Company Registration Number in India: CIN Format & How to Find It (2026)
What your company registration number actually is, how to read every character of it, and the free ways to look it up — explained in plain language.
Quick answer
In India, a company’s registration number is part of its Corporate Identification Number (CIN) — a unique 21-character code the Registrar of Companies (ROC) assigns at incorporation. The last six digits of the CIN are the actual registration number; the full CIN also encodes the company’s listing status, industry, state, year of incorporation and company type. LLPs don’t get a CIN — they get a 7-digit LLPIN instead.
What is a company registration number (CIN)?
When people ask for a “company registration number” in India, they almost always mean the Corporate Identification Number (CIN). It is a unique 21-character alphanumeric code issued by the Registrar of Companies (ROC) under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) the moment your company is incorporated, and it stays with the company for life.
Here is the part that causes confusion: the CIN contains the registration number. The true registration number assigned by the ROC is the last six digits of the CIN. The remaining characters wrap that number in useful context — what kind of company it is, where it was registered, and when.
A CIN is issued to every type of company — Private Limited, Public Limited, One Person Company, Section 8 (non-profit), Nidhi, Producer and government companies. The one exception is an LLP, which is given a 7-digit LLPIN instead.
The 21-character CIN, decoded
A CIN is never a random string. Every character sits in a fixed position with a fixed meaning, which is why you can read basic facts about a company straight from its number. Take this example:
Illustrative example only.
| Section | Characters | Example | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Listing status | 1 letter | U | L = listed on a stock exchange; U = unlisted. |
| 2. Industry code | 5 digits | 72900 | The company’s main economic activity (here, IT / computer services). |
| 3. State code | 2 letters | KA | State of the registered office (KA = Karnataka, MH = Maharashtra, DL = Delhi…). |
| 4. Year of incorporation | 4 digits | 2015 | The year the company was incorporated. |
| 5. Company type | 3 letters | PTC | Ownership/class (PTC = Private Limited Company — see codes below). |
| 6. Registration number | 6 digits | 082988 | The unique registration number assigned by the ROC. This is “the” registration number. |
Company-type codes (PTC, PLC, OPC…)
Section 5 of the CIN — those three letters — is the part people most often misread. Here are the common codes:
| Code | Company type |
|---|---|
| PTC | Private Limited Company |
| PLC | Public Limited Company |
| OPC | One Person Company |
| NPL | Not-for-Profit Licence (Section 8) Company |
| FTC | Private subsidiary of a foreign company |
| GOI | Company owned by the Government of India |
| SGC | State Government company |
Other codes you may come across include FLC (financial lease, public), GAP/GAT (general associations) and ULL/ULT (unlimited-liability public/private). The code reflects the company’s class on the date the CIN was issued.
CIN vs PAN, TAN, GSTIN, LLPIN & DIN
A company carries several identifiers, and they are easy to mix up. Each comes from a different authority and does a different job:
| Identifier | Format | Issued by | Identifies |
|---|---|---|---|
| CIN | 21 characters | ROC / MCA | The company itself |
| LLPIN | 7 digits | ROC / MCA | An LLP (used instead of a CIN) |
| PAN | 10 characters | Income Tax Dept | Tax identity of the company |
| TAN | 10 characters | Income Tax Dept | The entity for deducting TDS |
| GSTIN | 15 characters | GST Dept | GST registration of the business |
| DIN | 8 digits | MCA | A director (not the company) |
How to find your company’s CIN
You don’t need to pay anyone to find a CIN — it is public information. There are three easy ways:
- On the Certificate of Incorporation — the CIN is printed right under the title.
- On the MCA portal (free) — use the “View Company / LLP Master Data” service. You can search by company name or by CIN.
- On company documents — invoices, letterheads, official notices, the annual return and the balance sheet all carry it.
To look it up on the MCA portal:
- Go to the MCA website and open MCA Services → View Company / LLP Master Data.
- Type the company name (or CIN, if you have it) and complete the captcha.
- Select the correct company from the results to see its CIN and full master data.
Where you must display the CIN
Showing the CIN isn’t optional once you’re incorporated. Under Section 12 of the Companies Act, 2013, a company must print its CIN — along with its name, registered-office address, phone, email and website — on its letterheads, business letters, bill heads, notices and other official publications.
Heads-up: failing to display these details attracts a penalty (commonly cited as ₹1,000 per day of default, capped at ₹1 lakh). Confirm the current figure before relying on it — but the practical point stands: put your CIN on your invoices and letterhead from day one.
When does a CIN change?
A CIN is stable, but it is not always permanent. Because several characters encode facts about the company, the ROC reissues the CIN if one of those facts changes — most commonly when:
- The company’s registered office moves to a different state (the state code changes).
- The company’s listing status changes (unlisted to listed, or vice versa).
- The company type or main industry changes.
The six-digit registration number generally stays the same; it is the surrounding context characters that get updated.
Frequently asked questions
Is the CIN the same as the company registration number?
The CIN is the full 21-character identifier. The registration number proper is the last six digits of the CIN — the unique number the ROC assigns. In everyday use, “company registration number” usually refers to the whole CIN.
Do LLPs have a CIN?
No. LLPs are given a 7-digit LLP Identification Number (LLPIN) instead of a CIN. Both are issued by the ROC, but the formats are different.
Where can I find a company’s CIN for free?
Use the MCA portal’s “View Company / LLP Master Data” service — you can search by company name or CIN at no cost. Your own CIN is also printed on your Certificate of Incorporation.
Is the CIN the same as my PAN or GST number?
No. The CIN identifies the company with the MCA, PAN is your tax identity with the Income Tax Department, and GSTIN is your GST registration. They are separate numbers from separate authorities.
Can a company’s CIN change?
Yes. The ROC reissues the CIN if the company moves its registered office to another state, changes its listing status, or changes its company type or main industry — because those facts are encoded in the number.
Is it mandatory to print the CIN on invoices and letterheads?
Yes. Under Section 12 of the Companies Act, 2013, the CIN must appear on letterheads, business letters, bill heads, notices and official publications, alongside the company name and contact details. A penalty applies for non-compliance.
Reviewed by the QwikFilings CA team
QwikFilings is a Chartered-Accountant–led business registration and compliance firm. This guide is reviewed against current MCA rules; CIN codes and statutory references are subject to change by notification. For anything specific to your company, speak to a CA.