About CIVL in one line: CIVL (read as “civil”) is an independent, plain-English guide to civil law and civic services for Indian citizens.
CIVL (read as “civil”) is a plain-English guide for Indian citizens on two things that affect everyone: your rights in everyday civil matters, and the government paperwork you have to get done.
Why CIVL exists
A cheque bounces, a landlord keeps your deposit, a builder delays your flat, or you need to correct a birth certificate. The answers exist — in Acts, rules, notifications and government portals — but they are scattered, written in legal language, and often out of date on other websites. CIVL brings them together in one place and explains them simply, step by step.
What we cover
- Civil Law — Know Your Rights: property and land, tenant and landlord, consumer complaints, cheque bounce and money recovery, RERA and builder delays, wills, succession and name changes.
- Civic Services — Get It Done: Aadhaar, PAN, passport and voter ID; birth, death, income, caste and domicile certificates; property records and stamp duty; RTI; and business registrations such as Udyam, FSSAI and GST.
- Document Library and free tools: ready-to-adapt formats and simple calculators.
How we write every guide
- Official sources first. Each guide is based on the relevant Act, rules, notifications and official portals, and links to them.
- The same clear format. A quick answer, who can apply, the documents you need, the step-by-step process, fees and timelines, common mistakes and FAQs.
- Dated and maintained. Every guide shows when it was last updated, and we revise guides when the law or the process changes.
- State differences flagged. Where a process differs by state, we say so and point you to the right state portal.
What CIVL is not
CIVL is an information platform. It is not a law firm, it does not provide legal representation, and it does not advertise or solicit work for any advocate. It is not a government website either. Our content is general information, not legal advice — please read our Disclaimer.
The name
CIVL stands for Citizen Information, Verified & Legal — which is exactly what we aim to publish. The “I” in our logo is a pillar, a nod to the institutions that citizens rely on.
Spotted an error or want a topic covered? Tell us through Ask CIVL or write to civlindia1@gmail.com.
About CIVL’s editorial standards
Every CIVL guide starts from the primary source: the Act on India Code, the rules and notifications in the Gazette, and the official portal for the service. We link those sources at the end of each page, flag where states differ, and show a “Last updated” date so you know how current the information is.
What you can expect from CIVL
- Plain English. Short sentences, no unexplained jargon.
- Official sources. Laws from India Code and services from government portals.
- State differences flagged. Stamp duty, fees and procedures that change by state are marked.
- Information, not advice. CIVL does not act for anyone, solicit work or recommend any lawyer.
More about CIVL
Start with the Civil Law and Civic Services hubs, or browse the Document Library. Found an error or have a question about CIVL? Ask CIVL. Please also read our Disclaimer, Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
About CIVL’s sources: we rely on what the law and the government actually publish, not on summaries elsewhere.
How we keep guides up to date
When an Act is amended, a portal changes its process or a fee is revised, we update the affected guides and change the “Last updated” date at the top of the page. Larger changes are explained in short update notes that link back to the guides they affect, so you can see what changed and when.
CIVL is run independently and is not connected to any government department. We do not accept payment to feature any person or firm in our guides, and our document formats are written to be used by you, without anyone acting on your behalf.
About CIVL’s independence: no one pays to appear in our guides.
That is a deliberate choice. About CIVL’s funding: the site is supported by the sale of document formats and, in future, by clearly labelled advertising, never by payments from the people or firms we write about.