State Codes and CIN Format Guide – How to Read a CIN Number

What is a CIN? link

A CIN (Corporate Identification Number) is a 21-character alphanumeric code assigned by the Registrar of Companies (ROC) to every company incorporated in India under the Companies Act. It is issued at the time of incorporation and mentioned in the Certificate of Incorporation.

Important: CIN is issued to companies only. Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) are issued a LLPIN (LLP Identification Number) – a 7-character alphanumeric code.

Where is CIN Used? link

Every company must quote its CIN on:

• Letterheads, billheads, and letter papers
• Notices, invoices, and official publications
• All forms and filings submitted to MCA
• Email communications
• Any other external communication

Non-compliance penalty: ₹1,000 per day for the defaulting company and every officer in default, subject to a maximum of ₹1,00,000.

CIN Format – How to Read It link

A CIN consists of 6 distinct parts, each conveying specific information about the company:

Example CIN: L 01631 KA 2010 PTC 096843
             ↑ ↑↑↑↑↑ ↑↑ ↑↑↑↑ ↑↑↑ ↑↑↑↑↑↑
            [1] [2] [3] [4]  [5] [6]

Part 1 – Listing Status (1 Character) link

The first character indicates whether the company is listed on a stock exchange:

Part 2 – Industry / Economic Activity Code (5 Digits) link

The 5-digit numeric code represents the primary economic activity of the company. This is derived from the NIC Code (National Industrial Classification) system maintained by MCA.

Some commonly encountered industry codes:

For a full list of industry codes, refer to the NIC Code 2008 resource on this website.

Part 3 – State Code (2 Characters) link

The state code indicates the state where the company’s registered office is located and, consequently, the ROC (Registrar of Companies) under which it is registered:

Part 4 – Year of Incorporation (4 Digits) link

This is simply the 4-digit year in which the company was incorporated. For example, 2010 means the company was incorporated in the year 2010.

Part 5 – Company Type (3 Characters) link

The 3-character alpha code represents the legal type of the company:

Part 6 – Registration Number (6 Digits) link

The final 6-digit number is the unique sequential registration number assigned by the ROC at the time of incorporation. This, combined with the state code (Part 3), uniquely identifies the company within the ROC’s records.

Decoding a CIN – Practical Example link

Let us decode the CIN: U74900DL2015PTC282029

Reading: This is an unlisted private limited company incorporated in Delhi in 2015, engaged in professional services, bearing ROC registration number 282029.

What is LLPIN? link

For Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs), the equivalent of CIN is the LLPIN (LLP Identification Number). It is a 7-character alphanumeric code in the format: AAA-0000 (e.g., AAA-1234).

The LLPIN does not encode the same level of information as a CIN. It is a sequential number issued by the ROC.

LLPs do not have a listing status, industry code, or state code embedded in their identification number.

When Does a CIN Change? link

A company’s CIN changes when there is a structural change in the company that alters any of the encoded elements:

• Change in listing status (company gets listed or delisted) → First character changes from U to L or vice versa
• Change in company type (e.g., private to public conversion) → Part 5 changes (PTC → PLC)
• Change in state of registered office (cross-state transfer) → State code changes

The year of incorporation and registration number do not change.

Useful Links link

• MCA Company Search
• MCA LLP Search
• ROC Office List – MCA