How to Apply for Domicile Certificate in 2025?

A domicile certificate serves as evidence of permanent residence of a State or Union Territory (UT) in India. It is compulsory for every citizen irrespective of community, caste and sex.

This article will talk about the importance, purpose, eligibility criteria and application process for a domicile certificate.

Keep reading!

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What Is a Domicile Certificate?

Domicile certificate, also known as State residence official certificate, is a permit to reside anywhere in the State or UT and aids in obtaining all the utilities provided by the Government. This certificate is issued by several Government officials, varying from one State/UT to another.

The table below highlights the State- and Union Territory-wise list of the officials authorised to issue domicile certificates and processing time and application fee.

State-wise Details of Domicile Certificate

State and Providing Official	Processing Time	Application Fee
Andhra Pradesh- Mandal Revenue Officer	7 days	₹ 10 to ₹ 35
Arunachal Pradesh- Tahsildar Officer, Department of District Administration	N/A	N/A
Assam- Office of the Circle Officer/Village Administrative Officer (VAO) and Revenue Officer	14 days	N/A
Bihar- Circle Officer/ Village Administrative Officer (VAO)/ Revenue Inspector	15 working days	N/A
Chhattisgarh- Sub-Divisional Magistrate/Tahsildar’s office/Revenue Department/District Collector’s Office	15 days	₹ 30
Goa- Deputy Collector/Sub-Divisional Officer	5 days	N/A
Gujarat- Tahsildar/Revenue Office	15 working days	₹ 20
Haryana- SDM of the concerned Subdivision or Deputy Commissioner of the respective district	7 working days	₹ 30
Himachal Pradesh- Revenue Officer or Tahsildar	15 working days	N/A
Jharkhand- Circle Officer or Tahsildar	15 working days	N/A
Karnataka- Deputy Tahsildar and Tahsildar	7 days	₹ 25
Kerala- Revenue Department Authorities or Tahsilda	10 to 15 days	Up to ₹ 28
Madhya Pradesh- Circle Officer/ Village Administrative Office (VAO)/ Revenue Inspector (RI)	15 working days	N/A
Maharashtra- Tahsildar/ Sub-Divisional Officer/ Additional Collector	15 days	N/A
Manipur- Circle Officer/ Village Administrative Office (VAO)/ Revenue Inspector (RI)	15 working days	N/A
Meghalaya- Office of the Deputy Commissioner	15 working days	N/A
Mizoram- Office of the Deputy Commissioner	2 to 3 days	₹ 30
Nagaland- Office of the Commissioner Nagaland/ District Administration/ District Magistrate	10 to 15 days	N/A
Odisha- Tahsildar	15 days	N/A
Punjab- Tahsildar at Revenue Department Office	15 working days	N/A
Rajasthan- Tehsil/Block/Revenue Office	15 days	₹ 40
Sikkim- Tahsildar at Revenue Department Office	15 working days	N/A
Tamil Nadu- Sub-Divisional Magistrate/Tahsildar Office/Revenue Department/District Collector Office	N/A	₹ 60
Telangana- Tahsildar	7 days (for 1st time) and 15 minute for subsequent ones	₹ 10
Tripura- Sub-Divisional Magistrate	15 days	Up to ₹ 5
Uttar Pradesh- District Magistrate Office	15 days	No fee required
Uttarakhand- Tahsildar or Block Office	15 working days	N/A
West Bengal- Additional District Magistrate/ District Magistrate/ SDO/ Deputy Magistrate/ Deputy Collector/ BDO	3 working days	No fee required

Union Territory-wise Details of Domicile Certificate

Union Territory and Providing Official	Processing Time	Application Fee
Andaman and Nicobar Islands- Tahsildar Officer	10 days	₹ 2
Chandigarh- Deputy Commissioner Office	15 working days	N/A
Dadra and Nagar Haveli - Collector Office/ Mamlatdar Office	7 days	N/A
Daman and Diu- Collector Office/ Mamlatdar Office	7 days	N/A
Delhi- Sub-District Magistrate/ Deputy Commissioner/ Sub-Divisional Magistrate	14 days	N/A
Jammu and Kashmir- Village Administrative Officer (VAO)/ Circle Officer/ Revenue Inspector (RI)	15 days	N/A
Ladakh- Revenue Department	N/A	N/A
Lakshadweep- SDO/ Deputy Collector	N/A	N/A
Puducherry- Registrar/Sub-Registrar/Assistant Sub-Registrar office	N/A	N/A

What Are the Purposes of a Domicile Certificate?

The purposes of a domicile certificate are as follows:

It is necessary for legalised rights and liberty of the citizens.
A domicile certificate is required while purchasing any property, such as a house or land.
It is essential for application of KYC documents, including Aadhaar card, Voter card and PAN card.
Domicile certificate is crucial for students taking admission in schools and universities or other educational institutions.
It is required for new vehicle registration.
Individuals must produce a domicile certificate as residential address proof while applying for a loan.
State proof of domicile certificates is crucial for establishing businesses.
Domicile certificate is vital for the registration of medical practitioners.

Know more about:

Eligibility Criterias to Apply for a Domicile Certificate

Before applying for a domicile certificate, individuals must go through the eligibility parameters to avoid complications.

An applicant’s parents must be permanent residents of the State or UT.

Or,

The applicant must reside in the State or UT for at least 3 years.

Note: This parameter is indicative and varies from State/UT to State/UT. For instance, in Karnataka, applicants must reside in the State for 7 years to apply. Contrastingly, in Bihar, an applicant’s parents or the applicant must reside in the State for over 3 years.

Applicants need to own a property like a house or land in the same State or Union Territory.
The applicant’s name should be on the Voter’s list.
Female applicants are eligible to apply for a domicile certificate after marriage.

How to Apply for a Domicile Certificate?

Individuals can apply for a domicile certificate both online and offline according to their convenience.

a. How to Apply for a Domicile Certificate Online?

The application for a domicile certificate involves the following steps:

Step 1: Visit the official website of the State or UT of your residence.
Step 2: Complete account registration (for new applicants).
Step 3: Log in to your account.
Step 4: Click on ‘Services’ and select ‘Domicile Certificate’ to get redirected to the application page.
Step 5: Fill in all fields in the form and submit it.

The domicile certificate will be issued after reviewing the inputs. Additionally, applicants will receive an acknowledgement number essential to download a domicile certificate.

b. How to Apply for a Domicile Certificate Offline?

Individuals can apply for domicile certificate offline by collecting the application form from any of the below Government service corners:

Tahsildar Office
Collector or Deputy Collector Office
Revenue Office
District Magistrate Office
SDM Office
Citizen Service Corners (CSC)
Mamlatdar office
Registrar or Sub-registrar Office

In addition, applicants should keep the documents needed for a domicile certificate handy for a hassle-free application.

List of Documents Required for a Domicile Certificate

Similar to the eligibility requirements, the documents necessary to apply for a domicile certificate may change depending on your State/Ut of your residence. However during the application process, here is a common list of documents necessary for a domicile certificate.

For Identification

Aadhaar card
Voter card
PAN card
Passport
Driving license
Ration card or any similar ID

For Residential Proof

Bank passbook
Utility bills such as telephone (postpaid or landline), electricity etc.
Rent agreement or any similar document

Additional Documents

Application form with self-declaration
2 passport-size photographs
Affidavit from court or Tahsildar
School leaving certificate
Birth certificate

After collecting the form, fill it up accurately and attach the above-listed documents while submitting. Further, applicants have to get the application verified by a gazetted officer.

Furthermore, individuals can check the status of the domicile certificate online by visiting the official website of their residing State or UT. Moreover, it is worth noting that a domicile certificate is valid for a lifetime unless any individual moves to another State or Union Territory.

Frequently Asked Questions About Domicile Certificate

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Can I use an Aadhaar card instead of a domicile certificate?

No, while a domicile certificate serves as evidence of residence, an Aadhaar card is necessary for identification purposes.

How can I get my domicile certificate online?

Applicants can easily download domicile certificates from the official website of their respective States’ and UTs’ websites against the acknowledgement number they receive after submitting the application form.