CAC Certificate: Sample, Meaning and How to Download or Verify One
What a CAC certificate looks like, what each part of it means, and how to get yours or check that someone else's is real.
About FastCAC: FastCAC isn't a CAC agent. It's a registration platform built by DigitalAbode (RC 8561321), a registered Nigerian technology company, that files your application directly with CAC.
What a CAC Certificate Is
A CAC certificate is the document the Corporate Affairs Commission issues when it registers your business. It's the proof that your business legally exists in Nigeria under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020, and it's what banks, clients and government agencies ask to see.
CAC issues it, not the platform or person who filed for you. Every genuine certificate can be matched against CAC's public register, which is how you check one is real.
CAC Certificate Sample
This is what a CAC certificate of incorporation looks like. It's a sample, marked as one across the middle.
What each part means
- 01
Coat of arms and "Federal Republic of Nigeria"
At the top of every CAC certificate.
- 02
Certificate title
"Certificate of Registration" for a business name, "Certificate of Incorporation" for a company, with the company type underneath (for example, private company limited by shares).
- 03
Registration number
The BN number for a business name or the RC number for a company. Banks, clients and tenders ask for this number.
- 04
Registered name
Exactly as CAC approved it, including endings like "Ventures" or "Ltd".
- 05
The law and the date
The line saying it's registered under CAMA 2020, and the date CAC registered it.
- 06
CAC seal, QR code and signature
The Commission's seal, a QR code on newer certificates and the Registrar-General's signature.
- 07
Tax Identification Number (TIN)
Printed at the bottom of certificates for new registrations.
The Three Types of CAC Certificate
| You registered | Certificate | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Business name (sole proprietor or partnership) | Certificate of Registration | BN number |
| Company (Ltd, Plc, Ltd/Gte) | Certificate of Incorporation | RC number |
| Incorporated Trustees (NGO, church, association) | Certificate of Incorporation (Incorporated Trustees) | IT number |
Your certificate comes with a status report that lists the owners or directors and the registered address. Companies also get their MEMART. Banks usually ask for all of them together.
How to Download Your CAC Certificate
CAC issues certificates electronically, so there's nothing to collect from an office.
- You filed on the CAC portal yourself: sign in to the account you registered from and download the certificate and status report once your application is approved.
- You registered with FastCAC: your certificate and status report appear on the Documents page of your FastCAC account as soon as CAC approves, ready to download any time.
- An agent registered it for you:the documents sit in the agent's account. Ask for the certificate, status report and (for a company) the MEMART, and keep your own copies.
How to Verify a CAC Certificate
Before you pay a supplier or sign with a partner, check that their certificate matches CAC's register:
- Search the business name, RC number or BN number on CAC's public register.
- Check that the name, number and registration date match the certificate exactly.
- Check the status. "Active" is what you want; "Inactive" usually means annual returns weren't filed.
- On newer certificates, scan the QR code. It should lead to the same record.
Search CAC's register free
Our CAC public search looks up any registered business by name, RC number or AV code and shows its status, number, registration date and category. No signup.
Verify a business on CAC's register →Get your own CAC certificate
FastCAC is a registration platform, not a CAC agent. You enter your details, FastCAC checks them before CAC sees them and files directly with CAC, and your certificate and TIN arrive in your own account.
CAC Certificate FAQs
What is a CAC certificate?
It's the document the Corporate Affairs Commission issues when it registers a business. It proves the business exists under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020 and shows its registered name, registration number and registration date.
What's the difference between a certificate of registration and a certificate of incorporation?
A business name (sole proprietorship or partnership) gets a Certificate of Registration with a BN number. A company gets a Certificate of Incorporation with an RC number. Incorporated Trustees (NGOs, churches, associations) get a certificate with an IT number.
How do I download my CAC certificate?
CAC issues certificates electronically. Sign in to the account the registration was filed from and download it from there. If you registered with FastCAC, it's on the Documents page of your FastCAC account, next to your status report.
How can I verify a CAC certificate?
Search the business name or its RC or BN number on CAC's public register. The name, number, registration date and status should match the certificate, and the status should be Active. Newer certificates also carry a QR code that should lead to the same record.
Is the TIN on the CAC certificate?
Yes, for new registrations. CAC and the tax authority now generate a Tax Identification Number at registration, and it's printed on the certificate.
Questions about registering your business?
Ask us on WhatsApp. It opens with a message ready to send, and we answer there.
FastCAC Legal Team
Helping Nigerian entrepreneurs register with CAC and keep their documents in order.