What is a legal heir certificate called in Tamil Nadu?

In Tamil Nadu it is issued as a Legal Heir Certificate, also known as a Varisu certificate. It is signed by the Tahsildar, through the Taluk office.

Who issues the legal heir certificate in Tamil Nadu?

The Tahsildar, through the Taluk office. Applications are made through TNeGA e-Sevai, where the service is listed as REV-114, or in person at the relevant office.

How long does a legal heir certificate take in Tamil Nadu, and what does it cost?

Commonly reported at 15 to 30 days, the delay being the VAO enquiry rather than the paperwork. Nominal — the government charge is in the tens of rupees, plus stamp paper for the affidavit. Both are reported figures rather than a published guarantee. The fee charged at a common service centre is not the same as the government fee, because the operator adds a service margin, and the affidavit is priced separately. Ask the Taluk office what the current government charge is before assuming any figure published online.

Will a Tamil Nadu legal heir certificate be enough to claim a bank account?

Often, yes — below the threshold the bank has fixed, a heir certificate with an indemnity bond and no-objection letters from the other heirs is usually accepted, and no court order is needed. Above that threshold the bank can insist on a succession certificate from a civil court. Ask the branch in writing which applies to your case before starting anything.

How do I get a legal heir certificate in Tamil Nadu?

Apply through the TNeGA e-Sevai portal under the Revenue Department, where the service is listed by its own code, REV-114. It is signed by the Tahsildar of the taluk where the deceased last lived, after a village-level enquiry by the Village Administrative Officer. Tamil Nadu families usually call it a Varisu certificate, and searching for that name, or for REV-114, will find the right service faster than searching for "legal heir certificate".

At a glance

Called: Legal Heir Certificate · Varisu certificate
Issued by: Tahsildar, through the Taluk office
Apply at: TNeGA e-Sevai · service REV-114
Reported cost: Nominal — the government charge is in the tens of rupees, plus stamp paper for the affidavit
Reported time: Commonly reported at 15 to 30 days, the delay being the VAO enquiry rather than the paperwork

Cost and time are what families report, not figures the state publishes as a commitment. The fee charged at a common service centre is not the same as the government fee, because the operator adds a service margin, and the affidavit is priced separately. Ask the Taluk office what the current government charge is before assuming any figure published online.

What you will need

Death certificate of the deceased
Identity and address proof of the applicant (Aadhaar is accepted)
Proof of relationship for every heir being named — ration card, school records or birth certificates
A self-undertaking affidavit listing all surviving heirs
Address proof of the deceased, establishing the taluk

What is different in Tamil Nadu

The service code REV-114 is the thing worth knowing. e-Sevai lists well over a hundred services and the Revenue Department section is long; going straight to the code avoids picking the wrong certificate.

The enquiry by the Village Administrative Officer is the real timeline, not the form. The VAO verifies the list of heirs locally before the Tahsildar signs. Families who have already gathered relationship proof for every heir named tend to clear this in one visit rather than three.

You can file at a common service centre rather than online, and for many families that is faster — the operator knows which supporting documents that particular taluk insists on.

Will this be enough, or do you need a court?

A heir certificate is a revenue document, not a court order, and for most families it is enough. Under the RBI (Settlement of Claims in respect of Deceased Customers of Banks) Directions, 2025, every bank has to fix a threshold below which it settles a deceased customer’s account without sending the family to court — and that threshold cannot be lower than ₹15 lakh at a scheduled bank, or ₹5 lakh at a co-operative bank.

That is the regulatory floor, not a promise: a bank may set its limit higher, and the figure it applies to your case is the one its own policy names. Ask the branch in writing what their limit is before you assume you need a court.

Below the limit, the bank works from a claim form, the death certificate, identity proof, an indemnity bond and no-objection letters from the heirs who are not claiming. Above it, it can require a succession certificate — a civil court petition that realistically takes six months or more. That gap is the whole reason it is worth asking before you file anything.

Common questions

What is a legal heir certificate called in Tamil Nadu?: In Tamil Nadu it is issued as a Legal Heir Certificate, also known as a Varisu certificate. It is signed by the Tahsildar, through the Taluk office.
Who issues the legal heir certificate in Tamil Nadu?: The Tahsildar, through the Taluk office. Applications are made through TNeGA e-Sevai, where the service is listed as REV-114, or in person at the relevant office.
How long does a legal heir certificate take in Tamil Nadu, and what does it cost?: Commonly reported at 15 to 30 days, the delay being the VAO enquiry rather than the paperwork. Nominal — the government charge is in the tens of rupees, plus stamp paper for the affidavit. Both are reported figures rather than a published guarantee. The fee charged at a common service centre is not the same as the government fee, because the operator adds a service margin, and the affidavit is priced separately. Ask the Taluk office what the current government charge is before assuming any figure published online.
Will a Tamil Nadu legal heir certificate be enough to claim a bank account?: Often, yes — below the threshold the bank has fixed, a heir certificate with an indemnity bond and no-objection letters from the other heirs is usually accepted, and no court order is needed. Above that threshold the bank can insist on a succession certificate from a civil court. Ask the branch in writing which applies to your case before starting anything.

Find out what your case needs

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Other states

For the national picture — what the certificate proves, and when an institution will want a succession certificate instead — see the legal heir certificate guide.

Verified 2026-09-15 against the TNeGA e-Sevai portal and the state’s own published guidance. This is general information, not legal advice. State procedure is revised without notice — confirm at the office before you file.