Department Overview
The Registration Department started functioning from 01/01/1865 in Malabar Area, from 1868 AD in Travancore Area and from 1875 AD in Cochin Area. The three units have been integrated to form the present Registration Department with the formation of Kerala State from 1^st November 1956 and the Registration Act 1908 is in force throughout the state. The Registration Department is one of the oldest departments in the State and it touches citizens at all levels at some point of time or the other.

Registration law governs documents rather than transactions. The Registration Department is a service oriented, revenue earning, Department. The main source of revenue is the Stamp Duty and Registration Fee on account of registration of documents in Sub Registry Offices.

Objects of the Department

The Registration Act, 1908 primarily governs the registration process. The Registration Process has a unique and powerful role in the eye of law. Registration service is a multiplicity of causes which include;

• Providing a conclusive proof of governance of documents;
• To accord publicity of transaction in respect of property;
• To prevent fraud;
• To accord facility for assuring whether a property has already been dealt with and
• To accord security of the title deeds and facility of providing titles in case the original deeds and lost or destroyed deeds.

Vision of the Department

Delivering quality service within the minimum possible time in an equitable, fair and transparent manner to the full satisfaction of the citizen.

Mission

To make the vision of the Department a reality, the under mentioned missions are envisaged:

• Programs will be formulated for delivering quality service within the minimum possible time in an equitable, fair and transparent manner to the full satisfaction of the beneficiary.
• Implementation of plan of action for improving the quality of service delivery.  The services have to be delivered in a manner that is people centered, efficient, effective, equitable, affordable, sustainable and accessible to all. Quality service delivery to be recognized as the right of a citizen.
• Continuous improvement of methods, processes and standards would be put into practice. This will be achieved through the process of modernization based on adoption of e-governance tools, emphasis on simplification of rules and greater delegation of authority to levels that actually deliver public services.
• The whole process would be backed by capacity building efforts to upgrade skills, effecting change of attitudes and enhancement in the service level efficiencies. Ensuring politeness and courtesy on the part of personal while interacting with public.
• Clear standards of service would be laid down to enable citizens, policy makers and service providers to track service performance and take corrective action, wherever necessary

The Department administers the following laws

1)      Registration Act 1908 & Rule
2)      The Kerala Stamp Act 1959
3)      The Chitty Act 1975
4)      The Indian Partnership Act 1932
5)      The Travancore Cochin Literary Scientific and Charitable Society Registration Act 1955
6)      The Special Marriage Act 1954
7)      The Society Registration Act 1860
8)      The Indian Stamp Act 1899
9)      The Non-Trading Company Act 1960
10) The Indian Christian Marriage Act
11)   The Cochin Christian Civil Marriage Registration Act 1095 ME
12)  The Document Writers and Scribers License  Rule
13)  The Prize Chits and Money Circulation Scheme ( Banning) Act

Organizational  Structure

The Department is headquartered at Thiruvananthapuram and is administered through 4 Zonal offices for South, South Central, North Central, and North 14 District Registrar (General) offices, 11 District Registrar (Audit) offices,10 Chitty Auditors offices and 309 Sub Registry Offices.

Organizational  Structure >>

Important Functions of the Department

• Registration of all category of Documents under Indian Registration Act 1908
• Registration of marriages under Special Marriages Act 1954
• Chitty Registration under Chitty Act 1975
• Registration of Partnership Firms under the Indian Partnership Act 1932
• Registration of Charitable Societies under the Travancore Cochin Literary and Scientific Registration Act 1955
• The Indian Registration Act 1860
• Issue of Encumbrance Certificates
• Issue of Certified Copies of Registered Documents
• Registration / refusal of Wills presented after the death of the testator, after the procedure of will enquiry under Registration Act
• Preservation/ Maintenance/ updating of Indexes
• Archival of the registered documents

Law and Regulations administered by the Department

• The Registration Act, 1908.
• The Registration Rules (Kerala), 1958.
• The Kerala Stamp act, 1959.
• The Kerala Stamp Rules, 1960.
• The Indian Stamp Act, 1899.
• The Indian Stamp (Kerala) rules, 1960.
• The Special Marriage Act, 1954.
• The Kerala chitties Act,1975
• Societies Registration Act, 1860.
• Travancore Cochin Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies Registration Act,1955
• The Kerala Non-Trading Companies Act,1961
• The Indian partnership Act,1932
• The prize Chits and Money Circulation Schemes banning Act, 1978
• The Kerala Document writers' License Rules, 1960

The Registration Department is a service-oriented department. But recently it has become revenue collection oriented department, which inseparably and inextricably connected with the society at large from "cradle to grave". Inspector General of Registration is the Head of the  Department. Joint Inspector General of Registration in the central office is assisting the inspector General in all Departmental matters.

Offices in Registration Department

Central Office
The Office of the Inspector General of Registration is the Central Office of the Department .The Inspector General of Registration is the Head of Department. The Joint Inspector General of Registration, Administrative Officer, Finance Officer, Law Officer Assistant Inspector General of Registration (Chit Schemes) Assistant Inspector General of Registration (Administration)  and  Deputy Inspector General of Registration(Licensing), head the eleven sections in the Central Office and assist the Inspector General of Registration.

Zonal  Level

The Department is divided into four zones under the control of each Deputy Inspector General of Registration.
1.South Zone: Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Pathanamthitta Districts. Head Quarters      Thiruvananthapuram.
2.South Central Zone: Ernakulam, Kottayam, Idukki and Alappuzha Districts.Head Quarters Ernakulam
3. North Central zone: Trichur, Palakkad and Malappuram Districts.Head Quarters Thrissur.
4.North zone: Kozhikode, Kannur Wayanad and Kasargod Districts.Head Quarters Kozhikode.

District Level

There are 14 District Registrars (General) and 10 District Registrars (Audit). District Administration is done by the District Registrar (General) and auditing of Sub Registrar Offices are done by District Registrar(Audit)

Total No. of Sub Registry Offices 308