Company Name Change

Change your company's name under Section 13 of the Companies Act 2013 — complete handling of name reservation (RUN), special resolution, MGT-14, INC-24, and the fresh Certificate of Incorporation. Your CIN, PAN, contracts, and legal history remain unchanged.
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Company Name Change

A company name change is the legal alteration of the name clause of your Memorandum of Association under Section 13 of the Companies Act, 2013 (read with Section 4(1)(a)). It requires a special resolution of the members and the approval of the Central Government — a power delegated to the Registrar of Companies (ROC) under Rule 29(2) of the Companies (Incorporation) Rules, 2014. Our CA-assisted service handles the entire process end to end — name reservation (RUN), board and general-meeting documentation, MGT-14 and INC-24 filings, and follow-through to your fresh Certificate of Incorporation.

What Does NOT Change

A name change is a change of identity, not of entity. Your company remains the very same legal person — only the name on the door changes:

  • Your CIN (Corporate Identity Number) stays exactly the same — it does not encode the name
  • Your PAN and TAN are unchanged — the records are updated, the numbers are not
  • All existing contracts, licences, assets and liabilities continue in the new name
  • Legal proceedings by or against the company are not invalidated

The change becomes legally effective only when the ROC issues the fresh Certificate of Incorporation (Section 13(3)).

How the Name Change Works — Step by Step

Our team manages every filing on the MCA V3 portal — from the first board resolution to the new Certificate of Incorporation.

1
Board Resolution
The Board meets to approve the proposed name, authorise the RUN application, and call an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM).
2
Reserve the Name (RUN)
The proposed name is filed through the MCA RUN (Reserve Unique Name) service — up to two names can be proposed and are checked against existing companies, LLPs and trademarks. An approved name is valid for 60 days for an existing company's name change.
3
Special Resolution (EGM)
Members pass a special resolution (75% majority) approving the change of name, as required by Section 13(2).
4
File Form MGT-14
The special resolution is filed with the ROC in Form MGT-14 within 30 days of the EGM (Section 117).
5
File Form INC-24
Form INC-24 — the application to the Central Government (ROC) for approval of the name change — is filed under Rule 29(2), within the 60-day RUN reservation window.
✓
Fresh Certificate of Incorporation
On approval, the ROC issues a fresh Certificate of Incorporation in Form INC-25 bearing the new name. The change is now complete and legally effective.

End to end, a name change typically takes 30–45 working days, subject to ROC processing times.

Government Fees

Our professional fee is a flat ₹4,999. Government (MCA) fees are charged at actuals and depend on your company's authorised share capital:

Filing Government Fee
RUN (name reservation)₹1,000 per application (up to 2 names)
MGT-14 & INC-24 (each), by authorised capital:Below ₹1,00,000 → ₹200 · ₹1,00,000–₹4,99,999 → ₹300 · ₹5,00,000–₹24,99,999 → ₹400 · ₹25,00,000–₹99,99,999 → ₹500 · ₹1,00,00,000 & above → ₹600

Late filing of MGT-14 attracts an additional fee of ₹100/day of delay (flat, no upper limit, filable up to 300 days) and, separately, a possible penalty under Section 117(2) (₹10,000 plus ₹100/day on the company, up to ₹2 lakh). Filing within the deadlines avoids both.

The 2-Year Dual-Name Rule (Section 12(3)(c))

For two years from the date of the change, your company must display its former name alongside the new name — on the registered-office name board and on all business letters, billheads and other official publications. This is a statutory requirement under Section 12(3)(c); default attracts a penalty of ₹1,000 per day, up to ₹1 lakh. We provide the exact compliant wording and a checklist so you are covered from day one.

Can Every Company Change Its Name?

Not until it is compliant. Under Rule 29(1), the ROC will not allow a name change if the company has defaulted in filing its annual returns or financial statements (or any document due to the ROC), or has defaulted in repaying matured deposits or debentures or interest on them. These defaults must be cleared first — our Company Annual Compliance service can bring overdue filings up to date before the name change is filed.

Choosing a Name That Will Be Approved (Rule 8)

The ROC examines every proposed name against the naming rules. A name is rejected if it:

  • Is identical with, or too nearly resembles, the name of an existing company or LLP
  • Includes a registered trademark in the same class of goods or services — unless you furnish a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the trademark owner (Section 4(2)/(3) read with Rule 8A)
  • Uses a restricted word or expression requiring prior Central Government approval (Rule 8B) — for example Bank, Insurance or Stock Exchange, which need a NOC from the RBI, IRDAI or SEBI respectively
  • Violates the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950, or suggests improper government patronage

We run a full availability and conflict check — against companies, LLPs and trademarks — before filing RUN, so your application is not rejected on avoidable grounds.

What to Update After the Name Change

Once the new Certificate of Incorporation is issued, a few records must be updated to reflect the new name:

  • GST: file Form GST REG-14 within 15 days — the legal/trade name is a core field, so it needs officer approval; our GST Amendment service handles this
  • Bank accounts — update the company name on all current accounts and authorised signatories
  • EPFO / ESIC, professional tax, and any sector licences or registrations held in the company's name
  • Updated MOA & AOA copies, statutory registers, the common seal (if any), website and stationery

Remember — your PAN, TAN and CIN do not change; only the name shown on these records is updated.

Section 16 — When the ROC Directs a Name Change

Separately from a voluntary change, Section 16 empowers the Central Government / Regional Director to direct a company to change a name that is identical to or too closely resembles an existing company's name, or — on the application of a registered trademark proprietor made within three years — a name that infringes their trademark. If the company does not comply within three months, the name is automatically replaced with a default identifier of the form “ORDNC” (Order of Regional Director Not Complied) followed by the year, a serial number and the CIN. If you have received such a direction, we can manage the corrective name change for you.

Why File Your Name Change With Us

  • End-to-end handling — RUN, board and EGM papers, MGT-14, INC-24 and INC-25 follow-through, all on MCA V3
  • Rejection-proof name check against companies, LLPs and registered trademarks before filing
  • Compliance-first — we flag Rule 29 defaults and the Section 12(3)(c) dual-name rule up front, so there are no surprises
  • Post-change support — GST, bank and statutory updates handled or checklisted
  • Transparent pricing — flat ₹4,999 professional fee; government fees billed at actuals

Choose a Plan

Simple, transparent pricing — pick the plan that fits.

Popular
Complete Name Change
₹4,999
30 working days
Name availability & Rule 8 conflict check (companies, LLPs, trademarks)
RUN filing for name reservation (up to 2 proposed names)
Board resolution & EGM documentation drafting
Special Resolution + Form MGT-14 filing with the ROC
Form INC-24 application to the ROC for approval
Fresh Certificate of Incorporation (INC-25) follow-through
Post-change compliance checklist (GST, PAN records, bank, Section 12(3)(c))

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Frequently Asked Questions

A company name change legally alters the name clause of your Memorandum of Association under Section 13 of the Companies Act, 2013. It requires a special resolution of the shareholders and approval of the Central Government, exercised by the Registrar of Companies (ROC) under Rule 29(2). The process runs on the MCA V3 portal and ends with a fresh Certificate of Incorporation in the new name.
No. A name change does not create a new company — it is the same legal entity with a new name. Your CIN, PAN and TAN all stay the same; only the name on those records is updated. All existing contracts, licences, assets, liabilities and legal proceedings continue unaffected in the new name. The change takes legal effect only when the ROC issues the fresh Certificate of Incorporation (Section 13(3)).
The steps are: (1) a board resolution proposing the change and calling an EGM; (2) RUN to reserve the new name (up to two options); (3) a special resolution at the EGM; (4) Form MGT-14 filed within 30 days of the resolution; (5) Form INC-24, the application to the ROC for approval; and (6) the ROC issues a fresh Certificate of Incorporation (Form INC-25) bearing the new name.
Our professional fee is a flat ₹4,999. Government fees are charged at actuals: RUN ₹1,000, plus MGT-14 and INC-24 fees based on your authorised share capital (₹200 for capital below ₹1 lakh, rising to ₹600 for ₹1 crore and above, per form). For most small companies the total government fee works out to roughly ₹1,400–₹2,200.
Typically 30–45 working days end to end, subject to ROC processing — RUN approval in a few days, then the EGM and MGT-14 filing, then INC-24 approval. A reserved name is valid for 60 days (for an existing company's name change), within which INC-24 must be filed; if the reservation lapses, a fresh RUN (₹1,000) is required.
Yes — for two years. Under Section 12(3)(c), your former name must be displayed alongside the new name on the registered-office name board and on all business letters, billheads and official publications for two years from the change. Non-compliance attracts a penalty of ₹1,000 per day, up to ₹1 lakh. We give you the exact compliant wording.
Yes, if it breaches the naming rules (Rule 8). A name is rejected if it is identical or too similar to an existing company or LLP, includes a registered trademark without the owner's NOC (Section 4(2)/(3)), or uses a restricted word needing Central Government approval (such as Bank, Insurance or Stock Exchange, which require an RBI/IRDAI/SEBI NOC). We run a full companies, LLP and trademark conflict check before filing to avoid rejection.
No. Under Rule 29(1), a name change is not permitted while the company has overdue ROC filings (such as AOC-4 or MGT-7) or has defaulted on repaying matured deposits or debentures. These must be cleared first — our Company Annual Compliance service can regularise pending filings before the name change is filed.
File GST Form REG-14 within 15 days — the legal/trade name is a core field (our GST Amendment service handles it). Also update your bank accounts, EPFO/ESIC, professional tax, sector licences, MOA/AOA copies, statutory registers, website and stationery. Your PAN, TAN and CIN do not change — only the name shown on them.
Section 16 lets the Central Government or Regional Director direct a company to change a name that is identical or too similar to another company's name, or that infringes a registered trademark (on the proprietor's application within three years). If the company does not comply within three months, its name is automatically replaced with a default identifier beginning “ORDNC” followed by the year, serial number and CIN. We can handle a directed name change if you have received such an order.