²[17A Application for registration of charitable or religious trusts etc. (1). An application under subclause (i) or sub-clause(ii) or sub-clause(iii) or sub-clause(iv) or sub-clause(v) or sub-clause(vi) of clause (ac)of sub-section (1) of section 12A for registration of a charitable or religious trust or institution (hereinafter referred to as 'the applicant') shall be made in the following Form, namely:-

(i) Form No. 10A in case of application under ³[sub-clause (i) or item (A) of sub-clause] or (vi) of clause (ac)of sub-section (1) of section 12A to the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner authorised by the Board; or

(ii) Form No. 10AB in case of application under sub-clause (ii) or (iii) or (iv) ⁴[or (v) or item (B) of sub-clause (vi)] of clause (ac)of sub-section (1) of section 12A to the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner under the said clause.

(2) The application under sub-rule (1) shall be accompanied by the following documents, as required by Form Nos.10A or 10AB, as the case may be, namely:—

(a) where the applicant is created, or established, under an instrument, self-certified copy of such instrument creating or establishing the applicant;

(b) where the applicant is created, or established, otherwise than under an instrument, self-certified copy of the document evidencing the creation or establishment of the applicant;

(c) self-certified copy of registration with Registrar of Companies or Registrar of Firms and Societies or Registrar of Public Trusts, as the case may be;

(d) self-certified copy of registration under Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010(42 of 2010), if the applicant is registered under such Act;

(e) self-certified copy of existing order granting registration under section section 12A or section section 12AA or section 12AB, as the case may be;

(f) self-certified copy of order of rejection of application for grant of registration under section section 12A or section 12AA or section 12AB, as the case may be, if any;

(g) where the applicant has been in existence during any year or years prior to the financial year in which the application for registration is made, self-certified copies of the annual accounts of the applicant relating to such prior year or years (not being more than three years immediately preceding the year in which the said application is made) for which such accounts have been made up;

(h) where a business undertaking is held by the applicant as per the provisions of sub-section (4) of section 11 and the applicant has been in existence during any year or years prior to the financial year in which the application for registration is made, self-certified copies of the annual accounts of such business undertaking relating to such prior year or years (not being more than three years immediately preceding the year in which the said application is made) for which such accounts have been made up and self-certified copy of the report of audit as per the provisions of section 44AB for such period;

(i) where the income of the applicant includes profits and gains of business as per the provisions of sub-section (4A) of section 11 and the applicant has been in existence during any year or years prior to the financial year in which the application for registration is made, self-certified copies of the annual accounts of such business relating to such prior year or years (not being more than three years immediately preceding the year in which the said application is made) for which such accounts have been made up and self-certified copy of the report of audit as per the provisions of section 44AB for such period;

(j) self-certified copy of the documents evidencing adoption or modification of the objects;

(k) note on the activities of the applicant.

(3) Form Nos. 10A or 10AB, as the case may be, shall be furnished electronically, —

(i) under digital signature, if the return of income is required to be furnished under digital signature;

(ii) through electronic verification code in a case not covered under clause (i).

(4) Form Nos. 10A or 10AB, as the case may be, shall be verified by the person who is authorised to verify the return of income under section 140, as applicable to the applicant.

(5) On receipt of an application in Form No. 10A, the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner, authorised by the Board shall pass an order in writing granting registration under clause (a), or clause (c), of sub-section (1) of section 12AB read with sub-section (3) of the said section in Form No.10AC and issue a sixteen digit alphanumeric Unique Registration Number (URN) to the applicants making application as per clause (i) of the sub-rule (1).

(6) If, at any point of time, it is noticed that Form No. 10A has not been duly filled in by not providing, fully or partly, or by providing false or incorrect information or documents required to be provided under sub-rules (1) or (2) or by not complying with the requirements of sub-rules (3) or (4), the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner, as referred to in sub-rule (5), after giving an opportunity of being heard, may cancel the registration in Form No. 10AC and Unique Registration Number (URN), issued under sub-rule (5), and such registration or such Unique Registration Number (URN) shall be deemed to have never been granted or issued.

(7) In case of an application made under sub-clause (vi) of clause (ac) of sub-section (1) of ⁵[section 12A as it stood immediately  before its amendment vide the Finance Act, 2023,] during previous year beginning on 1st day of April, 2021, the provisional registration shall be effective from the assessment year beginning on 1st day of April, 2022.

(8) In case of an application made in Form No. 10AB under clause (ii) of the sub-rule (1), the order of registration or rejection or cancellation of registration under sub-clause (ii) of clause (b) of subsection (1) of section 12AB shall be in Form No.10AD and in case if the registration is granted, sixteen digit alphanumeric number Unique Registration Number (URN)shall be issued by the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner referred to in of sub-section (1) of section 12AB.

(9) The Principal Director General of Income-tax (Systems) or the Director General of Income-tax (Systems), as the case may be, shall:

(i) lay down the form, data structure, standards and procedure of ,-

(a) furnishing and verification of Form Nos. 10A or 10AB ,as the case may be;

(b) passing the order under clause (a), sub-clause (ii) of clause (b) and clause (c) of sub-section (1) of section 12AB.

(ii) be responsible for formulating and implementing appropriate security, archival and retrieval policies in relation to the said application made or order so passed as the case may be.

Notes:

1.    Rule 17A substituted by the Income-tax (First Amendment) Rules, 2018, w.e.f. 19-2-2018. Prior to its substitution, said Rule, as inserted by the Income-tax (Second Amendment) Rules, 1973, w.e.f. 1-4-1973 and as amended by the Income-tax (Fifth Amendment) Rules, 1989, w.r.e.f. 1-4-1988 and the Income-tax (Seventh Amendment) Rules, 2007, w.e.f. 1-6-2007, read as under :

"17A. Application for registration of charitable or religious trusts, etc.— An application under clause (aa) of sub-section (1) of section 12A for registration of a charitable or religious trust or institution shall be made in duplicate in Form No.10A and shalll be accompanied by the following documents, namely:—

(a) where the trust is created, or the institution is established, under an instrument, the instrument in original, together with one copy thereof; and where the trust is created, or the institution is established, otherwise than under in instrument, the document evidencing the creation of the trust or the establishment of the institution, together with one copy thereof:

Provided that if the instrument or document in original cannot conveniently be produced, it shall be open to the Commissioner to accept a certified copy in lieu of the original.

(b) Where the trust or institution has been in existence during any year or years, prior to the financial year in which the application for registration is made, two copies of the accounts of the trust or institution relating to such prior year or years (not being more than three years immediately preceding the year in which the said application is made) for which such accounts have been made up."

2. Substituted by Income-tax (6th Amendment) Rules, 2021 w.e.f 01.04.2021 Notification dated 26.03.2021

Prior to substitution, earlier rule were read as under
¹[Application for registration of charitable or religious trusts, etc.

17A(1). An application under clause (aa) or clause (ab) of sub-section (1) of section 12A for registration of a charitable or religious trust or institution shall be made in Form No. 10A and accompanied by the following documents, namely:—

(a) where the trust is created, or the institution is established, under an instrument, self-certified copy of the instrument creating the trust or establishing the institution;

(b) where the trust is created, or the institution is established, otherwise than under an instrument, self-certified copy of the document evidencing the creation of the trust, or establishment of the institution;

(c) self-certified copy of registration with Registrar of Companies or Registrar of Firms and Societies or Registrar of Public Trusts, as the case may be;

(d) self-certified copy of the documents evidencing adoption or modification of the objects, if any;

(e) where the trust or institution has been in existence during any year or years prior to the financial year in which the application for registration is made, self certified copies of the annual accounts of the trust or institution relating to such prior year or years (not being more than three years immediately preceding the year in which the said application is made) for which such accounts have been made up;

(f) note on the activities of the trust or institution;

(g) self-certified copy of existing order granting registration under section 12A or section 12AA, as the case may be; and

(h) self-certified copy of order of rejection of application for grant of registration under section 12A or section 12AA, as the case may be, if any.

(2) Form No. 10A shall be furnished electronically,—

(i) under digital signature, if the return of income is required to be furnished under digital signature;

(ii) through electronic verification code in a case not covered under clause (i).

(3) Form No. 10A shall be verified by the person who is authorised to verify the return of income under section 140, as applicable to the assessee.

(4) The Principal Director General of Income-tax (Systems) or the Director General of Income-tax (Systems), as the case may be, shall specify the data structure, standards and procedure of furnishing and verification of Form No. 10A and be responsible for formulating and implementing appropriate security, archival and retrieval policies in relation to the said form so furnished.]

3. Substituted by the Income-tax (Eleventh Amendment) Rules, 2023 Notification No. 45/2023 dated 23.06.2023

in sub-rule (1),in clause (i), for the words-

“sub-clause (i) or”

Following shall be substituted namely-

"sub-clause (i) or item (A) of sub-clause"

4. Substituted by the Income-tax (Eleventh Amendment) Rules, 2023 Notification No. 45/2023 dated 23.06.2023

in sub-rule (1),in clause (ii), for the words-

“or (v)”

Following shall be substituted namely-

"or (v) or item (B) of sub-clause (vi)”  

5. Substituted by the Income-tax (Eleventh Amendment) Rules, 2023 Notification No. 45/2023 dated 23.06.2023

in sub-rule (7), for the words-

“section 12A”

Following shall be substituted namely-

“section 12A as it stood immediately  before its amendment vide the Finance Act, 2023,”