Company Name Change

A company can change its name by passing a special resolution and obtaining Central Government (ROC) approval, and its legal identity is unaffected. The change does not affect the company's legal identity, rights or liabilities — the CIN stays the same — but a fresh Certificate of Incorporation is issued and all records and branding must be updated.

Who needs this: Any company with up-to-date statutory filings can change its name, provided the new name is available and not identical/too similar to an existing company or a registered trademark.

Government portal: MCA (mca.gov.in) — RUN, MGT-14, INC-24.

Indicative fees: ₹5,000–₹20,000 professional + MCA fees (name reservation + MGT-14 + INC-24).

Timeline: 15–25 working days.

Documents required

Step-by-step process

  1. Check availability of the proposed name via the RUN service and a trademark search
  2. Convene a board meeting to approve the change and fix an EGM
  3. Pass a special resolution at the EGM approving the new name and altered MoA/AoA
  4. File MGT-14 with the special resolution within 30 days
  5. File INC-24 seeking Central Government (ROC) approval for the name change
  6. ROC issues a fresh Certificate of Incorporation with the new name
  7. Update PAN, TAN, GST, bank accounts, licences, letterheads, seal and website
  8. Intimate all stakeholders, and update the name on statutory registers

Penalty for non-compliance

Operating under a new name before ROC approval, or failing to file MGT-14 within 30 days, attracts penalties under sections 13 and 117.

The name is approved, not simply chosen

A change of name requires reserving the new name with the Registrar, which is examined against existing companies, LLPs and registered trademarks. Resemblance is judged on more than exact spelling — phonetic similarity, plurals, and the addition or removal of generic words rarely create sufficient distinction. Prepare a second option, and search both the MCA register and the trademark register before applying rather than after a rejection.

The corporate steps have to happen in order

A board resolution approves the proposal and authorises the name reservation. Once the name is reserved, a general meeting passes a special resolution, which is filed with the Registrar along with the altered memorandum and articles. The Registrar then issues a fresh certificate of incorporation. Skipping or reordering these steps is a common cause of rejection, and the reserved name has a limited validity within which the resolution must be filed.

Your CIN and PAN do not change, and neither does your history

A name change does not create a new company. The corporate identity number, PAN, TAN and GSTIN continue, contracts remain binding, and litigation continues in the changed name. Liabilities and obligations incurred under the old name follow the company. This is a point worth making to counterparties, who occasionally treat a renamed company as a new entity and ask for fresh agreements unnecessarily.

Everything downstream needs updating, and some of it is easy to miss

After the fresh certificate is issued, update GST registration, the bank, PAN and TAN records, professional tax and shop-and-establishment registrations, import-export code, FSSAI or other licences, provident fund and ESI records, statutory registers, letterheads, invoices, the common seal if used, signage and the website. Any licence tied to the entity's name generally requires its own amendment application — these are separate filings, not automatic consequences.

Display the former name for the required period

Where the name has been changed, the company must display the former name alongside the new one on its business letters, notices and other official publications for the prescribed period after the change, so that counterparties can connect the two. It is a small requirement and routinely overlooked, but it is exactly the kind of default that surfaces during due diligence. If the brand matters commercially, remember that MCA approval is not a trademark — the trademark registration is a separate right.

📘 Company & LLP registration in India — full guide

Frequently asked questions

Does changing the company name change its legal identity?

No. The Corporate Identity Number (CIN) and the company's rights, contracts and liabilities remain unchanged — only the name is updated, and a fresh Certificate of Incorporation is issued.

How long does a company name change take?

Typically 15–25 working days, subject to name availability and ROC processing of INC-24.

Do I need to update GST and PAN after a name change?

Yes. After the fresh incorporation certificate, update the name on PAN, TAN, GST, bank accounts, and all licences and registrations.

Can any company name be chosen?

The name must be available, not identical or too similar to an existing company or LLP, not violate a registered trademark, and comply with the Companies (Incorporation) Rules on undesirable names.

Is a special resolution mandatory?

Yes. Section 13 requires a special resolution of members and Central Government (ROC) approval for any change of name.

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