Documents Required for Private Limited Company Registration: The Exact Checklist (2026)

Last updated 26 September 2026

What documents are required for private limited company registration?

You need identity and address documents for every director and shareholder, proof of the registered office, and two or more proposed names. That is the whole list for a resident Indian founder. Your CA collects, checks and converts these into the SPICe+ (Simplified Proforma for Incorporating Company Electronically Plus) filing on the MCA portal.

Take Rohan in Hyderabad. He and his co-founder will be both directors and shareholders, and the office will be a rented flat. They each keep their PAN, Aadhaar and a working mobile and email ready. Rohan asks his landlord for the electricity bill and a No Objection Certificate (NOC) on the first day, because that is the item that usually takes longest.

A private company needs at least two directors and two shareholders, and at least one director who is resident in India. Those eligibility points are covered in the eligibility guide; this article is only about paper. For the structure itself, see private limited company registration.

What is the document checklist at a glance?

The table below groups everything by who provides it. It reflects MCA's SPICe+ FAQ and Shunya's working checklist as of September 2026; your CA will tell you if your case needs anything extra.

You do not buy a DSC or apply for a DIN yourself. Shunya's CA obtains the Digital Signature Certificate and Director Identification Number for each director as part of the filing.

What do directors and shareholders each need to provide?

Each director and shareholder provides the same core set: PAN, ID proof, address proof and contact details. The difference is only in role: directors also need a DIN and a DSC, and shareholders (subscribers to the MoA) sign as subscribers.

If you are both, you supply the set once. The MCA form asks for the details of people who do not yet have a DIN, so first-time directors are covered by ID, address proof and PAN. A Class 3 DSC is required for every subscriber and director signing the filing, which your CA arranges.

At least one director must have stayed in India for 182 days or more in the previous year. If your only Indian resident is a friend or relative you plan to make a director, make sure they understand they take on the legal duties of a director. Foreign nationals and NRIs can be directors and shareholders too, with extra paperwork; see the short section below and the NRI and foreign national guide.

What proof of registered office does MCA accept?

MCA accepts a recent utility bill plus, depending on ownership, either an ownership document or a rent agreement with the owner's NOC. The bill must not be older than 2 months, and it is the item where files most often get stuck. A residential address is acceptable as a registered office for a company.

• Owned premises: utility bill and the ownership document (sale deed or equivalent).
• Rented premises: utility bill, registered rent or lease agreement, and NOC from the owner allowing the company to use the address.
• Bill in someone else's name: MCA's FAQ lists a bill in a private authority's name without a sale or lease deed, and proof not in the owner's name, as reasons for resubmission.
• Vernacular bills: attach an English translation.
• Location: the current portal also asks for the latitude and longitude of the office, so be able to confirm the exact spot.

Co-working and commercial premises with a valid owner NOC and utility bill are commonly used, but confirm your case with your CA before relying on it. The full picture is in registered office requirements.

Which mismatches make MCA send the file back?

Most bounced files come from two documents that disagree with each other, not from a missing document. MCA's SPICe+ FAQ lists these among the reasons for a resubmission, and each one is avoidable if you check before submitting.

1. Name mismatch: the name on PAN, Aadhaar and the form must be identical, including spelling and initials.
2. Address mismatch: the office address on the utility bill, NOC and form must be the same, down to the pin code.
3. Wrong or missing NOC: the NOC or lease does not mention the company, or is not from the person whose name is on the bill.
4. Old utility bill: older than 2 months.
5. Unclear scans: cropped, blurry or oversized files. Each PDF attachment is limited to 6 MB.
6. Vague business objects: the description of the business is too general for the activity you chose.
7. Copy-pasted signatures: these carry legal risk, so use real digital signatures only.

Each resubmission adds days, and MCA allows up to two. Our guide on registration rejection reasons goes deeper, and name availability and approval covers name-specific traps.

What extra documents do foreign directors or shareholders need?

Foreign nationals need notarised or apostilled documents and manually signed MoA and AoA, so the file cannot go through the standard electronic route. The MCA FAQ says the signature and address proof must be notarised, apostilled or consularised depending on the person's country.

Expect a passport copy, proof of address abroad and, where a foreign company is a subscriber, its certificate of incorporation, all prepared to that standard. Business visa or OCI details also come into play. Start these early, as courier and apostille time is outside your CA's control. The NRI and foreign national registration guide has the full walkthrough.

How do you submit documents to Shunya, and what happens next?

You share clear scans over WhatsApp or email, the CA verifies them, and the filing is prepared without an office visit. Our standard turnaround is 7 to 10 working days from complete documents, and the ₹1,999 professional fee is waived if it exceeds 15 working days.

A practising CA reviews every filing before it goes to MCA, so a name mismatch or an old bill is usually caught at this stage, not by the registrar. Government fees and state stamp duty are billed separately; see the cost and fees guide for the full split, and the process and timeline guide for what happens after you send the papers.

The fastest way to avoid a bounce is to send the documents once, complete and checked. Send your PAN and address details first so the CA can confirm names and eligibility before you chase the landlord.

This article is for general information only. For your specific situation, consult a practicing CA.