Certificate of Incumbency
A certified statement of your company’s current directors and shareholders, usually needed by overseas banks.
A certificate of incumbency is a formal statement of who currently holds office in a company — its directors, its authorised signatories and, in most versions, its shareholders. It is signed by a professional or a company officer and is used to prove corporate authority to a third party.
It is asked for most often by foreign banks, overseas counterparties and international registries, none of whom can readily interpret an Indian corporate filing. The certificate translates the position into a form they recognise.
What this costs
Basic
₹4,654 plus GST
- Certificate of incumbency, signed by a chartered accountant or company secretary
- Board Resolution Drafting
- Document Verification & Compliance Check
- Priority Processing & Expert Support
What it typically states
- Full legal name of the company and its corporate identity number
- Date and jurisdiction of incorporation
- Registered office address
- Current directors, with their identification numbers and dates of appointment
- Shareholders and their holdings
- Authorised signatories and the extent of their authority
- Confirmation that the company is in good standing and not under liquidation
Where it is needed
- Opening a bank account for an overseas subsidiary or branch
- Executing contracts with foreign counterparties
- Establishing authority in a cross-border transaction or financing
- Registering a subsidiary or branch abroad
- Due diligence in an acquisition or investment
- Proceedings before a foreign court or arbitral tribunal
Attestation is usually the real requirement
For use abroad, the certificate itself is rarely enough. It commonly needs notarisation, followed by apostille where the destination country is party to the Hague Convention, or consular legalisation where it is not.
The attestation chain takes considerably longer than issuing the certificate, so it is worth establishing what the recipient actually requires before starting. Requesting apostille when consular legalisation is needed, or the reverse, wastes weeks.
How we handle it
- 1 Establishing the requirement We ask who wants the certificate and for what, since format and attestation requirements differ by country and institution.
- 2 Verifying the position Directors, shareholders and signatories are verified against the statutory registers and the Registrar’s records.
- 3 Drafting The certificate is drafted to state the position as at a specific date, in the format the recipient expects.
- 4 Certification It is signed by a practising professional or authorised officer, with the identification number where applicable.
- 5 Notarisation The certificate is notarised, which is the first step in the attestation chain.
- 6 Apostille or legalisation Where required for use abroad, apostille or consular legalisation is arranged.
Frequently asked questions
Who issues a certificate of incumbency?
It is issued by the company through an authorised officer, or certified by a practising professional such as a company secretary or chartered accountant. It is not issued by the Registrar.
How is it different from a certificate of incorporation?
The certificate of incorporation records that the company was formed and never changes. A certificate of incumbency states who currently holds office and is a point-in-time statement.
Will a foreign bank accept it as it is?
Usually not without attestation. Most require notarisation followed by apostille or consular legalisation, depending on whether the country is party to the Hague Convention.
How long is it valid?
It states the position at a specific date. Most institutions want one dated within the last three to six months, so check the requirement before ordering it.
What is the difference between apostille and legalisation?
Apostille is a single certification accepted by countries party to the Hague Convention. Legalisation is the longer route through the destination country’s embassy, used where it is not.
What is not included. Government fees, statutory charges, stamp duty, court and registry fees, digital signature costs and any third-party professional charges are separate and payable at actuals. GST applies on professional fees where indicated. Prices shown are indicative and may change without notice; we confirm the total in writing before any work begins — see our terms on pricing.
Talk to us about Certificate of Incumbency
Share your requirement and our team will confirm the documents needed, the exact charges and a realistic timeline — usually the same working day.
- Expert document checking before submission
- Regular status updates on WhatsApp
- Transparent professional charges
- Assistance in Marathi & English
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