Collect the actual approval papers
Ask the owner for the sanction letter, approved plan or drawings, file number, issuing authority, approval date and any later revised approval. Note the plot address and number, owner's name, approved use and the floors or area shown. If an agent has only a screenshot or says the papers will come after an advance, request the documents before treating the approval claim as verified.
Match the papers to the building
Compare the plot and address in the approval with the sale deed and the place you visit. Look at the approved layout and the actual floors, extensions and use with a qualified architect or engineer. A sanctioned drawing for one plot or an earlier design does not describe every later addition. Ask the owner for a revised sanction where the built form differs.
Use the older public search carefully
The older UP OBPAS site has a Public Search for sanctioned files with district, authority, owner, plot and file-number fields. Its own notice says viewing a sanction letter and plan requires the owner's consent. A search result can help locate an older file; a missing result does not prove that no approval exists. Ask the owner to share the complete letter and plan or to authorise access, then confirm any doubt with the issuing authority.
Account for the 2026 portal change
The OBPAS homepage says new applications stopped on 20 June 2026 and remaining eligible files could be processed only through 31 July 2026. Awas Bandhu lists the June 2026 order launching a FASTPAS module. For a newer approval, ask the owner for its current portal or authority reference rather than assuming the old OBPAS search covers it. Check the live official route with the relevant Shahjahanpur authority; the portal and process may change again.
Ask the right office for a written answer
First identify whether the property is inside the relevant development or municipal planning area; district and nearby towns do not share one approval office. Give the office the file number and exact plot identifiers, and ask it to confirm the issuing authority, current sanction and any revised plan. If no papers can be produced, ask what records the office can search before making an approval-dependent decision. Keep the reply and search date with the transaction file.
Next step
Saaf Pata can ask a Shahjahanpur owner for the sanction reference and plan before describing a building as approved. Buyers should compare those papers with the actual building and seek an independent professional and authority check where anything differs.
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