Eligibility for CSR Funding
Form CSR-1 registration is mandatory for any NGO that wishes to receive CSR contributions from companies covered under Section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013.
CSR-1 Registration Online with MCA
File Form CSR-1 with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and become a recognised CSR Implementing Agency eligible to receive CSR funds from Indian companies under Section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013.
₹26,000+ Cr annual CSR pool · 1879+ NGOs trusted · Free 30-minute consultation
- Free 30-min CSR-1 Expert Consultation
- Form CSR-1 Filing on MCA21 Portal
- DSC of Authorised Signatory Coordination
- CA / CS / CMA Certification
- Darpan + 12A + 80G Pre-Check
- Corporate Donor Outreach Strategy
Get Free CSR-1 Consultation
Speak to a CSR expert in 30 minutes
CSR-1 Registration in India An Overview
CSR-1 Registration is the mandatory MCA21 filing introduced by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) under Rule 4(2) of the Companies (CSR Policy) Rules, 2014. With effect from 01 April 2021, every NGO that wishes to receive CSR funding from an Indian company must first register itself as a CSR Implementing Agency by filing Form CSR-1 on the MCA21 portal.
Once approved, MCA issues a unique CSR Registration Number (format: CSR000XXXXX). This number must be quoted by the donor company in its CSR-2 / Annual Report when reporting CSR spend under Section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013.
At Your Compliance Partner, our CSR team handles eligibility checks (12A, 80G, Darpan, 3-year activity record), drafts the Board / Trustee Resolution, procures DSC, prepares Form CSR-1, gets it certified by a practising CA/CS/CMA and files it on MCA21 - so your NGO becomes CSR-fundable in days.
Benefits of CSR-1 Registration
A CSR Registration Number is your ticket to participate in India's ₹26,000+ crore annual CSR economy.
Listed in MCA CSR Implementing Agency Database
Once Form CSR-1 is approved, your NGO is listed in the MCA's database of registered CSR Implementing Agencies, accessible to corporate CSR teams across India.
Direct Recognition under Section 135
Companies can only recognise CSR spend through entities holding a valid CSR Registration Number (CSR No.) with prefix CSR000XXXXX issued by MCA.
Higher Donor Confidence
Corporate CSR teams perform strict due diligence. CSR-1 registration is the first filter - without it, no proposal moves forward.
Lifetime Validity (Subject to Compliance)
Once issued, the CSR Registration Number does not expire and is recognised across all financial years subject to ongoing compliance.
Access Multi-Crore Funding Pool
India's annual CSR spend has crossed ₹26,000+ crore. CSR-1 is your gateway to participate in this large, recurring funding pool.
Eligibility for CSR-1 Filing
MCA has prescribed strict eligibility for entities seeking CSR Implementing Agency status.
Eligible Implementing Agencies
- Section 8 Company registered under the Companies Act, 2013
- Registered Public Trust
- Registered Society under Societies Registration Act, 1860
- Entity established by an Act of Parliament or a State Legislature
Mandatory 3-Year Track Record (For Trusts/Societies/Sec 8 Without Government Tie-up)
- A Trust, Society or Section 8 Company that is NOT established by/under any Act, must have an established track record of 3 years in carrying out similar activities to be eligible.
- Government-backed entities and entities under any Act do not require the 3-year track record.
Statutory Pre-Requisites
- Valid 12A Registration under the Income Tax Act
- Valid 80G Registration under the Income Tax Act
- Valid NGO Darpan ID issued by NITI Aayog
- Valid PAN of the NGO
Authorised Signatory & DSC
- A duly authorised signatory of the NGO with a valid Class-3 Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) is required to file Form CSR-1.
- Form CSR-1 must be digitally certified by a practising CA, CS or CMA.
Documents Required for CSR-1
A complete document set ensures single-shot MCA approval.
NGO Documents
- PAN of NGO
- Registration Certificate (Trust Deed / Society Cert / Section 8 Cert)
- 12A Registration Certificate
- 80G Registration Certificate
- NGO Darpan ID and screenshot of Darpan profile
Resolution & Authorisation
- Board / Trustee Resolution authorising filing of CSR-1
- Letter of Authorisation in favour of the signatory
- Class-3 Digital Signature Certificate of the authorised signatory
- PAN and Aadhaar of the authorised signatory
Financial & Activity Records
- Audited financials of the last 3 financial years (for non-Government entities)
- Activity reports demonstrating 3+ years of similar charitable activities
- Bank account details of the NGO
- Email and contact number of NGO and signatory
CSR-1 Registration Process
7-step end-to-end CSR-1 filing with Your Compliance Partner.
-
1
Pre-CSR-1 Eligibility Audit
Your Compliance Partner experts validate your NGO's 12A, 80G, Darpan, PAN and 3-year activity record before filing.
-
2
Board / Trustee Resolution
We draft the resolution authorising filing of CSR-1 and appointment of authorised signatory.
-
3
DSC Procurement
If the signatory does not have a Class-3 DSC, we coordinate fresh DSC issuance within 24-48 hours.
-
4
Form CSR-1 Preparation
We prepare the Form CSR-1 with all NGO details, Darpan ID, registration details and activity scope.
-
5
Professional Certification
Form CSR-1 is digitally signed and certified by our in-network practising CA / CS / CMA.
-
6
Filing on MCA21 Portal
Form CSR-1 is uploaded on the MCA21 portal (mca.gov.in) and an SRN is generated.
-
7
Issue of CSR Registration Number
Upon MCA approval (typically auto-approval within minutes to a few hours), a unique CSR Registration Number with prefix CSR000XXXXX is issued.
Post-CSR-1 Compliance
A CSR Registration Number opens the door - but ongoing compliance is essential to stay funded.
- Maintain proper books of accounts segregated for each CSR project funded by a corporate donor.
- Submit utilisation certificates and impact reports to corporate donors as per the CSR Policy of the funder.
- File annual ITR-7 disclosing CSR receipts and utilisation.
- Comply with Section 135 read with Companies (CSR Policy) Rules, 2014, including project-mode disbursement and ongoing project rules.
- Update CSR-1 details on MCA21 if there is any change in NGO name, address, registration or office bearers.
- Maintain Darpan, 12A and 80G registrations as continuous pre-requisites for retaining CSR Implementing Agency status.
Why Choose Your Compliance Partner for CSR-1?
CSR-1 Specialists
Hundreds of CSR-1 filings closed for Trusts, Societies and Section 8 Companies.
MCA21 Filing Expertise
Our in-house CS team handles MCA filings daily - zero rejection record on CSR-1.
Bundled Compliance
Get Darpan + 12A + 80G + CSR-1 + FCRA done as one integrated, sequenced workflow.
Fast Turnaround
Filing within 3-7 working days of complete documents and DSC.
Transparent Process
Clear scope and milestones on every engagement.
Post-CSR-1 Donor Support
Help with CSR proposals, project budgets and corporate donor outreach.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Form CSR-1?
Form CSR-1 is the e-form prescribed under Rule 4(2) of the Companies (CSR Policy) Rules, 2014, that every NGO must file on the MCA21 portal to be eligible to receive CSR funds from companies covered under Section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013.
Who is required to file Form CSR-1?
Every entity that wishes to act as a CSR Implementing Agency - Section 8 Companies, Registered Trusts, Registered Societies, or entities established under any Act of Parliament/State Legislature - must file Form CSR-1 to obtain a CSR Registration Number.
Is CSR-1 mandatory to receive corporate donations?
If the donation is to be recognised as 'CSR' spend by the company under Section 135, then yes - the recipient NGO must hold a valid CSR Registration Number obtained through Form CSR-1. Without it, the company cannot count the contribution towards its statutory CSR obligation.
What is the validity of the CSR Registration Number?
The CSR Registration Number does not expire and remains valid for the lifetime of the NGO, subject to ongoing compliance with the Companies Act, Income Tax Act and FCRA (where applicable).
What is the government fee for filing Form CSR-1?
There is no government filing fee for Form CSR-1 on the MCA21 portal. Your Compliance Partner charges only a transparent professional fee that includes documentation, DSC procurement (if needed) and CA/CS/CMA certification.
Can a newly registered NGO file CSR-1?
Only if it is a Section 8 Company, a Trust or Society established by/under any Act of Parliament or State Legislature, or has 3+ years of similar activity track record. Otherwise, the 3-year track record is mandatory.
Is 12A and 80G mandatory for CSR-1?
Yes. Valid 12A and 80G registrations under the Income Tax Act are mandatory pre-requisites for filing Form CSR-1.
Can a Section 8 Company without 3-year track record file CSR-1?
Yes - if the Section 8 Company is established by or under any Act of Parliament or State Legislature, the 3-year track record is not required. Otherwise, the 3-year condition applies.
Let's get started
Ready to Register Your Business or NGO?
Talk to a Your Compliance Partner expert today. Free 30-minute consultation, no obligation.
- Free 30-min strategy call
- Senior expert, not a call center
- Transparent process, no surprises
- End-to-end ownership till delivery
Talk to an expert
Book your free 30-min consultation.
No obligation. No sales pitch. Just a real conversation with a senior compliance expert who has handled hundreds of matters like yours.
Or call +91 9958981138 · Mon-Sat, 9am-7pm