What type of resolution is needed to change a company name?

A special resolution under Sec 13 of the Companies Act 2013, passed by at least a three-fourths majority of the members at a general meeting. A simple board resolution is not enough — the change alters the memorandum, so the members must approve it and the resolution is then filed in MGT-14.

How long does a company name change take?

It depends on how quickly the name clears the RUN reservation, the general meeting is held and the central government processes INC-24. In a clean case it commonly takes a few weeks from board resolution to the new Certificate of Incorporation, but a name that needs clarification or re-reservation will take longer.

Is central-government approval required for a name change?

Yes. After the special resolution is filed in MGT-14, the company applies for the central government's approval in INC-24, and the new name is registered only when the registrar issues a fresh Certificate of Incorporation in INC-25. The change is effective from the date of that certificate, not from the date of the resolution.

What must be updated after the company name changes?

The new name must be carried through to the PAN and TAN, the company's bank accounts, its EPF and ESI registrations, all statutory registers, and every letterhead, common seal, signboard and website reference. The company's existing contracts, assets and liabilities continue unchanged — only the name on them is corrected.

MCA

Company Name Change

Change a company's registered name with the MCA, including approvals and document updates.

What's covered

Changing a company's registered name is an alteration of the memorandum that turns on Sec 13 of the Companies Act 2013, and it cannot be done by the directors alone. The members must approve the change by a special resolution passed by at least a three-fourths majority, and the proposed new name must clear the availability and trademark restrictions in Sec 4(2) and Sec 4(3) read with Rules 29(1) and 29(2) of the Companies (Incorporation) Rules 2014.
The route runs through four MCA forms: the RUN (Reserve Unique Name) service to check and reserve the proposed name, MGT-14 to record the special resolution within 30 days of it being passed, INC-24 to seek the central government's approval for the change, and the fresh Certificate of Incorporation issued in INC-25 once the approval is granted. The new name takes legal effect only from the date the registrar issues that certificate.
A name change does not create a new company or affect its existing rights, contracts or liabilities, but it does trigger a long list of downstream updates: the PAN and TAN, the company's bank accounts, its EPF and ESI registrations, the statutory registers, and every letterhead, common seal, signboard and website reference must be corrected to the new name. Operating under the old name after the change can cause avoidable confusion with banks and counterparties.
We run the whole sequence for you — testing name availability before you commit to it, drafting the special resolution and explanatory statement, filing MGT-14, INC-24 and supporting the central-government approval, and then driving the post-change updates so the new identity is consistent everywhere it appears.

How we work

01
Board resolution and RUN name reservation
The board passes a resolution proposing the change and authorising the filing, and the proposed name is checked and reserved through the MCA RUN service against the Sec 4 restrictions and the trademark register. Reserving the name first avoids passing a special resolution for a name that the registrar will reject.
02
Special resolution at an EGM and MGT-14
The members approve the change by a special resolution (a three-fourths majority) at an extraordinary general meeting, and the resolution together with the altered memorandum is filed in MGT-14 within 30 days of being passed. Late filing of MGT-14 attracts additional fees, so the meeting and the filing are scheduled together.
03
INC-24 approval and new Certificate of Incorporation (INC-25)
Form INC-24 is filed to obtain the central government's approval for the name change, and once approved the registrar issues a fresh Certificate of Incorporation in INC-25 carrying the new name. The change is legally effective from that certificate's date, after which the PAN, TAN, bank, EPF/ESI, statutory registers and stationery are updated.

Documents required

Certified copy of the special resolution with the explanatory statement annexed to the EGM notice
Altered memorandum and articles of association reflecting the new name
Notice and minutes of the extraordinary general meeting at which the change was approved
Directors' affidavits and declarations supporting the application as required by INC-24
Board resolution authorising the change and the digital signature certificate of the signing director

Applicable laws & forms

Companies Act 2013 — Sec 13, which governs the alteration of the memorandum and requires a special resolution and central-government approval for a name change
Companies Act 2013 — Sec 4(2) and Sec 4(3), which restrict names that are undesirable, identical to an existing name or in breach of trademark rights
Companies (Incorporation) Rules 2014 — Rule 29, which prescribes the name-availability test and the procedure for changing the company name

Frequently asked questions

Government fees

Statutory / government fee (indicative): ₹1,000

Indicative government fee · last verified 2026-06-07. Our professional charges are shared on consultation.