Changing a Company’s Name: RUN → INC-24 → INC-25 (2026)

Who this applies to and what blocks it

• Any private, public or OPC wanting to change its registered name — rebrand, business pivot, group restructuring, or adding/dropping "Private" in the name.
• Section 8 (non-profit) companies follow the same chain but need Regional Director/Central Government sign-off on licence conditions as well — treat as a longer, more document-heavy process.
• NBFCs and other sector-regulated companies may need a regulator NOC before or alongside INC-24; this is sector-specific, not universal.
• Rule 29 bar: no name-change application succeeds while the company is in default of annual filings (AOC-4/MGT-7) or of repaying deposits, debentures or interest. Cure the default first.

The RUN → MGT-14 → INC-24 → INC-25 chain

• Board meeting: pass a resolution approving the proposed new name(s), authorising the RUN filing, and calling the general meeting.
• File RUN on MCA V3 with one or two proposed names and pay ₹1,000 (non-refundable). On approval, the name is reserved for 60 days for an existing company changing its name.
• Hold the general meeting and pass the special resolution approving the new name and the altered MOA/AOA.
• File MGT-14 within 30 days of the resolution, with the certified special resolution, notice, explanatory statement and altered MOA/AOA; pay the normal slab fee.
• File INC-24 referencing the MGT-14 SRN, with the minutes, special resolution, altered MOA/AOA and the directors’ Rule 29 declaration on reasons for the change. There is no separate statutory deadline fixed for INC-24 itself — most practitioners file it promptly after MGT-14 rather than sitting on it.
• ROC examines the application for Rule 29 compliance, name uniqueness and the stated grounds — this is the stage most likely to draw a resubmission query.
• On approval, the ROC issues a fresh Certificate of Incorporation (INC-25) — the new name takes legal effect from this date.

What it costs

RUN is a flat ₹1,000 per application. MGT-14 follows the standard authorised-capital slab:

INC-24’s fee also scales with authorised capital on the same kind of slab; the MCA V3 portal computes the exact figure at filing — confirm it there before budgeting for a specific number. INC-25 carries no separate fee; it is issued automatically once INC-24 is approved.

What happens if you file late or get it wrong

A delayed MGT-14 runs on the standard additional-fee ladder below. Section 13 itself carries no distinct name-change penalty for a compliant, on-time filing after the 2020 decriminalisation round — the real exposure is (a) this fee ladder, and (b) the general false-declaration and fraud provisions (sections 448 and 447) if the Rule 29 director declaration turns out inaccurate. There is no separate published fine specific to a late INC-24 beyond the fee multiplier.

How to file INC-24 on MCA V3

• Confirm the company is not in default of AOC-4, MGT-7 or any deposit/debenture repayment — Rule 29 blocks the filing otherwise.
• Log in to MCA V3 as a Business User with the signing director’s DSC associated, and have the MGT-14 SRN ready.
• Open Company e-Filing → Form INC-24, enter the CIN and the MGT-14 SRN to pre-fill.
• Attach the notice and explanatory statement, certified special resolution, minutes, altered MOA/AOA, and the directors’ Rule 29 declaration (commonly notarised in practice, though the rule text itself does not spell out the format).
• Affix the DSC and submit — MCA V3 generates an SRN; upload the DSC-affixed PDF within 15 days of the SRN and complete payment within the window the portal shows, or the SRN lapses.
• Track the application under My Applications through ROC examination.
• On approval, download the fresh Certificate of Incorporation (INC-25) — this is your proof of the new legal name.

After INC-25: what actually needs updating

• PAN and CIN stay the same — only the name on record is updated, not the numbers themselves.
• GST: file Form GST REG-14 for the legal-name change (a core-field amendment), typically processed in 3–7 working days.
• Trademark: a registered or pending trademark does not update automatically — file Form TM-P with the Trade Marks Registry to record the proprietor’s new name separately.
• Bank accounts, statutory registers, letterheads and signage need the new name; existing contracts remain valid under the same legal entity, but counterparties should be notified.
• Display duty: show both the old and new name on the registered-office board and specified documents for 2 years under section 12 — this is not optional.
• No newspaper advertisement is required for a straightforward company name change, unlike strike-off or capital reduction.