Company Registration Number in India
Company Registration Number in India refers to a 21-digit alphanumeric number assigned to the entities at the time of incorporation. It helps governing institutions and tax authorities to easily recognize the entity as and when required. It comes in handy in various scenarios like addressing compliances with RoC, filing taxes, and applying for new licenses.
Being an identification code, CRN/CIR plays a vital role in making the company easily recognizable among government authorities, stakeholders, investors, and peers. CIN is typically granted at the time when the incorporation certificate is issued. This article underscores what the CIN is, its significance, and other key aspects.
Understanding what CIR is
As mentioned above, CIR reinforces the legal identity of the organization, which helps it establish a seamless connection with tax authorities and regulatory institutions. This, in turn, enables authorities to expedite the inspection process to confirm financial and operational compliance. Company Registration Number in India unveils key information about the company such as incorporation date, legal status, and so on. It serves as a primary identity that stays with a company till its closure.
The online portal of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs lets you conduct a search for any registered company via a CIR.
In a nutshell, the Company Registration Number in India ensures;
- A legal identity for an entity through an easy-to-recognize identification code.
- A seamless connection with governing authorities and tax institutions.
- Expedited fulfillment of ROC’s guidelines to run a business since it mitigates identification barriers.
- Seamless tracking of the company’s operation
- Every key document like Business paper, letterheads, bills, and invoices stays in the loop and hence never gets stuck due to identity issues.
- A firm interplay with investors and potential customers by instilling trust.
- Legitimacy from a recognition standpoint, which in turn, drives growth.
Company Registration Number: Decoding what code implies
The Company Registration Number (CIN) entails a 21-digit alphanumeric code, which renders different information about the company. Let’s break down this code to understand what it signifies. For easy understanding, let’s take a CIN of the Reliance industry under consideration. It appears as follows:
L17110MH1973PLC019786
This CIN number boasts six constituent parts, each signifying different information about the company. Here’s what information it unveils.
Part 1: The first alphabetic character i.e. L confirms that the company is stock-listed. For non-stock companies. letter U is used.
Part 2: The 5 subsequent numeric digits primarily denote the industry code. These codes are formulated by the MCA in the purview of the National Industrial Classification-2004 (NIC-2004).
Part-3: The next 2 letters reflect the code of the respective state wherein the company has the registered office. For instance, the code KL shall be used for offices residing in Kerela. In this case, the code MH is being used since the office resides in the state of Maharastra.
Part-4: The subsequent 4 numeric codes confirm the year of establishment, which is 1973 in this case.
Part-5: The next 3 letters i.e. PLC stands for Public Limited company, depicting the company structure of the Reliance industry.
Part-6: The remaining 6 numeric digits show the registration number granted by the respective RoC.
Notable Facts About the Company Registration Number in India
- The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has the sole authority to grant the Company Registration Number in India.
- Securing CRN is mandatory because it helps tax and governing authorities instantly recognize the company during compliance checks.
- CIN is also popularly known as CRN, which stands for Company registration number.
- After completing the registration formalities, the CIN can be downloaded from the MCA portal.
- No two companies can have the same CIN number.
- CIN is not available for structures like partnership and proprietorship firms.
Company Registration Number in India: How to Secure the One?
Upon preparing the charter document like the MoA and including the company’s object therein, the next step is to apply for a company registration number in India, which also means securing an incorporation certificate. The steps to acquire the CRN are given below:
Step 1: Acquire a Digital Signature Certificate (DSC)
Secure a Digital Signature certificate i.e. DSC from the MCA-recognized authority. It helps with authenticating and legitimizing the official paperwork and forms online.
Step 2: Apply for a Director Identification Number (DIN)
Applying for DIN i.e. Director Identification Number is the next crucial step in this process. It involves filing a prescribed application alongside documents concerning directors’ identity with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
Step 4: Create a valid account on the MCA Portal
This step requires you to create a valid account on the MCA website with the help of DIN and DSC. While doing so, you will come across the OTP verification process which is unskippable.
Step 5: Apply for company incorporation on the MCA Portal
This step involves filing incorporation forms like Fillip e-form or Spice+ based on your chosen business structure. It also requires the submission of mandatory documents alongside the said forms and standardized fees.
Step 6: Assessment and Approval by MCA
Upon submitting the required paperwork, the concerned department of MCA i.e. the Ministry of Corporate Affairs shall perform the legal checks of the same for accuracy and legitimacy. The successful inspection of the application and annexures shall lead to the seamless issuance of the Company Registration Number (CIN).
Where You Must Include the Company Registration Number?
While CRN is readily available to the third party via the authority’s portal, it is important to make it appear on key documents, which include:
- Letterheads
- Receipts
- Bills and Invoices
- Annual reports
- Business letters
Conclusion
That is all about the elaboration on the Company Registration Number in India. It is vital that you stay aligned with RoC’s norms when it comes to incorporating a company under the Company Act 2013. Securing CIN is important in the registration process as it helps instill a distinct identity for an entity. It helps fulfill various transactions and operational compliances swiftly by averting identification issues.
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