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If you are looking to operate your NGO under a legal framework and secure funding with NGO registration, you are at the right place.
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) play a critical role in advocating the cause of society and the underprivileged. However, fostering change involves a legal framework that begins with registration at its core.
NGO Registration is the first step in the journey to make a societal impact through philanthropy. It enables credibility, encourages transparency, and facilitates various benefits, including tax exemptions. NGOs in India can be registered under multiple legal frameworks – Trusts, Societies or Section 8 Companies.
Worried about the paperwork and challenges during NGO registration? Let Corpbiz experts make the process of NGO registration easy and effortless.
An NGO is a non-profit organisation founded by a group of people with a shared goal in philanthropy and social service. An NGO covers a wide gamut of charitable services across art, science, sports, education, research, social welfare, religion, charity, environment, sustainability, etc. An NGO uses all its earnings and funds to fulfil its non-profitable objectives.
NGO registration builds your value and enhances credibility in the eyes of stakeholders. The significant benefits of NGO registration in India are as follows:
Validates its existence and boosts its identity as a separate entity from that of its members, strengthening legitimacy for stakeholders.
Donations from individual donors and other stakeholders such as corporates and governments made easy, lending legitimacy to the donations received.
Facilitates real estate buying, selling and retaining fixed assets.
NGOs registered under the Companies Act of 2013 are legally permitted to transfer ownership or rights to interest accumulated under the Income Tax Act of 1961.
Adds value to the NGO as a business/corporate entity, boosting operational transparency and giving it a legal right to safeguard the entity’s and trustees’ interests.
An NGO functions indefinitely, even in case of its founders' or trustees' death or resignation. In India, it shuts down only if there is a court decree or it has declared closure.
Using a name or identity similar to a registered NGO is forbidden. They have the right to safeguard their legal name and protect their identity and brand.
Acquiring assets and interests under a registered NGO effectively shields a person from personal events like foreclosure, divorce or bankruptcy.
Opening a bank account mandates that an NGO register itself. Stakeholders and donors are more confident and comfortable donating to a corporate account than to a personal account.
Considered to have responsible leadership, promote accountability & transparency and share stakeholder confidence. It paves the way for corporate collaborations and donations from governments, individuals, political parties, charities, financial institutions, etc.
NGOs offer a tax-free framework as they’re exempted from taxation. It is, therefore, easy to create a financial strategy facilitating tax-free operations.
Registered NGOs are exempt from the hassle of minimum share capital requirements to meet their operational needs. Such NGOs can freely fund their operations through donations received.
Access to securing loans from financial institutions or lenders to fund daily operational needs, manage mortgages, and buy and sell fixed assets and/or lands. Unregistered NGOs find it hard to secure loans from banking institutions.
To start and run a Ngo successfully in India, it’s essential to understand the eligibility criteria first. The eligibility criteria for NGO registration in India are mentioned below-
Age and Nationality of Members
Minimum Number of Founding Members
Purpose of the Organization – The NGO must focus on one or more of the following:
Non-government organizations can be registered through three legal routes. The three significant types of NGO registration in India are as follows:
Trust
The process of legally establishing a trust is known as Trust Registration. Trust is one of the three types of non-profit organisations (NPO) created to serve specific causes like healthcare, community development and education. Trust registration is regulated by the Indian Trusts Act, 1882, and legal experts and professionals manage the process.
Society
Society registration is the process of founding a society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. A society is a group of people united by a shared purpose. Societies advocate and promote charity, religion, education, science, literature, and social service.
Section 8 Company
Section 8 Company is another type of non-profit organisation registered under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013. Section 8 The Company’s goal is to promote commerce, art, science, religion, charity or any other objective for the greater good of society. A Section 8 Company, under no circumstances, functions with the aim of earning profits.
NGOs are generally organizations that function independently. In India, NGOs can be classified on the basis of their orientation and level of operation for NGO registration in India:
1- By the Level of Orientation
2- By the Level of Operation
The requirements for NGO registration entail processes and documents required for different types of NGO registration.
Process
Documents Required
Process
Documents Required
Process
Documents Required
The tabular representation of the difference between Trust, Society, and Section 8 Company under NGO registration is given below-
| CRITERIA | TRUST | SOCIETY | SECTION 8 COMPANY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Framework | Indian Trust Act of 1882 | Societies Registration Act, 1860 | Companies Act, 2013 |
| Main Objective | Charity | Community Welfare | Promote charity, education, science, art, etc. |
| Membership | Trustees | Members | Shareholders |
| Governing Body | Board of Trustees | Governing Council | Board of Directors |
| Governing Rules | Trust Deed | Memorandum & By-Laws | Memorandum & Articles of Association |
| Registration Authority | Registrar of Trust | Registrar of Societies | Registrar of Companies (ROC) |
| Tax Exemption | Section 12A & 80G | Section 12A & 80G | Section 8(1) & 12A |
Running an NGO after getting it registered is a smart decision. NGO registration is required for the following reasons:
In accordance with the type of NGO registration in India, all NGOs have to abide by the following laws in India:
After successful NGO registration, NGOs can raise funds through different means, such as:
The NGO registration process is free from complexities and easy to comprehend. The procedure to apply for NGO registration and register NGO in India is explained below-
Identify the Type
Based on its goals and objectives, identify the NGO type and choose one of the following: trust, society, or section 8 company.
Pick an Exclusive Name
Pick an exclusive name (not similar to any existing NGO) for your NGO reflecting its mission, goals and existence.
Draft the Memorandum of Association (MoA) & Articles of Association (AoA)
Draft the MoA and AoA outlining its goals, guidelines, regulations and policies to govern its operations and management. File form DIR-3 with ROC to obtain DIN.
Form the Governing Body
Form a governing body or managing committee consisting of people responsible for the organization's operations and decision-making processes.
Furnish a Registered Office Address
Furnish a registered office address for official communication and delivery of legal documents and paperwork.
Compile Necessary Documentation
Compile important documents, including identity proofs, address proofs, and photographs of all members of the governing council.
Submit the Registration Application
Submit the registration application with attached documents, to the relevant authority depending on the type of the NGO - Registrar of Societies, Registrar of Trusts, or Registrar of Companies.
Review and Approval
The registration authority will assess the application and all supporting documents. You may be asked to provide additional information or clarification, depending on the review.
Acquire the Registration Certificate
After successfully reviewing the application and supporting documents, the registration authority will issue a certificate validating the NGO's legal status.
Request for Tax Exemptions
Once the registration certificate is acquired, the NGO is eligible to apply for tax exemptions under the Income Tax Act. However, it must have obtained certifications such as 12A and 80G prior to the steps mentioned above.
Adhere to Compliance and Reporting
Compliance with legal requirements is a must, and it includes filing yearly returns, maintaining accounts, and presenting audited financial statements.
The registration fees for NGOs depends on the following factors:
The break-up of the total amount is as follows:
| Service | Fees |
|---|---|
| Digital Signature Certificate Fees | INR 2,000 |
| Government Fees (Stamp Duty) | INR 1,500 |
| Professional Fees | INR 3,799 |
| Total Cost | INR 7,299 |
The time taken to register an NGO in India depends on various factors including verification by the departments and the type of NGO:
Corpbiz is India’s leading consulting firm with a team of professional experts with vast experience in NGO Registration. Given below are the reasons why we are the first choice of socialpreneurs for NGO registration in India-
Legal Researcher
Written by Neha Dawra. Last updated on Jun 5 2026, 11:37 PM
Neha Dawra has 4+ years of experience in legal research and intellectual property advisory. Her expertise lies in analyzing IP laws, drafting structured legal content, and simplifying complex registration procedures into clear, simple insights.
Trusted by thousands of businesses across India for seamless compliance, registrations, and advisory services.
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