Last verified: 28 September 2026. For a new company, formal name reservation is through SPICe+ Part A on MCA21 V3. The RUN service is used for change of name of an existing company, not as the standard new-company reservation route.
Step 1: Search Existing Company/LLP Names
Use the official MCA portal.
Search:
- exact name;
- plural/singular variants;
- different spacing;
- abbreviations;
- phonetic variations;
- similar LLP names.
A free search is only preliminary screening.
Step 2: Search Trademarks
Use IP India to check identical/similar marks in the relevant classes.
MCA name approval and trademark rights are separate.
A company name can be available on MCA but still create trademark risk.
Step 3: Check Undesirable/Restricted Names
MCA rules can reject names that:
- are too similar to existing company/LLP names;
- imply government patronage without authority;
- contain restricted words;
- conflict with trademarks;
- are misleading;
- do not align with proposed objects.
Superficial changes such as punctuation, plural/singular or entity suffix may not create distinctiveness.
Step 4: File SPICe+ Part A
MCA’s V3 FAQ states:
- separate Part A filing can propose up to two names;
- one approved name is normally reserved for 20 days;
- separate name-reservation fee is ₹1,000;
- reservation extension options exist under the V3 workflow.
If Part A and Part B are filed together, only one proposed name is entered in Part A.
Step 5: Use RUN Only for Existing Company Name Change
This is a major correction to older guides.
For a newly incorporating company: use SPICe+ Part A.
For an existing company changing legal name: RUN is the relevant reservation service.
Name Screening Checklist
- ○ MCA exact search
- ○ Similar spellings
- ○ Phonetic search
- ○ LLP names checked
- ○ IP India trademark search
- ○ Restricted words reviewed
- ○ Objects aligned with name
- ○ Two strong alternatives prepared
- ○ SPICe+ Part A used for new company
Official Sources
Need Name Screening & Incorporation Support?
TaxQue can assist with MCA name review and incorporation filing.
