RUN Application for Change of Name of an Existing Company
Reserve Unique Name, Special Resolution & the Fresh Certificate
A change of company name begins with the RUN service — the MCA's facility for reserving a new name — and runs through a defined sequence of approvals before it takes effect. The new name must be reserved and cleared, approved by the shareholders through a special resolution, and confirmed by the Registrar, who issues a fresh certificate of incorporation. Only then is the change legally effective.
Overview
What Is the RUN Service?
RUN, which stands for Reserve Unique Name, is a web-based service on the MCA portal used to reserve a name. It is a simple application: you propose a name, or two, and the Central Registration Centre checks it against the naming rules and existing names and either approves or rejects it. Since the introduction of the integrated SPICe+ incorporation form, the main use of RUN has narrowed to one situation: reserving a new name for an existing company that wants to change its name. A brand-new company no longer uses RUN; it reserves its name through SPICe+ Part A as part of incorporation.
It is important to be clear about what RUN does and does not do. RUN only reserves the name. It is the first step in a change of company name, not the whole of it. Reserving the name gives you the right to use it for a limited period, within which the actual change — the shareholder resolution, the application to the Registrar, and the fresh certificate — has to be completed.
N D Savla & Associates is a firm of Chartered Accountants and Company Secretaries in Mumbai that handles company name changes end to end, from the RUN reservation to the fresh certificate, as part of our incorporation and change services. The focus is practical: reserving an acceptable name, passing the right resolution, filing the right forms, and getting the fresh certificate, so the new name holds up everywhere it matters.
Common Scenarios
Why a Company Changes Its Name
Companies rename themselves for a range of commercial and legal reasons — and one scope point decides the route before anything else:
Rebranding
A new brand identity, market positioning, or a fresh start under a different name.
A Change of Business
Where the company's activities have shifted and the old name no longer reflects what it does.
A Change of Ownership
Following an acquisition or a change of promoters, where the new owners want the company under their own name.
Conversion
On conversion between a private and a public company, the word Private is added to or removed from the name.
A Direction From the Authorities
Where the name is found to be too identical to an existing name or a trademark and a change is directed.
New Company? Use SPICe+ Part A
RUN is the name-change route for companies that already exist. A brand-new company reserves its name through SPICe+ Part A as part of incorporation.
Forms & Key Facts
The Forms Involved in a Name Change
A change of company name moves through a defined set of forms. The table below sets out the sequence, followed by the practical points about the RUN application itself.
| Step | Form | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Reserve the name | RUN | Reserve the proposed new name for the existing company |
| File the resolution | MGT-14 | File the special resolution altering the name clause of the MOA |
| Apply for approval | INC-24 | Apply to the Central Government for approval of the change of name |
| Fresh certificate | INC-25 | The new certificate of incorporation, issued by the Registrar with the changed name |
| Aspect | Position |
|---|---|
| Main use | Reserving a new name for an existing company changing its name |
| New companies | Use SPICe+ Part A instead, not RUN |
| Proposed names | Up to two names can be proposed in one application |
| Government fee | Rs 1,000 per RUN application |
| Resubmission | One resubmission is allowed if the names are not approved |
| Validity of the reserved name | 20 days from approval, within which the change must be completed |
| Effect on CIN | The CIN does not change; only the name changes |
Naming Rules
What Makes a Name Acceptable
The proposed name has to clear the naming rules under the Companies (Incorporation) Rules, or the RUN application is rejected. In broad terms, an acceptable name:
The Process
The Name Change Process, Step by Step
From the boardroom decision to the fresh certificate, the process runs as follows:
Board resolution. The board meets, approves the proposal to change the name, and authorises the RUN application and the calling of a general meeting.
Name reservation through RUN. The proposed new name is reserved through the RUN service, after checking it against the naming rules and any trademark conflict.
Special resolution. At a general meeting, the members pass a special resolution to change the name and to alter the name clause of the Memorandum, and the Articles where needed.
File MGT-14. The special resolution is filed with the Registrar in Form MGT-14 within 30 days of being passed.
File INC-24. An application for the Central Government's approval of the change of name is filed in Form INC-24, with the resolutions and altered documents.
Fresh certificate of incorporation. On approval, the Registrar issues a fresh certificate of incorporation with the new name, and the change takes legal effect from that date.
Continuity
What Stays the Same After a Name Change
This is the point that reassures most companies. A change of name changes the name and nothing else about the company's legal existence. The company keeps the same Corporate Identity Number, remains the same legal entity, and retains all of its assets, contracts, licences, registrations, and liabilities. Agreements signed under the old name remain valid, and there is no break in the company's history or continuity.
Documentation & Follow-Through
Documents Needed — and What to Update Afterwards
A company name change draws on the following:
Once the fresh certificate is issued, the new name has to be carried through everywhere the old one appeared:
Our Services
How We Help With a Company Name Change
We handle the whole name change, so the new name is reserved, approved, and recorded correctly. The six service blocks below cover the full engagement.
Name Check
Naming Rules & Trademark Check
RUN Reservation
RUN – Reserve Unique Name
Resolutions
Filings
MGT-14 / INC-24
Fresh Certificate
Records Update
Watch-Outs
Common Mistakes to Avoid
A few avoidable errors cause most name change problems:
Why N D Savla & Associates
Why Companies Choose Us for Name Changes
A name change looks simple and trips people up in the detail: a name that will not clear, a reservation that lapses, a resolution passed the wrong way, or a fresh certificate that never gets obtained. We handle all of it: we check and reserve an acceptable name through RUN, prepare the board and special resolutions and the altered MOA, file MGT-14 and INC-24 within their timelines, and obtain the fresh certificate of incorporation, then help you carry the new name through your PAN, bank, GST, and other records.
Because we handle this as part of a company's wider compliance, the name change is done cleanly and the continuity of the company is preserved. For a business rebranding, restructuring, or renaming for any reason, this means a change of name that is valid, complete, and recorded correctly.
Related Services
Our Broader Incorporation & Change Practice
A name change sits inside a wider family of incorporation and change filings. Our related services cover:
Frequently Asked Questions
Common Questions on the RUN Name Change
What is the RUN service?
Can RUN be used to change the name of an existing company?
How do I change my company's name?
Does changing the company name change the CIN?
Is a special resolution required to change a company name?
How long is a name reserved through RUN valid?
What is INC-24?
What needs to be updated after a company name change?
Change your company name with N D Savla & Associates
Whether you are rebranding, restructuring, or renaming for any reason, we can reserve the name through RUN, obtain the approvals, and secure the fresh certificate of incorporation, so your new name is valid and complete.
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
