The Registrar of Companies, or ROC, is the government office that registers companies in India and keeps their public records. It works under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, and there are offices in each state or region. A company must file its Red Herring Prospectus with the ROC before an IPO opens, and the final prospectus after the price and issue size are fixed. The ROC also holds incorporation documents, annual returns, financial statements, charges on assets and details of directors, and anyone can view these records by paying a small fee on the Ministry’s portal. For investors, these filings are a way to check a company’s background, such as its registered address, authorised capital, director history and any charges created over its assets. The ROC is different from the registrar to an issue, which is a private agency that handles IPO applications and allotment. People often confuse the two names, but the ROC is a government authority and the registrar to the issue is a service provider. IPO Bulletin links to the RHP as filed so readers can verify details.

Example: A company files its RHP with the ROC in Mumbai a few days before its IPO opens. After pricing, it files the final prospectus with the same ROC.