What Is a CIN Number?
CIN stands for Corporate Identification Number. It is allotted by the Registrar of Companies (ROC), under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, when a company is incorporated. People also call it the company registration number.
Only companies have a CIN. A proprietorship or a partnership firm does not have one, and an LLP has an LLPIN.
CIN Number Format: The 21 Characters Explained
A CIN is a mix of letters and digits, so it is 21 characters long, not 21 digits. Each part tells you something about the company. Here is a made-up example, U74999MH2020PTC123456, broken down:
| Part | Characters | In the example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Listing status | 1 | U | L for a listed company, U for an unlisted company |
| Industry code | 5 | 74999 | The business activity of the company |
| State code | 2 | MH | The state where the company is registered (MH is Maharashtra) |
| Year | 4 | 2020 | The year of incorporation |
| Company type | 3 | PTC | The class of company (see the list below) |
| Registration number | 6 | 123456 | The number given by the ROC |
Company Type Codes in a CIN
- PTC: private limited company
- PLC: public limited company
- OPC: one person company
- NPL: not-for-profit company (Section 8)
- FTC: subsidiary of a foreign company
- GOI: company owned by the Government of India
- SGC: company owned by a state government
Where to Find Your CIN Number
- On the Certificate of Incorporation issued by the ROC.
- On the Ministry of Corporate Affairs portal (mca.gov.in), by searching the company name in the company master data.
- On the company's letterhead, invoices and notices. The Companies Act requires the CIN to be printed on them.
How a Company Gets Its CIN
- Get a DSC and DIN: the directors need a Digital Signature Certificate and a Director Identification Number.
- Reserve the name and file the incorporation form SPICe+ on the MCA portal.
- MCA review: the ROC checks the application and documents.
- Certificate of Incorporation: on approval the certificate is issued with the CIN on it.
CIN Number and MSME Registration
A CIN identifies the company. It does not make the company an MSME. To be treated as a micro, small or medium enterprise by banks and government buyers, the company also needs Udyam Registration, which gives a separate Udyam Registration Number.
For a company, the Udyam application uses the company's PAN and the Aadhaar of an authorised signatory.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the full form of CIN?
CIN stands for Corporate Identification Number.
Q. How many digits are in a CIN number?
A CIN has 21 characters. It is a mix of letters and digits, for example U74999MH2020PTC123456.
Q. Is a CIN the same as a company registration number?
Yes. The CIN is the registration number given to a company by the Registrar of Companies.
Q. Does a proprietorship or partnership have a CIN?
No. Only companies have a CIN. An LLP has an LLPIN, and a proprietorship or partnership firm has neither.
Q. Is a CIN enough for MSME benefits?
No. A company needs Udyam Registration as well. The CIN identifies the company, and the Udyam certificate shows it is a micro, small or medium enterprise.