SPICe+ Part A: Reserve a Name for Your New Company
The First Step of SPICe+ Incorporation
Before a company can be registered, its name has to be approved by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs — and Part A of the SPICe+ form is where that happens. It is a deceptively important step, because the name has to clear the naming rules, avoid clashing with any existing company or trademark, and carry the right suffix, and a name that is rejected sends you back to the start. Getting an acceptable name reserved cleanly is what lets the rest of the incorporation proceed without delay.
Overview
What Is SPICe+ Part A?
SPICe+, which stands for Simplified Proforma for Incorporating Company electronically Plus, is the MCA's integrated web form for incorporating a company. It is built in two parts. Part A handles the reservation of the company's name, and Part B handles the incorporation itself, along with a range of linked registrations. Part A is therefore the entry point: it is where a proposed name is submitted, checked against the naming rules and existing names, and either approved and reserved or sent back.
Part A can be used on its own, simply to lock in a name, or filed together with Part B to reserve the name and incorporate the company in a single flow. Either way, its job is the same: to secure an approved name for the company being formed. Once the name is reserved, it is held for a set period, within which the incorporation has to be completed.
N D Savla & Associates is a firm of Chartered Accountants and Company Secretaries in Mumbai that handles company incorporation end to end, from the Part A name reservation through to the certificate of incorporation, as part of our incorporation and change services. The focus is practical: choosing a name that will be approved, reserving it correctly, and moving smoothly from the reserved name into incorporation.
Common Scenarios
When Is SPICe+ Part A the Right Route?
Part A serves every new company being formed, whatever its type — and the way it is filed can be adapted to how ready the rest of the incorporation is:
Lock In the Name First
Part A filed on its own reserves the name while the rest of the incorporation — directors, registered office, capital — is still being finalised.
Reserve & Incorporate Together
Part A filed together with Part B reserves the name and incorporates the company in a single flow, when everything is ready.
A Private Limited Company
The most common new company — its name must end with the suffix Private Limited.
A One Person Company
A single-founder company — its name carries the suffix OPC Private Limited.
A Public Limited Company
A company built for scale and public capital — its name must end with the word Limited.
Existing Company? Use RUN Instead
Part A is for a new company. An existing company that wants to change its name uses the RUN service — the two are not interchangeable.
Part A & Part B
How the Two Parts of SPICe+ Divide the Work
It helps to see how the two parts of SPICe+ divide the work. The table below sets out the contrast, followed by the practical points about the Part A application itself.
| Aspect | Part A | Part B |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Name reservation | Incorporation of the company |
| What it does | Reserves the company's name | Registers the company and allots DIN, PAN, and TAN |
| Can be filed | On its own, or with Part B | After or along with Part A |
| Linked forms | None | e-MOA, e-AOA, AGILE-PRO-S, and INC-9 |
| Aspect | Position |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Reserving a name for a new company being incorporated |
| Existing companies | Use the RUN service to change their name instead |
| Proposed names | Up to two names can be proposed in one application |
| Resubmission | One resubmission is allowed if the names are not approved |
| Government fee | Rs 1,000 for a standalone name reservation |
| Validity of the reserved name | 20 days from approval, extendable on payment of additional fees |
| After approval | The reserved name flows into Part B for incorporation |
Naming Rules
Choosing a Name That Will Be Approved
The proposed name has to satisfy the naming rules under the Companies (Incorporation) Rules, or Part A is rejected. In broad terms, an acceptable name:
The Bigger Picture
How Name Reservation Fits Into Incorporation
Part A is the first step of a larger process. Once the name is approved and reserved, incorporation proceeds through Part B, which does far more than register the company. In a single integrated filing, Part B allots the directors' DINs, issues the company's PAN and TAN, files the electronic Memorandum and Articles of Association, and, through the linked AGILE-PRO-S form, sets up GST, EPFO, ESIC, professional tax, and the bank account. The result, on approval, is the certificate of incorporation. The reserved name from Part A carries straight into this, which is why getting an approved name in Part A is the gateway to a smooth incorporation.
A worked example: securing the name before the details are final
Suppose you are forming a new private limited company and want to secure your preferred name before finalising the directors and office. The process runs like this:
- Two names are chosen. A first preference and a backup are selected, both checked against existing names and trademarks.
- Part A is filed. The names are submitted through SPICe+ Part A with the company type and objects.
- The name is reserved. One name is approved and reserved for 20 days, giving time to complete the rest.
- Part B follows. Within the window, the incorporation is filed through Part B with the directors, office, capital, and linked registrations.
- The company is incorporated. On approval, the certificate of incorporation is issued with PAN and TAN, under the reserved name.
Documentation
Information Needed for Part A
A Part A name reservation is light on documents but needs the right information:
Our Services
How We Help With SPICe+ Part A
We handle the name reservation and the incorporation that follows, so the name is approved cleanly and the company is formed without delay. The six service blocks below cover the full engagement.
Name Selection
Naming Rules & Trademark Check
Part A Filing
SPICe+ Part A
Reservation
Incorporation
SPICe+ Part B / AGILE-PRO-S
Certificate
Post-Incorporation
Watch-Outs
Common Mistakes to Avoid
A few avoidable errors cause most name reservation problems:
Why N D Savla & Associates
Why Founders Choose Us for Name Reservation
The name is where an incorporation most often stalls, because a rejected name means starting the reservation again and losing days. We remove that risk: we help you pick names that will actually clear, checking them against existing companies and trademarks and the naming rules, file Part A correctly, and secure the reservation, then move straight into the full incorporation through Part B within the window.
Because we handle the name and the incorporation as one continuous process, there is no gap between reserving the name and forming the company. For founders getting a new company off the ground, this means the name is locked in and the company is incorporated cleanly, without the false starts that a name rejection causes.
Related Services
Our Broader Incorporation Practice
SPICe+ Part A is the gateway to the full incorporation family. Our related services cover:
Frequently Asked Questions
Common Questions on SPICe+ Part A
What is SPICe+ Part A?
What is the difference between SPICe+ Part A and Part B?
Can I file SPICe+ Part A on its own?
How many names can I propose in SPICe+ Part A?
How long is a name reserved through SPICe+ Part A valid?
What is the difference between SPICe+ Part A and RUN?
What are the rules for choosing a company name?
What happens after the name is approved in Part A?
Reserve your company name with N D Savla & Associates
Whether you want to lock in a name before you incorporate, or reserve it and form the company in one go, we can help you choose a name that clears and handle the whole SPICe+ process.
Contact Our TeamHead Office: Suit No. 102, L1, Ashok Premises, Nicholas Road, Andheri (East), Mumbai 400069 · Serving companies across India
Phone: +91 98218 32683 | +91 98190 00511 | +91 91670 58000 · Email: nainitsavla@savlagroup.in · ndsavlaa.com
