Your checklist
0 of 6 doneMost failed sign ups on Darpan come down to papers that do not match each other. This page lists the NGO Darpan registration documents and details you should collect before you start, explains why each one matters, and covers the NGO PAN card. Darpan Portal Guide is an independent guide, not the official portal of NITI Aayog. You register only on ngodarpan.gov.in.
Why NGO Darpan is required
NITI Aayog says the Darpan Unique ID is needed to apply for grants from Government of India ministries and departments. Its Voluntary Action Cell also says the ID is needed for FCRA registration or renewal and for 80G exemption. Under the anti money laundering record rules, banks must ensure an NGO has a Darpan Unique ID before opening and running its accounts. So even a small NGO with no grant plans usually needs it. See our Darpan ID page for what the ID is.
The basic requirements for registration in NGO Darpan are about who you are. Who can register: a trust, a society, or a section 8 (non-profit) company. An individual cannot register on Darpan. If you have not yet formed the NGO, start with our NGO registration guide.
NGO Darpan registration documents required: checklist
The official sign up guide and ministry notices point to the set below. These are the real Darpan registration requirements in practice. Keep all NGO documents, paper and soft copies, in one folder.
| Document or detail | Why it is asked | Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Registration certificate (RC) of the NGO | Proves it is a legal trust, society or section 8 company. Uploaded in the NGO details tab. | For a trust, the registered trust deed or the certificate from the registering office. For a society, the certificate from the Registrar of Societies. For a company, the certificate of incorporation. |
| Registration number, date and registering authority | Typed in the NGO details tab | Copy exactly from the certificate, including slashes and letters. |
| NGO PAN | The portal checks the NGO name and PAN online | Name must match the PAN record. Keep a PDF or JPG scan, as the guide asks for an upload if the online check fails. |
| PAN of office bearers | Identity of the people who run the NGO | Name as on the PAN card, no short forms. |
| Aadhaar of office bearers | Identity check of members | Number and name as on the Aadhaar card. |
| Member details | Board record | Designation, gender, date of birth, contact details and the date each member joined. |
| Registered address and contact | Address, city, district, PIN and website if any | Use the address on the certificate. |
| Contact mobile and email | OTPs and all future messages | Use a number and email the NGO will keep for years. |
| Key issues (sectors) and activities | Shown in the public directory | Choose only sectors you really work in. Write major achievements briefly. |
| FCRA details, if any | Asked in the NGO details tab | Keep the FCRA registration number and validity ready. |
| Grants received, if any | Grant section of the profile | Ministry or department, scheme, amount sanctioned and financial year, from the sanction orders. |
A parliament answer from the ministry side said the portal collects the PAN of the NGO and the PAN and Aadhaar of at least three office bearers. The official sign up guide describes key roles such as president or chairman, secretary and treasurer, or their equivalents. It also notes a different minimum for some trusts, so check the official FAQ if your trust has fewer trustees.
Darpan registration for trust documents required
Trusts face one extra question: what counts as the registration certificate. If the trust deed was registered at the sub-registrar office, the registered deed with its registration number is your proof. In states where trusts also register with a charity commissioner or similar office, keep that certificate too. Both should carry the same trust name as the PAN. Our trust registration page covers how the deed is registered.
NGO PAN card: the document that causes most errors
Darpan matches your NGO name and PAN with the Income Tax records. So the PAN must be in the NGO's own name, never the founder's personal PAN.
- How to get it: NGO PAN card registration is done in Form 49A. Apply through the apply for PAN link on the Income Tax e-filing portal, or at a PAN centre. A trustee or authorised person signs for the NGO.
- Proof for a trust: the Income Tax Department lists a copy of the trust deed or the registration certificate.
- Proof for a society or company: the registration certificate from the registrar.
- Quick check: the fourth character of a PAN shows the holder type. For a trust it is "T". If you see "P", it is a personal PAN.
- Fee: the current fee is shown on the Income Tax PAN page. It depends on whether the address is in India or abroad.
If the NGO name on the PAN is spelt differently from the certificate, fix the PAN first with a PAN change request. The sign up screen does offer a box to note that the PAN name differs, but a mismatch often slows verification. Our Darpan problems page covers the "PAN not validated" error.
Scanning and upload tips
The official sign up guide mentions PDF or JPG for the PAN upload. We could not confirm a fixed size limit for Darpan uploads, so keep files small and clear:
- Scan in colour at normal resolution. Phone photos taken at an angle are often rejected.
- Join all pages of a certificate into one PDF.
- Name files simply, such as "RC.pdf" and "NGO-PAN.pdf".
- If the upload fails, reduce the file size and try again. Check the FAQ on ngodarpan.gov.in for current limits.
Prepare details before you log in
The portal asks for many fields across several tabs. Once the documents required for NGO Darpan registration are in your folder, fill the details in a notebook or a simple sheet first: each member's full name exactly as on PAN, PAN number, Aadhaar number, date of birth, designation and mobile. Then sign up and copy them in. This saves the session from timing out. The step by step flow is on our NGO Darpan registration page, and the sign in help is on NGO Darpan login.
After the profile shows complete and is verified, you can generate the Unique ID and later download the Darpan certificate.
Common questions
The NGO Darpan documents required are few. You need the NGO's registration certificate, the NGO PAN, and the PAN and Aadhaar details of at least three office bearers, plus address, contact and sector details. Keep scans of the certificate and PAN ready for upload.
No. The NGO must have its own PAN in its own name. Darpan checks the NGO name against the PAN record, so a personal PAN will fail.
The official sign up guide and FAQ are on ngodarpan.gov.in. Many PDFs on other sites are old copies. Use them only as a rough checklist and follow the live portal.
The portal asks PAN and Aadhaar of the office bearers you list, with a minimum number of members. Each listed member must give both, matching their cards. Check the official FAQ for the minimum that applies to your trust.
Check ngodarpan.gov.in for a Hindi language option; we could not confirm a Hindi version of the sign up guide. The documents are the same in any language: certificate, NGO PAN, and members' PAN and Aadhaar.
No. Darpan registration does not ask for 12A or 80G. But NITI Aayog says the Darpan ID is needed to seek 80G exemption, so Darpan usually comes first. See our 12A and 80G guide.