BK & Co Auditors SalemBK & Co Auditors Salem

Specialist Advisor

Corporate & Compliance Consultant

Published on: Sep 9, 2026

Generation of UDIN by Practising Company Secretaries (PCS)

The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) has taken a significant step to enhance the professional practice of Company Secretaries with the introduction of UDIN (Unique Document Identification Number). This initiative aims to streamline the attestation and certification of service documents by Company Secretaries. Governed by Clause(I), Part 2 of the second schedule of the Companies Secretaries (Amendment) Act, 2006, the UDIN system ensures that every verification and attestation service is authenticated and standardized, reinforcing the credibility of Company Secretaries in India.

What is UDIN for PCS (Practising Company Secretary)?

The UDIN serves as a unique identifier consisting of the first two digits representing the current attestation year, followed by a six-digit membership number assigned by ICAI/ICSI, and a randomly generated ten-digit alphanumeric sequence. This structure confirms the authenticity of the documents being processed.

Why UDIN?

UDIN enhances security by preventing multiple attestations/certifications. It facilitates stakeholders, including shareholders, in verifying documents authenticated by Company Secretaries. Furthermore, UDIN assists with compliance to mandatory attestation guidelines and the maintenance of service registers by practicing members. It also supports the auto-filling of registered CS member details each time a document attestation is initiated.

Application of UDIN

The application of UDIN is mandatory in specific cases, except for certain e-forms and certified documents. Practicing Company Secretaries must apply UDIN for tasks such as:

  • Certification of Annual Returns (Section 92 (2))
  • Issuing Secretarial Audit Report (Section 204)
  • Issuance of Secretarial Audit Reports to material unlisted subsidiaries of listed companies, as per SEBI regulations
  • Certifications mandated by SEBI listing and disclosure regulations
  • Conducting internal audits as per NSDL or CDSL laws, and audits of stockbrokers and sub-brokers under SEBI
  • Certifications required under regulation 76 of SEBI for Share Capital Audit reconciliation
  • Serving as a compliance auditor under third-party certification or audit schemes
  • Certifications for Indian companies receiving foreign investment or related matters
  • Additionally, UDIN may be applied voluntarily by CS for other attestations not listed above.
Explore related services such as DIN Reactivation here.Steps for Applying UDIN by Company Secretaries

Applying for a UDIN does not require any special documents or approvals. Here’s the process:

  1. Visit the official UDIN portal for Company Secretaries
  2. Register and log in using membership credentials and necessary details
  3. The system then generates an automated 18-digit number for use as UDIN in document attestations or verifications

The generated UDIN is valid for seven days from its effective date for all e-forms, including form MGT-7, and should be digitally signed by the PCS within this time frame.

Back to Learn

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about UDIN Generation by PCS.

UDIN stands for Unique Document Identification Number. It is an automated unique number generated to ensure authenticity and prevent counterfeiting of attestations/certifications by Practicing Company Secretaries. It enables stakeholders to verify documents certified by PCS and ensures compliance with mandatory attestation guidelines.
The UDIN is an 18-digit number, with the first 2 digits representing the current year, the next 6 digits representing the PCS's membership number, and the remaining 10 digits being a randomly generated alphanumeric number.
The application of UDIN is mandatory for PCS in cases such as certifying Annual Returns (Section 92(2)), issuing Secretarial Audit Reports (Section 204), certifications under SEBI regulations, conducting internal audits for NSDL/CDSL, Share Capital Audit reconciliation, and certifications related to foreign investments in Indian companies.
Yes, the UDIN generated for e-forms like MGT-7 is valid for only seven days from the effective date of UDIN generation. The PCS must digitally sign the document within this period.
Yes, a PCS can voluntarily generate UDIN for attesting or verifying any other document not specifically listed as mandatory, if required.
Using UDIN ensures easy compliance with mandatory attestation guidelines, enables stakeholders to authenticate certified documents, prevents counterfeiting of multiple attestations/certifications, and maintains a register of services rendered by PCS.
No, PCS do not require any special document or approval from any authority to apply for UDIN. They can simply register and log in to the official UDIN portal using their membership credentials.
No, a unique UDIN must be generated for each document that requires attestation or certification by the PCS.
No, the process of applying for UDIN is the same for all types of documents, whether mandatory or voluntary.
Stakeholders can verify the authenticity of a document certified by a PCS by checking the UDIN against the official UDIN portal or database maintained by the regulatory authority (ICSI in this case).