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MCA Company Search: How to Find a Company's CIN, Status & Director Details

12 August 2026

The MCA V3 portal provides free public access to the master data of every company and LLP registered in India company status, registered address, directors, share capital, charges, and filing history. Knowing how to search effectively saves hours, whether you're doing counterparty due diligence, verifying a director's background, or checking your own company's records before filing.

What Is a CIN Number?

A Corporate Identification Number (CIN) is the unique 21-character alphanumeric identifier assigned to every company at incorporation. It encodes key facts about the company:

  • 1st character: L (listed) or U (unlisted)
  • Characters 2–6: NIC industry code for the main business activity
  • Characters 7–8: State code (MH = Maharashtra, DL = Delhi, KA = Karnataka, etc.)
  • Characters 9–12: Year of incorporation
  • Characters 13–15: Company type (PTC = private limited, PLC = public limited, OPC = one person company)
  • Characters 16–21: ROC registration number

Example: U74999MH2020PTC123456 an unlisted company (U), in services (74999), incorporated in Maharashtra (MH) in 2020, as a private limited company (PTC).

How to Search for a Company on MCA V3

By Company Name (No Login Required)

  1. Go to mca.gov.in
  2. Click MCA Services in the top navigation
  3. Select Master Data → View Company/LLP Master Data
  4. Type the company name (partial names work) and click Search
  5. Click any result to view the full master data record

By CIN (Fastest Method)

  1. Go to MCA Services → Master Data → View Company/LLP Master Data
  2. Switch the search type to "CIN" from the dropdown
  3. Enter the 21-character CIN and click Search

Global Search Bar

The MCA V3 portal has a search bar on every page. Type a company name, CIN, or DIN results appear across companies, LLPs, and directors simultaneously. For more detail on what the master data record contains, see our guide on MCA V3 master data.

What You Can Find in a Company's MCA Record

InformationWhere to Find It
CIN, name, status (Active / Strike Off / Under Liquidation)Master Data main record
Registered office addressMaster Data main record
Authorised and paid-up share capitalMaster Data main record
Date of incorporation and ROC jurisdictionMaster Data main record
Current directors with DINsMaster Data → Directors tab
Charge details (secured loans against assets)MCA Services → Charges
Annual return and financial statement filing historyMaster Data → Filing History tab
PDF copies of filed formsMCA Services → View Public Documents

How to Look Up a Director by DIN

  1. Go to MCA Services → Master Data → View DIN Master Data
  2. Enter the DIN (8-digit number) or the director's name
  3. The portal shows the director's status, name, nationality, and a list of all current and past directorships

A director whose DIN shows as Deactivated has missed the DIR-3 KYC deadline; a status of Disqualified indicates a Section 164(2) disqualification triggered by a defaulting company. For details on disqualification, see our guide on director disqualification under Section 164(2).

How to Check Charges Against a Company

Charges are security interests mortgages, hypothecations, pledges created on a company's assets in favour of a lender, and registered with the ROC via CHG-1. Charge data forms part of the company master data record.

  1. Go to MCA Services → Charges → View Charges
  2. Enter the CIN or company name
  3. The portal lists all registered charges: lender name, amount secured, assets charged, creation date, and status (Open or Satisfied)

An "Open" charge means the underlying loan has not been fully repaid. This is critical for due diligence before lending to, investing in, or acquiring a company undisclosed charges on physical assets can significantly affect recovery in default scenarios.

Checking a Company's Compliance Status

The Filing History tab shows whether AOC-4 (financial statements) and MGT-7/MGT-7A (annual return) were filed for recent financial years. Gaps in consecutive years are a red flag three consecutive years of default in either filing triggers automatic director disqualification under Section 164(2), and may also indicate an "Active (non-compliant)" or strike-off risk status.

Common Issues with MCA Company Search

  • Company not found by name: Try searching with fewer words (e.g., "Acme Tech" instead of "Acme Technology Private Limited") the portal matches against the exact registered name.
  • Data not updated after a filing: MCA master data typically refreshes within 24–72 hours after a form is approved. For urgent verification, check View Processed Documents it reflects approvals sooner than the master data search.
  • CIN format errors: Ensure all 21 characters are entered correctly, including the leading letter (L or U). A wrong character returns no results.
  • Director not appearing: If a DIR-12 for a recent appointment is still "In Processing", the director won't appear in the master data yet.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the full form of CIN?
CIN stands for Corporate Identification Number. It is the unique 21-character identifier the Registrar of Companies assigns to every company at incorporation, and it appears on the Certificate of Incorporation and on every MCA filing the company makes.
What does each part of a CIN number mean?
A CIN encodes six things. The 1st character is L (listed) or U (unlisted), characters 2 to 6 are the NIC industry code, 7 to 8 are the state code, 9 to 12 are the year of incorporation, 13 to 15 are the company type (PTC private, PLC public, OPC one person), and 16 to 21 are the ROC registration number. So U74999MH2020PTC123456 is an unlisted services company incorporated in Maharashtra in 2020 as a private limited company.
How do I find a company CIN by name?
Go to mca.gov.in, open MCA Services, then Master Data, then View Company/LLP Master Data. Type the company name (partial names work) and search. Click any result to open the full master data record, which shows the CIN at the top.
How do I check whether a CIN is real or fake?
Enter the full 21-character CIN in the MCA Master Data search with the search type set to CIN. A genuine CIN returns a live company record with a matching name and registered address. If nothing is returned, or the name does not match what you were given, treat the CIN as unverified. A CIN printed on an invoice or letterhead means nothing until it resolves on the MCA portal.
Is the CIN on a tax challan or GST invoice the same thing?
No, and this catches people out often. In banking and tax contexts, CIN means Challan Identification Number, a receipt reference for a tax payment. The Corporate Identification Number is an MCA company identifier and is unrelated. A company CIN is always 21 characters beginning with L or U.
Do LLPs have a CIN number?
No. An LLP is assigned an LLPIN, a 7-character identifier, instead of a 21-character CIN. LLP records are searchable through the same View Company/LLP Master Data service on the MCA portal.
How do I check whether a company is active or struck off?
The company status appears at the top of the master data record. Active means the company is on the register and filing. Strike Off means the ROC has removed it from the register, usually after sustained non-filing. Under Liquidation, Dormant and Active (non-compliant) are the other statuses you will see. Status is the first thing to check in any due diligence.
What does Strike Off status mean?
The Registrar has removed the company from the register of companies under Section 248, typically after prolonged failure to file annual returns and financial statements, or on the company applying for removal. A struck-off company has no legal existence and cannot trade, though restoration through the NCLT is possible within prescribed time limits.
How do I check the charges registered against a company?
Open MCA Services, then Charges, then View Charges, and enter the CIN or company name. The portal lists every registered charge with the lender name, amount secured, assets charged, creation date and status. A status of Open means the underlying loan has not been fully repaid.
Is MCA company search free?
Yes for the basics. Company search, company status and director lookup cost nothing. Downloading PDF copies of filed documents through View Public Documents carries a fee, and full filing history requires a logged-in business user account.
Why does a company or director not appear in the search results?
The usual reasons are a name that does not match the exact registered name (try fewer words), a recent filing that has not yet refreshed in master data, or a DIR-12 for a new director that is still In Processing. Master data typically catches up within 24 to 72 hours of an SRN being approved.