Is there a new RERA Act in 2026? No — the governing legislation is still the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016. What's happened through 2026 is a mix of one confirmed central amendment, one central advisory, state-specific regulatory changes, and a genuinely new national data platform — plus a lot of industry commentary bundled loosely under the term "RERA 2.0." This page walks through each, clearly labelled by status, so you know exactly what applies to you.
Core RERA law
RERA Act, 2016 — unchanged as the governing legislation
Confirmed 2026 central amendment
Section 68 (Jan Vishwas Act) — effective 7 May 2026
Directly affected party
Allottees (buyers) only, re: Appellate Tribunal non-compliance
Imprisonment under amended Section 68
Removed
Financial penalty under amended Section 68
Up to 10% of property cost
Promoter/agent penalty framework
Not changed by this amendment
Central force-majeure advisory
31 July 2026 — 4-month extension, advisory not mandatory
New national platform
Unified RERA Portal — consolidates state project data
Is "RERA 2.0" a single new law?
No — informal industry term, not one consolidated Act
Do state RERAs issue their own rules?
Yes — always verify with your state authority
✅ Confirmed Central Legislative Change — Effective 7 May 2026
The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026 amended Section 68 of the RERA Act. The imprisonment provision for allottees who fail to comply with an Appellate Tribunal order has been removed entirely — replaced with a financial penalty only, up to 10% of the plot, apartment, or building cost.
Part of a broader central push under the Jan Vishwas Act to decriminalise minor, non-fraud-related offences across multiple laws — replacing jail time with proportionate financial penalties.
Before vs After — Section 68
Before (Original Section 68)
After (2026 Amendment)
Imprisonment up to 1 year for non-compliance
Imprisonment provision removed entirely
Daily fine for continuing default
Fine capped, tied to property value
Penalty up to 10% of property cost, or both jail + fine
Penalty only — up to 10% of property cost
Applied to allottee non-compliance with Tribunal orders
Same scope — allottee non-compliance with Tribunal orders
No distinction from other RERA offence categories
Consistent with Jan Vishwas Act's decriminalisation approach across laws
What the Amendment Does NOT Change
It's worth being precise here, since "RERA jail is gone" is an oversimplification that risks misleading clients. The Section 68 amendment removes imprisonment from one specific provision — allottee non-compliance with Appellate Tribunal orders. It does not touch:
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Promoter penalty provisions elsewhere in the Act (Sections 59, 60, 61, 63, 64)
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Agent penalty provisions (Section 62)
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The 70% escrow requirement (Section 4(2)(l)(D))
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Carpet-area-only pricing requirements (Section 2(k))
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Buyer remedies for possession delay (Section 18)
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Any state-specific RERA regulations or registration requirements
What RERA 2026 Means for You
For Homebuyers
Understand the specific Section 68 change — it lowers a specific personal-liability concern, but doesn't reduce a promoter's obligations to you. Continue verifying project registration, checking QPR data, and confirming state-specific rules before booking. Use the Unified RERA Portal to check projects across states if you're buying remotely.
For Real Estate Agents
Avoid presenting "RERA jail is gone" as a blanket statement to clients — the accurate framing is that one specific provision was decriminalised for allottees. Verify state-specific regulations (like the UP-RERA transfer-charge caps) before advising clients in that state, and keep current with amendments as they're notified.
For Developers / Promoters
The Section 68 amendment does not remove your compliance obligations. Registration, escrow, disclosure, and QPR requirements are unchanged. If your project is eligible under the July 2026 force-majeure advisory, check with your state RERA authority on how it's being implemented locally — it is not an automatic, self-executing extension.
What Industry Sources Are Calling "RERA 2.0"
Several real estate industry publications in 2026 have used the informal term "RERA 2.0" to describe a bundle of buyer-protection developments — some genuinely confirmed and state-specific, others still reported commentary. Here's the breakdown, status by status:
Item
Status
What It Means
Section 68 amendment
Confirmed — Central
Jan Vishwas Act, effective 7 May 2026
Unified RERA Portal
Confirmed — Central
MoHUA platform consolidating state project data
Force-majeure 4-month extension
Confirmed — Advisory
MoHUA advisory, 31 Jul 2026; state RERAs decide implementation
UP-RERA unregistered-project complaints + fee caps
Confirmed — State-specific (UP)
10th amendment to UP-RERA regulations, effective 25 Mar 2026
MahaRERA deed-cancellation circular
Confirmed — State-specific (Maharashtra)
Circular clarifying Authority's power to execute cancellation deeds
Reinforced 70% escrow enforcement
Reported — Enforcement focus
Existing rule; reported as renewed compliance attention, not a new rule
Third-party construction audits
Reported — Unverified as central rule
Mentioned in industry coverage; confirm with your state authority
Expanded defect liability period
Reported — Unverified as central rule
Existing 5-year Section 14 liability; expansion not centrally confirmed
State-Level RERA Updates in 2026
Important Distinction
A central RERA amendment and a state RERA notification are not the same thing. State authorities issue their own regulations, circulars, and orders that apply only within that state. We only list a state here when we have a specific, sourced 2026 update — not a generic placeholder.
Uttar Pradesh — UP-RERA
10th amendment to General Regulations, 2019 (effective 25 March 2026): buyers in unregistered projects can now file complaints under revised Regulation 24; transfer charges capped at ₹1,000 for family transfers and ₹25,000 for non-family transfers, with no fresh agreement required — the developer endorses the existing one.
Maharashtra — MahaRERA
Circular clarifying that where parties refuse to execute a deed of cancellation, a MahaRERA-appointed representative can execute and register it on their behalf — resolving prior ambiguity after a Bombay High Court ruling limited the Sub-Registrar's own authority to act unilaterally.
All states — force-majeure extension
Following the July 2026 MoHUA advisory, several state RERA authorities, including Maharashtra, have been reported to be implementing 4-month completion-date extensions for eligible projects — confirm current status directly with your state authority.
Haryana, Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat, and other states may have their own 2026 updates not yet confirmed and sourced for this page — check the relevant state RERA portal directly, and see our state-wise RERA guides for registration-level detail.
RERA 2026 Compliance Checklist
For Developers / Promoters
☐Project registration current and valid
☐Advertising complies with RERA disclosure rules
☐QPR filings up to date
☐70% escrow compliance maintained
☐Force-majeure extension status confirmed with state RERA, if applicable
☐State-specific regulations checked (e.g. UP-RERA transfer-charge caps)
For Agents
☐Own RERA registration current
☐Client-facing explanation of Section 68 is accurate, not oversimplified
☐State-specific rules checked before advising in that state
☐Unified RERA Portal used for cross-state project checks
☐Promoter track record verified, not just single-project registration
☐Aware of current force-majeure extension status for recommended projects
RERA 2026 Timeline
Sept 2025
MoHUA
Unified RERA Portal launched, consolidating state-wise project data nationally.
Nov 2025
MahaRERA
Circular clarifying Authority's power to execute deeds of cancellation on default.
25 Mar 2026
UP-RERA
10th amendment: unregistered-project complaints allowed; transfer charges capped.
7 May 2026
Central (Jan Vishwas Act)
Section 68 amended — imprisonment removed for allottee non-compliance.
31 Jul 2026
MoHUA
Advisory: 4-month completion extension for force-majeure-eligible projects.
21 Sept 2026
RERACertified
This page reviewed and expanded — confirmed vs reported items re-verified.
Frequently Asked Questions
What changed in RERA in 2026?
The confirmed central legislative change is the Section 68 amendment (effective 7 May 2026), which removed the imprisonment provision for allottee non-compliance with Appellate Tribunal orders. Separately, MoHUA advised a 4-month project-completion extension in July 2026 due to West Asia-linked supply chain disruption, and a Unified RERA Portal now consolidates state-wise project data. Several other items reported as "RERA 2.0" are state-specific or informal industry commentary rather than a single central amendment.
What is the Section 68 amendment?
Section 68 of the RERA Act deals with penalties for allottees who fail to comply with an order of the Real Estate Appellate Tribunal. The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026 removed the imprisonment provision from this section, replacing it with a financial penalty only, up to 10% of the plot, apartment, or building cost.
When did the Section 68 amendment become effective?
7 May 2026.
Does the Section 68 amendment apply to promoters and agents too?
No. It specifically addresses allottee (buyer) non-compliance with Appellate Tribunal orders. Penalty provisions for promoters and agents elsewhere in the RERA Act are not changed by this amendment.
What is RERA 2.0?
RERA 2.0 is an informal term used by real estate industry publications to describe a bundle of reported reforms — reinforced escrow enforcement, construction audits, defect liability discussion, and pre-launch compliance. It is not one single, confirmed central amendment. Some individual items within it, like the UP-RERA amendment or MahaRERA circulars, are real but state-specific.
Is RERA 2.0 a new law?
No. There is no single central "RERA 2.0" Act. The governing legislation remains the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, along with its amendments such as the 2026 Section 68 change.
Are RERA changes the same in every state?
No. RERA is a central law, but implementation runs through each state and union territory's own RERA authority. A change announced by MahaRERA, UP-RERA, HRERA, or RERA Punjab applies in that state, not automatically nationwide. Always check the relevant state RERA portal to confirm applicability.
What is the Unified RERA Portal?
A platform launched by MoHUA that consolidates project registration data from state and UT RERA authorities into a single searchable system, intended to make project and promoter verification easier across state lines, which particularly helps NRI buyers and agents working across multiple states.
What was the MoHUA force-majeure extension advisory?
On 31 July 2026, MoHUA advised state RERA authorities to consider a 4-month extension for eligible projects affected by supply-chain disruption linked to the West Asia conflict, for projects with completion dates on or after 28 February 2026. It is advisory guidance, not a binding central mandate — each state RERA authority decides whether and how to implement it.
Where can I verify the latest official RERA notification?
Check the MoHUA RERA portal (rera.mohua.gov.in) for central notifications, and your specific state RERA authority's official portal for state-level orders and circulars — never rely solely on secondary news coverage for compliance decisions.
Official Sources & Verification
We prioritise official notifications over secondary media coverage wherever available. For your own verification:
MoHUA RERA Portal (central notifications): https://rera.mohua.gov.in/
All India Forum of Real Estate Regulatory Authorities (AIFORERA): https://aiforera.com/
Your state RERA authority's official portal: See our /states/ guides for direct links
Change Log
21 Sept 2026: Expanded into a full pillar guide — added at-a-glance table, confirmed-vs-reported matrix, state-level updates, checklists, and timeline.
20 Sept 2026: Initial page published, covering the Section 68 amendment.
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