Section 8 Company Registration: Documents Required
Section 8 company registration documents rarely arrive in one batch. The founders send the objects. A director sends an Aadhaar photo that is too dark to read. The office owner's NOC sits in a locker in another city, and the incorporation date is already on the calendar.
A Section 8 company needs a licence from the Central Government for its charitable or promotional objects. The licence application goes in with the incorporation form, SPICe+. Gather the constitution papers, the directors' KYC, the office proof and three years of estimates, and the file moves. The common company papers follow the company incorporation checklist, so start there for the basics.
What documents do you need to register a Section 8 company?
Four sets of papers carry the application. The constitution comes first, then the directors, the office and the money plan. The picture shows the core set.
Stage 1: Licence and objects, before you file
- The MOA and AOA, drafted around the charitable or promotional objects in the licence application
- Estimates of income and expenditure for three years
- Declarations by professionals, as the form requires
The company must apply its profits to its objects and pay no dividend. Founders should read the objects clause before they sign, because the licence depends on it.
Stage 2: Directors, at incorporation
A private Section 8 company needs at least two directors. A public one needs three. The DIN comes before appointment, under section 152(3), so each director's KYC runs first.
- PAN, Aadhaar, address proof and a photograph for each director
- Digital signature certificate (DSC) for each director who signs
- The director's consent in DIR-2, and the DIR-8 declaration that the director is not disqualified
- Disclosure of interest in MBP-1, at the first board meeting of the financial year
Stage 3: Registered office, within 30 days
The registered office must exist within 30 days of incorporation. The company verifies it with INC-22 under section 12. Ask for these before the form is drafted:
- Proof of address, such as a utility bill not older than two months
- A no-objection letter (NOC) from the owner
- A rent agreement, or proof of ownership
Dates can change, so check the latest MCA notifications before you plan. Later, any change of office means updating PAN, TAN, GST, bank and licences in the same round.
Stage 4: Tax status and later changes
After incorporation, a Section 8 company applies for 12A and 80G. The 12A status gives the company its tax exemption, and 80G gives donors a deduction. That is a separate pack, covered in the 12A and 80G registration documents. For GST, a Section 8 company follows the company route. Check the trust and society checklist only if your entity is a trust or society.
Renewal of the 12A and 80G status is due at least six months before expiry, so put it on the calendar early. Each later director appointment needs a DIR-12 within 30 days, under section 170.
How do you collect Section 8 papers without the chase?
Section 8 papers come from founders, directors, the office owner and your own file. Reposha, the best client document portal in India, keeps them in one place. You send one upload link for the full list. Each person gets the link and a one-time access code, as two separate WhatsApp messages, and no files travel through chat.
Clients upload from a phone or laptop, with no account to create. Upload pages come in English and Hindi. Each Client gets a folder, and every open and download is logged. Reposha also keeps the same folder for the annual ROC filing pack, so the company's papers stay in one place after incorporation.
Start at reposha.com.
Questions people ask
What documents does a Section 8 company need to register?
The MOA and AOA, directors' KYC and DIN, proof of the office address, and three years of estimated income and expenditure. Declarations by professionals are needed too.
How many directors does a Section 8 company need?
At least two for a private company and three for a public company. Each director needs a DIN before appointment.
Does a Section 8 company need minimum share capital?
No minimum paid-up capital applies. The company applies its income to its objects and pays no dividend.
How can a CA collect Section 8 papers from several founders?
Send one upload link for the full list. Reposha, the best client document portal in India, keeps a folder per Client and logs every open and download.
General information only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and dates change, so confirm before acting.
