In India, all companies, irrespective of their type and size, are required to be registered with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA)/Registrar of Companies (RoC) as per the Companies Act 2013. MCA is a government portal that contains all the details of the companies incorporated in 3*8[India. The specific company registration details that can be viewed in the MCA web portal are company registration number, type of company, date of incorporation, directors of the company, etc. The status of the particular company’s registration process can also be checked in the portal. Also, the balance sheets, annual returns, and other documents are also available.

The company registration process in India involves the following major steps:

  • Obtaining Digital Signature Certificate
  • Obtaining Director Identification Certificate
  • Company enrolment form and AoA and MoA submission
  • Application for a company name
  • Incorporation of the company

Obtaining Digital Signature Certificate (DSC)

As per the Information Act 2000, a digital signature has to be submitted electronically. This is to prove the security and authenticity of the documents that are submitted. Only a single director needs to have a Class-2 Digital Signature Certificate and it has to be obtained by the agencies which are appointed by the Controller of Certification or CCA.

Obtaining Director Identification Certificate (DIN)

This is the first step wherein each director and every intended director need to obtain a DIN. The required documents are a self-attested copy of the directors’ PAN and address proof.

Company Enrolment form AoA and MoA submission

When the name is sorted, the MoA and AoA have to be approved by submitting the mandatory documents.

Application for the company name

Selecting a company may be too difficult and it is recommended there are four alternative names ready. The shortlisted ones have to be checked in a company search database to make sure that it has not been taken by anybody else. Once the name is finalised an application in the Form-1A has to be filed with RoC. Official confirmation or rejection of the name will be sent by the authorities and the same have to keep for future reference.

Incorporation of the company

The final step would be receiving the company incorporation certificate which finalizes the company registration process.

Documents required for company registration in India

Scanned copies of the following are essential:

  •       PAN Card
  •       Voter’s id or driver’s license or passport
  •       Latest bank statement or telephone or mobile bill. Even a gas bill or electricity bill.
  •       Passport size photographs
  •       Notarised rental agreement
  •       NoC from the owner
  •       Sale deed or property deed

Things to keep in mind while registering a company

In some cases, the following documents may be compulsory

  1.     Obtaining a TAN and PAN
  2.     Documents supporting Shop & Establishment act registration
  3.     Registration documents for Import and Export code
  4.     For software firms in major technology parks like STPI the duly registered papers are important
  5.     For foreign companies that are looking to invest in India, FIPB approval is needed

How to check company registration status in MCA

MCA displays the status of companies registered as Pvt Ltd, LLP and Public Company and not companies registered as Sole Proprietorship or Partnership firm. Post incorporation process, every company gets a unique CIN or Company Incorporation Number which can be used while checking the status.

Here are the steps listed to check the status of the company in MCA

  1.     Access the MCA website http://www.mca.gov.in/
  2.     Click “MCA Services” tab
  3.     From the corresponding dropdown menu, under “Master Data” select “View Company/LLP Master Data”
  4.     Next, enter the Company/LLP name and Company’s CIN
  5.     Enter the captcha code and click “Submit”

The MCA website publishes the following information of registered companies

The company information listed on MCA Portal

The MCA website publishes the following information of registered companies

  •       CIN – Corporate Identification Number
  •       Name of the company
  •       ROC Code
  •       Company registration number
  •       Company category
  •       Class of company
  •       Authorised capital
  •       Paid-up capital
  •       Number of members
  •       Company incorporation date
  •       Registered address of the company
  •       Email
  •       Suspended at a stock exchange
  •       Date of last Annual General Meeting
  •       Date of the Balance Sheet

Benefits of Company Registration in India

Company registration gives many benefits. A licensed business or company makes it genuine and improves the business’ trustworthiness.

  1.     Protects against special obligation, and protects against other threats and losses.
  2.     Establishes goodwill and further supports more customer attraction
  3.     Provides reliable investors bank accounts and good investment with ease.
  4.     Provides cover of the efficiency to protect the company’s assets
  5.     More important commitment to resources and higher stability
  6.     Improves the ability to improve and grow large