Society Registration
Register a society for charitable, educational, literary, cultural or social welfare purposes under the Societies Registration Act 1860 — Memorandum of Association, bye-laws drafting, Registrar of Societies filing and 12A/80G.
Register your society
Share your objects and member details. We draft the MOA and bye-laws, file with the Registrar and apply for 12A/80G.
Talk to a CS →A complete society registration package
MOA & Bye-Laws Drafting
Memorandum of Association (objects, name, area of operation) and Bye-Laws (membership, management, meetings) drafted.
Registrar of Societies Filing
Application filed with the Registrar of Societies in the relevant state — with MOA, bye-laws and member details.
Founding Members
Minimum 7 founding members required for registration under the Societies Registration Act 1860.
State-Specific Compliance
Societies in Maharashtra, Delhi, Karnataka have state-specific acts — compliance tailored to the state.
12A & 80G Application
12A and 80G registration applied with Income Tax Department after society registration certificate.
Annual Renewal
Society registration must be renewed annually in most states — we track renewal deadlines and file.
What is needed for society registration
Minimum 7 Members
The Societies Registration Act 1860 requires a minimum of 7 persons to form and register a society.
MOA Must Specify Objects
The Memorandum of Association must clearly specify the name, objects and area of operation of the society.
Bye-Laws Must Cover Governance
Bye-laws must specify membership criteria, management committee composition, meeting procedures and financial management.
State Registrar Filing
Registration is done with the Registrar of Societies of the relevant state — not a central authority.
Annual Renewal in Most States
Most states require annual renewal of society registration — failure to renew causes lapse of registration.
12A for Tax Exemption
12A registration exempts surplus income of the society from income tax — 80G allows donors to claim deduction.
Society registration is state-specific — each state has its own form, fee and procedure. Maharashtra has the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act (for co-operative societies) and the Societies Registration Act for non-profits. The requirements for Delhi, Karnataka and other states differ. We handle state-specific registration across India.
Common issues with society registration
Simple steps, no surprises
Objects and members finalised
Charitable objects, 7+ founding members, management committee and area of operation identified.
MOA and bye-laws drafted
Memorandum of Association and bye-laws drafted — reviewed and signed by founding members.
Filed with Registrar of Societies
Application filed with state Registrar — registration certificate received.
12A, 80G and bank account
PAN obtained, bank account opened — 12A and 80G registration applied for.
Other services you may need
Frequently asked questions
A society is a voluntary association of persons formed for a charitable, educational, literary, scientific, cultural or social welfare purpose. It is registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860 (or the relevant state act) with the Registrar of Societies.
The Societies Registration Act 1860 requires a minimum of 7 persons to form and register a society. All founding members must sign the Memorandum of Association and the bye-laws.
The Memorandum of Association specifies the name of the society, its objects and its area of operation. The bye-laws specify the internal governance — membership criteria, election of the managing committee, meeting procedures, financial management and dissolution process.
In most states, society registration must be renewed annually by filing a renewal application with the Registrar of Societies and paying the prescribed fee. Failure to renew causes the registration to lapse — the society loses its legal status and the ability to open bank accounts or apply for 12A/80G.
Yes. A society registered under 12A and established for purposes listed in Schedule VII of the Companies Act 2013 can receive CSR contributions from companies. Proper utilisation certificates and audited impact reports must be maintained for the CSR donor.
Ready to register your society?
We draft the MOA and bye-laws, file with the Registrar of Societies and apply for 12A and 80G.