Documents of which registration is optional
Section 18 of the Registration Act, 1908 deals with documents of which registration is optional. Any of the following documents may be registered under this Act, namely:-- (a) Instruments (other than instruments of gift and wills) which purport or operate to create, declare, assign, limit or extinguish, whether in present or in future, any right, title or interest, whether vested or contingent, The Act came into force on 01 Jan 1909.
Any of the following documents may be registered under this Act, namely:--
(a) Instruments (other than instruments of gift and wills) which purport or operate to create, declare, assign, limit or extinguish, whether in present or in future, any right, title or interest, whether vested or contingent, of a value less then one hundred rupees, to or in immovable property;
(b) instruments acknowledging the receipt or payment of any consideration on account of the creation, declaration, assignment, limitation or extinction of any such right, title or interest;
(c) leases of immovable property for any term not exceeding one year, and leases exempted under section 17;
1[(cc) instruments transferring or assigning any decree or order of a Court or any award when such decree or order or award purports or operates to create, declare, assign, limit or extinguish, whether in present or in future, any right, title or interest, whether vested or contingent, of a value less than one hundred rupees, to or in immovable property;]
(d) instruments (other than wills) which purport or operate to create, declare, assign, limit or extinguish any right, title or interest to or in movable property;
(e) wills; and
(f) all other documents not required by section 17 to be registered.
STATE AMENDMENT
Himachal Pradesh
3. Insertion of new section 18A.- In the Indian Registration Act, 1908 (16 of 1908) (hereinafter referred to as the principal Act), after section 18, the following section shall be inserted, namely;
"18-A. Documents for registration to be accompanied by a true copy.- Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, the registering officer shall refuse to register any document presented to him for registration unless such document is accompanied by a true copy thereof."
[Vide Himachal Pradesh Act 2 of 1969, s. 3]
Tripura--
Insertion of new section 18A.--In the Registration Act, 1908 (hereinafter referred to as the principal Act), after section 18, the following section shall be inserted, namely:--
18A. Document for Registration to be accompanied by a true copy.--(1)Notwithstanding anything contained in the Act, the Registering Officer shall refuse to register any document presented to him for registration unless such document is accompanied by a true copy thereof.
(2) The true copy referred to in Sub-section (1) shall be neatly hand-written or printed or type-written or lithographed or otherwise prepared in such manner as may be prescribed.
[Vide Tripura Act 7 of 1982, s. 2]
Section 18, The Registration Act, 1908 (Act 16 of 1908).
Cross-references
Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.
Related judgements & precedents
These are some judgments that construed this section, and hold precedence value. They hold authority on how to read, interpret and use this section.
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Gian Singh vs Param Pal
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
When a sale deed is not denied by the defendants, the father of the defendants is a witness to the sale deed, possession has been delivered after purchase, and the land is not agricultural land, the sale deed establishes valid ownership and title, and an injunction cannot be granted against the purchaser. The findings of the trial court on the validity of the sale deed and the right to permanent injunction are correct and binding.
On this section: Applied to validate unregistered sale deed dated 7.7.1965 valued at Rs. 99, holding that sale deeds valued less than Rs. 100 are not compulsorily registrable and cannot be held as illegal or incomplete documents
The holding above is the ratio decidendi as extracted from the judgment by eCourts India, reproduced unaltered — it is a rendering of the court's reasoning, not a substitute for its words. Read the order itself before relying on it.
Judgments citing this section
These may be obiter dicta or a precedent, for you to study. These are the judgments where this section is quoted.
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… Though the share has not been demarcated, which is to be done during final decree proceedings in a partition suit, the interest created in respect of the share would be sufficient under Section 18 of the Registration Act to register the preliminary decree. In the present case, the right of the appellant to an extent of 1/3 rd share in the schedule mentioned property in the preliminary decree is confirmed. That being so, the decree can be registered and there is no impediment under Page No.3 of 6  Bill, 2013 proposing to amend the Registration Act, 1908 was brought forth by including "instruments in respect of amalgamation, reconstruction, merger and de-merger of companies and transfer of immovable property at …
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… there is no such provision in the Registration Act, but if strictly interpreted, then the Registration Act would not empower the registering authority to register any document unless it falls within Section 17 or 18 of the Registration Act. Section 17 mentions those documents which are compulsorily registrable and Section 18 mentions those documents, of which, the registration is optional, but, the whole scheme of the Registration Act shows that it is incumbent upon the Registrar not to register documents that are unlawful. Obviously if a person has no right in the property and his interests in the property had extinguished, if he tries …
Made under this section, and citing it
1 instrument names this provision in its title or its text without being made under it.
Questions about Section 18
What have the courts held on Section 18 of the Registration Act?
Gian Singh vs Param Pal (21 Nov 2016) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below: Applied to validate unregistered sale deed dated 7.7.1965 valued at Rs. 99, holding that sale deeds valued less than Rs. 100 are not compulsorily registrable and cannot be held as illegal or incomplete documents.
How do I find court cases under Section 18 of the Registration Act?
In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: Registration Act 18, section 18 Registration Act, section 18 of the Registration Act. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome. 1 reported judgment on this section is set out on this page, beginning with Gian Singh vs Param Pal (21 Nov 2016).
What should I read with Section 18 of the Registration Act, and has it changed?
Its own text turns on section 17 (Documents of which registration is compulsory), so none of them can safely be read on its own. 3 other provisions in this corpus refer back to it. One instrument names it without being made under it, most recently The Rajasthan Registration Rules 1955 Volume-I (1955).
When did Section 18 of the Registration Act come into force?
Section 18 of the Registration Act, cited as Registration Act 18, came into force on 01 Jan 1909, having been enacted on 18 Dec 1908. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.
Other sections of this Act
- 89. Copies of certain orders, certificates and instruments to be sent to registering officers and filed3309 words
- 17. Documents of which registration is compulsory1430 words
- 69. Power of Inspector-General to superintend registration offices and make rules1164 words
- 80. Fees payable on presentation1120 words
- 51. Register-books to be kept in the several offices868 words
- 22. Description of houses and land by reference to Government maps or surveys737 words
Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Text as in force on 15 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.