What is CIN (Corporate Identification Number)? Meaning and Format

The Corporate Identification Number (CIN) is a unique 21-character alphanumeric code the Registrar of Companies gives every company at incorporation. It identifies the company on the MCA portal and stays with it for life, though parts of it can change if the company converts or shifts state.

Why it matters for business

The CIN is printed on the Certificate of Incorporation, which you receive after private limited company registration. Banks, lenders, GST and tax departments and customers ask for it. It must appear on company letterheads, invoices and official documents, and it is the key you use to file every MCA form.

How to read a CIN

• 1st character: L for listed company, U for unlisted.
• Next 5 digits: industry code based on the main business activity.
• Next 2 letters: state code of the registered office.
• Next 4 digits: year of incorporation.
• Next 3 letters: ownership type, such as PTC for a private company or PLC for a public one.
• Last 6 digits: the registration number given by the ROC.

Key points

You can find your CIN on the Certificate of Incorporation, or look up any company by name through the MCA portal’s company search. LLPs don’t have a CIN. They get an LLPIN instead. A Section 8 company, an OPC and a public company each get a CIN with the matching ownership code.

The CIN may change when the company’s details change. For example, shifting the registered office to another state alters the state code, and a change from private to public alters the ownership code. After such events, run through post-incorporation compliance so letterheads and records show the new number.

Common mistakes

• Quoting an old CIN after a state or status change.
• Leaving the CIN off invoices and letterheads.
• Confusing CIN with the GSTIN, PAN or LLPIN.
• Copying the CIN by hand and swapping characters.

Related guides: MCA and ROC, SPICe+ form, Registered office

FAQs

How many characters are in a CIN?

21 characters, a mix of letters and digits.

Where can I find my company’s CIN?

On the Certificate of Incorporation and through the company search on the MCA portal.

Does an LLP have a CIN?

No. An LLP gets an LLPIN.

Need help with a certificate or a CIN update after a change? Talk to a Taxhint expert.