RERA The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, and its state authorities. Occupancy Certificate (OC) The authority's confirmation that a completed building may be occupied. Completion Certificate Certification that construction finished in accordance with the sanctioned plan. CLU (Change of Land Use) Permission to use agricultural land for a non-agricultural purpose.

FAR (Floor Area Ratio) Total permitted floor area as a multiple of the plot area. FSI (Floor Space Index) The same quantity as FAR, under a different name. Premium FAR Extra floor area bought from the government for a fee. TDR (Transferable Development Rights) Development rights detached from one plot and used on another. Ground coverage The share of the plot the building may occupy at ground level. Setback The open strip required between the building and each boundary. Building line The line beyond which no construction may project. Plinth The raised base of a building, between ground level and the ground floor. Stilt floor An open ground level on columns, normally used for parking. ECS (Equivalent Car Space) The unit parking requirements are counted in. Chhajjaछज्जा A projecting weather shade over a window or door. Mumtyमुंडेर The small covered structure over a staircase where it reaches the roof. Balcony A cantilevered open platform off a habitable room. NBC (National Building Code) India's model building code, adopted with modifications by each state.

Tatimaततीमा The sketch map of a plot held in the revenue record, drawn after a partition. Jamabandiजमाबंदी The record of rights — who owns what, updated every few years. Khasra numberखसरा The plot number in the village revenue map. Khatauniखतौनी The holding account — all the khasras held by one owner in a village. Shajraशजरा The village map showing every plot and its khasra number. Musavi The original cloth or paper survey sheet a village map was drawn on. Mutation (dakhil kharij)दाखिल खारिज Recording a change of ownership in the revenue record after a sale or inheritance. Encumbrance Certificate A statement of the registered transactions and charges against a property.

Bighaबीघा A customary land unit whose size differs by state — 8,712 sq ft in Himachal. Biswaबिस्वा A subdivision of the bigha — an eighth of it in Himachal, a twentieth elsewhere. Kanal 5,445 sq ft — an eighth of an acre. Standard in Punjab, Haryana and Jammu. Marla 272.25 sq ft — a twentieth of a kanal. Gaj (square yard)गज 9 square feet. The unit most north Indian plots are advertised in. Carpet area The usable floor inside the walls — what you can actually put carpet on. Built-up area Carpet area plus the walls — what gets costed and what counts against FAR. Super area Built-up area plus a share of the common areas. A sales figure, not a legal one.

Seismic zone India's earthquake hazard map, Zone II to Zone V.