Documents Required for Section 8 Company Registration (2026 Checklist for NGOs and Non-Profits)
Section 8 company registration documents required are the MOA and AOA, a three-year income and expenditure estimate, a professional's declaration, declarations by the applicants, and directors' PAN, Aadhaar, photo, DSC and registered office proof. Shunya's professional fee is ₹1,999; your CA drafts the MOA and AOA and sends a checklist. Government fees and DSC are billed separately.
What documents are required for Section 8 company registration?
A Section 8 company needs two sets of documents: the usual incorporation papers for every director, and licence papers that show your organisation will run only for its non-profit objects. The second set is what makes it different from a normal Private Limited company filing.
Take Farhan, a retired schoolteacher in Lucknow, who wants to set up a foundation for adult literacy with two co-founders. He assumes he needs the same ID papers as any company. He is half right. The ID papers are the same. What surprises him is that the application also needs a written objects clause, a projection of income and expenditure for three years, and signed declarations from the applicants and a professional.
The good news is that most of this paperwork is drafted by your CA from a short conversation about your mission. You supply the identity, address and intent. The CA turns it into the MOA (Memorandum of Association), AOA (Articles of Association) and estimate.
The checklist below is as of September 2026. Exact attachments on the MCA form can change, so your CA confirms the final list before filing.
What is the complete Section 8 document checklist?
The Section 8 checklist covers licence documents, director documents and registered office documents. Use this table to see what each item is and who usually prepares it.
| Document | Who provides it | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| MOA (Memorandum of Association) | CA drafts, applicants sign | Filed in the prescribed form; the objects clause must be specific. |
| AOA (Articles of Association) | CA drafts, applicants sign | Must match the no-share-capital or share-capital structure you choose. |
| Estimate of income and expenditure for 3 years | You supply inputs, CA prepares | Shows sources of income and how it is applied to the objects. |
| Declaration by a practising professional | CA | States the company meets Section 8 requirements. |
| Declarations by each applicant | Every subscriber and first director | As prescribed on the MCA form; signed and dated. |
| PAN and Aadhaar of every director | Directors | Names must match exactly across documents. |
| Passport-size photograph | Directors | Recent, clear. |
| Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) | Directors; Shunya helps obtain | Issuer's charge billed separately. |
| Registered office proof | You | Electricity bill or rent agreement, plus owner's no-objection letter if not owned by a director. |
Shunya's process, as described on the Section 8 registration page, is that you share your objects and details, and a CA sends a document checklist within the hour.
Which documents make Section 8 different from a normal company?
Four items make a Section 8 filing different: the objects-driven MOA and AOA, the three-year income and expenditure estimate, the professional's declaration and the applicants' declarations. A normal company filing does not need these for a licence.
Objects-driven MOA and AOA
The MOA must state your charitable or non-profit objects clearly and must not allow any dividend to members. Permitted objects include education, charity, religion, art, science, sports, social welfare and environmental protection, plus other objects of general public utility.
Three-year estimate
The estimate tells the Registrar where your money will come from and how it will be spent on your objects. Keep it realistic: donations, grants, fee income for services, and spending on programmes and administration.
Declarations
The professional's declaration and each applicant's declaration must be signed and dated as required. Practitioner pages use different form names for these, so we describe them by what they are and your CA attaches whatever the MCA form currently prescribes.
The licence application is filed alongside SPICe+ (Simplified Proforma for Incorporating Company Electronically Plus), so there is no separate paper licence step for a fresh company.
Share your objects on a free callback and a CA sends a document list for your case.
Start Section 8 registration →What personal documents do directors need?
Every director needs a PAN, an Aadhaar, a passport-size photograph and a Digital Signature Certificate (DSC). A DSC is an electronic signature issued by a certifying authority that lets a director sign the MCA forms online.
A director without a DIN (Director Identification Number) gets one through the SPICe+ filing. According to the Shunya page, the CA obtains DSC and DIN for directors, and the DSC issuer's charge is billed separately.
- Directors must be individuals; a company cannot be a director of a Section 8 company.
- Members can be individuals or firms, but the board is made of individuals.
- At least one director generally needs to be resident in India (stayed 182 days or more in the previous year). Your CA confirms this for your board.
- The minimum number of directors and members applies as set by the Companies Act, in practice two of each for a private-type company and more for a public-type one. Your CA confirms the exact requirement.
For a full look at who can join the board, read our guide to Section 8 eligibility, objects and requirements.
What registered office proof does a Section 8 company need?
A Section 8 company needs proof of a registered office address: a recent utility bill, plus a rent agreement and owner's no-objection letter if the premises are not owned by a director. The address must be one where the company can receive official communication.
If the property belongs to a family member of a director, get a signed no-objection letter from the owner. If the property is rented, the rent agreement should name the correct premises. Practitioner guidance commonly says the utility bill should be recent, usually not older than two months, and your CA confirms the current requirement.
Many small NGOs start from a founder's home. That can work if the owner consents in writing, and the address is the one you intend to use on the MCA records. You can compare this with the rules in our guide to documents for company registration in India.
Which document mistakes get Section 8 applications sent back?
The most common reasons a Section 8 licence application is sent back are vague objects, a weak income estimate, profit-sharing wording and mismatched documents. These come from practitioner reports and are not an official list, but they are consistent across sources.
- Generic objects: a line like "promoting education and social welfare" without specifics.
- Missing or thin estimate: a three-year projection with no clear sources of income.
- Profit-sharing clauses: wording in the MOA or AOA that allows distribution or indirect benefit to members.
- Structure mismatch: the MOA and AOA drafted for shares while the application says no share capital, or the reverse.
- Address proof gaps: an old utility bill, or a rent agreement without the owner's no-objection letter.
- Name issues: a name too similar to an existing company or trademark, or missing the words expected in a non-profit name, such as Foundation, Forum, Association, Federation, Chambers, Confederation or Council.
- Unsigned or undated documents: declarations that have not been signed or dated.
If an application is not fixed within the prescribed period it may lapse, so it pays to check the file once more before it goes in. Also note that an approved name is held for a limited period (commonly reported as 20 days), so do not book a name until your papers are nearly ready.
How do you submit your Section 8 documents with Shunya?
You submit your Section 8 documents by sharing your objects and scans of the KYC and address papers, after which the CA drafts the rest and files. Four steps cover it.
- Request a free callback on the Section 8 registration page; a CA calls within the hour.
- Share your mission, objects and director details. The CA sends you a checklist.
- Upload director PAN, Aadhaar, photo and address proof. The CA drafts the MOA and AOA, prepares the licence application and obtains DSC and DIN.
- The licence application and SPICe+ are filed with the Registrar of Companies, and the CA answers any officer query.
Shunya's professional fee is ₹1,999. It excludes the DSC issuer's charge, government fees and stamp duty, which are billed separately. Once you are incorporated, see the process and timeline guide for what to expect next.
What documents are required for Section 8 company registration?
You need the MOA and AOA, a three-year estimate of income and expenditure, a professional's declaration, declarations by the applicants, and each director's PAN, Aadhaar, photo and DSC. You also need registered office proof such as an electricity bill or rent agreement.
Do I need a Digital Signature Certificate for a Section 8 company?
Yes, each director needs a DSC to sign the MCA forms online. Shunya's CA helps obtain DSC and DIN for directors if you do not have them, but the DSC issuer's charge is billed separately from the professional fee.
What is the three-year income and expenditure estimate?
It is a projection filed with the licence application showing where the company expects its income to come from and how it will be applied to its objects over three years. A missing or thin estimate is a commonly reported reason for objections.
Can I use my home as the registered office of a Section 8 company?
Usually yes, if you provide proof of address such as a recent utility bill, and a no-objection letter from the owner if the home is not owned by a director. Your CA confirms the current requirement before filing.
Why do Section 8 applications get rejected?
Commonly reported reasons include vague objects, a weak income estimate, wording that allows profit sharing, mismatched MOA and AOA, old address proof, name issues and unsigned documents. These come from practitioner reports, not an official list, so check every document before filing.
Does the professional fee cover the documents and government charges?
Shunya's professional fee of ₹1,999 covers CA drafting and filing. It excludes the DSC issuer's charge, government fees, stamp duty and other third-party costs, which are billed separately. Your CA walks you through them on the free callback.
This article is for general information only. For your specific situation, consult a practicing CA.
Ready to register your Section 8?
Request a free callback or pay the ₹1,999 professional fee online and a CA starts your filing. Government fees and other statutory costs are billed separately at actual cost.
Professional fee ₹1,999. Government fees, statutory costs and any third-party charges are billed separately; your CA walks you through them on your callback.