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Microlesson · 5-min read

Display of Name of Foreign Company [Sec 382]

# Display of Name etc. of Foreign Company — Section 382

## Requirements

Every foreign company shall:

### (a) On Outside of Every Office / Place of Business

Conspicuously exhibit on the outside of every office or place of business in India:

  • Name of the company
  • Country of incorporation
  • If the liability of members is limited, this fact must also be displayed

These must be in:

  • Letters easily legible in English, AND
  • Letters of the local language in use in the locality

### (b) On Business Letters, Bill-heads, Notices, etc.

State in all:

  • Business letters
  • Bill-heads & letter paper
  • Notices and other official publications

the following particulars (in legible English):

  • Name of the company
  • Country of incorporation
  • If liability of members is limited, the fact that liability is limited

## Quick Comparison

Where displayedLanguages required
Outside office / place of businessEnglish + local language
Business letters, notices, bill-headsEnglish only

Worked example

### Example 1

Q. A Japanese foreign company opens an office in Chennai. What must it display on the outside?

A. Company name, country of incorporation (Japan), and (if applicable) that the liability of members is limited — in English and in Tamil (the local language).

### Example 2

Q. Must the local-language display appear on the company's letterhead too?

A. No. Letterheads, business letters and notices need only carry the particulars in English.

⚠️ Common exam mistakes

  • Displaying only in English where a local-language display is also required (outside office).
  • Omitting 'limited liability' disclosure on letterheads when applicable.
  • Forgetting to state the country of incorporation.
Bare-Act text Section 382 · Companies Act, 2013 · click to expand
Section 382: Every foreign company shall — (a) conspicuously exhibit on the outside of every office or place where it carries on business in India, the name of the company and the country in which it is incorporated, in letters easily legible in English characters, and also in the characters of the language or one of the languages in general use in the locality in which the office or place is situate; (b) cause the name of the company and of the country in which the company is incorporated, to be stated in legible English characters in all business letters, bill-heads and letter paper, and in all notices, and other official publications of the company; and (c) if the liability of the members of the company is limited, cause notice of that fact — (i) to be stated in every such prospectus issued and in all business letters, bill-heads, letter paper, notices, advertisements and other official publications of the company, in legible English characters; and (ii) to be conspicuously exhibited on the outside of every office or place where it carries on business in India, in legible English characters and also in legible characters of the language or one of the languages in general use in the locality in which the office or place is situate.
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