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Aakarshanam Associates Property Law Practice, Bangalore

Property Law

Legal Heir and Family Tree (Vamshavruksha) Certificate in Karnataka (2026)

By Gayathri Sriram 8 min read

When a parent passes away in Karnataka, the certificate most families call a legal heir certificate is issued by the Tahsildar as the Surviving Family Members Certificate. The same office also issues a separate Family Tree (vamshavruksha) certificate, and that is the one the e-Aasthi portal asks for when heirs move a Bengaluru khata into their names. For a family in Bengaluru, the certificate and the khata together take about 30 days.

Checked in October 2026 by Gayathri Sriram, Advocate.

This guide sets out which paper you need, how to get it, how the property moves to the family, and what to check if you are buying inherited property.

Both are issued by the Tahsildar (the taluk revenue officer). You apply at any Nadakacheri (also called Atalji Janasnehi Kendra) or online.

  • Surviving Family Members Certificate: what most people mean by a legal heir certificate.
  • Family Tree (vamshavruksha) certificate: the one e-Aasthi asks for when heirs transfer a Bengaluru khata.

Documents and fee

  • the death certificate
  • the family’s Aadhaar, and voter ID or ration card
  • a notarised affidavit on Rs 20 stamp paper setting out the family tree
  • a photo

The fee is about Rs 40, and the certificate usually takes 7 to 14 days.

Succession certificate: a different document

A succession certificate is granted by a civil court, for money and investments: bank deposits, shares and similar. It is never needed for a house or a plot. It takes about 4 to 8 months, and the court fee is a percentage of the amount claimed.

Moving the Bengaluru khata into the heirs’ names

Apply on the e-Aasthi portal with:

  • the death certificate
  • the family tree certificate from the Tahsildar
  • the existing khata and the latest tax receipt
  • every heir’s Aadhaar
  • and one of these: the other heirs’ no objection, a registered release deed, or the will

Keep in mind that the khata is a tax record. Changing it into the heirs’ names does not by itself make anyone the owner. The Supreme Court has said this again as recently as August 2026. Our e-Khata guide explains the e-Khata in more detail.

When one heir keeps the property

If the family agrees that one heir keeps the property, the others give up their shares by a registered release deed. A notarised affidavit is not enough.

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Who inherits when there is no will

When a Hindu father passes away without a will, his widow, each son, each daughter and his mother take equal shares.

Daughters have the same birthright as sons in ancestral property, even if the father passed away before 2005. The Supreme Court settled this in Vineeta Sharma (2020).

If your parent left a will, the steps can be different. Send it to us to check before you apply.

Sorting out a parent's property?

Send Gayathri the property documents and the family details on WhatsApp. She will tell you which certificate you need, whether a release deed makes sense, and the next step.

Message Gayathri on WhatsApp

Buying inherited property

If you are buying a property a family has inherited:

  • every legal heir must sign the sale deed, or must first have released their share by a registered release deed
  • if you deal with only one heir, you get only that heir’s share and may face a court case later
  • if an heir is a minor, a court must permit the sale of that share, or the child can undo it after turning 18

Our property document checklist covers the other papers to check before you buy.

Frequently asked questions

Who issues the legal heir certificate in Karnataka? The Tahsildar, as the Surviving Family Members Certificate. You apply at a Nadakacheri or online.

Which certificate does e-Aasthi ask for to transfer a khata to the heirs? The Family Tree (vamshavruksha) certificate issued by the Tahsildar.

How long does it take to transfer a parent’s property in Bengaluru? For a family in Bengaluru, the certificate and the khata transfer together take about 30 days.

Do I need a succession certificate for a house or a plot? No. A succession certificate is granted by a civil court for money and investments such as bank deposits and shares, never for a house or a plot.

Can I buy a property from just one of the heirs? Every legal heir must sign the sale deed or first release their share by a registered release deed. If you deal with only one heir, you get only that heir’s share and may face a court case later.

If your family is transferring a parent’s property in Karnataka, message Aakarshanam Associates on WhatsApp. Gayathri will check the papers and set out the steps.