"Active Non-Compliant" is the MCA tag for a company that did not file Form INC-22A (ACTIVE: Active Company Tagging Identities and Verification), which companies incorporated on or before 31 December 2017 had to file in 2019 to confirm their registered office, directors and filing status. The company still exists and can be sued, but the Registrar blocks certain filings, such as changes in capital, directors (other than cessation) and registered office, until it files INC-22A with the late fee.
Where the label comes from
In 2019 MCA asked companies to file a short e-form, INC-22A, confirming the registered office with a geotagged photograph, details of the directors and the company's compliance with annual filings. It was meant to identify shell companies and companies that existed only on paper. Companies that did not file it in time were marked "ACTIVE non-compliant" on the master data page. Companies that file it later, with a fee, can return to active.
The tag does not mean the company has been struck off. It is a compliance flag, not a closure step.
What it restricts
Until it files INC-22A, an active non-compliant company is generally unable to file several event-based forms, including those for an increase in share capital, allotment of shares, changes in directors (other than cessation) and change of registered office. Its directors may also face issues in their own filings. The company can still trade, sign contracts and issue cheques, and it can still be sued, served and prosecuted.
What it means for a supplier
For credit, the tag is a caution sign. A company that did not complete a short verification form may not have a working registered office, may have directors who are not engaged, or may have stopped business. Ask questions before extending credit:
- Is the address on MCA the address the buyer operates from? If not, where is the registered office?
- When were the last balance sheet and annual return filed?
- Are the directors who placed the order listed on the MCA record?
- Is the GSTIN active and filing returns? Check on FundRaksha Trust.
For recovery, the tag changes little legally. Serve the notice at the registered office shown on MCA and also at the place of business you actually dealt with, by registered post AD and email. If the company has stopped functioning, check whether it is heading to strike off, and see strike-off company.
How to check whether a buyer is tagged
- Open mca.gov.in > MCA Services > Master Data > View Company or LLP Master Data.
- Enter the CIN or name and the captcha.
- Look at the company status field and, where shown, the ACTIVE compliance field.
- Note the dates of the last AGM and balance sheet in the same record.
If you are already owed money by such a company, act early. FundRaksha Legal sends a notice within 24 hours to every valid address and charges 30% only on recovery.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-20. Information for Indian businesses; not legal advice.