Quick Summary
The Corporate Identity Number (CIN) is a unique identifier assigned to every company registered in India. It's issued by the Registrar of Companies (ROC) under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA).
The Corporate Identity Number (CIN) is a unique identifier assigned to every company registered in India. It's issued by the Registrar of Companies (ROC) under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA).
Structure of CIN
CIN is a 21-character alphanumeric code with the following structure:
- 1st Character: Listing status (L for Listed, U for Unlisted)
- 2nd-5th Characters: Industry code (NIC code)
- 6th-8th Characters: State code
- 9th-12th Characters: Year of incorporation
- 13th-16th Characters: Ownership type (PLC, PTC, etc.)
- 17th-21st Characters: Registration number
Example
L17110MH1973PLC019786
- L - Listed company
- 17110 - Industry code (Manufacturing)
- MH - Maharashtra state
- 1973 - Year of incorporation
- PLC - Public Limited Company
- 019786 - Registration number
Where to Find CIN
You can find a company's CIN on:
- Certificate of Incorporation
- MCA Portal (by searching company name)
- Company's letterheads and official documents
- Annual Returns and financial statements
Key Points
- CIN is mandatory for all companies registered in India
- It remains the same throughout the company's lifetime
- Must be quoted in all MCA filings and communications
- Helps identify company details quickly
- Different from GSTIN or PAN numbers
- 21 characters: 1 listing status + 4 NIC + 3 state + 4 year + 4 type + 5 reg no