How to check if a company is registered (MCA, LLP, Udyam, GST)
For a private or public limited company or an LLP, search its name, CIN or LLPIN on the Ministry of Corporate Affairs website (mca.gov.in, “View company or LLP master data”). It shows the status (such as Active or Strike off), incorporation date, registered address and directors. Proprietorships and most partnerships have no MCA record: check their GST registration and Udyam certificate instead.
Which record proves what
| Record | Who has it | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| CIN (company) / LLPIN | Companies and LLPs | MCA master data on mca.gov.in |
| GSTIN | Businesses registered for GST | REFFNET GST search or the GST portal |
| Udyam registration number | Micro, small and medium enterprises | “Verify Udyam Registration Number” on udyamregistration.gov.in |
| PAN | Every taxpayer | Characters 3–12 of the GSTIN are the PAN (GSTIN format) |
Reading a CIN
A company’s CIN has 21 characters, for example U12345GJ2015PTC012345:
U: unlisted (L= listed on a stock exchange)12345: industry codeGJ: state of registration (Gujarat)2015: year of incorporationPTC: type (PTC private limited, PLC public limited, OPC one person company)012345: registration number
What the status means
- Active: the company is registered and has not been closed.
- Strike off: its name has been removed from the register; it can’t do business normally.
- Under liquidation / Amalgamated / Dormant: it is closing, merged into another company, or has little or no activity.
“Active” on MCA doesn’t mean the company files its accounts on time. Look at the last annual filing date in the master data, and at its GST filing record.
Red flags
- The company name on the invoice differs from the name on the bank account.
- Status Strike off, or annual filings stopped years ago.
- Directors changed just before a large order with a big advance.
- Incorporated very recently but claiming years of experience.
Questions people ask
Is checking a company on MCA free?
Yes. Viewing company and LLP master data on mca.gov.in is free. Detailed documents may need a small fee.
A supplier says it is a company but I can’t find it on MCA. Why?
It may be a proprietorship or partnership using a company-like name. Check its GST registration instead, and ask which legal entity will invoice you.
Does an Udyam certificate mean the business is genuine?
It shows the business registered itself as an MSME. It is self-declared, so also check its GST status, filing record and references.