Planning to print, publish, or establish a newspaper, magazine, or periodical in India? Get an RNI registration certificate and give wings to your dreams. We are India’s No.1 LegalTech company for RNI registration in India.
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If you're passionate about starting a newspaper, magazine, or periodical in India, you'll need to obtain the Registrar of Newspapers for India certificate (RNI registration certificate), which is now referred to as the Press Registrar General of India certificate or PRGI registration certificate.
Setting up a newspaper, journal, periodical, magazine, or other publication business in India requires mandatory approval from the Registrar of Newspaper of India. As the publishing industry is considered among the rapidly growing industries, it ensures mandatory RNI online registration of all daily, weekly, and monthly newspapers/ magazines/ journals with the Registrar of Newspaper for India.
PRGI registration is one of the crucial processes used for establishing a newspaper or periodical publication at regular intervals containing public news or comments on public news. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the sole regulatory authority of the office of Press Registrar General of India, framed diverse rules and regulations for governing the registration of periodicals and registered periodicals. Book an appointment with us for expert assistance in getting an RNI certificate with ease.
The Registrar of Newspaper for India (RNI), a government body operating under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, was replaced with the Press Registrar General of India after the implementation of the Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023. The Act of 2023 was passed to replace the Press & Registration of Books Act, 1867, which governed the registration of the print and publishing industry since 1867.
The act of 1867 was replaced with the intention to remove the unnecessary hardships, delays, and high dependency faced during publishing and running a newspaper. Furthermore, the Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023 is designed with the simplified procedure required for title verification and registration of the newspaper except book and journal (including a book or journal or scientific, technical and academic nature).
Some of the benefits associated with the RNI online registration and getting the RNI registration certificate for publication of journals, newspapers, etc., are as discussed below:
The RNI registration secures a simplified procedure (free from obstacles) for title verification and registration, which facilitates ease of access to resources and newspaper/ printed publication business in India.
The registration of newspapers and periodicals under the new Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023, has enhanced transparency and time-bound processing due to the excessive involvement of technology and automated processing systems.
The new Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023 established clarified procedures for making foreign publications, circulation, verification of newspapers, ownership transfer, and others.
The RNI online registration/ PRGI online registration ensures the protection of the title and ownership of the publishing company/ publishers engaged in the business of newspaper and magazine publication.
The registration of newspapers and periodicals under the Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023, ensures the protection of registered publishers against any false/ erroneous claims made by third parties.
RNI registration also ensures protection against any copyright infringement of your publication business's information and logo.
There are some basic requirements that need to be mandatorily considered before applying for RNI title registration in India, as discussed below:
Basic Checklist for RNI Registration Online
The below-mentioned publishers are required to secure a PRGI Certificate or RNI Certificate in India-
The documents required for RNI online registration/ PRGI registration on the Press Sewa Portal are as mentioned below:
Every publisher of a periodical / newspaper is required to comply with the new procedure of the Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023, for getting their periodical registered. The procedure for online RNI registration in India through the Press Sewa Portal is as described below:
Application for Registration of Application
The publishers registering themselves on the Press Sewa Portal are required to make necessary submission of the documents and application containing title for the periodical to the concerned authority within whose local jurisdiction such periodical is proposed to be published.
Unique Application Reference Number
The Press Sewa Portal generates an acknowledgement along with a unique 10-digit application reference number (ARN) required for further use by the publisher and Press Registrar General of India.
Online Payment of Fees
Every publisher is mandatorily required to remit online registration payments of fees of Rs. 1000 through the Bharatkosh digital payment system integrated with the Press Sewa Portal.
Issuance of No-Objection or Comments
Within 60 days from the online payment of fees, the specified authority (i.e., District Magistrate) is expected to furnish either a no-objection or comments on the application submitted to the press Registrar General.
Issuance of PRGI Registration Certificate
The PRGI registration certificate (Earlier RNI registration certificate) containing particulars of periodicity, language, place of publication, details of the owner, and the title of the owner shall be issued upon due satisfaction of the Registrar General of India.
Given below are the significant responsibilities after registration of periodicals-
Transfer of Ownership of Periodical: The owner of the periodical is authorized to transfer the ownership of that periodical to any other person or entity through an application to the Press Registrar General on the Press Sewa Portal.
Intimation of Discontinuation: Within 6 months of discontinuation of the publication, the owner of a periodical is required to send an intimation of such discontinuation to the press-registrar general of India.
Delivery of Periodicals: Within 48 hours of publication of the periodical or newspaper, the publisher is required to upload the newspaper electronically, periodicals upon the Press Sewa Portal.
Verification of Circulation Figure: The Press Registrar General of India is mandatorily required to verify the circulation figures of periodicals and daily newspapers.
Furnish Annual Statement: One of the mandatory compliances is related to the furnishing of annual statements (by the 31st of May of a calendar year through the Press Sewa Portal.
Publication of Annual Return: The Press Registrar General of India shall prepare and publish an annual report containing information concerning periodicals registered on the Press Sewa Portal.
Penalty for Non-Compliance: The Press Registrar General of India is authorized to impose a penalty if the publisher publishes a periodical without obtaining a certificate of registration under section 7 or fails to furnish an annual statement under section 12 of the Act.
Central Government to Issue Directions: The central government is authorized with the power to issue directions on matters of policy to the Press Registrar General.
Power to Make Rules: The central government is authorized to make necessary rules on the matters concerning manner & particulars for furnishing an intimation, manner of registration of facsimile edition, manner of verification of circulation figure of class of periodicals, etc.
Power to Remove Difficulties: The central government through an order published in the Official Gazette, make provisions for removing difficulties, that are inconsistent with the provisions of the Act of 2023.
The Press and Registration of Periodicals Act came into force on 1 March, 2024. Have a look at the acts governing PRGI Registration-
The duties and functions of the Press Registrar General of India (Earlier RNI) as prescribed under Section 5 and 6 of the Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023 are as discussed below:
Have a look at the comparative breakdown of PRB Act, 1867 and PRP Act, 2023 to get a better understanding of the differences-
| S. No | Basis of Difference | PRB Act, 1867 | PRP Act, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Abbreviation | It stands for Press and Registration of Book Act, 1967. | It stands for Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023. |
| 2. | Scope of Registration. | Provides for registration of newspaper, periodicals, and books. | Provides for registration of periodicals (including newspapers) expect books or scientific/ academic journals. |
| 3. | Registration Authority. | Mandatory registration under Registrar of Newspaper for India. | Mandatory registration under Press Registrar General of India. |
| 4. | Declaration of Printing Press. | Earlier, a declaration specifying the publisher were to be made to the district magistrate. | Now, declaration required to be submitted. |
| 5. | Registration of Printing Press. | Declaration of Printing Press before the district magistrate. | Information regarding printing press directly through online portal. |
| 6. | Appellate Authority. | Not Applicable. | Incorporates an appellate authority. |
| 7. | Cancellation or Suspension of CoR. | Only through a declaration of the district magistrate. | Directly through the Press Registrar General of India. |
The entities looking to get registered with the RNI are mandatorily required to include the following information before publishing a newspaper:
Our network of professionals holds a solid experience of more than one decade in the news and media segment.
We offer professional consulting services to ensure easy, quick, and pocket-friendly RNI/PRGI registration and obtain an RNI certificate.
We extend cost-effective help to meet the documentation needs for the RNI title registration.
We offer expert support for securing the timely evaluation and audit of compliance with the RNI guidelines.
We dedicate our services to promoting transparency and authenticity by building a readership of publications.
We guide the smooth entry of your local newspaper without bureaucratic delays in the digital/media sector.
We provide tech-driven solutions to align with the regulations dealing with PRGI/RNI registration certificate.
Our dedicated team of experts helps your RNI-registered business stay compliant with post-registration requirements.
On average, our Corpbiz team assists in the timely completion of the RNI online registration process.
We maintain smooth and consistent communication with government agencies to streamline your RNI registration online.
Leave your worry about online RNI registration in India to our experts, as we guarantee 24/7 client support.
Have a look at the answers to the most asked questions.
Legal Researcher
Written by Neha Dawra. Last updated on Jun 5 2026, 01:48 AM
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.
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