How To Obtain Certificate Of Practice

A member of the Institute shall be deemed "to be in practice' when, individually or in partnership with one or more of members of the Institute in practice or in partnership with members of such other recognised professions as may be prescribed, he, in, consideration of remuneration received or to be received: -
  1. Engages himself in the practice of the profession of Company Secretaries to , or in relation to, any company; or
  2. Offers to perform or performs services in relation to the promotion, forming, incorporation, amalgamation, reconstruction, reorganization or winding up of companies ; or
  3. Offers to perform or performs such services as may be performed by -
    1. An authorised representative of a company with respect to filing, registering, presenting, attesting or verifying any documents (including forms, applications and returns) by or on behalf of the company.
    2. A share transfer agent.
    3. An issue house,
    4. A share and stock broker,
    5. A secretarial auditor or consultant,
    6. An adviser to a company on management, including any legal or procedural matter falling under the Capital Issues (Control) Act, 1947, (29 of 1947), the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951( 65 of 1951), the Companies Act, the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956 ( 42 of 1956) any of th rules or bye-laws made by a recognised stock exchange ,the Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act, 1969 (54 of 1969) , the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1973 (46 of 1973) , or under any other law for the time being in force.
    7. Issuing certificates on behalf of, or for the purposes of, a company; or
  4. holds himself out to the public as a Company Secretary in practice; or
  5. renders professional services or assistance with respect to matters of principle or detail relating to the practice of the profession of Company Secretaries; or
  6. renders such other services as, in the opinion of the Council, are or may be rendered by a Company Secretary in practice;

    and the words " to be in practice" with their grammatical variations and cognate expressions, shall be construed accordingly.
    (Ref: Sub. Section 2 of Section 2 of The Company Secretaries Act, 1980).
    No member of the Institute shall be entitled to practice, whether in India or elsewhere unless he has obtained from the Council a Certificate of Practice. (Ref: Section 6(1) of the Company Secretaries Act, 1980)
    A member of the Institute may apply to the Council in the appropriate form for issue of a Certificate of Practice entitling him to practice as a Company Secretary anywhere in India.
    In the case of renewal of the Certificate of Practice the Secretary shall issue a letter extending the validity period of the Certificate of practice for that year in the appropriate form.
    A member who ceases to be in practice shall not later than thirty days from the date he ceases to be in practice intimate the fact to the Council in writing.
    A member who ceases to be in practice or whose certificate of practice has been cancelled under regulation 11 shall surrender forthwith the certificate of practice held by him to the Secretary.
    (Ref: Regulation 10 of The Company Secretaries Regulations, 1982.)
    A practicing member of the Institute is not allowed to engage in any business or occupation other than the profession of company secretary, without obtaining the prior permission of the Council.
Eligibility for issue of Certificate of Practice
  1.   A practicing member of the Institute is not allowed to engage in any business or occupation other than the profession of company secretary, without obtaining the prior permission of the Council.
  2. A Member who is not in any employment evidencing a master-servant relationship with the employer or contract of service or not practising as Chartered Accountant or Cost Accountant or not enrolled as an Advocate with any Bar Council.
  3. PCS Orientation ProgrammeAll members intending to enter into practice on or after April 01, 2023 are compulsorily required to undergo PCS Orientation Programme (POP) prior to making an application requesting for Certificate of Practice. However, the members who have attained the age of 60 years or more; or members with Post qualification experience of 15 years (post membership of ICSI) or more, are exempt from undergoing PCS Orientation Programme. For Registration for PCS Orientation Programme,  may kindly go the website www.icsi.edu 
Requirements for issue of Certificate of Practice
  1. An online application in the prescribed Form D (Only online Form D) duly completed in all respects alongwith requisite annual certificate of practice fee of Rs. 2000/- (plus applicable GST) and annual membership fee and applicable GST for that year. Only 50% of annual Certificate of Practice fee is payable if the application for issue of Certificate of Practice is made on or after 1st October and before 31st March.
  2. In case the member was earlier in employment, a copy of relieving letter of the last employer company or any other proof in lieu thereof and the present engagements, if any, to be submitted, to the satisfaction of the Council.
  3. In case the member was earlier enrolled as an Advocate, a copy of the letter of suspension/ cancellation of enrolment from the concerned Bar Council or if he was earlier holding Certificate of Practice of ICAI, ICWAI or any other professional body, a copy of letter of cancellation of the concerned professional Institute confirming cancellation of their certificate of practice and the present engagements, if any.
  4.  Copy of Address Proof as mentioned in the Online Form D
  5. Copy of POP certificate
Due dates

After enrolment, the annual membership fee and renewal fee for certificate of practice (alongwith the declaration form) becomes due and payable on the first day of April every year. Any person who has not paid his annual membership fee/annual certificate of practice fee on or before 30th June of that year shall be liable to his name being removed from the Register w.e.f. 1st July of that year without any further notice.