Corporate Identification Number (CIN)

A Corporate Identification Number (CIN) is a unique identification number that is assigned to all companies registered in India. CIN is an important number as every company must mention this unique CIN in the forms to be submitted to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), particularly in audits and reports.

Key Highlights:

• CIN is a 21-digit unique identification number of companies in India.
• The ROC issues the CIN at time of registration of companies.
• It is used for tracking the activities of a company by ROC.

What is Corporate Identification Number (CIN)?

Corporate Identification Number (CIN) is a 21 digits alpha-numeric code issued to companies incorporated within the country by the by the Registrar of Companies (ROC) situated in different states across India under the MCA. The ROC gives the CIN to the companies while issuing their Registration Certificate.

CIN is provided to all companies registered in India, which include:

• Private Limited Companies (PLCs) 
• One Person Companies (OPCs) 
• Companies owned by the Government of India
• State Government Companies 
• Not-for-Profit Section 8 Company
• Nidhi Companies, etc. 

However, CIN is not given to the Limited Liability Partnerships (LLP) registered in India. For the LLPs, the ROC gives the LLPIN (Limited Liability Partnership Identification Number) that acts as a unique 7-digit identification number of the LLP. 

Breaking Down Corporate Identification Number

The 21-digits CIN represents and provides information about the company. The CIN can be broken down into six sections. 

Example of a unique CIN issued by ROC – L01631KA2010PTC096843

In the above example, the CIN can be broken down as follows:

Section-1: The first character – L

Section-2: The next five digits – 01631

Section-3: The next two letters – KA

Section-4: The next four digits – 2010

Section-5: The next three characters – PTC

Section-6: The last six digits – 096843

Each section provides the following information:

Section-1: 

Consists of the first character of CIN that reveals whether a company is “Listed” or “Unlisted” on the Indian stock market. In other words, the first character implies the Stock Market listing status. In case a company is listed, the CIN would start with the letter ‘L’ and in case a company isn’t listed it would start with the letter ‘U’.

Section-2: 

Consists of the next set of five numeric digits that categorizes the economic activity of a company or to which industry the company belongs to. This classification is based on the nature of the economic activities which would be carried out by such an establishment. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has allotted a number to every category or industry.

Section-3: 

Consists of the next two letters that denote the Indian state where the company is registered. For instance, KA is for Karnataka, MH is for Maharashtra, DL is for Delhi, etc. It works in a similar fashion as the car registration number.

Section-4: 

Consists of the next set of four numeric digits that signifies the year of incorporation of a company.

Section-5: 

Consists of the following three letters that denote the company classification. These three letters help to identify whether a company is a private limited company or a public limited company. If the CIN number here is FTC, it would mean that such a company is a subsidiary of any foreign company or if it’s GOI, it would imply that such company is owned by the Indian Government.

Section-6: 

Consists of the remaining six numeric digits that denote the registration number provided by the respective Registrar of Companies (ROC).

What Are the Abbreviations in CIN Number?

The abbreviations used in the Section-5 of the CIN are as follows:

• FLC: Financial Lease Company as Public Limited
• FTC: Subsidiary of a Foreign Company as Private Limited Company
• GAP: General Association Public
• GAT: General Association Private
• GOI: Companies owned by the Government of India
• NPL: Not-for-Profit License Company (Section 8 Company)
• OPC: One Person Company
• PLC: Public Limited Company
• PTC: Private Limited Company
• SGC: Companies owned by State Government
• ULL: Public Limited Company with Unlimited Liability
• ULT: Private Company with Unlimited Liability

How to Check CIN on the MCA Portal?

You can easily check or find your CIN number online by following the process below:

Step 1: Go to the ‘Find CIN’ page on the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) website.

Step 2: Select the ‘Search Based on Existing Company / LLP Name’ option.

Step 3: Type the company name under the ‘Existing Company’ option, enter the captcha code and click on the ‘Submit’ button.

Step 4: View the company details, including the Corporate Identification Number (CIN).

How to Obtain a CIN?

Here’s the step-by-step process to obtain a CIN:

Step 1: Apply for company name approval through Part A of the SPICe+ Form on the MCA portal.

Step 2: Apply for the Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) and Director Identification Number (DIN) of all directors.

Step 3: Enter the company details in Part B of the SPICe+ form.

Step 4: File the eMOA (Memorandum of Articles) and eAOA (Articles of Association)

Step 5: File the AGILE-PRO form to open a bank account and register with EPFO, ESIC, GSTIN, and professional tax (if applicable).

Step 6: Upload the required documents (PAN cards of directors and shareholders, identity and address proofs of directors, and the registered office address of the company).

Step 7: Pay registration fees and submit the SPICe+ form.

Step 8: The Registrar of Companies (ROC) will allot the CIN to the company on the date of its registration.

The Incorporation Certificate will contain the company’s CIN. Thus, a company’s CIN is automatically generated upon registration with the MCA. 

Importance of Corporate Identification Number

• CIN is used for tracking all the aspects and activities of a company from its incorporation by the ROC 
• It is required to be stated by companies on all its transactions with the respective ROC.
• CIN has its own meaning which is easily translatable and which helps in finding basic information relating to a company. 
• CIN is used for finding the primary details of the companies which are registered within the country under MCA.
• CIN is a unique number that can be used for identifying or tracking companies for several levels of information that ROC / MCA holds. 
• CIN contains the identity of an organisation and additional information regarding the registered company under the ROC. 

Where is the Corporate Incorporation Number Used?

Every company that is established in India needs to quote its Corporate Identification Number on various documents which include:

• On invoices, bills and receipts
• On notice
• On memos
• On letterheads
• Annual reports and audits
• Every e-form submission on the MCA portal
• Company’s official publications
• Any other company publications

What is the Penalty for Not Mentioning CIN?

In case the CIN is not mentioned in the above-mentioned documents, there’s a penalty of ₹1,000/day on the defaulting company and on its, every officer is in default, till such default continues. However, the maximum penalty for this default is limited to ₹1,00,000.

Can Corporate Identification Number be Changed?

CIN which is provided to every registered company for the purpose of identification and can be changed in certain cases such as:

• Any change in the listing status of a company
• Any change in the location or change of state where the company’s registered office is situated
• Any change in the industry/sector to which a company belongs

CIN vs LLPIN: Key Differences, Full Form, and Example

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CIN vs PAN: Full Form, Structure, and Key Differences

The Corporate Identification Number (CIN) is an important aspect of a companies. All companies registered in India will have a unique 21-digit CIN, through which the ROC can track its activities. It is essential for the companies to mention the CIN in on various documents, such as its notices, memo, letterheads, etc., else they will have to pay a penalty for the non-compliance.

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