised or extended completion date falls on or after 28 February 2026, citing the West Asia situation.

Before you book a flat or plot in Tamil Nadu

Search the project on TNRERA and match the number, promoter, approved plan and completion date.
Check that the advertisement shows the TNRERA number and a QR code that opens the same project.
Check land records on Patta Chitta and the encumbrance certificate on TNREGINET.
Compare the price with the guideline value in Chennai.
Pay only into the project’s collection account named in the agreement.
Plan for Chennai property tax after possession.

More guides: builder-buyer agreement clauses, Chennai real estate, Karnataka RERA and plot buying checklist.

Frequently asked questions

What is the official TNRERA website?

It is rera.tn.gov.in, run by the Tamil Nadu Real Estate Regulatory Authority in Egmore, Chennai.

How do I check if a project is registered with TNRERA?

Go to Registration, then Projects, then Registered Projects – Tamil Nadu, choose Building or Layout, select the year and open the approved details of the project.

What does a TNRERA number look like?

Older numbers look like TN/9/Layout/1378/2024. Numbers issued from late 2025 can look like TNRERA/5/LO/4109/2025.

What is the complaint fee in TNRERA?

A complaint to the Authority in Form M costs ₹1,000 online. A compensation claim in Form N before the Adjudicating Officer costs ₹5,000.

Do I need to send a hard copy of my TNRERA complaint?

Yes. Send the complaint and attested documents to the TNRERA office by post or in person within 7 days of filing online.

What is the three-account rule in Tamil Nadu?

From 1 January 2026, projects must use a collection account, a RERA account that gets 70% of buyer money for land and construction, and a transaction account for the other 30%.

Did TNRERA extend project deadlines in 2026?

Yes. On 10 August 2026 it gave a four-month extension to projects whose completion date falls on or after 28 February 2026.

RERA rules, fees, forms and portal menus are set by the Tamil Nadu Real Estate Regulatory Authority and can change. Check the current details on rera.tn.gov.in before you file or pay, and take legal advice for a dispute. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Sources: Tamil Nadu Real Estate Regulatory Authority (TNRERA portal); Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016; Tamil Nadu Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Rules, 2017; 2025–2026 reports on TNRERA circulars (LiveLaw, IndiaLaw, Storyboard18, King Stubb & Kasiva, Housing.com).

About the author

Akhilesh Upadhyay Founder, Housepartner.in

Akhilesh Upadhyay is the founder of Housepartner.in, an India-wide property portal. He has worked in Indian real estate since 2013, across residential and commercial property, plots and development-authority schemes. He writes and reviews Housepartner's buyer guides on RERA, land records, stamp duty and property documents.

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