NGO Registration Process
A Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) is a non-profit organization, a group or entrepreneurship of activists, individuals, voluntary, and social persons working for a charitable cause.
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Documents Required from Directors, Shareholders
- Pan Card Copy (Mandatory)
- ID Proof (Any one) – Driving License/ Voter ID/ Passport Copy/ Aadhaar Card
- Address Proof – Latest Bank Statement/ Latest Telephone or Mobile Bill/ Latest Electricity Bill.(MUST be less than 30 days old)
- Passport Size Photograph
Documents Required for Registered Office Address
- NOC – No Objection Certificate from the Owner of the Property
- Address Proof – Latest Telephone Bill or Mobile Bill/ Gas Bill/ Electricity Bill (MUST be less than 30 days old)

NGO Registration Service in India– An Overview
An NGO is a non-government organization with a charitable objective, for the betterment of society in general. It can be started as a Trust, a Society or a Non-Profit Company [Section 8 Company], depending on the activity you wish to undertake.
In India, NGO is an umbrella term for all non-profit organizations including Trust, Society and Section 8 Company. Other names for such not-for-profit organizations are “Sangathan”, “Sangh”, and “Sangam”. Income tax exemption is available for all non-profit NGOs.
These are sometimes confused with non-profitable companies, which refers to a regular business not making a profit.
At Finnsdom, we will help you select the right option and guide you through the entire NGO registration process.
Acts governing NGO registration process
Each law defines the formation of a different type of organization, namely – Trust Registration, Society Registration, and Section 8 Company Registration. Choosing the kind of registration procedure for the charitable firm is crucial. Our experts will help select the suitable option that befits your vision and guide you with the online registration process.
Why register an NGO in India?
Benefits
- A registered NGO gains the legal status and becomes accountable for the funds received. For instance, when an individual donates funds to a charitable trust, it is received under the name of the organization and used for the trust’s activities. In an unregistered firm, the assets can be received under anyone’s name and may be used for their own profit.
- An organization that is registered as an NGO reinforces the ethical, social and legal norms of our society.
- The basic requirement for running an NGO is to have a bank account under its name. In order to open an account, it is mandatory to be registered as a Trust, Society or Section 8 Company.
- The registration of an NGO is necessary to seek tax exemption from the Income Tax Authority.
Registration of NGO in India
Trust
One of the ways in which an NGO can be registered is Trust or more commonly called Charitable trust. Trust is a legal entity created by the “trustor” or “settlor” who transfers the assets to the second party or “trustee” for the benefit of the third party or “beneficiary”. Trusts are formed to help and support the deprived sections of the society. Any group of individuals can register a trust and in India as such there are no specific laws to govern the public trust, however, some states like Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have their own Public Trust Act.
Societies
A society is an entity that can be created by a group of individuals united in their cause for promoting science, arts, literature, social welfare and useful information. In addition, societies work for creating military orphan funds, maintaining public museum and libraries.
Societies are governed by the Societies Registration Act, 1860. They must be registered with the respective state Registrar of Societies to be eligible for tax exemption.
Section 8 Companies
A Section 8 company is similar to a trust and society. The objectives of a Section 8 Companies are to promote arts, science, commerce, sports, social welfare, religion, charity and environmental protection. They are registered under the Companies Act, 2013 for charitable purpose. They have better credibility among government bodies, donors and other stakeholders.
NGO Registration Methods in India - Trust, Society, or Non-profit Company [Section 8 Company]
A Detailed Process
In India, anybody is free to do social activities without forming an association or organization. But when an individual wants to create a group that involves volunteers, activities, and resources, it becomes important to have proper management in place. To run such companies, trusts and Societies in the correct manner, a certain set of rules need to be followed.
Essential documents for online society registration & trust registration
Before a registered deed is delivered to an NGO, the submission of specific documents is required.
Trust Registration
For the trust registration, the following papers are mandatory:
- A bill of electricity or water stating the address that needs to be registered.
- The identity proof of at least two members of the company. The proof can be: Voter ID
- Driving License
- Passport
- Aadhaar Card
Once the payment for the registration is done, it takes about 8 to 10 days for online registration to be completed under the Indian Trust Act – 1882. Before the deed becomes valid throughout the country, the settler has to deliver a presentation at the registrar’s office.
Note: On the scheduled date for registration, the Author of the Trust shall be present in the Register Office for registration
Society Registration
For a society registration, the following papers are essential:
- The name of the society.
- Address proof of the office.
- Identity proof of all the nine members can be:
- Driving License
- Copy of Passport
- Voter ID
- Aadhaar card
- Two copies of the Memorandum of Association and By-laws of the society.
Note: Once the payment for the registration is done, it takes about 8 to 10 days for drafting the MoA and By-laws of the Society. Thereafter it takes 21 to 30 days for the Society to be registered.
Section 8 Company:
For a Section 8 company registration, the following papers are essential:
- The name of the Company for approval.
- Address proof of the office. It can be an electricity or water bill or house tax receipt.
- Identity proof of all the Directors which can be:
- Driving License
- Copy of Passport
- Voter ID
- Aadhaar card The Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association of the Company.
Note: Once the payment for the registration is done, it takes about 8 to 10 days for drafting the MoA and AoA of the Society. Thereafter it takes about 2 months for the entire Company registration to be completed.
Why Finnsdom?
Consultation for selecting registration type
- We do a thorough consultation to understand which registration would suit you the best- NGO / Society/ Trust registration.
- We will inform you of all the documents required to complete the online NGO registration form
The final step is the formation of your NGO.
The Glossary
Amended FCRA Regulation Makes it Mandatory for NGO Office-bearers to Submit Aadhaar numbers.
29 Sept 2020
March 6, 2020: NGOs Supporting Public Causes Can’t Be Penalised, Says Supreme Court
NGOs supporting public causes cannot be deprived of funds from foreign sources, the supreme court says, adding that organizations without political goals could not be called “an organization of political nature”Feb 18, 2020: Budget 2020- Impact On NGO Or Charitable Organizations
The union budget and the finance bill 2020 have introduced significant changes for charitable trusts and organizations like a renewal of 12AA and 80G registration. They need to furnish a quarterly statement of donor wise donations, and issue the certificates to all the donors, etc.FAQ's On
Private Company
Depending on the type of work you want to do, it is best to apply accordingly. For the best solution, contact one of our experts at Finnsdom for a better understanding as to which registration method suits your NGO the best.
First, you would need to pick a name, then check to see if it is already registered. If the desired name doesn’t exist yet, you can proceed to apply with the Registrar for a Certificate of Incorporation. The easiest way of registering your Non-Government Organization is by doing it with Finnsdom. We do all the work for you and you don’t have to bother about the running about for the process.
If you do not want to start an NGO, you have other options by which you can help society. You can start a club, a volunteer service, be part of a local chapter of an already existing NGO and even be a fiscal sponsor.
There are many reasons why it is better to register an NGO. One of the most important ones in funds. As an NGO you will receive funds from various quarters. The money you get from donors has to be put in a bank. To open a bank account under a company or an NGO, you need to have some documents. The registration of an NGO provides you with documents to show that funds are received in the NGO's name.
The answer to this question is yes. Government employees or officers can be part of NGOs provided the NGO is not antigovernmental. There are a few rules too that these people have to follow, one of them is to make sure that the NGO is not profit making.
Besides having the willingness to work for the welfare of society, legally, there are some procedures to follow, these are:-
- First, lay down the mission of your NGO, this means what cause you would like to take up.
- Form a governing body, this body ensure the smooth running of the NGO.
- Finally, register your NGO with the government authorities. This step can be long and painful. But, for a seamless experience, you can contact Vakilsearch.
Our experts will help you at every stage of the registration process.
