How long does a bank valuation stay valid?

By Parish Rao · 29 August 2026 · 5 minute read

A valuation is a snapshot of one date, not a permanent statement. Banks know this, which is why every report has a shelf life, and why files sometimes stall weeks after everything seemed settled.

The usual shelf life

Most lenders treat a valuation as current for somewhere between three months and a year. The exact window is the bank's policy, not a legal rule, so it varies.

Ask at the start rather than assuming. It costs nothing to know, and it changes how you sequence the rest of your application.

Why banks insist on it

The report supports a lending decision, and lending decisions age. Prices move. Buildings deteriorate. A locality changes when a road project starts or a new approval is granted.

For a lender, an old valuation is an unquantified risk. Requiring a current one is the cheapest way to remove that risk.

When you need a fresh one even if it has not expired

• The property changed. A new floor, a major renovation, damage, or a portion demolished.
• The papers changed. Mutation completed, khata regularised, occupancy certificate finally obtained. These usually help you, so a fresh report is worth requesting.
• You switched lenders. Banks generally want a report from their own panel, not one commissioned for a different bank.
• The loan amount increased. A top up on an old sanction is assessed against current value.
• The market moved sharply. In a fast rising area, an old report can understate your position significantly.

When an old report works in your favour

Owners often treat re valuation as a nuisance. Frequently it is an opportunity.

If you took a loan three years ago in an area that has appreciated, your sanction is anchored to a stale figure. A current valuation can support a larger top up, a better balance transfer, or a stronger negotiating position on your rate. One inspection tells you whether that applies.

The sequencing that avoids trouble

1. Ask the validity period firstBefore anything is commissioned.
2. Sort the paperwork before the visitA report that records a resolved issue is more useful than one that records a pending one.
3. Do the valuation once the file is genuinely movingNot months in advance while you are still comparing lenders.
4. Watch the clock on long filesIf legal verification drags on, check whether the valuation is still inside the window.

If it expires mid process

Usually a revalidation or a fresh inspection is needed, and it is quicker than the original because the groundwork exists. Tell us it is a revalidation and we will treat it accordingly.

Read about bank format valuations, or see what the valuer checks on the visit.