Society Registration in Haryana
A registered society lets seven or more people run a charity, school, sports club or welfare body with its own name, bank account and legal standing. In Haryana, societies are registered by the District Registrar under the Haryana Registration and Regulation of Societies Act, 2012. Once the papers are complete, the Rules give the Registrar seven working days to issue the certificate.
What it is
A society is a group of people who come together for a common purpose that is not about making profit for themselves. Typical purposes are charity, education, sports, culture and resident welfare. Registration turns the group into a recognised body that can hold a bank account and property in its own name and apply for tax exemption.
In Haryana, the law is the Haryana Registration and Regulation of Societies Act, 2012 (the HRRS Act) and the Haryana Registration and Regulation of Societies Rules, 2012. Section 6 lets any seven or more persons register a society for the purposes it lists. The application is made online through the Haryana Industries and Commerce Department’s societies portal, and the District Registrar of your district scrutinises it and issues the certificate. Societies in Delhi still register under the older Societies Registration Act, 1860.
Who it applies to
Start a charity or NGO
People who want to run a free clinic, coaching centre or relief work under a proper name and bank account.
Run a school or training centre
Many private schools in Haryana are run by a registered society. Say a group of teachers in Ballabgarh plans a senior secondary school: the affiliation board will want the society’s certificate and bye-laws on file.
Organise a club or association
Sports clubs, folk-art groups, alumni bodies and trade associations that want members, elected office bearers and an annual meeting.
Why it matters
Open a bank account in the society’s name
Banks want the certificate, PAN and a governing body resolution before they open an account. The account keeps donations apart from members’ own money.
Qualify for 12A, 80G and grants
Only a registered society can apply for income tax registration under section 332 and donation approval under section 354 of the Income-tax Act, 2025. Government grants and CSR funding need registration first too.
Settle the rules before disputes start
The bye-laws fix how members join, how the governing body is elected and who signs cheques. Years later, that page settles arguments.
Documents required
From the members
- List of at least seven members with name, address and occupation
- Identity and address proof of every member (Aadhaar, PAN or voter ID)
- Passport-size photographs of the governing body members
- Mobile number and email of the president and secretary
For the society
- Proposed name, with two or three alternatives
- Memorandum of the society: name, aims and objects, first governing body, registered office
- Bye-laws, signed by at least seven members
- Resolution of the founding meeting adopting the memorandum and bye-laws
For the registered office
- Rent agreement or ownership proof of the office premises
- No-objection letter from the owner if the place is rented or borrowed
- Recent electricity or water bill of the premises
How it works
Agree the objects, members and name
We sit with the founders to write down the aims, the first governing body and three name options. Section 7 bars names that are identical to an existing society or use words such as “Co-operative”, “Reserve Bank” or “National” without approval.
Reserve the name in Form I
We apply for the name on the portal. The government fee in Schedule A of the Rules is ₹100.
Draft bye-laws that fit how you work
We draft both documents to follow the model bye-laws under the Rules, covering membership, the general body, governing body elections, finances, audit, amendment and dissolution.
File Form II and upload documents
The registration application in Form II is filed online with the scanned memorandum, bye-laws, resolution, member IDs and office proof. Schedule A fixes the registration fee at ₹2,500.
Answer queries and collect the certificate
The District Registrar scrutinises the file. Here is the catch: most queries are about the office proof or an unsigned page, so we check those twice before filing. Once accepted, the certificate of registration is issued and the society gets its registration number.
Get the PAN and open the bank account
We apply for the society’s PAN and help you open the bank account. Then we take up 12A and 80G if the society will accept donations.
Timelines
Certificate in seven working days
Rule 5 asks the District Registrar to issue the certificate within seven working days of a complete application. Drafting and collecting signatures usually takes the founders a week or two before that.
File the members list and accounts yearly
Rule 13 requires an updated list of members within sixty days of the close of the financial year. Section 50 requires the annual return, balance sheet and auditor’s report within thirty days of the annual general meeting.
Hold elections every three years
Section 33 caps the governing body’s term at three years. Start the election process before the term ends, so the society always has a valid body.
Society vs trust vs Section 8 company
All three can do charitable work and seek tax exemption. The difference is who controls them.
| Society (Haryana) | Public charitable trust | Section 8 company | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law | HRRS Act, 2012 | Trust deed registered under the Registration Act, 1908 | Section 8, Companies Act, 2013 |
| Minimum people | Seven members | Settlor and trustees | Two directors and two members |
| Registered with | District Registrar of Societies | Sub-Registrar | Registrar of Companies (MCA V3 portal) |
| Control | Elected governing body, general body of members | Trustees named in the deed | Board of directors |
| Best for | Member-driven bodies, schools, clubs, RWAs | Small family or founder-led charities | Larger NGOs seeking CSR and foreign funding |
If control by a small founding group matters more than member democracy, read our page on registering a charitable trust. For a body that wants corporate-style governance, see Section 8 company registration.
What happens if you skip annual filings
Late fees pile up per document
Schedule B of the Rules starts at ₹200 for late annual documents and rises to ₹300. After that come daily charges of ₹10, and then ₹20 per day for each document still pending.
A fine under section 50
Section 50 makes non-filing of annual returns punishable with a fine, on top of the prescribed penalty. The District Registrar can also call for records and hold an inquiry.
Suspension as a defunct society
A society that stops working or ignores the Act can have its registration suspended and then cancelled under sections 57 to 59. In practice, a Faridabad sports club that stopped filing after its founders moved away can lose its registration, and its 12A with it, over returns nobody filed.
Frequently asked questions
How many members are needed to register a society in Haryana?
You need at least seven members. Section 6 of the Haryana Registration and Regulation of Societies Act, 2012 allows any seven or more persons to register a society for the purposes it lists, and section 8 requires the memorandum and bye-laws to be signed by at least seven adult members. There is no upper limit. Once membership crosses 300, the Act asks for a collegium of elected representatives. Seven committed people are enough to begin.
What is the government fee for society registration in Haryana?
Schedule A of the Haryana Registration and Regulation of Societies Rules, 2012 fixes ₹100 for approval of the name and ₹2,500 for registration of the society. Filing the annual return and balance sheet costs ₹500, and changes such as a new name or amended bye-laws cost ₹500 each. We confirm the current fee on the portal before filing, so you know the exact total before you pay.
How long does society registration take in Haryana?
Rule 5 asks the District Registrar to issue the certificate within seven working days of a complete application. Expect two to three weeks in all. Most of that time goes in agreeing the bye-laws, getting seven signatures and collecting identity and office papers. Queries from the Registrar add a few days. With documents ready on day one, it moves fast.
Can a society registered in Haryana work in other states?
Yes, a Haryana society can carry out activities outside the state if its objects allow it. The registered office must be in Haryana, because registration is with the District Registrar where that office sits. Some states may ask for local permissions for specific activities such as running a school. We draft the area of operation in the memorandum to match your plans from day one.
Can members of a society take a share of its profits?
No. Section 6 of the HRRS Act bars a society from paying any dividend or distributing its assets, income or profits to members. Housing societies and resident welfare bodies formed under specified conditions are the narrow exception. Members can be paid fair value for real work or services they provide. On dissolution, surplus assets cannot be divided among members. That keeps the society’s money tied to its cause.
Does a society need an audit every year?
Yes. The model bye-laws under the Rules require the annual accounts to be audited by a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. The audited balance sheet, receipts and expenditure account and the auditor’s report then go to the District Registrar with the annual return under section 50. If the society holds 12A registration, a separate income tax audit report is also needed. We handle both together.
Is a society automatically exempt from income tax?
No. Registration under the HRRS Act does not exempt income from tax. The society must apply for registration under section 332 of the Income-tax Act, 2025 (the old 12A) and, to give donors a deduction, approval under section 354 (the old 80G). A new society usually starts with Form 104 for provisional registration valid for three tax years. We file it soon after the PAN arrives.
Can the society change its name or bye-laws later?
Yes. Section 12 allows a change of name by special resolution of the general body, with the District Registrar’s approval of the new name and a fresh certificate. Bye-laws can be amended the same way. Schedule A of the Rules fixes ₹500 for each such change and ₹500 for a change of registered office. With the minutes and resolution in order, the change is routine.
What if our society was registered under the 1860 Act?
Societies registered in Haryana under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 now fall under the HRRS Act, 2012, and the Act asked them to obtain fresh registration numbers. They must follow the 2012 Act for elections, annual returns and audits. If your society has missed filings for some years, we review the record, prepare the pending returns and bring it back into good standing.
What it costs
Our fee plus the government fee that applies to your case, quoted before you commit. Tell us the situation and we will price it exactly.
Government fees under Schedule A of the Haryana Registration and Regulation of Societies Rules, 2012: name approval ₹100; registration ₹2,500; annual return and balance sheet ₹500; change of name, bye-laws or registered office ₹500 each.
Ready to begin?
Send us your seven members and your aims, and we will have your Haryana society on the Registrar’s desk within days.