MCA Annual Filing Update: Office Photographs with Signboard and Geotagging now Mandatory
Recent reports suggest that Applicants who approached the authorities for Registration were met with demands to produce business proof
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs’ (MCA) latest compliance update requires all Companies and Body Corporates to submit a photograph of their Registered Office as part of the annual filing process. The requirement has been raised following recent amendments to the annual filing forms under the Companies Act, 2013 and comes amidst a complete digital overhaul of...
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs’ (MCA) latest compliance update requires all Companies and Body Corporates to submit a photograph of their Registered Office as part of the annual filing process.
The requirement has been raised following recent amendments to the annual filing forms under the Companies Act, 2013 and comes amidst a complete digital overhaul of MCA's regulatory mechanism.
Earlier this month, the MCA rolled out the final batch of 38 new company forms on the V3 portal, shifting the process from move from the MCA21 V2 portal to the latest portal along with tighter scrutiny of company disclosures and statutory compliances.
As per the latest requirements, the photograph of the office space must clearly display a signboard or flex board prominently bearing the company’s essential details which includes - the Name of the Company, Complete Registered Office Address, E-mail ID, Phone Number, Corporate Identification Number (CIN), and their Goods and Services Tax (GST) Number, if applicable.
Additionally, the photograph must be geotagged, to ensure accurate verify the office location.
Furthermore, the MCA has advised that registered offices that are uninhabited, non-functional or not maintained in accordance with the Companies Act, 2013 must shift operations to a functional, accessible, and compliant location.
Rising sham entities have led to increased physical inspections by the MCA or regulatory authorities, who may henceforth use the geotagged photographs to verify the operational status of the Registered Office.
The move comes shortly after a recent incident wherein a GST applicant publicly condemned a notice demanding photographs not only of the business site but also of the adjacent shops and signboards in their application process.
The demand was widely criticized and termed “arbitrary and inconsistent with CBIC’s Instruction No. 03/2025-GST” which had clearly laid out that such extensive photo documentation is not mandated during registration and must be confined to necessary verification. The CBIC had even warned authorities to not harass small businesses through demands for unwarranted documentation.
The new requirement comes from the official Companies (Incorporation) Amendment Rules, 2025, issued via G.S.R. 426(E) on 27 June 2025, substituting the existing Form INC‑22A and is effective from 14 July 2025 onwards.
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