Forms I explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Forms I to VII are the registration set. Form I applies for registration, Form II applies for cancellation, Form III is the certificate, Form IV is the cancellation certificate, Form V is the register the registering officer keeps, and Forms VI and VII are the notices of commencement and cessation, with Form VII for mines.
Form I (rule 3(1)): application, amendment or updating of registration. Form II (rule 3(10)): cancellation application on closure. Form III (rule 3(2)): certificate, issued within seven days of a complete application or auto-generated. Form IV (rule 3(11)): cancellation certificate within sixty days. Form V (rule 3(9)): the officer's register. Form VI (rule 4(1)): notice within thirty days of commencement or cessation. Form VII (rule 4(2) proviso): mines, not less than thirty days' prior notice.
Where the forms come from
Rule 2(1)(b) of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2026 says "FORM" means the forms annexed in Annexure VII. Annexure VII is the list of all 27 forms; our Annexures article covers it. The registration forms implement section 3 of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (the OSH Code); see our section 3 explainer. The rules behind them are in our rule 3 article and rule 4 article.
The Central Rules apply where the Central Government is the appropriate Government. Where the State Government is the appropriate Government, the State's own OSH rules and forms apply. For registration support, see our shops and establishments registration service.
The seven forms at a glance
| Form | Subject | Rule reference printed on the form |
|---|---|---|
| I | Application for registration of establishment / amendment to certificate / updation of registration particulars of establishments already registered under any other Central labour laws | See rule 3(1) |
| II | Application for cancellation of registration certificate | See rule 3(10) |
| III | Certificate of registration of establishment | See rule 3(2) |
| IV | Certificate of cancellation of registration certificate | See rule 3(11) |
| V | Register of establishment | See rule 3(9) |
| VI | Notice of commencement / cessation of operations | See rule 4(1) |
| VII | Notice of commencement / re-opening / cessation / discontinuance / abandonment of operations / closing of mines | See rule 4(2) |
Form I: application for registration
Rule 3(1) requires the employer to apply electronically in Form I, with documents relating to registration, proof of identity and address, on the Shram Suvidha Portal or a portal designated by the Central Government. Form I has these parts:
- A. Establishment details: retrieval of details through LIN (labour identification number); name; location and address; PAN; total number of employees engaged directly; contract employees engaged; inter-State migrant workers employed.
- Item 5, by type of work: (a) factories: details of manufacturing process, postal address and situation, name and address of occupier and manager, maximum number of workers on any day; (b) mines: mineral names, lease extent in acres, owner's name and address, average monthly output targeted in tonnes, maximum persons on any day; (c) dock work: dock work or major port, types of dock works, cargo handled and stored with quantity, chemicals and hazardous chemicals handled and stored with quantity; (d) building or other construction: type of work, probable period of commencement, expected period for completion, details of approval of the local authority; (e) any other establishment.
- Items 6 to 9: ownership type or sector; activity as per National Industrial Classification; selected NIC code; identification by e-sign or digital signature of the employer or representative.
- B. Employer details: name and address of employer, occupier, owner, agent, chief executive, port authority etc.; designation; father's or husband's name; email, telephone, mobile.
- C. Manager or agent details, D. Contractor details (name, address, email, mobile, work, maximum contract labour, date of commencement or probable completion) and E. other details, ending with the employer's signature, e-sign or digital signature.
Rule 3(2) says that where the application is complete the certificate is issued electronically in Form III forthwith, and in any case within seven days of submission; if not, the establishment is deemed registered and the certificate is auto-generated in Form III. Rule 3(6) requires an establishment already registered under other Central labour laws to update its particulars in Form I within six months of the Rules coming into force. Rule 3(8) requires updating within thirty days of any change.
Form II: application for cancellation
Form II asks for the registration number, name and address, name and designation of employer, address for communication and nature of work. It then has the intimation that the establishment "is closed with effect from" a date, and a certificate from the employer in two limbs: payment of all dues to the workers has been made, and the establishment is kept clear of storage of hazardous chemicals and substances (strike out whichever is not applicable). It is addressed to the Registering Officer and the Inspector-cum-Facilitator. Under rule 3(10), the employer submits it within thirty days of closing an establishment other than a mine.
Form III: certificate of registration
Form III carries the registration number and date, and states that a certificate is granted under sub-section (2) of section 3 of the Code. It records the nature of work (factory, mining, dock work, contract work, building or other construction, any other), the number of direct employees, employees through contractors, contractors and their details, inter-State migrant workers, the work-type tables corresponding to Form I item 5, the registering officer's remarks and signature or e-sign or DSC.
Below it sit Conditions of Registration: the certificate is non-transferable; the number of employees, direct or contract, may not on any day exceed the maximum specified; fees paid are non-refundable save as the rules provide; changes in number of employees or conditions of work are intimated within thirty days; commencement or cessation is intimated within thirty days; and a copy is displayed at conspicuous places. Rule 3(4) separately requires display.
Form IV and Form V
Form IV is the cancellation certificate: it states that the registration number, dated, of the named establishment, of factory, mine, dock work, contract work, building or other construction work or any other work, "is hereby cancelled with effect from" a date, under sub-section (5) of section 3 of the Code. Rule 3(11) says the officer issues it electronically within sixty days of receiving a complete Form II, and if the officer does not, cancellation is auto-generated.
Form V is the register the registering officer keeps under rule 3(9). Its columns: serial number; nature of work; registration number and date; name, address and location of the establishment; name, address and contact details of the employer; total workers and total horsepower, if any; total contract workers; remarks. Rows are grouped as factories, mines, dock work, building or other construction work, contract work, inter-State migrant work and any other work. It is an official register, not something an employer files.
Form VI and Form VII: notices of operation
| Point | Form VI | Form VII |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Employer of an establishment relating to contract labour or building or other construction work | Employer of every mine |
| When | Within thirty days of commencement or cessation of operation (rule 4(1)) | Not less than thirty days' prior notice of commencement, reopening, cessation, discontinuation or abandonment of operations or closing of mines (proviso to rule 4(2)) |
| Content | Registration number, name, address, employer, nature of work. Part A: commencement (with approximate duration in years and months) or cessation, with date, strike out the inapplicable. Part B: on cessation, certificate of payment of all dues and premises kept clear of storage of hazardous chemicals and substances | Part I commencement: LIN, mine code, owner, nominated owner, agent and manager details, intended opening date, plans and Safety Management Plan enclosed, actual date. Part II reopening. Part III cessation or abandonment: dates, persons likely to be affected, reasons. Part IV discontinuance. Part V closing: mine closure plan and protective works. Employer's certificate on payment of dues and premises kept clear of hazardous chemicals |
| Sent to | Registering Officer and Inspector-cum-Facilitator | Registering Officer and Inspector-cum-Facilitator |
Drafting slips to note. The words of rule 4 place the mines notice in the proviso to sub-rule (2), so Form VII is cited as "See rule 4(2)". Rule 3(6) carries a proviso about cancellation after show cause within thirty days, although sub-rule (6) deals with updating of particulars and does not itself mention cancellation. Also, "closure of establishment" in rule 3(10) excludes mines, which is why mines use Form VII.
Practical examples
Example 1. A contractor starts a construction project. It registers the establishment in Form I, receives Form III within seven days or has it auto-generated, and within thirty days of starting work files Form VI.
Example 2. A factory closes. Within thirty days the employer files Form II with the payment-of-dues and hazardous-substances certificate; Form IV follows within sixty days or is auto-generated.
Example 3. A mine plans to discontinue operations. It gives Form VII at least thirty days before, with reasons, persons affected and updated plans.
Compliance checklist
- Keep Form III displayed and the conditions of registration where staff can see them.
- Update Form I particulars within thirty days of any change.
- Diarise Form VI within thirty days; Form VII at least thirty days ahead for mines.
- Settle all worker dues and clear hazardous chemicals before signing the closure certificates.
Need help with registration and notices?
Getting Form I right, with the correct maximum workers, contractor details and NIC code, avoids later amendments and conditions problems. Our team can prepare and file the forms for you. Start with our shops and establishments registration service.
Key takeaways
- Forms I to VII cover registration, cancellation, the certificate, the officer's register and the notices of commencement and cessation.
- Form III must follow a complete Form I within seven days, or is auto-generated.
- Cancellation under Form II needs a certificate that all dues are paid and hazardous chemicals are not stored.
- Form VI is due within thirty days; Form VII (mines) at least thirty days in advance.
- The number of workers on any day may not exceed the maximum on the certificate.
Read next
- Rule 3: application for registration of establishment
- Rule 4: notice of commencement and cessation of operation
- Section 3 of the OSH Code: registration of certain establishments
- Forms VIII to X: health examination and medical certificate forms
Disclaimer: Based on the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (as enacted) and, where noted, the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2026 (G.S.R. 345(E), 8 May 2026), as on 30 September 2026. The Code is in force from 21 November 2025; some provisions may be notified later, and State Governments make their own rules for establishments where the State is the appropriate Government. Verify the current position before acting.