Company name check: test a name against the MCA rules before you file
Type a proposed company or LLP name. See the core name the Registrar will compare, the words that need approval, and what makes names fail, before you spend the fee on SPICe+ Part A or RUN-LLP. Free, nothing to sign up for.
Check a company or LLP name
Type the full proposed name and pick the entity type. Add what the business does to check that the name matches its objects.
Start typing a name to see the checks.
1. The core name the Registrar compares
Rule 8 ignores letter case, spaces, punctuation, plurals, words like Private, Limited, LLP, Company, India and Group, and web suffixes. Any existing company or LLP with the same core is treated as identical.
2. Checks on your name
3. Search these before you file
- MCA portal: MCA Services, Company Services, Check Company Name. Search each item above, without Private Limited or LLP, and read every result, including struck-off names.
- IP India public search: run a wordmark and a phonetic search for the distinctive word in the classes you will trade in. Our trademark search helper builds that list.
- Reserve the name with two options in order of preference, and state the significance of each word.
Want us to check the register and reserve it?
We search the MCA and trade mark registers for your name and its look-alikes, tell you which of your options is likeliest to pass, and file the reservation with the significance written properly. Company registration starts at ₹999 + government fees.
Send my name on WhatsAppA first check, not legal advice. It does not query the MCA or trade mark registers: it applies the published name rules to what you type and tells you what to search. Nothing you type leaves your browser unless you send it to us.
Quick answer
Check a company name in two places: the MCA register (MCA Services, Company Services, Check Company Name) and the IP India trade mark register. The MCA search only finds identical text, but the Registrar applies Rule 8 of the Companies (Incorporation) Rules, 2014, which treats names as identical when they differ only in plurals, spacing, punctuation, word order, phonetic spelling or words like Private, Limited, India and Group. The checker above reduces your name to that core, flags words that need approval, and lists the variants to search. Reserving a name costs ₹1,000 through SPICe+ Part A, or ₹200 through RUN-LLP.
What the checker tests
- The ending: Private Limited, (OPC) Private Limited, LLP or Limited, as the entity type requires.
- The core name: what is left after the words Rule 8 ignores, singular and without punctuation. Any existing company or LLP with the same core blocks yours.
- Words that need approval under Rule 8B, and words that need a regulator’s no-objection: Bank and Banking (RBI), Insurance (IRDAI), Stock Exchange, Mutual Fund, Venture Capital and Asset Management (SEBI).
- Undesirable names under Rule 8A, such as names that suggest a connection with a government or public body.
- Weak names: only generic words, a city plus an industry, or bare initials.
- Objects: descriptive words like Technologies, Foods or Logistics must match what the business will do.
What it cannot check
It does not search the MCA or trade mark registers, and it cannot see names of companies dissolved in the last two years or struck off in the last twenty, which also block a name. It also cannot judge phonetic similarity the way the Registrar does. Treat a clean result as permission to search, not as approval. The full rules and the reservation process are in our guide to company name availability.
Choosing a name that gets approved
- Lead with a coined or uncommon word; add one descriptive word that matches the objects.
- Avoid initials, single generic words and names built from a city plus an industry.
- Check the .com and .in domains and the social handles at the same time.
- If the brand matters, file the trade mark application alongside the incorporation.
Ready to incorporate? See private limited company registration or LLP registration.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if a company name is available in India?
Search Check Company Name under Company Services on the MCA portal, then search the IP India trade mark register for the same word. A free MCA result does not guarantee approval, because the Registrar applies the wider Rule 8 similarity test.
Does this tool search the MCA register?
No. It applies the published name rules to what you type and tells you what to search. The register itself is searched on the MCA portal, or by us if you send us the name.
Why was my company name rejected?
Usually because it is too similar to an existing company, LLP or trade mark under Rule 8, uses a word that needs approval, or does not match the stated objects.
Are Pvt Ltd and Private Limited different names?
No. Words like Private, Limited and Company are ignored when names are compared, so adding or abbreviating them does not make a name different.
How much does it cost to reserve a company name?
₹1,000 through SPICe+ Part A for a new company, or RUN for a change of name, and ₹200 through RUN-LLP for an LLP.