Before signing a contract, onboarding a vendor, or entering a partnership, knowing how to verify a company on the MCA portal is one of the most practical due diligence steps you can take in India. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) maintains a public database of all registered companies and LLPs. Most of the information you need is available for free, and the process takes under five minutes once you know where to look.
This guide covers everything: how to search for a company, what the results mean, how to verify a director’s DIN, what to pay for if you need deeper records, and what red flags to watch for.
Why verify a company on MCA before you proceed
MCA verification is not just for lawyers or chartered accountants. It is relevant in a wide range of situations:
- Vendor due diligence: Before making an advance payment or entering a long-term supply agreement, confirm the vendor is actually registered and active.
- Investor check: Before deploying capital into a startup, verify incorporation date, paid-up capital, and director details.
- Partnership verification: Confirm the other party has a valid company and is not operating under a struck-off entity.
- Pre-hiring checks: Candidates sometimes list companies that were never registered or have been deregistered.
- Contract signing: Check that the authorised signatory is actually a director of the company.
India’s company registration process in India is handled by MCA under the Companies Act, 2013. Every registered company gets a unique Corporate Identity Number (CIN), and all filings are publicly accessible through the MCA21 portal.
Understanding the CIN number structure
The CIN (Corporate Identity Number) is a 21-character alphanumeric code assigned at the time of incorporation. Every registered company in India has one. If someone gives you a CIN, you can use it to pull up company details instantly. If you only have the company name, you can search by name instead.
Here is how the CIN breaks down:
| Position | Characters | What it represents | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 letter | Listing status (L = listed, U = unlisted) | U |
| 2-6 | 5 digits | Industry activity code (NIC code) | 74999 |
| 7-8 | 2 letters | State code (where company is registered) | MH (Maharashtra) |
| 9-12 | 4 digits | Year of incorporation | 2019 |
| 13-15 | 3 letters | Company type (PTC = Private, PLC = Public, OPC = One Person) | PTC |
| 16-21 | 6 digits | ROC registration sequence number | 234567 |
A CIN like U74999MH2019PTC234567 tells you: unlisted company, services sector, registered in Maharashtra, incorporated in 2019, private limited, with ROC sequence 234567.
How to verify a company on the MCA portal: step by step
The MCA has migrated to the V3 portal (mca.gov.in). The steps below reflect the current 2026 interface.
- Go to mca.gov.in.
- In the top navigation, click MCA Services.
- Under the “Company/LLP Master Data” section, click View Company/LLP Master Data. (You do not need to log in for this step.)
- Enter either the CIN or the company name in the search field.
- If searching by name, a dropdown with matching results will appear. Select the correct entity.
- Click Submit. The company master data page loads immediately.
If you are searching for an LLP instead of a company, the flow is identical. Just select “LLP” from the entity type toggle before searching.
What you can see for free
The company master data page shows the following without any payment or login:
- Company name and CIN
- Date of incorporation
- Registered address
- Company category (Private, Public, OPC, Section 8, etc.)
- Company status (Active, Strike Off, Under Liquidation, etc.)
- Authorised capital and paid-up capital
- ROC (Registrar of Companies) jurisdiction
- Email address on record (sometimes available)
- List of current directors and their DINs
This is usually enough for a standard MCA company search india verification check. For deeper diligence, you will need to pull filings or certified copies, which involve a small fee.
How to interpret company status
The “company status” field is the single most important piece of information on the master data page. Here is what each status means:
| Status | What it means | Implication for you |
|---|---|---|
| Active | Company is registered and in good standing | Safe to proceed; verify filings and director details next |
| Strike Off | Company has been deregistered by ROC, usually for non-filing | High risk; do not enter contracts. The company has no legal standing. |
| Under Liquidation | Insolvency process is underway | Avoid payments or commitments; assets may be frozen |
| Dormant | Company applied for dormant status (Section 455); no significant transactions | Low activity; confirm whether they can transact before engaging |
| Under Process of Striking Off | ROC has initiated strike off but it is not yet final | Treat with caution; strike off may be completed soon |
| Converted to LLP | Company has converted; search for the LLP separately | Search the LLP by name to find current entity details |
A struck-off company cannot legally enter contracts, hold property, or sue and be sued. If a vendor or counterparty is operating under a struck-off company, that is a serious red flag. You can read more about how companies reach this state in our guide on how to close a company in India.
How to check company filing compliance on MCA
An active status alone does not mean a company is well-managed. You should also check whether they are filing on time. Two filings matter most:
- MGT-7 / MGT-7A: Annual return. Due within 60 days of the AGM (typically by November 29 each year for companies with December 31 financial year end).
- AOC-4: Financial statements. Due within 30 days of the AGM.
To check filings:
- On mca.gov.in, go to MCA Services and then View Signatory Details / Filed Documents.
- Enter the CIN and select the document type or financial year you want to check.
- A list of filings with dates will appear.
If a company has not filed for two or more consecutive years, ROC can initiate strike-off proceedings. Consistent late filing or non-filing is itself a red flag for operational health.
How to verify a director’s DIN on MCA
Every director of a registered company must have a Director Identification Number (DIN). You can verify any DIN directly on the MCA portal:
- Go to mca.gov.in and click MCA Services.
- Under “DIN Services”, select Find DIN / Verify DIN-PAN Details.
- Enter the DIN number and the director’s name.
- The system will confirm whether the DIN is active and matches the name provided.
A deactivated DIN means the director has not filed their KYC (DIR-3 KYC) in a recent year. This does not automatically mean fraud, but it is worth investigating. If someone claims to be a director and their DIN comes back as deactivated or non-existent, do not rely on that person as an authorised signatory.
Paid documents you can obtain from MCA
For deeper due diligence, you can obtain certified copies of filings through the MCA portal. These require a small fee (typically Rs 100 per document) and a registered MCA login.
- MOA and AOA: Memorandum and Articles of Association. Shows the company’s objects clause and internal governance rules.
- Financial statements: Balance sheet and P&L from AOC-4 filings.
- Charge documents: Shows loans secured against company assets.
- Certified true copies: Can be used as legal evidence.
To access these, log in to mca.gov.in, go to MCA Services, and use the Get Certified Copies option. Payment is via net banking, UPI, or credit/debit card.
Red flags to watch for during MCA company verification
After running the check, look for these warning signs before proceeding:
- Status is Strike Off or Under Process of Striking Off: Do not enter any contract or make any payment.
- Registered address mismatch: If the address on MCA differs significantly from what the company has given you, ask for an explanation. This is especially relevant for companies that may have changed their registered address without updating MCA records.
- Directors with deactivated DINs: Signals non-compliance with KYC requirements.
- No recent filings: If MGT-7 and AOC-4 are missing for recent years, the company may be heading toward strike-off.
- Very low paid-up capital relative to claimed business scale: Not automatically suspicious, but worth verifying against other sources.
- Multiple charges on the company: Suggests significant debt; relevant if you are extending credit or making large advance payments.
- Incorporation date is very recent: Not a red flag on its own, but combined with other concerns, warrants extra caution.
Practical use cases: when to run an MCA check
Before signing a vendor agreement
Run a quick MCA search before issuing a purchase order above a threshold amount. Confirm the company is active, the person you are dealing with is listed as a director or authorised signatory, and recent filings exist.
Before investing in a startup
Check incorporation date, paid-up capital, and the full director list. Cross-check that founders who claim equity are actually listed. Look for any charges that could affect your security as an investor.
Pre-employment background check
If a candidate lists a company they claim to have founded or worked for, verify the CIN and check whether the company exists, is active, and lists the candidate as a director if that was their claimed role.
Before entering a partnership or JV
Verify both entities are active, check that there are no pending proceedings or liquidation orders, and confirm that the authorised signatory has a valid and active DIN.
A note for companies that have recently incorporated
If you have just incorporated and need to ensure your MCA-registered address is accurate and compliant, the registered address you provide matters for all future searches. myHQ Virtual Office provides a business address that is accepted for MCA registration, along with the address proof documents required during incorporation. For more on what documents are needed, see our guide on address proof for company incorporation.
Frequently asked questions
Is MCA company verification free?
Yes, viewing company master data (name, CIN, status, directors, capital, address) is free and does not require a login. Downloading certified copies of filings like MOA, AOA, or financial statements costs a small fee and requires a registered MCA account.
Can I verify a company by name if I don’t have the CIN?
Yes. On the View Company/LLP Master Data page, you can search by company name. The portal will return a list of matching results; select the correct one to view details. Having the CIN makes the search faster and eliminates ambiguity.
What does “strike off” mean and is it permanent?
Strike off means the Registrar of Companies has removed the company from the register, typically due to non-filing of annual returns or financial statements. A struck-off company loses its legal status. It is possible to restore a struck-off company through an NCLT application, but the process is time-consuming and uncertain. Treat a struck-off status as a serious concern.
How do I check if a company’s GST registration is valid?
GST verification is separate from MCA verification. Go to gst.gov.in and use the “Search Taxpayer” feature. Enter the GSTIN to check registration status, filing history, and whether the registration is active or cancelled.
What is the difference between authorised capital and paid-up capital?
Authorised capital is the maximum amount of share capital a company is allowed to issue, as stated in its MOA. Paid-up capital is the amount actually received from shareholders against shares issued. A company can have a high authorised capital but low paid-up capital if shares have not been fully subscribed.
Can I check the financial performance of a company through MCA?
You can access filed financial statements (AOC-4) through the MCA portal for a fee. These show revenue, profit/loss, assets, and liabilities as reported to MCA. For listed companies, SEBI disclosures on the BSE/NSE are often more up to date. For unlisted companies, MCA filings are the primary source of publicly available financial data.
What is MCA21 and is it the same as the MCA V3 portal?
MCA21 was the name of the earlier e-governance platform. The V3 portal (launched in phases from 2022 onwards) replaced it with an updated interface and new form formats. As of 2026, mca.gov.in runs on the V3 system. The underlying data is the same; only the interface and some form numbers have changed.
