Company Name Availability Checker
Test your proposed company or LLP name against the MCA naming guidelines live — suffix, restricted words, length and characters — then confirm uniqueness on the MCA portal.
- Free — no sign-up
- Instant, on-screen results
- Built by our CA · CS team
- Rules cited on the page
Fill in the details — the answer on the right updates as you go.
Naming rules we check & what MCA verifies
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Correct suffix | The name must end with the right ending — Private Limited (Pvt Ltd), OPC Private Limited (One Person Company), Limited (public / most Section 8), or LLP for a Limited Liability Partnership. Checked live. |
| No restricted / prohibited words | Words like National, Bank, Stock Exchange, Board, Insurance, Reserve Bank, Development Authority etc. need prior approval from the relevant regulator (RBI/SEBI/IRDAI/Govt.) and cannot be used freely. Checked live. |
| Allowed characters only | Letters, numbers, spaces and a few symbols (& . -) are fine. Emojis, most special symbols and non-Latin scripts are not permitted. Checked live. |
| Reasonable length | The name should be a real business name — not one or two stray characters, and not excessively long. Checked live. |
| Not identical / too similar | The name must not be the same as, or nearly resemble, an existing company, LLP or a registered trademark. This can only be confirmed on the MCA / IP India databases — flagged to verify. |
| Not offensive or illegal | No words that are obscene, against public policy, or that violate the Emblems and Names Act. Human review on MCA — flagged to verify. |
| Coined word + activity word | Generic-only names (e.g. just “Software Solutions”) are usually rejected. Include a distinctive coined word plus a word describing the activity — advisory guidance. |
Reserve your name & register your company with a CA
We check availability on MCA, reserve the name via SPICe+ and handle the full incorporation.
Disclaimer: This is an offline rules guide, not a live MCA search. It cannot confirm whether a name is already taken or trademarked. Always run the final check on the official MCA RUN / SPICe+ portal. Rules per the Companies (Incorporation) Rules, 2014 and LLP Rules, 2009.
Company name naming guidelines
Under the Companies (Incorporation) Rules, 2014, a company name must be unique, must not resemble an existing company or LLP, must not use restricted or prohibited words without approval, and must carry the correct suffix for its entity type. A good name usually combines a distinctive coined word with an activity word and the right ending.
Correct suffix
A private company ends with Private Limited, a One Person Company with (OPC) Private Limited, a public company with Limited, and an LLP with LLP. Section 8 (non-profit) companies use Limited / Private Limited but can omit “Limited” with a licence.
Must be distinctive
The name cannot be identical or too similar to an existing company, LLP or a registered trademark. Small tweaks (plurals, punctuation, “India”, adding a word) are ignored by MCA — the core word must genuinely differ.
No prohibited words
Words implying government patronage or a regulated activity — National, Bank, Insurance, Stock Exchange, Board — need prior approval from the relevant authority and are otherwise rejected.
Reflect the activity
The name should broadly indicate the main object of the company. If the name suggests finance, NBFC, insurance or an exchange, MCA expects the objects and regulatory approvals to match.
Restricted & prohibited words
These words either need approval from a regulator/ministry before they can appear in a company name, or are outright prohibited. The checker above flags any of these in your proposed name.
How name reservation works
MCA reserves a company name through the RUN (Reserve Unique Name) service or directly inside SPICe+ Part A. Our checker screens the name against the rules first so you don’t waste a paid application on an obvious rejection.
Screen the name
Run your proposed name through the rules above — suffix, restricted words, characters. Fix any FAIL before you pay.
Check uniqueness
Search the MCA company/LLP master data and the IP India trademark register to confirm the name isn’t already taken.
Apply on RUN / SPICe+
Submit up to two names via RUN or SPICe+ Part A on the MCA portal. Approved names are reserved for a set period.
Incorporate
File SPICe+ Part B with MoA, AoA, PAN, TAN and DIN to complete incorporation and get the Certificate of Incorporation.
Key terms explained
RUN — Reserve Unique Name
An MCA web service to check and reserve a company name before incorporation. You can propose up to two names; approval reserves the name for a fixed window.
SPICe+ (INC-32)
The integrated incorporation form. Part A reserves the name; Part B handles incorporation, PAN, TAN, DIN, EPFO, ESIC and bank account — all in one filing.
Coined word
A distinctive, invented or unusual word that makes the name unique and easier to approve and trademark — the opposite of a purely generic descriptive name.
Resemblance test
MCA rejects names that too nearly resemble an existing one. Adding plurals, “India”, punctuation or a translation does not make a name different in the eyes of the Registrar.
Questions people ask
Short answers on Company Name Rules Checker. Tap a question to open it.
01What makes a company name unacceptable to the MCA?
Resemblance to an existing company or LLP name or a registered trademark, use of a restricted word without approval, a name that is generic or misleading about the activity, or one that violates the Emblems and Names Act. Rule 8 of the Companies (Incorporation) Rules sets out the tests.
02Is adding a word like "India" or changing spelling enough to make a name distinct?
No. The rules expressly ignore plurals, spacing, case, punctuation, joining words like "and" or "&", differing tenses, phonetic variations and the addition of a place name when comparing names.
03Which words need prior approval?
Words implying government patronage or connection to a regulator, such as National, Union, Central, Federal, Republic, or names suggesting banking, insurance, stock exchange, mutual fund or venture capital activity, which need the concerned regulator's clearance.
04Should I also check the trademark register?
Yes, always. A name can be free on the MCA database and still infringe a registered trademark, which can force a rectification later. Check the IP India register for your proposed name and class before you file.
05How many names can I propose and how long is approval valid?
You can submit two names in SPICe+ Part A with one resubmission. An approved name is reserved for 20 days for a new company, and 60 days for a change of name by an existing company.
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Disclaimer: This tool gives indicative results for general guidance only and is not professional advice. Please verify with a qualified CA before acting on the numbers.