Cooperative Housing Society Registration in West Bengal

Cooperative housing society registration in West Bengal is applied for under the West Bengal Co-operative Societies Act, 2006. The promoters send an application in Form I, with four copies of the proposed by-laws and a signed list of members, to the Registrar of Co-operative Societies. A housing society needs at least eight applicants, and the Act gives the Registrar 90 days to register it and issue the certificate. Most of the preparation happens before the form is filed: agreeing the by-laws, confirming who the members are and keeping clean records of money collected.

This guide is for promoters in Kolkata, Salt Lake, New Town or anywhere else in the state who are planning to register a housing society. It sets out what the Act and Rules require, which matters your by-laws will settle and what to have ready before you approach the Registrar's office.

What the Act and Rules require

The legal core of housing society registration in Kolkata and the rest of West Bengal is short. The rest depends on your project and on the local Registrar's office.

Requirement	What the text says	Provision
Who receives the application	The Registrar, delivered by hand or sent by registered post, in the prescribed form, together with the by-laws	s.16(1)
Form	Form I, signed by the applicants	Rule 9
By-laws	Four copies of the proposed by-laws, as adopted by the promoting members	s.16(2), Rule 9
Member list	Name, address, occupation, equity participation and signature of each member	s.16(2)
Minimum applicants	Ten individuals from different families for a primary society generally; for a housing society, not fewer than eight	s.16(3) and proviso
Registrar's time limit	60 days generally; 90 days for a housing society	s.16(5) proviso
Certificate	Certificate of Registration in Form II	Rule 10(2)
If refused or no reply	Appeal to the Co-operative Registration Council within one month	s.16(6)–(7)

"Family" in s.16(3) has a definition in the Explanation to that section. It covers a spouse, minor children, dependent parents and certain other dependants. Two applicants from the same family therefore count as one family for the minimum. Promoters often get this wrong, so check the list against the definition before filing.

Once registered, the society is a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal (s.17(1)). It must display its name, registered office address and registration number at a conspicuous place (s.18).

What your by-laws will decide

Under s.20, the by-laws must cover matters such as the society's objects, capital, terms of membership, members' rights and duties, the general body, the Board, finance and how disputes are settled. Inside the limits of the Act, the promoters choose many practical points, for example:

the share value and how many shares each member must hold;
the number of directors (the original 2006 text allowed 6 to 15; a 2013 amendment changed the upper limit, so check the current text);
a quorum higher than the legal minimum, if you want one;
how maintenance and common costs are shared.

Model by-laws are usually available from the Registrar's office. Read them line by line against your project instead of copying a neighbouring society's set. Our guide to reading housing society by-laws explains how to test each clause before you adopt it.

Practical preparation for promoters

The Act does not set out the internal steps below. They are the things that usually decide whether the application goes through without being sent back.

Choose a chief promoter and agree in writing who will sign and deal with the Registrar's office.
Confirm the society's object: allotment of land, flats or houses, finance, or maintaining an existing building. The Co-operation Department describes a housing co-operative's object in these terms.
Check the proposed name with the Registrar's office early. The government's Made-Easy guide says the name must end with "Limited".
Prepare the member list with each person's family relationships, so the eight-applicant minimum is met under the "family" definition.
Collect share money and admission fees through a bank account or receipts, and keep a running statement of who paid what.
Collect the land or building documents (sale deed, lease or allotment letter) the society will rely on, and note who currently holds title.
Hold a promoters' meeting to adopt the by-laws, and minute the resolution.
Prepare four clean copies of the adopted by-laws, signed as required.
Keep a dated file copy of everything you submit, with the receipt or postal acknowledgement.

Our companion piece on promoter records to organise before applying goes through the cash book, minute book and member file in more detail.

Salt Lake and New Town land

Where the land is a government lease (Salt Lake) or a WBHIDCO allotment (New Town), the lease or allotment documents may set conditions on who may hold the plot and how membership changes are approved. Registration under the Co-operative Societies Act does not replace those conditions. Read your allotment papers and ask the Land Manager, Bidhannagar or WBHIDCO, as applicable, before you finalise the member list.

After you file

Keep a note of the date the Registrar received the application, because the 90-day period for a housing society runs from that date. If the Registrar raises queries, answer them in writing and keep copies. If the application is refused, or nothing is communicated within the period, s.16 lets the society appeal to the Co-operative Registration Council within one month.

After registration, Rule 128 requires a housing society's first Board meeting within three months, and Rule 20 requires the first AGM within 15 months. Planning the first meeting after registration covers what to bring to it. Once you have the certificate, what a registration certificate does and does not prove is useful reading for the whole committee.

Doing this on COOPMAN

COOPMAN does not register societies; only the Registrar does that. After registration, a society can be listed free in the public directory at /list-society, and the Secretary or Chairman can then claim management by providing supporting documents. The registration and governance guide describes how the registration details appear on the society profile and letterhead.

This guide explains the general legal position and is not legal advice for your society.

Questions people ask

How many people are needed to register a housing society in West Bengal?

Section 16(3) of the 2006 Act requires at least ten individuals from different families for a primary society. Its proviso sets the number for a housing co-operative society at not fewer than eight. Members of one family, as the Explanation defines it, count as one family.

Which form is used for the registration application?

Rule 9 of the West Bengal Co-operative Societies Rules, 2011 provides for Form I, signed by the applicants and filed with four copies of the proposed by-laws. The certificate is then issued in Form II.

How long does the Registrar have to decide?

Section 16(5) gives 60 days in general and 90 days for a housing co-operative society, counted from receipt of the application. If the application is refused, or nothing is communicated in time, the society may appeal to the Co-operative Registration Council within one month.

Can we register first and sort out the land documents later?

The Act does not list land documents among the registration enclosures in s.16(2). The Registrar's office may still ask about the project, and allotment terms for Salt Lake or New Town land may affect who can be a member. It is safer to have the land position clear before you file.

Is there a government fee for registration?

The fact sheet behind this article does not cover a registration fee. Ask the Registrar's office for the current fee and payment method before you file.

Sources and review

Facts checked against the sources listed on 3 October 2026.

Next step: once your society is registered, list it in the COOPMAN directory or read the registration and governance guide.

How to prepare for cooperative housing society registration in West Bengal