LLP Form 5 — changing your LLP's name, step by step

LLP Form 5 at a glance

Who has to file LLP Form 5

• Any LLP voluntarily changing its name, having first reserved the new name.
• Any LLP changing its name because the Central Government has directed it to, following an application under Form 23 by a proprietor of a similar name or trade mark.
• Not to be confused with Form 23, which is the application asking the Registrar to direct another LLP to change its name.

When it is due

Where to find it on the MCA portal

The exact path on MCA V3, in order:

Before you start

Every one of these has to be true before the form will go through. Checking them first is what saves a cancelled SRN.

• The new name must be reserved first, through RUN-LLP. Form 5 records a change to a name you have already secured; it is not the place to propose one.
• Partners' consent to the change must have been obtained in the manner the LLP Agreement requires, and the date of that consent recorded — it starts the 30-day clock.
• The filer must be a registered Business User with a DSC associated against their DPIN.
• Certification by a practising CA, cost accountant or company secretary.
• Be ready to file Form 3 for the consequential amendment to the LLP Agreement.

How to file LLP Form 5, step by step

1. Reserve the new name using RUN-LLP

   Before anything else, apply through RUN-LLP (Reserve Unique Name) on the LLP e-Filing menu. Check the proposed name against existing companies, LLPs and registered trade marks first — name rejections are overwhelmingly caused by similarity to an existing mark, not to another LLP.

2. Take and date the partners' consent

   Obtain consent to the change in the manner the LLP Agreement prescribes, and record the date. That date is day zero for the 30-day deadline, so do not let the paperwork drift after it.

3. Log in and navigate to the form

   Sign in, then MCA Services → E-Filing → LLP Forms Download, go to the Change in name heading, and open Notice for change of name.

4. Enter the LLPIN and the new name

   The existing name is pre-filled from the LLPIN. Enter the new name exactly as it was approved in the name reservation, including the LLP suffix and any punctuation. A single character's difference from the approved name causes rejection.

5. Give the date of partners' consent

   Enter the date consent was taken under Rule 20(1). This is what the Registrar measures the 30 days against.

6. Attach the supporting documents

   The name approval letter, the partners' consent or resolution, and — where the change was directed rather than voluntary — a copy of the direction. PDF or JPG, 2 MB maximum each.

7. Get the professional certification

   Form 5 is digitally signed by a designated partner using their DIN or DPIN, and certified by a chartered accountant, cost accountant or company secretary in whole-time practice.

8. Submit, sign and pay

   Submit generates the SRN. Upload the DSC-signed PDF within 15 days, then pay within 7 days of that upload, or due date plus 2 days, whichever is earlier.

9. File Form 3 for the amended agreement

   The LLP Agreement carries the LLP's name, so changing the name amends the agreement. File Form 3 accordingly. Then update the name on the PAN, TAN, GST registration, bank accounts, licences and letterheads — the Registrar's approval does not propagate anywhere else.

Documents to attach

Mandatory

• Copy of the name approval from the name reservation application.
• Consent of the partners to the change of name.

Optional

• Copy of the direction from the Central Government or Registrar, where the change is not voluntary.
• Trade mark registration or application, where the new name relies on a mark the LLP owns.

File limits: PDF or JPG only, maximum 2 MB per file.

Government fee for LLP Form 5

The normal fee depends on the total contribution of the LLP, under the LLP Rules, 2009.

Late filing fee

Event-based ladder: standard multipliers up to 360 days, then a flat 25 times the normal fee for a small LLP and 50 times for any other LLP, with no per-day component.

Why LLP Form 5 gets rejected

These are the failures that actually stop filings, in rough order of how often they come up.

New name does not exactly match the approved name

Copy the approved name character for character, including the suffix.

Name reservation expired

A reserved name is valid only for a limited period. If it lapses before Form 5 is filed, the reservation has to be made again.

Filed more than 30 days after consent

The clock runs from the date of the partners' consent, not the date of name approval.

Name too close to an existing trade mark

Most name rejections come from trade mark conflicts rather than company or LLP name conflicts. Search the trade marks register before applying.

Form 3 never filed

The LLP Agreement names the LLP. Changing the name without amending the agreement leaves the records inconsistent.

Confusing Form 5 with Form 23

Form 5 changes your own name. Form 23 asks the Registrar to direct another LLP to change theirs.

LLP Form 5 — frequently asked questions

What is the due date for LLP Form 5?

Within 30 days of the date the partners' consent to the change of name was taken under Rule 20(1).

Do I need to reserve the new name before filing Form 5?

Yes. The new name is reserved through RUN-LLP first. Form 5 notifies the Registrar of a change to a name that has already been approved.

Does changing the LLP name change its LLPIN?

No. The LLPIN stays the same, and so does the LLP itself — its contracts, assets, liabilities and registrations all continue. Only the name changes.

What else do I need to update after the name change?

PAN, TAN, GST registration, bank accounts, any licences or registrations, the LLP Agreement via Form 3, and the name displayed at the registered office and on letterheads, invoices and the common seal if one is used.

What is the difference between Form 5 and Form 23?

Form 5 is filed by an LLP to record a change to its own name. Form 23 is an application asking the Registrar to direct a different LLP to change its name because it is too similar to yours.

Why do LLP name applications get rejected so often?

Usually because the proposed name is too similar to a registered trade mark. Checking only the company and LLP name registers misses the most common ground of objection.

Checked against the Ministry of Corporate Affairs instruction kit for this web form and the Limited Liability Partnership Rules, 2009. MCA changes its forms and fees from time to time — confirm the current position on mca.gov.in before you file.