Tamil Nadu has about 10,443 common service centres offering e-Sevai services, according to the TN e-Sevai portal, and Chennai has them in taluk offices, zonal offices, post offices and private shopfronts run by authorised operators. Most people use them for certificates, but the state IT department’s official service list runs to more than 60 services across over 20 departments, each with a fixed service charge.
Knowing that list is the easiest way to avoid paying a middleman ₹300 for something that costs ₹60 at the counter. Here is what the centres handle, what they charge, and how to sort out a problem.
The main services and their charges
The government fee for most of these services is nil; what you pay is the service charge. From the IT department list:
| Department | Examples | Charge |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue: certificates | Community, nativity, income, first graduate, widow, unemployment | ₹60 |
| Revenue: pensions | Old age, widow, disability, deserted wife, unmarried women | ₹60 |
| Revenue: land | Patta transfer, joint patta, subdivision | ₹60 |
| Revenue: land extracts | Chitta, A-Register | ₹20 |
| Social Welfare | Marriage assistance schemes, girl child protection | ₹100 |
| Civil Supplies | New smart ration card, card changes | ₹60 |
| Civil Supplies | Smart card printing | ₹15 |
| Transport | Learner’s licence application, driving test appointment | ₹60 |
| Registration | Marriage or document registration appointment | ₹60 |
| Police | Online complaint registration | ₹20 |
| Police | CSR or FIR status, vehicle search | ₹10 |
| Employment | New employment registration, profile update | ₹60 |
| Corporation of Chennai | Birth or death certificate printing | ₹30 |
Bill payments carry slab charges. For electricity bills the list shows ₹15 for bills up to ₹1,000, rising to ₹60 for bills above ₹10,000. Chennai Metro Water tax and Corporation trade licence renewals are also on slabs of ₹15 to ₹60. The Chennai district administration publishes a slightly different Revenue and Social Welfare fee table, so a centre may quote a few rupees more for some items; the charge should still be printed on your receipt.
Certificates you can get
The e-Sevai portal lists 20 Revenue services by code, from REV-101 (community certificate) to REV-402 (money lender’s licence). Apart from the common three, these include the legal heir certificate, residence certificate, solvency certificate, small or marginal farmer certificate, OBC certificate, no male child certificate, unmarried certificate and inter-caste marriage certificate. The Commissionerate of Revenue Administration’s e-certificate list also includes the EWS income and assets certificate.
All of these are digitally signed. Once approved, you can download them yourself or ask any centre to print them.
Finding a centre and using it well
Centres are spread across all parts of Chennai, a Citizen Matters guide noted, and the government has published lists with addresses. Taluk office centres tend to be the busiest; post office and shopfront centres often have shorter queues for the same service.
- Ask for a printed receipt showing the service and charge.
- Keep the acknowledgement with the application number. You will need it for status checks and complaints.
- Carry originals and clear photocopies. Operators scan the originals and return them.
- Give a mobile number you use. Updates and approvals come by SMS.
- Never hand over your Aadhaar OTP to anyone other than the operator for the transaction in front of you.
Many services can also be done from home. The citizen login on tnesevai.tn.gov.in lets you apply for certificates and download them without visiting a centre.
What e-Sevai cannot do
The centres are a front desk, not the deciding office. They cannot speed up a certificate, override a rejection or change records on their own. Some services are also outside the list altogether:
- Aadhaar updates are done at UIDAI-authorised Aadhaar centres, not at every e-Sevai counter.
- Passports go through the Passport Seva portal and PSKs.
- Property and document registration is handled on TNREGINET and at Sub Registrar offices, though e-Sevai can book appointments and print challans.
- Greater Chennai Corporation services such as property tax can be paid at e-Sevai, but complaints go to the Corporation.
If an operator promises faster approval for an extra payment, decline. Approval timelines depend on the officer and the verification, not on the centre where you filed.
Complaints and help
The e-Sevai portal gives a toll-free helpline of 1800 425 6000 and email tnesevaihelpdesk@tn.gov.in. Some district pages still list an older helpdesk, 1800 425 1333. For delays in the actual decision, such as a certificate waiting for the Tahsildar, the centre cannot help; follow up at the taluk office with your acknowledgement number.
Quick answers
How much does an e-Sevai centre charge for a certificate?
₹60 for Revenue certificates such as community, income and nativity.
Can I get a certificate without visiting a centre?
Yes. Register on the citizen login at tnesevai.tn.gov.in, apply, and download the signed certificate yourself.
Can I pay my electricity bill at e-Sevai?
Yes, with a slab charge of ₹15 to ₹60 depending on the bill amount.
Can I file a police complaint through e-Sevai?
Yes. Online complaint registration costs ₹20, and checking CSR or FIR status costs ₹10.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- List of services offered in e-sevai centres (Information Technology Department, Tamil Nadu)
- TN e-Sevai portal (TNeGA)
- Revenue and Social Welfare services through e-Sevai, service codes and charges (Chennai district administration)
- e-Certificates (Commissionerate of Revenue Administration)
- All you want to know about eSevai centres (Citizen Matters, 11 June 2019)
