Society Registration Online — NGO, Association or Welfare Society at ₹4,999 + Govt. Fee
Video Explanation & Insights
What a society is, and when to choose it
A society is an association of seven or more persons registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 or the corresponding state Act — in Rajasthan the Rajasthan Societies Registration Act, 1958 — to carry out charitable, cultural, literary, educational, religious, scientific or welfare activities on a non-profit basis. It is one of the three NGO forms in India alongside the public trust and the Section 8 company, and it is the natural form for a membership organisation: a resident welfare association, a school or college society, a sports or cultural club, a self-help federation, a professional or trade association, or a cluster of small producers that wants to hold common resources.
Registration procedures and fees differ from state to state — Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh each have their own forms and Registrar — so the memorandum and bye-laws are drafted to the state's requirements. What does not change is the structure: a general body of all members, each with one equal vote; a governing body (working committee) of at least seven, headed by a President or Chairman, with a Secretary responsible for the records and actions of the society and a Treasurer responsible for its funds; and decisions taken in meetings that are recorded.
Why register
- •Legal recognition: a registered society gets a PAN and is a legally valid organisation that can hold property, sign contracts and open a bank account.
- •Perpetual succession: membership changes but the society continues; it can also be wound up when members decide.
- •Credibility and trust: equal voting rights and a registered governing body make it accountable to members and acceptable to donors and departments.
- •Access to funding and resources: group lending to member federations (each member responsible for the others), grants that require a registered body, and common facilities under cluster schemes such as MSE-CDP.
- •Legal protection: the society can sue and be sued, and can act against a member who harms it.
- •Branding and reputation: Amul is a society-based structure that became a national brand.
- •Social impact and compliant operation: the form NGOs, foundations and orphan-care bodies use to work with government and stakeholders.
Members, office bearers and registers
| Item | Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Members | Minimum seven (Rajasthan); no maximum for the general body | Members from different families are usually expected |
| Governing body | Seven to twenty-one members elected by the general body | Runs the society between general meetings |
| Office bearers | President / Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer; Vice-President optional | Secretary signs and is answerable for records; Treasurer handles money |
| Voting | One member, one vote in elections and resolutions | Equal rights regardless of contribution |
| Bank account | At least two signatories on every cheque; changes in office bearers to be updated with the bank and the Registrar | A single signatory is never valid |
| Registers | Members register, minutes register (at least four meetings a year), accounts | Accounts may be kept in software; audit as required by the state Act |
| Objects | Main object and ancillary objects stated in the memorandum | Determine eligibility for 12A/80G and grants |
Documents for registration
Members
- •Proposed name of the society (with two alternatives)
- •PAN, Aadhaar, photograph, mobile and e-mail of every member
- •List of members of the general body and of the governing body with designations
- •Consent and declarations of the office bearers
Charter
- •Memorandum of association: name, registered office, objects, governing body
- •Rules and regulations (bye-laws): membership, meetings, quorum, elections, funds, amendment, dissolution
- •Minutes of the first meeting resolving to register
- •Affidavits in the state format
Office
- •Registered office proof — ownership document or rent agreement with NOC
- •Electricity bill or property tax receipt
- •State registration fee (Rajasthan: as per the Registrar's schedule)
Registration step by step
- 1Week 1 — Objects and name: the main and ancillary objects are fixed with the members; name availability is checked.
- 2Week 1–2 — Drafting: memorandum, bye-laws, member lists, affidavits and declarations prepared and signed by the governing body.
- 3Week 2 — Filing with the Registrar of Societies of the state (online where the state provides a portal); fee paid.
- 4Week 3–4 — Scrutiny and queries answered; registration certificate issued with the society's registration number.
- 5After — PAN and bank account with two-signatory mandate; 12A and 80G application for tax-exempt donations; NGO Darpan and CSR-1 for government and CSR funds; FCRA for foreign contributions.
What you pay
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Professional fee | ₹4,999 | Drafting, filing, queries, certificate, PAN and bank set-up |
| State registration fee | At actuals per the state Registrar's schedule | Varies by state; Rajasthan's schedule applies for a Rajasthan society |
| Stamp paper and notarisation | At actuals | For affidavits and declarations |
| 12A / 80G, Darpan, CSR-1 | Quoted separately if required | Recommended for any society that will receive donations or grants |
Running the society
- •Hold at least four governing-body meetings a year and an annual general meeting; record every meeting in the minutes register.
- •Maintain the members register and accounts; get the accounts audited as the state Act requires.
- •File the annual list of the governing body with the Registrar and report changes of office bearers, objects or registered office.
- •Update the bank mandate whenever office bearers change — an outdated mandate voids cheques.
- •Obtain 12A and 80G before soliciting donations; file the income-tax return and Form 10B/10BB and the 80G donation statement (Form 10BD).
Where societies go wrong
- •Fewer than seven genuine members, or members who are all one family.
- •Objects drafted so widely that 12A/80G is refused, or so narrowly that a later activity is outside them.
- •Bye-laws without election, quorum and removal rules — disputes then have no procedure.
- •Single-signatory bank operation or an un-updated mandate after a change of Secretary or Treasurer.
- •No meetings register — the first thing an inspector, auditor or donor asks for.
Society registration: questions we are asked
At least seven. The governing body has seven to twenty-one members; the general body can be larger.
A society suits membership organisations that want democratic control; a trust suits a founder-controlled charity; a Section 8 company suits NGOs that want corporate governance for CSR and institutional funding. We advise on the first call.
The Societies Registration Act, 1860 or the state Act — in Rajasthan, the Rajasthan Societies Registration Act, 1958 — with registration at the state Registrar of Societies.
At least two authorised office bearers, as decided when the account is opened; never a single person.
At least four governing-body meetings a year, recorded in the minutes register, plus the annual general meeting.
After registration under section 12A and approval under section 80G of the Income-tax Act, which we file after the society is registered.
It can carry on activities and hold resources in furtherance of its objects, and member federations do take group loans; surpluses must serve the objects, not be distributed.
Typically 15–30 working days depending on the state Registrar.