Short answer
RERA, the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act 2016, requires developers to register a project with their state regulator before advertising, marketing, booking or selling any unit in it. Registration puts the project details, approvals, promised completion date and quarterly progress on a public register anyone can search. It also requires residential units to be sold on carpet area and restricts how project funds may be used.
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LenoreTech Real Estate Team · Jaipur · Updated October 2026
The short answer
Before RERA, a project could be advertised, sold and taken payment for while approvals were still pending, and a buyer had no single place to verify any of it. RERA changed the sequence: register first, then sell.
The register is public. For any registered project you can look up the promoter, the approvals, the land details, the promised completion date and the progress the developer has filed.
What a developer must do
- Register the project with the state authority before any advertising, marketing, booking or selling.
- Put the registration number on every advertisement, along with a reference to the authority website.
- Sell residential units on carpet area, as defined in the Act.
- Keep a defined share of collections in a separate account for that project, so money from one project cannot fund another.
- File periodic progress updates to the public register.
- Honour the declared completion date or follow the process for extension.
What it means for a buyer
- You can verify before you pay. The register is free and public.
- You know what area you are buying. Carpet area is defined and must be stated.
- You have a named completion date that the developer declared on the record, not in a brochure.
- You have a complaint route to the state authority rather than only the civil courts.
- You can see the project history, including whether a registration has been extended, suspended or revoked.
What RERA does not do
This is the part most explainers skip, and it is the part that matters when something goes wrong.
- It does not guarantee delivery. Registration is not a quality or completion guarantee. Projects still slip and some registrations are revoked.
- It does not vet the business. Registering a project is not the authority endorsing the developer.
- It does not cover everything. Small projects below the threshold set by the state, and certain renovation work, fall outside it.
- It does not replace your own diligence. Title, approvals, encumbrance and the physical site still need checking.
How to check a project yourself
- Get the registration number from the advertisement, brochure or the developer. It is legally required to be on the ad.
- Open your state authority portal and search by that number, or by project and promoter name.
- Read the promised completion date and compare it with what the sales team told you.
- Check the status: registered, extended, suspended or revoked.
- Look at the filed progress against what you saw on site.
- Check the promoter name matches the entity you are paying.
What a registration number tells you
A Rajasthan registration number carries the state code, the project type marker and the year of registration. The year is quietly useful: a project registered four years ago that is still selling its first phase is telling you something about its pace.
Beyond the number itself, the register entry is what matters. Treat the number as the key, not the answer.
Agents need registration too
RERA does not only cover developers. A real estate agent facilitating the sale of a unit in a registered project must themselves be registered with the state authority, and the agent registration number appears on the deal paperwork.
For brokers and property dealers this is a compliance requirement rather than an optional credential. How agent registration works, with fees and timelines.
FAQs
What is the full form of RERA?
The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016. Each state has its own authority that administers it, such as Rajasthan RERA.
Does RERA guarantee my project will be delivered?
No. Registration means the project is on a public register with declared details and a declared completion date. It is not a quality or delivery guarantee. Projects still slip, and registrations can be suspended or revoked.
Can a builder advertise before RERA registration?
No. The Act treats advertising, marketing, booking and selling as the same category of activity, so a project should be registered before any of it begins. A named teaser campaign with an enquiry form counts as advertising.
How do I check if a project is RERA registered?
Take the registration number from the advertisement or brochure, open your state RERA portal and search by that number or by project and promoter name. Check the status, the promised completion date and the filed progress.
Does RERA apply to all projects?
No. States set a threshold below which small projects are exempt, and certain renovation work falls outside it. Check your state rules for the exact threshold.
Do real estate agents need RERA registration?
Yes. An agent facilitating the sale of a unit in a registered project must be registered with the state authority, and the agent registration number appears on the deal paperwork.
