DHA Lahore Transfer Procedure
Every DHA Lahore sale, gift, or inheritance moves through the same machinery: the Transfer & Record Branch at 63-MB, Phase 6. The paperwork looks intimidating, but it is really four stages — and knowing them before you start is the difference between a transfer that closes in weeks and a file stuck over one missing clearance. This page covers every route, including selling from abroad.
Verify the property
Before any money moves, verify ownership and dues at the DHA office (or have your attorney do it). Verification is same-day against the original allotment/allocation letter and the seller's CNIC, and the performa is collected from the resident desk the next day.
Obtain the NDC
The No Demand Certificate is the gate every transfer passes through. DHA confirms nothing is outstanding on the plot — development charges, surcharges, TIP tax and water bills for built property — before it will book a transfer appointment.
Pay dues & book the appointment
Collect payment vouchers from the Finance counters, pay at the bank, and file the paid vouchers — transfer fee, IT-5, advance tax where applicable — back at the NDC counters. Paid copies must be with DHA at least two working days before the transfer date.
Appear & collect the letter
Seller and buyer appear at the Transfer & Record Branch on the appointment day. Documents are endorsed, originals are surrendered, and the new transfer letter is collected later against the receipt and original CNIC. The buyer files the Associate Membership form within 30 days.
The NDC — where every transfer begins
The No Demand Certificate is DHA's statement that the property owes nothing: no development charges, no surcharges, no Cantonment Board TIP tax or water bills on built property. It costs nothing itself — the dues it uncovers are what you pay — and no transfer appointment exists without it. The cycle runs like this:
- 1Collect the NDC request form from DHA reception and submit it with your document set to the Customer Services Officer, who issues a dated receipt.
- 2On the date given, collect your payment vouchers from the Finance counters — this is where every rupee owed on the plot is itemised.
- 3Pay the vouchers at the designated bank, then return the paid copies (transfer fee, IT-5 income-tax form, and advance tax voucher where applicable) to the NDC counters.
- 4Open plots and houses get a surveyor visit arranged through Building Control; constructed property additionally needs TIP tax and water-bill clearance from the Walton or Lahore Cantonment Board.
- 5Once the NDC is clear, the Transfer Branch books the transfer appointment.
Two rules trip people up: paid copies of the transfer fee and dues must reach DHA at least two working days before the transfer date, and minors on the title must appear in person even when a court-appointed guardian exists.
- Original allocation, intimation, allotment or transfer letter — surrendered at transfer, together with any GHQ NOC for army-allotted plots.
- Original sale deed for Phases 1–4, or the original share certificate for Phase 5 and ex-Park View (Phase 8) properties, where applicable.
- CNIC copy; site plan if possession is open; completion certificate for constructed property.
- TIP tax and property tax clearance certificates (built property), and water-bill clearance.
- For Haly Tower, Goldcrest and Penta Square units: an NOC from the building's O&M company.
- Original CNIC (or NICOP for overseas Pakistanis) and two blue-background photographs.
- Associate Membership form with the paid membership challan — filed within 30 days of transfer.
- Advance tax payment proof (section 236K) at the rate matching your filer status.
- A signed purchaser undertaking for high-rise projects such as Haly Tower, Goldcrest and Penta Square.
Seven routes, one destination
The right procedure depends on who is transferring to whom, and where they are.
Regular transfer
Most salesThe standard route when a seller in Pakistan sells to a buyer in Pakistan. After NDC clearance, both parties appear in person at the Transfer & Record Branch on the appointment day. Minors on the title must appear in person even when a court-appointed guardian exists — DHA makes no exception.
Documents are endorsed by the Customer Services Officer against a receipt; the new owner collects the transfer letter afterwards with that receipt and their original CNIC.
Hiba — gifting to family
Gift transferDHA permits gift transfers to close blood relations — spouse, children, parents, siblings and legal heirs — at concessional transfer fees compared with an open-market sale. Donor and donee appear together with two witnesses carrying original CNICs.
The gift is declared and accepted on Rs 300 e-stamp paper, and NADRA's Family Registration Certificate (FRC) proves the relationship. A parent-to-daughter transfer may need extra proof linking the married daughter back to the family — an old CNIC, education record or Nikah Nama.
Legal heirs — inheritance
SuccessionOn an owner's death, the property transfers to the heirs named in a NADRA succession certificate or a court decree. All heirs' CNICs and attested photographs are filed, with an attested death certificate and death notices published in one Urdu and one English newspaper.
Any one heir can submit the file, and an heir abroad can authorise a sibling through an embassy-attested letter — but each heir collects the letter in person with their original CNIC. Where officers' next-of-kin hold service-benefit plots, GHQ is approached separately before DHA.
Seller abroad — foreign transfer
OverseasAn owner overseas appoints an authority holder in Pakistan. The complete document set — authority letter on Rs 300 stamp paper, attested CNIC/NICOP, passport and visa copies, CVT-1, IT-5, NDC and site-plan forms — is attested at the Pakistani embassy or consulate, which also issues a fee receipt.
DHA verifies the attestation by QR code and confirms directly with both the mission and the owner before issuing the NDC. The transfer itself is executed in the presence of the authority holder. This is the route most of our UK, US and Gulf clients use — we walk through it in detail in our overseas buying guide.
Buyer abroad
OverseasA purchaser who cannot fly in files an application form, CNIC/NICOP copies for themselves and their authority holder, a notarised authority letter, a purchaser undertaking and the paid challan. From there the file follows the regular transfer procedure with the authority holder appearing in the buyer's place.
Outstation & medical cases
SpecialA seller in Pakistan who cannot travel to Lahore for illness or disability can request an outstation transfer with a medical certificate. After approval, the seller completes formalities at the requested station while the buyer completes theirs at DHA Lahore.
Special Power of Attorney (SPA)
Construction onlyDHA Lahore's SPA is registered for construction purposes only — it does not authorise a sale. It is executed on Rs 2,000 stamp paper, notarised, with the owner's and attorney's name, signature, thumb impression and CNIC number on every page; owners abroad add embassy attestation.
Critically, an SPA on the record must be formally cancelled — cancellation deed, owner's application and the original SPA — before any transfer can begin. Budget about two weeks for the cancellation to take effect.
Timelines and charges at a glance
DHA's published figures, last reviewed October 2026. DHA revises its schedule of charges periodically — ranges below reflect recent revisions. Confirm the current figure at the Transfer & Record office in the week you transact.
| Service | Timeline | Charges |
|---|---|---|
| Property verification | 24 hours | Rs 2,000 – 5,250 |
| No Demand Certificate (NDC) | Varies by phase & type | Nil (dues paid separately) |
| Regular / Hiba / foreign transfer fee | After NDC clearance | By plot size & phase — see calculator |
| Allotment / transfer letter issuance | 25 working days | Nil |
| Duplicate letter (lost documents) | 25 working days | Rs 16,000 – 63,000 |
| Change of name | 15 working days | Nil |
| Special Power of Attorney | 15 working days | Rs 10,000 – 21,000 |
| Outstation transfer (medical) | On approval | Rs 11,000+ |
| Legal heir registration form | Varies per case | Rs 1,500 + processing |
| Associate / regular membership | 15 working days | By plot size — see calculator |
Taxes, stamp duty, TIP, DHA fees — itemised for your plot size and filer status, in PKR, GBP, USD or AED.
Common questions
What is an NDC and why does every DHA Lahore transfer need one?
The No Demand Certificate is DHA's confirmation that nothing is owed on the property — development charges, surcharges, TIP tax or utility dues. No transfer appointment is booked until the NDC is clear, which is why it is always the first step after verification.
Can I sell my DHA Lahore plot while living in the UK, USA or Gulf?
Yes. You appoint an authority holder in Pakistan through documents attested at your nearest Pakistani embassy or consulate. DHA verifies the attestation by QR code and confirms with the mission and with you directly, then the transfer is executed in your authority holder's presence.
How long does a DHA Lahore transfer take end to end?
With clean documents and no outstanding dues, verification takes a day, the NDC and dues cycle commonly takes one to three weeks depending on phase and property type, and the transfer letter is issued after the appointment. Built property takes longer than files because of surveyor visits and Cantonment Board clearances.
What does a transfer cost in taxes and fees?
Three layers: federal advance taxes (236K for the buyer, 236C for the seller, rates depending on filer status), provincial/Cantonment charges such as stamp duty and TIP, and DHA's own transfer fee and membership charges which scale with plot size. Our transfer cost calculator itemises all of them against today's market rates.
Is a Special Power of Attorney enough to sell a DHA property?
No — DHA Lahore registers SPAs for construction purposes only. A sale by an overseas owner goes through the foreign transfer route with embassy-attested documents, and any SPA on the record must be cancelled before the transfer can even begin.
This page describes DHA Lahore's procedure as published by the Authority and is general information, not legal advice. Procedures, documents and charges are set by DHA and government bodies and change without notice — verify the current requirements with the DHA Lahore Transfer & Record Branch (63-MB, Phase 6) before acting. See also our guides on buying from overseas and verification before you pay.