CIN of a company, which stands for Corporate Identification Number, is a unique 21-digit number that is given by the Registrar of Companies (ROC) to incorporated companies through the Ministry of Corporate Affairs under company law. This number has been provided by the registrar to the companies while providing the registration certificate. It plays a really important role because it makes your company’s identity distinct from the others. It is unique for every company. It cannot be matched with the CIN of another company. It has been used during the filing of the compliances of the companies, auditing of the companies, etc. Every digit in the CIN of a company has its own meaning and importance that you will come to know about at the end of the blog.
What is a Corporate Identification Number?
Corporate Identification Number has been given to all those who register their entity under the company law. The only entity that got registered through the ROC but did not get this Corporate Identification Number is LLP, known as a Limited Liability Partnership Firm. It has been given an LLPIN, which is the Limited Liability Partnership Identification Number, which is also a unique code. It consists of just seven digits, whereas the Corporate Identification Number of a company consists of 21 digits. The illustration of the Corporate Identification Number of a company is L01631KA2010PTC096843. In this number, every digit and alphabet has a meaning. It is not a random number. To understand more about the CIN of a company, you must continue reading this blog.
List of Companies That Got Corporate Identification Numbers
Every company except the Limited Liability Partnership firm, which got incorporated under the company law, gets this Corporate Identification Number for their company. The list of various companies incorporated under the Companies Act are given or mentioned below:
- Private Limited Companies
- Public Limited Companies
- One Person Companies
- Banking Companies
- Insurance Web Aggregators Companies
- Nidhi Companies
- Companies owned by the government
- Section 8 Companies
- Companies Limited by the Shares
- Companies Limited by the Guarantee
- Private Companies
Importance of the CIN of a Company
Some of the key points with respect to the importance of the CIN of a company are mentioned below for reference purposes:
- Helps while completing all the transactions with respect to the company before the ROC is the abbreviation of the Registrar of Company
- Through this CIN of a company registrar of the companies can track each and every activity of the company
- This gives a unique identity to a company
- Helps in finding the basic information regarding the company
- Ensures that a company is registered under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs Website
Bifurcation of the CIN of a Company
The 21 digits CIN of a company is divided into six sections, which are mentioned below for a better understanding of the Corporate Identification Number:
| Sections | Particulars | Example | Details |
| Section 1 | The first character of the Corporate Identification Number comes under this section. | L of the L01631KA2010PTC096843, a CIN of the company | There are two types of companies that are listed and unlisted. CIN helps to determine in which category a particular company falls. If the CIN starts with L, it indicates that the company is a listed company and if the CIN starts with U, it is an indication that the company is not a listed company |
| Section 2 | The next five digits after the first alphabetical number of the Corporate Identification Number come under this section | 01631 of the L01631KA2010PTC096843, a CIN of the company | Section 2 indicates the category or industry of the company. |
| Section 3 | The next two alphabetical numbers after the five numeric digits of the Corporate Identification Number come under this section. | KA of the L01631KA2010PTC096843, a CIN of the company | The Ministry of Corporate Affairs is the common website where all the companies for all the states are registered. CIN helps to know in which state a particular company is registered. For example, if a company is registered in Delhi, then DL will come in the CIN, similarly if the company is registered in Karnataka, KA will come in the CIN. Such codes are available for all the states, and they are unique for every state |
| Section 4 | The next four numeric digits of the numbers after the two alphabetical letters of the Corporate Identification Number come under this section | 2010 of the L01631KA2010PTC096843, a CIN of the company | Section 4 basically indicates in which year the company got registered with the registrar of companies under the company law through the website of MCA. |
| Section 5 | The next three alphabetical letters of the numbers after the four numerical digits of the Corporate Identification Number come under this section. | PTC of the L01631KA2010PTC096843, a CIN of the company | There are different classes of registered companies which include but are not limited to government companies, private companies, subsidiary companies, holding companies etc. Section 5 has three alphabets that help in determining that class of companies |
| Section 6 | In the last section, the last six digits of the Corporate Identification Number comes | 096843 of the L01631KA2010PTC096843, a CIN of the company | Section 6 has six digits, which are considered the registration number of the company provided by the registrar of the companies to the incorporated companies |
Usage of Corporate Identification Number
Some of the most important and crucial uses of the CIN of a company are mentioned below:
- On the invoices, bills and receipts with respect to the transactions of the business of the company
- On the notices as well as the memos of the company
- In the official publications of the company, it will be mentioned
- Letterheads of the company also consist of this number
- While filing on every compliance, it needs to be mentioned on the form
- Annual reports of the company
- Audit reports of the company
- While signing any contract or agreement, this number has been mentioned
- Prospectus of the business
- In the presentation before the consumers
How CIN of a company is Useful for Consumers?
The CIN of a company helps the consumer of the goods and services of the company in many ways, which are given or mentioned below:
- Gives the idea about the registration year of the company, which helps consumers to determine whether a company is newly formed or experienced in the goods or services it is offering
- It gives information regarding the state of registration of the company
- Consumers can easily determine with its help whether a company is a listed one or not
- It also helps to determine the industry in which a particular company works in
- The class of the company can be easily determined with its help
Conclusion
The Corporate Identification Number or CIN of a company is a unique 21-digit code assigned by the Registrar of Companies (ROC) through the Ministry of Corporate Affairs under company law. It serves as a distinctive identifier for registered companies, helping the ROC track their activities and providing a means to verify their registration status on the Ministry of Corporate Affairs website. The CIN is divided into six sections, each conveying specific information about the company, including its listing status, industry category, state of registration, registration year, class, and unique registration number. This alphanumeric code is crucial for various transactions, compliance filings, and auditing processes related to the company, ensuring transparency and accountability in the corporate sector.
