# Classification of Companies
Companies under the Companies Act, 2013 can be classified along five dimensions:
## The Five Bases of Classification
| Basis | Types | Key Sections |
|---|---|---|
| Liability | Limited by shares / Limited by guarantee / Unlimited | 2(22), 2(21), 2(92) |
| Members | OPC / Private / Public / Small | 2(62), 2(68), 2(71), 2(85) |
| Control | Holding & Subsidiary / Associate | 2(87), 2(6) |
| Capital (listing) | Listed / Unlisted | 2(52) |
| Other | Government / Foreign / Section 8 (non-profit) / Dormant / Nidhi | 2(45), 2(42), Sec 8, Sec 406 |
## Visual Map
```
CLASSIFICATION OF COMPANIES
|
--------------------------------------------------------
| | | | |
Liability Members Control Capital Other
| | | | |
- By shares - OPC - Holding & - Listed - Government
- By - Private Subsidiary - Unlisted - Foreign
guarantee - Public - Associate - Section 8
- Unlimited - Small - Dormant
- Nidhi
```
## Why Multiple Classifications?
The same company can fall into multiple categories simultaneously. For example:
- A company can be a Private Company (by members), Limited by Shares (by liability), Unlisted (by capital), and a Subsidiary (by control) - all at once.
Learn each classification with its defining section - that's how exam questions test you.