Services for clients across India. Applicable state, sector and professional requirements are assessed before an engagement.
NGO Darpan is the NITI Aayog portal (ngodarpan.gov.in, run with NIC) that issues every NGO a unique Darpan ID — the identity number that government ministries, the FCRA wing, CSR donors and the income-tax exemption forms all look for. We handle the registration end-to-end for trusts, societies and Section 8 companies in Thane, Mumbai and across India: KYC collation, portal filing, clarification handling and the profile hygiene that keeps the ID usable when a grant or FCRA application depends on it.
When this service is typically required
- Before applying for grants-in-aid from any central ministry or government scheme — the Darpan ID is required for grant applications
- Ahead of an FCRA registration or prior-permission application, which captures the Darpan ID (see our FCRA registration guide)
- When empanelling for CSR funding — Form CSR-1 and most corporate donors ask for the Darpan ID
- Alongside Section 332/354 (erstwhile 12A/80G) exemption filings, whose forms capture the ID
- When an existing profile is stale — outgoing trustees, changed address or bank account — and needs change requests before a funding application
Indicative scope
- Eligibility and data review: entity type, registration certificate, PAN and name-consistency check across records
- Portal account creation with OTP verification, and complete application drafting — sectors, activities, beneficiary description
- KYC compilation for office bearers and witness (PAN, Aadhaar with linkage verified, contact details)
- Document upload, submission, clarification handling and Darpan certificate / unique ID retrieval
- Profile updates and change requests for existing IDs, aligned with your 12A/80G, FCRA and CSR-1 records
NGO Darpan at a glance
| Item | Position |
|---|---|
| Portal | ngodarpan.gov.in — NITI Aayog with NIC; the only official channel |
| Who registers | Public charitable trusts, societies and Section 8 companies with their own PAN |
| Government fee | Nil — the portal charges nothing |
| Output | Unique Darpan ID with downloadable certificate (NPO Details section) |
| Typical timeline | Same day to a few weeks, depending on document validation and clarifications |
| Where it is used | Ministry grant applications (required), FCRA forms, Form CSR-1, income-tax exemption forms (Section 332/354, erstwhile 12A/80G) |
| Validity | No fixed expiry — profile must be kept updated through portal change requests |
| Common blockers | Name mismatch across certificate/PAN/bank, PAN–Aadhaar not linked for office bearers, unclear scans |
Deliverables
Activated portal account (credentials handed over to the authorised signatory), the filed application, the Darpan certificate with unique ID, and a one-page data sheet of everything filed — so future change requests, FCRA and CSR filings start from a clean record.
Information and documents generally required
Registration certificate (trust deed / society certificate / Section 8 certificate of incorporation), PAN of the NGO, registered office address proof, bank account details, PAN and Aadhaar (linked) with mobile numbers for at least two office bearers and a witness, the authorised signatory’s email, mobile, photo and signature, a short objectives/activities note, and — helpful but optional — recent audited financial statements.
Engagement process
Client responsibilities, assumptions and reliance
The engagement relies on the documents and details provided by the organisation being true, complete and current. The authorised signatory’s mobile and email must be accessible for OTPs, and office bearers’ PAN–Aadhaar linkage is the organisation’s responsibility (we flag gaps; the linkage itself is done by the individual). Portal processing timelines rest with NITI Aayog/NIC and can vary.
Scope exclusions
Separate engagements, quoted on request: 12A/80G (Section 332/354) applications, FCRA registration or prior permission, Form CSR-1 filing, ongoing grant applications and utilisation reporting, and accounting or audit of the NGO. This page describes facilitation of the Darpan registration and profile; approval and its timing rest with the authority.
Frequently asked questions
Is NGO Darpan registration mandatory?
There is no blanket statutory compulsion, but it is mandatory in practice: central ministries require the Darpan ID for grants-in-aid, FCRA applications capture it, Form CSR-1 and the income-tax exemption forms ask for it, and most institutional donors check it. An NGO that intends to raise government, foreign or CSR funds should treat it as a day-one registration.
What does Darpan registration cost and how long does it take?
The NITI Aayog portal charges no government fee. With clean documents the unique ID is typically allotted quickly — the same day to a few weeks where the portal seeks clarification. Delays almost always trace to a name mismatch between the registration certificate, PAN and bank record, or office bearers whose PAN and Aadhaar are not linked.
Which organisations can register on NGO Darpan?
Registered public charitable trusts, societies under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 (including state variants) and Section 8 companies. The entity must already be registered with its own PAN before applying.
Whose KYC details are needed?
Under the current portal version, details of at least two office bearers and a witness — name, PAN, Aadhaar (linked to PAN) and mobile — along with the authorised signatory’s working email and mobile for OTP verification. Committee changes later are reported through a change request on the portal.
Does the Darpan ID expire?
No fixed expiry — but the profile is expected to stay current. Changes in office bearers, registered address, bank account or activities should be updated on the portal, since ministries, FCRA and donors verify against the live profile.
We already have a Darpan ID from years ago. Do we need to do anything?
Review the profile against today’s facts. Old profiles often carry outgoing trustees, closed bank accounts or stale activity data, and mismatches surface at the worst time — during a grant, FCRA or CSR application. We review, correct and re-align the profile with your 12A/80G, FCRA and CSR-1 records.
The applicable scope, documentation, professional responsibilities and timelines are agreed in an engagement letter before commencement.
NGO & Section 8 ComplianceTrust & Society RegistrationRequest a Scope DiscussionThis page describes the service in general terms as on 12 August 2026 and is not professional advice or an assurance of any outcome. Registrations, filings and departmental outcomes depend on facts and the concerned authority. Portal requirements change; verify current positions before acting.