Before you can file the actual incorporation form, two things must be in place: a Class 3 Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) for every proposed director, and an approved company name reserved through SPICe+ Part A on the MCA V3 portal. Think of this as the "keys and nameplate" stage. The DSC is the legally valid digital pen each director signs with, and the reserved name is the label the Central Registration Centre (CRC) locks for you before you build. Get both right and the rest of the SPICe+ journey moves quickly.
Why every director needs a Class 3 DSC
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) accepts only digitally signed filings. Since Class 2 certificates were phased out, Class 3 is the only valid category for company work. A DSC is a USB crypto token that carries your verified identity and lets you sign MCA forms, so every proposed director and every subscriber to the memorandum must hold a valid one before the incorporation form (SPICe+ Part B, INC-32) can be signed and submitted.
- Class 3 DSCs are issued with 1, 2, or 3 year validity. Two years is the common, cost-effective choice.
- The same token is reused later for annual filings (AOC-4, MGT-7), DIR-12, GST, income tax, and EPFO or ESIC, so it is not a one-time cost.
How each director gets a DSC
You buy a Class 3 DSC from any licensed Certifying Authority (CA) under the Controller of Certifying Authorities, such as eMudhra, (n)Code, Sify, Capricorn, or Pantasign. The process is now fully paperless.
- Keep ready: PAN, Aadhaar or another photo ID, a passport-size photo, an email, and a mobile number.
- Complete Aadhaar based eKYC and a short video verification. Since the 2024 identity verification guidelines, video KYC and direct invoicing by the CA are mandatory.
- Receive the certificate on a FIPS-compliant USB token. Do this for all directors in parallel so no one becomes a bottleneck at Part B.
- Register each DSC on the MCA21 V3 portal under your login before filing.
Reserving your name with SPICe+ Part A
Name reservation happens through Part A of the SPICe+ web form on the MCA V3 portal. You can file Part A on its own to lock a name first, or file it together with Part B in a single flow. Note that RUN is only for changing the name of an existing company. New companies use SPICe+ Part A.
- Propose up to two names in order of preference in one application.
- Select the correct main activity using the NIC code and add a short business description.
- The government fee is Rs. 1,000 per application.
- Only one resubmission is allowed if the CRC rejects both names, so use it wisely.
An approved name is reserved for 20 days from the date of approval for a new company. File SPICe+ Part B within that window, or the name lapses and you pay and apply again.
How the CRC judges your name
The Central Registration Centre examines names under Section 4 of the Companies Act, 2013 and Rule 8 of the Companies (Incorporation) Rules, 2014. Names are rejected when they resemble an existing company or LLP, match a registered trademark, are undesirable or misleading, or use restricted words without approval. To improve your odds:
- Search the MCA company and LLP name database and the trademark register before applying.
- Ensure the suffix matches your entity type, for example "Private Limited".
- Avoid names implying government patronage or a regulated activity such as bank, insurance, or stock exchange unless you hold the relevant approval.
With DSCs in hand and a name approved, you are ready to move into SPICe+ Part B, where incorporation, PAN, TAN, and the linked registrations come together.