Register your non-profit as a Section 8 Company in 15–20 days. The most credible legal form for charitable activities, NGOs, and social-impact organisations in India.
A clean handoff. You send us a list of documents, we handle the rest.
A Section 8 Company is a non-profit organisation registered under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013, specifically for promoting charitable objectives, education, art, science, sports, social welfare, religion, environmental protection, or any object of general public utility. Unlike a regular company, a Section 8 Company cannot distribute profits to its members; all surplus must be reinvested into the stated charitable objectives.
Section 8 Companies sit at the most regulated and most credible end of India's non-profit spectrum. They are subject to the full Companies Act framework (annual filings, statutory audit, board governance) plus additional supervision from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs as a "licensed" entity. In exchange, they unlock benefits that Trusts and Societies cannot match: nationwide recognition, easier FCRA registration for foreign donations, stronger donor confidence, and clearer governance structures for institutional grants.
A Section 8 Company requires a minimum of 2 directors, has no minimum capital requirement, and operates under a licence granted by the Regional Director of the MCA. The company name does not need to include "Limited" or "Private Limited", it may use words like Foundation, Association, Council, Forum, or Institute. Members and directors cannot draw profits; all income must support the charitable objects.
For founders planning large-scale charitable operations, accepting institutional grants, or seeking foreign contributions, Section 8 is structurally stronger than Trust or Society. The Companies Act framework provides clearer governance, audited financials in a standardised format, and pan-India legal recognition without state-specific registration. Donors, particularly corporates fulfilling CSR obligations, are more comfortable with Section 8 entities because of their visible compliance discipline.
A Trust is registered with the state under the Indian Trusts Act, 1882, simpler, but less recognised outside the state. A Society is registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, also state-level, with a minimum of 7 members. A Section 8 Company is registered with the Central MCA, pan-India, more compliance, more credibility. For small religious or family trusts, the Trust form is fine. For institution-scale operations and foreign donations, Section 8 is the right call.
Six reasons the Section 8 Company structure works for the right kind of founder.
Standard requirements set by the Companies Act, 2013. We'll walk you through anything specific to your situation.
Three steps. We handle two of them. Total timeline: 7–10 days from the day you send documents.
The structural differences that matter when you're choosing a non-profit form.
Getting your Certificate of Incorporation is the start, not the finish line. A newly registered Private Limited Company has a list of statutory obligations that begin from day one, and missing them attracts penalties from the MCA, the Income Tax department, and (if applicable) the GST authority.
Within 30 days, hold your first board meeting and pass resolutions for opening a bank account, appointing a statutory auditor, and authorising signatories. Section 8 Companies have stricter governance requirements than Pvt Ltds, minutes of every board meeting must be maintained, and the agenda must include progress against charitable objectives. We typically guide founders through these via a post-incorporation call.
Section 8 incorporation does not automatically grant tax benefits. To make donations tax-deductible for donors, the company must register under Section 12A (income tax exemption for the organisation) and Section 80G (deduction for donors). For accepting foreign donations, separate FCRA registration with the Ministry of Home Affairs is required after 3 years of operation. We handle 12A and 80G as a follow-on service.
Once registered, you're on a recurring compliance schedule with the MCA and the Income Tax department. The core annual filings include:
These are the kinds of recurring obligations most founders underestimate, and where partnering with a full-service compliance firm pays for itself.
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