Before you pay a company, take a job offer or invest money, check that it is really registered. In Pakistan, companies are registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP). You can search the SECP website by company name or registration number. Here are the steps, what the result tells you and what it does not.
Which Businesses Are on the SECP Register?
A guide from a company-registration blog (17 February 2025) says the SECP search covers private limited companies, public limited companies and LLPs. The same guide says sole proprietorships and partnerships are checked with the provincial Registrar of Firms instead. Ask the business which type it is first.
Step 1: Get the Exact Company Name or Number
Ask the company for its full legal name and its registration number. LemReveal, a business data site, says to confirm the exact legal name and the CUIN before you rely on a record. The blog guide also says to search with the exact name or registration number. A trade name or shop name may be different from the legal name.
Step 2: Open the Official SECP Website
Go to the SECP website, secp.gov.pk. Type the address yourself. Do not use a link from a message or an advert. Fake sites can copy official pages.
Step 3: Use the Company Search
- On the SECP website, look for the company name search, shown as “search company name” or “Company Name Search” under public search.
- Type the company name or number.
- Read the result.
The blog guide says to use the SECP e-Services Portal and its Company Name Search under Public Search. UrduPoint says the search is on the SECP homepage, in a “registered companies” search bar. The menu names may change, so use what you see on the site.
Step 4: Read the Result Carefully
- If you get “no result found,” the name is not registered, according to UrduPoint. That page is about people choosing a new name. For a company you want to check, it is a warning sign. Check the spelling and try the registration number.
- If a company shows up, check that the legal name, company type and status match what you were told.
- LemReveal says to note the status wording and its date, and to look at the filing dates. A gap in filings is a question to ask, not proof of wrongdoing.
The statuses LemReveal mentions are active or registered, dissolved or struck off, and liquidation. It says liquidation is not the same as dissolution. It does not give a full list, so use the SECP’s own wording.
What a Registration Does Not Prove
- LemReveal says an active status does not prove that a business is trading or is financially healthy.
- A name-availability result is not proof of incorporation or a full company profile, according to the same page.
- A tax number and a company registration number are different records.
- Being registered does not mean the company is licensed for every activity. The blog guide says some sectors need licences from regulators such as PTA, DRAP, PSEB or the Pakistan Engineering Council.
Other Checks to Do
- Tax status: The blog guide says to use the FBR taxpayer verification portal, with “NTN Inquiry” or “Taxpayer Profile Inquiry,” and to check the Active Taxpayer List.
- Import or export: It also says to check registration on the WeBOC portal with the NTN or STRN.
- Sector licence: Check the licence with the regulator, if the business needs one.
- Visit: The guide suggests confirming that the registered office exists and asking for registration documents.
Certificate of Statutory Compliance
ProPakistani (1 June 2026) reports that the SECP introduced a Certificate of Statutory Compliance (CSC). It was notified through S.R.O. 875(I)/2026 and is issued by the Registrar of Companies. According to the report, it confirms from SECP records that a company is incorporated under the Companies Act, 2017, is active on the register and has met its filing and disclosure rules as of the issue date.
The report says companies that are inactive, being struck off, in liquidation, under inquiry or with outstanding filings will not get one. So if a company shows you a valid certificate, that is a good sign. A company that cannot show one has not necessarily done anything wrong, because the report does not say that every company must have one. I could not confirm how the public can check a certificate.
SECP WhatsApp Support
PhoneWorld (1 July 2021) reported that the SECP launched WhatsApp support on 03069365625. It said you can ask about company registration and searches by name or incorporation number. This article is more than five years old, so check the number on the SECP website before using it.
Warning Signs
- The company refuses to give its legal name or registration number.
- The name is not found on the SECP search.
- The company asks for money before a job, a licence or a plot.
- It offers very high profits with no risk.
- It uses only a WhatsApp number or personal account to take payments.
These warning signs are general advice, not from the sources above.
What I Could Not Confirm
- The current menu names on the SECP website, since I could not open it.
- What details the search result shows, such as directors or filings.
- Whether the SECP charges a fee for a certified company extract.
- How to verify a Certificate of Statutory Compliance.
- The full list of status labels.
The steps come from third-party guides and news reports, not from the SECP’s own instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I check if a company is registered in Pakistan?
On the SECP website, using its company search.
What do I need to search?
The company’s exact legal name or its registration number.
What if the company is not found?
Check the spelling and the number. If it is still not found, be careful before you pay anyone.
Does the SECP cover sole proprietors and partnerships?
No. One guide says these go to the provincial Registrar of Firms.
Does an active status mean the company is safe?
No. It only shows that the company is on the register.
Can I also check tax status?
Yes. A guide says to use the FBR taxpayer verification portal.
Check the company’s name and number on the official SECP website before you pay, sign or invest.
