Company name rules in Sri Lanka: what the Registrar refuses

Last verified against the primary sources on 15 October 2026.

Picking a company name is the first formal step in registering a company in Sri Lanka. Get it wrong and the Registrar of Companies refuses the name, and the registration stalls while you start again with a new one. Under the Companies Act No. 7 of 2007, the Registrar will not register a name that is identical with the name of another company or a registered overseas company, that contains "Chamber of Commerce" outside a section 34 licence, or that the Registrar considers misleading [1]. Names containing "National", "State", "Sri Lanka" and certain other words need the Minister's consent [1].

Our company name check tool is a first screen before you file. It does not reserve a name, and the Registrar makes the decision.

Take a hypothetical founder who wants to call a new office cleaning company "Municipal Clean Services (Pvt) Ltd". "Municipal" puts the name on the Minister's consent route before the Registrar can approve it. "Metro Clean Services (Pvt) Ltd" avoids that step, but then has to be checked against existing names. That is the order this guide follows: the rules first, then the check, then the approval.

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The rules in sections 6 and 7

Sections 6 and 7 of the Companies Act set the naming rules [1].

A company shall not be registered by a name which, under section 7(1):

• is identical with the name of any other company or of any registered overseas company;
• contains the words "Chamber of Commerce", unless the company is registered under a section 34 licence; or
• is, in the opinion of the Registrar, misleading.

Section 8 deals with changing a company's name after it is registered, not with choosing one [1].

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What makes a name identical

When the Registrar compares names under section 7(1), certain differences are disregarded: "the" as the first word, endings such as "company" and "limited", the abbreviations allowed by section 6, letter case and punctuation, and "and" or "&" [1]. So if "Colombo Trading Company (Pvt) Ltd" already exists, "The Colombo Trading Company (Private) Limited" and "colombo trading company (pvt) ltd" are treated as the same name.

Close but not identical

The Act's test is identity, but a name that is very close to an existing one can still be refused as misleading. Patterns we would avoid:

• Adding or removing "Sri Lanka" from an existing name (which also brings in the Minister's consent)
• Changing "Imports" to "Exports" or "Services" to "Solutions" on an otherwise identical name
• Replacing a numeral with the word ("2" and "Two")
• Using a common abbreviation of an existing registered name

The judgement is the Registrar's. If your name is close to an existing one, have a second and third choice ready.

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Words that need the Minister's consent

Except with the consent of the Minister, given having regard to the national interest, no company may be registered by a name containing [1]:

Choosing a name without these words avoids the consent step. Separately, a business in a regulated sector such as banking, finance or insurance needs its own licence from the relevant regulator; check with that regulator before you choose a name that describes the activity.

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How to check a name, step by step

Step 1: Write the name exactly as you will register it

Include the suffix: "(Private) Limited" or "(Pvt) Ltd" for a private company [1].

Step 2: Run the checks

Test the name with our company name check tool and the name search on eROC, and read it against the section 7(2) list above.

Step 3: Consider alternatives

If your first choice is taken or close to an existing name, try variations. A distinctive or coined name is less likely to conflict than a generic descriptive one. Instead of "Technology Solutions (Pvt) Ltd", a name like "Velura Technologies (Pvt) Ltd" is less likely to clash.

Step 4: Apply for name approval

A check is not a reservation. Apply for name approval on eROC; the government fee is Rs 2,600 plus VAT, Rs 3,068 in all [2]. The Act sets no expiry for an approved name. The three months often quoted is Registrar practice, so file the incorporation promptly and check the approval on eROC if time has passed.

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Naming rules and conventions

Mandatory suffix

Section 6 sets the ending [1]:

• Private companies: "(Private) Limited" or "(Pvt) Ltd"
• Listed companies: "Public Limited Company" or "PLC"
• Other limited companies: "Limited" or "Ltd". Companies limited by guarantee are registered as "(Guarantee) Limited"

A company with a section 34 licence is outside section 6 [1].

Language

Company names can be in Sinhala, Tamil or English. If you intend to operate under all three, include all three versions in the incorporation documents. eROC also asks for the Sinhala and Tamil pronunciation of the name, and an application can be returned if it is missing.

Numbers and symbols

Numbers are permitted in company names. "And" and "&" are treated as the same when names are compared [1], so switching one for the other does not make a name new.

Business activity alignment

The company name need not describe the business activity. A company named "Sunrise Holdings (Pvt) Ltd" can operate in any lawful field. A name that implies an activity the company does not carry out (for example, "Colombo Medical Centre (Pvt) Ltd" for a software company) risks being refused as misleading.

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After name approval: next steps in company registration

Once the name is approved, the incorporation is filed on eROC:

1. Articles of association: the model Articles in the First Schedule to the Act or your own [1]. The 2007 Act does not require an objects clause.
2. Form 1, application for registration: the name, registered office, directors, secretary and shareholders.
3. Form 18, consent and certificate of director: signed by each proposed director.
4. Form 19, consent and certificate of secretary: signed by the company secretary.
5. BO 1 and BO 5: the beneficial owners and the authorised person, filed as part of the incorporation [3].

The registration fee for a private company is a flat Rs 5,200 plus VAT; it does not depend on the stated capital [2]. The other documents carry their own fees, and our ROC fees guide works the total through. We do not quote a Registrar processing time, because it varies. The full process is in our guide on how to register a company in Sri Lanka.

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Common registration mistakes to avoid

Filing with a name that hasn't been checked. A refused name means starting again and adds delay.

Using a section 7(2) word without consent. "National", "State", "Sri Lanka", "Co-operative" and the other listed words need the Minister's consent first.

Getting the suffix wrong. A private company must end in "(Private) Limited" or "(Pvt) Ltd". "PLC" is for listed companies.

Waiting too long after approval. File promptly. If the approval has lapsed in practice, re-approval costs another Rs 3,068 including VAT.

Talk to us. If you want a name and its alternatives checked before you apply, our company registration team can take the name through approval and the incorporation; book a consultation at our contact page.

This guide is general information on the law as at 15 October 2026 and is not advice on your specific situation.

Related: Change company name Sri Lanka: approval, restricted words, steps.

References

1. Parliament of Sri Lanka. Companies Act, No. 7 of 2007, ss.6, 7, 8, 14, 34(5) and the First Schedule. https://drc.gov.lk/en/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Act-7-of-2007-English.pdf . Primary. Accessed 15 October 2026.

1. Department of the Registrar of Companies. Companies (Fees) Orders, Gazette Extraordinary No. 2496/03 (6 July 2026), items 1 and 8. https://drc.gov.lk/en/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2496-03_E.pdf . Primary. Accessed 15 October 2026.

1. Department of the Registrar of Companies. Notice on new incorporations: filing of Forms BO 1 and BO 5. https://drc.gov.lk/en/?p=4678 . Primary. Accessed 15 October 2026.