Ownership records

Green Property Certificate vs Fard: what do you need now?

By Adil Builders · Updated 3 November 2026

"Fard khatam ho gaya hai, ab green certificate chahiye." You may hear this from a dealer. As far as the reports show, it is not correct. But two different certificates arrived in 2026, and people often mix them up.

This reflects what could be checked in November 2026. These rules changed quickly in 2026 and may change again. Before you start a deal, ask PLRA which document it needs.

The short answer

Revenue land across Punjab. News reports say a Fard or a Naqal Arazi Record can be used again.

A plot in a Lahore housing scheme. LDA's notice says a Property Certificate is the only legal ownership document from 1 July 2026.

What happened to the Green Property Certificate

May 2026. Sahiwal started as a pilot, and Fard issuance there was suspended.
1 July 2026. The certificate was made compulsory for sale, purchase, mortgage, gift and other transfers across Punjab.
About 11 July 2026. News reports said PLRA had withdrawn that rule, and that a deal can again use a Fard or a Naqal Arazi Record.
Late July 2026. The Express Tribune reported that there was still no clear policy for land records that are not computerised.

PLRA's fee list dated 8 July 2026 includes Fard, the Green Property Certificate and the Naqal Arazi Record. So all three were still being offered at that date.

This guide could not obtain the PLRA notification that withdrew the rule. The withdrawal comes from news reports, including Daily Pakistan and The Express Tribune.

If you do apply for a Green Property Certificate

It can still be useful, but it is a process, not a quick printout. Before you pay a seller to get one, know these points from PLRA's own guidance:

You start in person at an Arazi Record Centre. PLRA lists an initial processing fee of Rs. 900, but check the current fee.
Officials check the record for ownership history, tax liabilities, bank mortgages and court orders.
A survey checks possession. At least two neighbouring landowners give statements and biometrics.
The public can object. The Express Tribune reported a 15-day online notice, and PLRA has an objections portal.
Other transactions on the property are suspended once the process starts. Plan your deal around this.
A refusal comes with a letter, and the applicant can appeal to the Assistant Commissioner within 30 days.
Verify it by QR code. It has no signature or stamp, so a QR check matters more than how it looks.

PLRA also issues property reports, and they are not equal. A non-transactional report gives information but creates no rights. A transactional report is the one linked to electronic registration. If a seller shows you a "report", ask which type it is.

If a seller says an application was refused, ask for the refusal letter and read the reason. It can tell you about a problem with the property.

The separate rule for Lahore's housing schemes

LDA's public notice says that from 1 July 2026:

Only a Property Certificate issued through PLRA is the legal ownership document in government and private housing schemes in Lahore.
Societies must move their records to PLRA's Housing Societies Management System.
Not following the rule can lead to legal action under the LDA Act 1975.

News reports describe this as the end of file-based trading in schemes under LDA, and say each certificate carries a QR code. The notice was still on LDA's website in November 2026. This guide found no report that it was withdrawn, and no clear information on how widely it is being followed.

PLRA also has a page for approved housing societies on its system. Check your society there. If it is missing, ask the society directly how it will give you a Property Certificate.

What to ask before you pay

For revenue land: which document does the Arazi Record Centre need for my deal?
For a society plot: is the society on PLRA's system, and is this plot's record in it?
Which document will prove my ownership after the transfer?
Can I check that document by QR code or online verification?
If I am buying a file, how can it be transferred today?

What no certificate can tell you

A certificate is about the record of a property. It does not answer whether the society's block is approved by LDA, whether the plot on the ground matches the layout, or whether the price makes sense. You still need those checks.

See what a Fard shows and registry vs society transfer.

From Chapter 3, Fard, Registry and Intiqal of Understanding Property in Lahore, built from PLRA, LDA and FBR sources.