Society Registration for an NGO or Association
A society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 or your state's version of it: the memorandum and rules drafted, the founders' papers prepared, the application filed with the Registrar of Societies and the registrar's queries answered until the certificate is issued. Add 12A and 80G for a charitable society.
Starts at ₹7,999 + GST; registration fee at actuals
Ask an expert on WhatsApp, freeWhat registering a society involves
A society is a member-run non-profit for literary, scientific, charitable, educational or social purposes; resident welfare associations usually register this way. At least seven persons must subscribe to the memorandum, and a governing body, usually a president, secretary and treasurer with other members, runs it under the rules.
The 1860 Act is central, but most states have adopted it with amendments or passed their own Act, and the Registrar of Societies is a state office, so the forms, the number of copies and whether the application is online differ by state. Fees are modest: the central Act sets ₹50 and most states charge a few hundred to a few thousand rupees. Registration typically takes a few weeks to two months after filing. A co-operative housing society is a different thing, registered with the Registrar of Co-operative Societies, and is not covered here.
Why founders register their society with us
Objects, membership, elections, quorum, accounts, amendment and a dissolution clause that sends surplus assets to a similar society.
Identity and address proof, signatures and the covering letter for all seven or more members, collected and checked.
The registrar's own document formats, copies and affidavit, online where the state allows it.
Registrars often ask for changes to the objects or rules; we make them and refile until the certificate is issued.
₹7,999 for the drafting and filing; the state's fee paid at actuals.
The yearly governing body list, accounts, return and donor certificates on one calendar.
Documents required
To be prepared
- Memorandum of association, signed by all seven or more founders
- Rules and regulations (bye-laws), certified by at least three governing body members
- Covering letter from the founders requesting registration
- Affidavit or declaration from the president or secretary, in the state's format
From the founders and the office
- Identity and address proof of every founding member
- Rent agreement or ownership document for the registered office
- No-objection letter from the owner of the premises
- Minutes of the founders' meeting, where the registrar asks for them
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From founders' meeting to certificate
- Founders' meeting and name
The name, objects, memorandum and rules adopted and the first governing body elected; the name checked against existing societies and trademarks.
- Documents and filing
Memorandum, rules, covering letter and affidavit prepared and filed with the Registrar of Societies, online or in person.
- Registrar's queries
Corrections to the objects or rules made and refiled; this is the usual source of delay.
- Certificate, PAN and bankExempt plan
Certificate of registration issued, then PAN and a bank account; 12A and 80G follow with the Exempt plan.
Transparent pricing
Register
₹7,999
drafting and filing
- Name check against existing societies
- Memorandum and rules drafted
- Covering letter, affidavit and founders' papers prepared
- Filed with the Registrar of Societies and queries answered
- PAN application for the society
- 12A and 80G under the Income-tax Act
Register + Exempt
₹22,999
with 12A and 80G
- Everything in Register
- Registration under the Income-tax Act (old 12A, now section 332)
- 80G approval for donors' deduction
- First-year compliance calendar
- Public trust registration in Maharashtra
Professional fees exclude GST at 18%. The registration fee is set by your state and paid at actuals. In Maharashtra a charitable society also registers as a public trust with the Charity Commissioner; that is quoted separately.
Trust, society or Section 8 company
| Trust | Society | Section 8 company | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Created by | Trust deed | Memorandum and rules | MCA licence and incorporation |
| People needed | A settlor and trustees (two or more is standard) | At least seven members | At least two directors and two members |
| Registered with | Sub-registrar; Charity Commissioner too in states with a public trust Act | Registrar of Societies of the state | Registrar of Companies |
| Best for | Quick set-up, run by a few trustees | Member-run bodies that admit new members | Larger NGOs and CSR partners wanting a company structure |
| Our fee | From ₹4,999 | From ₹7,999 | From ₹4,999 |
Government fees are separate in each case and set by the state (trust stamp duty and registration fee, society registration fee) or by MCA (Section 8). 12A and 80G registration under the Income-tax Act is a separate step for all three.
What to get right
Members from the right places
Some registrars expect members from different families and, for a society working across the state, from several districts.
A dissolution clause that keeps assets charitable
Surplus assets on dissolution must go to another society with similar objects, never to members; this matters again at the 12A stage.
The name
Names implying government patronage are refused; check the name against existing societies and trademarks first.
Foreign members and money
Foreign nationals can be members, though the registrar may ask for extra verification, and foreign money brings in the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act.
Related guides
After registration
Every year a society files the list of its governing body with the registrar, as section 4 of the 1860 Act requires, holds its annual general meeting and elections as the rules provide, files audited accounts where the state requires it and with the income tax return, and, with 12A and 80G, the audit report and donation statements. Amendments to the memorandum or rules need a special resolution and take effect once filed with the registrar.
Frequently asked questions
How much does society registration cost?
Our fee is ₹7,999 plus GST for drafting, filing and answering the registrar's queries, or ₹22,999 with 12A and 80G. The state's registration fee is paid at actuals: the central Act sets ₹50 and most states charge a few hundred to a few thousand rupees.
How many members are needed to register a society?
At least seven persons must subscribe to the memorandum. Some states and registrars impose extra conditions for societies working across a whole state.
How long does society registration take?
Typically a few weeks to two months after filing, depending on the state and how many corrections the registrar asks for.
Can a society be registered online?
Several states, including Delhi, take applications online; others still need physical submission. PAN and the income tax registrations are online everywhere.
Is a society the same as a trust?
No. A society is member-run and governed by elected office-bearers under its rules; a trust is run by trustees under a deed. A society is easier to open to new members, a trust is quicker to set up.
Do housing societies register this way?
No. Co-operative housing societies register under the state co-operative societies Act. Resident welfare associations usually register under the Societies Registration Act.
Founders also file these.
Official references
The statutory sources behind this page. We keep our guidance aligned to them: verify anything time-sensitive directly.
- Ministry of Corporate AffairsCompanies Act filings, forms and fee schedules
- DPIITStartup recognition and FDI policy
- Income Tax DepartmentReturns, forms, rates and e-filing utilities
Facts on this page are checked against these sources; the date of the last check is shown at the top of the page. It is general guidance, not advice on your specific facts. How we write and check our guides.