Bihar Land Conversion Repealed: Building on Farmland in Patna (2026)

Short answer: Bihar no longer has a land conversion law. The Bihar Agriculture Land (Conversion for Non-Agriculture Purposes) Act, 2010 was repealed by an ordinance on 7 July 2026 and then by Bihar Act 18 of 2026, in force from 3 August 2026. So in Patna, and anywhere in Bihar, there is no longer an SDO conversion with a fee of 10% of market value before you build on farmland, and the landconversion.bihar.gov.in portal is closed. Two things still apply: (1) to change land's classification to commercial there is, from 23 September 2026, a registered Conversion Deed costing 7% stamp duty + 2% registration fee on the gap between the commercial and agricultural MVR; and (2) inside the Patna Planning Area, whether you can build a house depends on the master plan zone and building plan approval, not on the land being recorded as agricultural.

A typical case: you buy 4 kattha towards Bihta or Naubatpur, recorded as farmland in the jamabandi. Before 2026 you would have been told to "get it converted first, 10% of market value." That law is gone. The questions that matter now are: which master plan zone is the land in, will a building plan be approved, and if you later want a shop or godown, what will a Conversion Deed cost? This guide answers each one.

When and how was Bihar's land conversion law repealed?

The ordinance gives the reason: the Act was not bringing in the expected revenue and was getting in the way of "Ease of Doing Business", "Ease of Living" and faster industrialisation.

Note: the old Bihar Bhumi FAQ page on land conversion was still online on 18 October 2026 and still describes the old process. It no longer applies. The department's notice on the conversion portal says the portal is permanently closed and accepts no new applications, payments or documents.

What was the old rule?

• Fee: 10% of the market value of the agricultural land, paid online.
• Approval: the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO), after a site report from the Circle Officer and a fee report from the District Sub-Registrar.
• Using land without conversion: a penalty of 50% of the conversion fee on top of the fee (Section 6(4)).
• Exempt even then: a raiyat's own house, pond or well for domestic, farming or educational use, micro cottage industry on less than an acre, small shops up to 500 sq ft and some other uses (Section 8).
• Never applied inside towns: under Section 1(2) the Act did not extend to municipal areas under the Bihar Municipal Act, 2007, or to cantonments. Inside Patna Municipal Corporation this conversion was never required.

Pending application or old certificate: what now?

SDO and Circle Officer contacts: Patna Circle Officer list.

Building a house on farmland in Patna: what you need now

1. Is the land in the Patna Planning Area? The Patna Master Plan 2031 covers 1,167.04 sq km: 575 revenue villages in 13 blocks, including Bihta, Danapur, Phulwari, Punpun, Naubatpur, Maner, Fatuha and Sampatchak. Land use there follows the master plan. The plan report (page 150) says that until zonal plans are made, development follows the master plan and no change of land use is permitted.
2. Which zone? A residential zone is straightforward. Some zones have strict limits (table below). How to find your zone: Patna Master Plan 2031 explained.
3. Building plan approval: the municipal body or planning authority approves the map under the building byelaws. The draft Bihar Building Byelaws 2026 also tie land use to master plan and development plan zones, not to a revenue conversion certificate. The draft is not final yet. The Bihar Ease of Doing Business Act, 2026 (16 September 2026) provides third-party certification of building plans for residential buildings up to 24 m put up by enterprises (builders and developers included); confirm with your local body how this applies to an individual's own house.
4. Patliputra Satellite Township: its villages have a separate construction ban and rules. Check yours: Patliputra Township: registry open, construction barred.

So the repeal does not mean "build anywhere." With the SDO check gone, checking the zone before you buy matters more, not less.

What is a Conversion Deed and what does it cost?

Since 15 September 2026 a Conversion Deed is a registered document by which the owner of agricultural land changes its classification from agricultural to commercial use. It is registered at the sub-registry office and costs:

Worked example (made-up rates): say in your mauza the commercial MVR is ₹5 lakh per decimal and the agricultural MVR is ₹1 lakh per decimal, and your land is 10 decimal (about 3.2 kattha). The difference is (5 − 1) × 10 = ₹40 lakh. Stamp duty = ₹2,80,000, registration fee = ₹80,000, total ₹3,60,000. Get the actual MVR for your mauza from the sub-registry office or e-Nibandhan.

For an industry or business (enterprise): under the Bihar Ease of Doing Business Act, 2026, once an enterprise's proposal gets a Certificate of In-Principle Approval from the District Empowered Committee, the change of its land from agricultural to non-agricultural use is deemed to have happened from that date, on payment of the prescribed fee. This route is for business proposals, not for an ordinary plot buyer.

And for a house? In the notifications issued up to 18 October 2026, the Conversion Deed is defined only for agricultural to commercial. They set no separate document or fee for residential use. We will update this guide if a new order comes.

Why the MVR land category matters more now

Registry costs are charged on the MVR (minimum value), and each land category has its own MVR. A June 2026 amendment to the Bihar Stamp (Prevention of Under-Valuation of Instruments) Rules (Gazette No. 635) made the categories uniform across the state, with rates per decimal:

The same amendment raised MVR once by 1.6 times in rural areas and 2 times in urban and peripheral areas, with an automatic 5% rise at the start of every financial year after that. Full cost breakdown: registry charges in Patna 2026.

Declaring the wrong category is risky. Under the Indian Stamp (Bihar Amendment) Act of August 2026, if the land's classification, location or the structure on it looks wrongly stated, the registering officer refers the deed to the Collector/AIG. The Collector can also reopen a deed on his own within 4 years of registration (earlier 2 years), and deliberate misstatement draws a penalty equal to 100% of the deficit stamp duty. Calling land with a house on it "farmland" to save stamp duty can cost far more later.

Checks before buying a farmland plot in Patna

• Jamabandi and khatiyan: the land type and the raiyat's name. How: Khatiyan Bihar: download, meaning and types.
• Master plan zone: residential, or urban agriculture/conservation?
• MVR category: ask the sub-registry office, so you know the real registry cost.
• Access: a public or registered road, or just a field ridge? Road width matters for plan approval.
• Flooding and waterlogging: see low-lying plots near the Punpun, Sone and Ganga in the monsoon.
• Don't pay anyone to "get the conversion done": the process no longer exists. Such a demand is a red flag: land fraud in Patna.

Full checklist: buying a plot in Patna: complete guide.

What should you do? (our advice)

• Don't pay a "conversion fee" to anyone. SDO conversion ended on 7 July 2026. Changing land to commercial classification is now done by a registered Conversion Deed, with duty and fee paid to the government at registration.
• Have an old conversion certificate? Keep it safe; it helps when you sell.
• Price the plot by its zone. Don't pay residential-zone prices for urban agriculture or conservation-zone land.
• Planning a shop? Ask for the commercial and agricultural MVR before you buy; 9% of the gap goes into the Conversion Deed.
• Declare the land category correctly at registry. A wrong category can be reopened for 4 years with a 100% penalty.
• Buying from outside Bihar? See buying property in Patna from outside.

Land conversion in Bihar: FAQs

1. Is land conversion still required in Bihar?

   No. The Bihar Agriculture Land (Conversion for Non-Agriculture Purposes) Act, 2010 was repealed by ordinance on 7 July 2026 and by Bihar Act 18 of 2026 from 3 August 2026. The SDO conversion with a 10% fee no longer exists. Changing the classification to commercial is done by a separate registered Conversion Deed, and building a house still needs the right master plan zone and plan approval.

2. Why is landconversion.bihar.gov.in not working?

   The Revenue and Land Reforms Department closed the portal permanently after the Act was repealed. Its notice says it accepts no new applications, payments or documents, and all active applications are suspended.

3. What is the stamp duty on a Conversion Deed in Bihar?

   Under the notifications of 23 September 2026: 7% stamp duty and 2% registration fee on the difference between the commercial MVR and the agricultural MVR, 9% in all. If the MVR difference is ₹40 lakh, that is ₹2.8 lakh stamp duty and ₹80,000 fee.

4. Can I build a house on agricultural land in Patna?

   Revenue conversion is no longer needed, but inside the Patna Planning Area (575 villages) the master plan zone decides. In a residential zone you can build with plan approval; in the urban agriculture zone coverage is capped at 20% and height at 7 m; plotted housing is not allowed in the conservation zone.

5. What happens to my pending land conversion application?

   Under the repeal ordinance, proceedings that had not reached finality by 7 July 2026 abated. Certificates already issued remain valid. We found no official order on refunds of fees paid; ask your SDO office in writing.

6. Was conversion needed inside Patna Municipal Corporation?

   No. Section 1(2) of the 2010 Act excluded municipal areas under the Bihar Municipal Act, 2007 and cantonments. Inside the city, building plan and master plan rules applied then and still apply.

7. Should I register land as "agricultural" to pay less stamp duty?

   No. Since the August 2026 stamp amendment, a wrongly stated classification or structure is referred to the Collector/AIG, the deed can be reopened within 4 years of registration, and deliberate misstatement carries a penalty equal to the deficit stamp duty.

This article is based on the ordinance, Acts and notifications published in the Bihar Gazette (Nos. 635, 742, 920, 1017, 1117, 1120, 1147, 1148), the notice on the land conversion portal, the Bihar Bhumi FAQ and the Patna Master Plan 2031 report, as of 18 October 2026. MVR rates differ by mauza and category; confirm yours at the sub-registry office. This is general information, not legal advice. Have your papers and zone checked by someone qualified before a large purchase or construction.