Thirty days. That is the window between the shareholders passing a special resolution to change a company's name and the deadline for filing it with the registrar in MGT-14. It is the step Kolkata companies most often miss after the rebrand excitement of the EGM. Miss it and the additional fee starts, per day, before the new name is even approved. This page sets out the full sequence for a company registered in West Bengal, what each step costs, and how we finish it in 7 to 10 days.
What is a company name change and when are the filings due?
A company name change is an alteration of the memorandum of association approved by the Registrar of Companies, West Bengal, for companies whose registered office is in the state. The CIN, history, contracts and bank account continue; only the name on the certificate changes. The sequence:
- Reserve the new name through RUN on the MCA portal; the reservation holds for 60 days
- Board meeting to approve the name and call an EGM
- EGM special resolution, with shorter notice if all members consent
- MGT-14 with the resolution within 30 days of passing it
- INC-24 seeking the registrar's approval, with the altered memorandum
- Fresh certificate of incorporation issued by ROC West Bengal
Each window is short, and they run back to back. That is why the whole cycle can finish in 7 to 10 days when nothing is left to drift.
Which Kolkata companies change their name?
The reasons we see most often:
- A Park Street restaurant company that has outgrown the name of its first outlet and now runs four
- A Salt Lake Sector V startup pivoting from services to a product with a different brand
- A family company in Bowbazar dropping a founder's name after a generational handover
- A company adding or removing a place name, such as Calcutta, as its market widens
- A company that received a trademark objection and would rather rename than litigate
The legal process is the same in every case. What differs is the after care. A restaurant has a Certificate of Enlistment from KMC and an FSSAI licence to update, a startup has a trademark to re record, and both have GST, PAN and bank records in the old name.
What happens if you miss a step?
| Step | Window | If missed |
|---|---|---|
| RUN reservation | Holds for 60 days | Name lapses; fresh ₹1,000 application |
| MGT-14 | 30 days from the special resolution | Additional fee per day of delay, rising with the period |
| INC-24 | After MGT-14 is registered | Approval cannot be sought; the change stalls |
| Using the new name before approval | Not permitted | Registrar notice and risk to the INC-24 approval |
| Updating GST, PAN and bank after approval | Promptly | Invoices in the wrong name and mismatched returns |
The additional fee on MGT-14 is the cash cost. The larger cost is a stalled rebrand: signage printed, a marketplace listing renamed, a Sector V startup's investors told, and a certificate still showing the old name because one form sat unfiled.
How do we handle it for you?
- Search: the proposed name is checked against the MCA register, existing LLPs and the trademark register, and we flag words the registrar routinely objects to.
- Reservation: the RUN application is filed with two name options and the ₹1,000 fee.
- Board meeting: the resolution approving the name and calling the EGM is drafted and passed, with the notice and explanatory statement sent to members.
- EGM: the special resolution is passed, by shorter notice where every member consents, and the memorandum and articles are altered.
- Filings: MGT-14 with the resolution goes in within days, not weeks, and INC-24 follows with the altered memorandum.
- Certificate: ROC West Bengal issues the fresh certificate of incorporation and we hand it over with the after care checklist.
From instruction to certificate, 7 to 10 days is typical when the name clears on the first search.
What documents do we need from you?
- Two proposed names in order of preference
- Current certificate of incorporation, memorandum and articles
- List of members with shareholding for the EGM notice
- Digital signatures of the directors
- Trademark certificate or application number if the brand is registered
- Any no objection from a trademark owner where the new name resembles a registered mark
What does a company name change cost in Kolkata?
LegalX India charges ₹6,499 for the search, reservation, board and EGM paperwork, both MCA forms and the certificate. Government fees are paid at actuals: ₹1,000 for the RUN application and form fees on MGT-14 and INC-24 that depend on authorised capital. Where the altered memorandum attracts stamp duty in West Bengal, the amount depends on the instrument and we compute it before filing.
Updating the other registrations is quoted separately and most Kolkata clients bundle at least the GST amendment and the trademark proprietor update with the name change.
Which Kolkata professionals sign off on a name change?
The directors sign the board resolution and the forms with their digital signatures, and a practising company secretary or chartered accountant certifies the MCA filings. The registrar's scrutiny falls on the name itself: whether it is too close to an existing company or trademark, whether it implies a government connection, and whether the EGM was properly convened. A clean search report and a correctly worded resolution answer all three before the file is read.
For a Kolkata company the registrar is always ROC West Bengal, and every filing is electronic. Nobody visits an office; the certificate arrives by email.
Why choose LegalX India for a name change in Kolkata?
Our team sits in Kolkata at 58B, Bidhan Park, Taki Road, Barasat, Kolkata 700124, and our company secretaries file name changes with ROC West Bengal as routine work. You get the name searched against companies and trademarks before a rupee is spent, and the resolution and forms filed in sequence without a resubmission. The fresh certificate arrives in 7 to 10 days with a checklist for everything that carries the old name. The fee is ₹6,499 with government charges at actuals.
For the national rules on restricted names, the RUN process and the forms, read our complete company name change guide for India. For a company registered in West Bengal, call +91 96356 85435 or request a callback and a CS runs the name search within 30 minutes.