Section 57 explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Section 57 of the Registration Act, 1908 says who may inspect which register of a registration office and who may obtain copies of entries. It also says that a copy given under the section is signed and sealed by the registering officer and can be used to prove the contents of the original. As per the text of the Act consulted, the rules differ from book to book, so the answer to "can I get a copy?" depends on which book holds the entry and who you are.
Books 1 and 2 and the indexes relating to Book 1 are open to inspection by any person who applies, subject to previous payment of the fees payable. Entries in Book 3 and Book 4 are given only to the persons the section names, and the search for entries in Books No. 3 and 4 is made only by the registering officer. A copy so given is signed and sealed by the registering officer and admissible to prove the contents of the original document.
What section 57 covers
Section 57 has five sub-sections. The opening words of sub-section (1) set the common condition: "Subject to the previous payment of the fees payable in that behalf". The Act does not state any fee amount here. Fees are for the State Government to table under section 78; see our article on registration fees fixed by the State Government. Your State may also have amended section 57 or made rules, so check the State position; this article explains only the central text. If you need a record search for a purchase or a loan, our legal due diligence service can handle it.
Sub-section (1): Books 1 and 2 are open to any applicant
Under sub-section (1), Books 1 and 2 and the Indexes relating to Book 1 "shall be at all times open to inspection by any person applying to inspect the same". In addition, copies of entries in those books are to be given to all persons applying for them, "subject to the provisions of section 62".
Section 62 deals with a document presented in a language unknown to the registering officer, where a translation is transcribed and filed. Our article on return of document, translations and oaths covers it. Book 2 is the book in which a Sub-Registrar records his reasons for refusing a document (section 71).
Sub-sections (2) and (3): Books No. 3 and No. 4 are restricted
For the other two books the Act names who may receive copies.
| Book | Who may get copies | When |
|---|---|---|
| Book 3 and its Index | Persons executing the documents to which the entries relate, or their agents | While the executant is alive |
| Book 3 and its Index | Any person applying | After the death of the executants (but not before) |
| Book 4 and its Index | Any person executing or claiming under the documents to which the entries refer, or his agent or representative | At any time, subject to the same provisions |
Two points follow. First, a will or authority entered in Book 3 stays private to the executant and his agents while he lives. This matches the timing rule for Index No. III, explained in our article on the four indexes. Second, Book 4 entries are not open to everyone; only a person executing or claiming under the document, or his agent or representative, may take a copy.
Sub-section (4): the search is made by the officer
"The requisite search under this section for entries in Books Nos. 3 and 4 shall be made only by the registering officer." So an applicant does not search these two books personally. The officer searches and, where the applicant qualifies under sub-section (2) or (3), gives the copy.
Sub-section (5): signed, sealed and admissible
All copies given under the section "shall be signed and sealed by the registering officer, and shall be admissible for the purpose of proving the contents of the original documents".
Note the exact limit. The copy is admissible to prove contents. The sub-section does not say that the copy proves that the document was validly executed or that its terms are enforceable; it speaks only of proving what the original says. The text is silent on any other effect, and this article states none.
If you are a buyer, lender or heir who needs an extract of an entry for a transaction or a dispute, first work out which sub-section you qualify under and what to ask for.
Practical points
- A seller's agent can apply for copies of the entries of a will or authority executed by the seller, under sub-section (2), but only as the agent of a person executing the document.
- A stranger to a will cannot obtain a copy from Book 3 while the testator is alive. After the testator's death any person who applies may obtain a copy, subject to the section's other provisions.
- A person claiming under a Book 4 document, such as a transferee, is entitled to a copy under sub-section (3).
For how the process of applying for a certified copy works in practice, our how-to post on getting a certified copy of a registered document is the place to look; its steps are State practice and are not in the Act.
An example
Kavita buys a flat and wants a certified copy of the registered sale deed entered in Book 1. Under sub-section (1), Book 1 is open to any person applying, subject to previous payment of the fees, so she may apply and receive a signed and sealed copy that is admissible to prove the contents of the original.
Suppose instead Deepak wants a copy of an entry about a will deposited by his uncle, who is alive. That entry sits in Book 3. Under sub-section (2) the copy goes to the persons executing the will or to their agents, and to any applicant only after the executant's death. Deepak has to wait or act through the uncle's agent.
Need help with obtaining and reading registration records?
When a transaction or a dispute turns on what the registers show, it helps to know which book holds the entry and who is entitled to a copy. Our legal due diligence service can plan and review the record search for you.
Key takeaways
- Books 1 and 2 and the Indexes relating to Book 1 are open to inspection by any applicant, subject to previous payment of fees.
- Copies of Book 3 entries go to the executants or their agents, and to anyone only after the executants' death.
- Copies of Book 4 entries go to those executing or claiming under the document, or their agent or representative.
- The search in Books No. 3 and 4 is made only by the registering officer.
- A copy under section 57 is signed and sealed and admissible to prove the contents of the original documents.
- Check your State's amendments and rules and any later amendment.
Read next
- Numbering of entries and the four indexes: sections 53 to 55
- Endorsements on a document admitted to registration: sections 58 and 59
- How to get a certified copy of a registered document
- Endorsement and copying of documents: sections 52 to 62
Disclaimer: Based on a print of the Registration Act, 1908 marked as last updated on 9 July 2020, as consulted on 2 October 2026. State amendments and rules, later amendments, registration fees and stamp duty are not covered and should be checked. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.