Short answer: Start a SEBI registration check from SEBI’s own intermediary directory, using the legal name or registration number claimed by the service. Match the result to the service category and independently confirm the website, app or contact through official channels. A matching registration record does not prove that a caller represents the entity or that an investment is suitable.
This guide is for Indian retail investors checking a proposed securities-market service before entering an agreement. It provides an evidence-based verification workflow, not a recommendation of any firm. No individual intermediary has been investigated or endorsed for this article, and a search failure alone is not a finding that an organisation has committed wrongdoing.
Identify what the service claims to do
Before searching, ask for the full legal name, claimed registration number, service description and proposed agreement. A trading name, social-media handle or attractive app title is not enough to identify the contracting entity. Write down who would actually provide the service and who would receive any authorised payment.
SEBI’s Recognised Intermediaries directory separates categories such as stock brokers, investment advisers, research analysts, depository participants and portfolio managers. Choose the category relevant to the claim instead of treating every entry as the same kind of registration. The directory offers searches by name or registration number.
If a person describes themselves broadly as a financial expert, ask what specific securities-market activity they are offering. An introductory lesson, research subscription, trading service and personalised advice are different proposals. Do not assume a certificate shown for one activity resolves all questions about another.
Make the service description precise enough to check. For example, “help with investments” leaves many questions unanswered. A written description of the actual work, responsible entity and proposed terms gives you something concrete to compare with the record and clarify with the institution.
Run the SEBI registration check independently
Begin through SEBI’s intermediary information page or its investor-support page. Avoid relying on a screenshot of a supposed result supplied by the salesperson. A screenshot can omit its date, source, category or surrounding information, even when the underlying organisation exists.
Search using the claimed registration number and compare the legal name. Then, where needed, search the name separately to investigate a spelling or trading-name difference. Read the fields actually shown; do not fill missing details from memory or infer a current status from the number’s appearance.
Check the date or update context displayed by the directory. Keep the URL and date of your own review in a private evidence note. A saved result helps explain what you checked, but it should not be treated as permanent confirmation for a later transaction after details or status may have changed.
SEBI’s intermediary page also links information about cancelled, surrendered, expired or suspended intermediaries and other status-related records. Follow the relevant current official route when a status question arises. A marketing brochure that says “registered” should not replace checking the applicable current information.
Match the record to the proposal
Compare the legal name and registration reference character by character. Similar names, abbreviations and logos are not conclusive matches. If the agreement names a different company or individual, ask for an explanation and verify that entity separately through the appropriate official source.
Record the category in plain language beside the proposed activity. Where the directory divides a service further, inspect the relevant entry instead of assuming the broadest possible scope. If you cannot determine whether the proposed work fits, request clarification from the entity and use SEBI’s official investor-support route for general questions.
Read the agreement as a separate document. Identity verification does not settle the amount of fees, the nature of advice, custody arrangements or cancellation terms. Ask for clear written answers to the terms that matter to you before signing. Do not let a successful directory match end the entire review.
Keep product suitability separate too. Our direct versus regular mutual-fund guide explains plan and support questions. Verifying a provider’s identity does not decide which plan, product or risk level fits a particular investor.
Confirm the person and contact independently
A legitimate entity can be impersonated. Once you locate a plausible official record, independently obtain the entity’s own published contact route and ask whether the proposal, representative and contact details are genuine. Do not use only the number or link in the message whose authenticity you are trying to establish.
Ask a focused question: “I received an offer under your legal name and registration reference. Is this representative and this proposed service authorised by your organisation?” Include only the information needed to identify the offer. You should not have to disclose an account password or authentication code to perform this initial check.
Compare the destination named in the agreement with the communications you receive. If the explanation changes between a call, message and written document, record the discrepancy and resolve it before proceeding. An urgent request to skip verification is a reason to slow down, not evidence that the opportunity is special.
A website’s visual polish is weak evidence of identity. Look at the exact domain and how you reached it. Do not treat a familiar logo or the words “SEBI registered” as authentication. Independent confirmation is particularly valuable when a message directs you to a newly introduced app or a different payment destination.
Check app and social-channel claims as separate questions
SEBI’s investor-support page points to official lists of authorised trading apps and broker social-media handles maintained by the relevant exchanges and other bodies. Use those links for the relevant category when checking an app or handle. Registration lookup and digital-channel lookup answer related but separate questions.
Compare the exact app name and official destination, not just an icon. Ask the institution to confirm the route if you encounter multiple similarly named products. This article does not recommend installing software from a message or granting account access in order to complete a registration check.
When the expected digital channel cannot be confirmed, keep the uncertainty explicit. It may require clarification about a changed name or an outdated listing. Do not label the channel authorised merely because a real entity with a similar name appears elsewhere.
Keep a short verification worksheet
The following worksheet is an original organising aid. It is not a SEBI form, a compliance certificate or a scoring system. Use it to make unresolved questions visible rather than awarding a firm a reassuring numerical score.
| Question | Evidence to compare | Record your result |
|---|---|---|
| Who provides the service? | Legal name in proposal and directory | Match or discrepancy |
| Which registration is claimed? | Exact number and category | Official result and review date |
| Who contacted you? | Independent institutional confirmation | Confirmed or unresolved |
| Which digital channel is used? | Applicable official app or handle listing | Exact name and destination |
| What are you agreeing to? | Written service and fee terms | Questions requiring an answer |
For an illustrative review, imagine receiving a research-service proposal with a registration number. The number produces a real entity, but the message uses an unfamiliar website. The useful next step is to ask the entity through an independently obtained contact whether that proposal and domain belong to it. The directory match alone leaves the contact question open.
If the entity confirms the proposal, you still review the service terms and your needs. If it cannot confirm the contact, retain the message and seek the appropriate next guidance. This is a hypothetical decision sequence, not an allegation about any real person or a guarantee that one contact check detects every risk.
Handle missing or conflicting results carefully
Recheck the category, spelling and registration reference. Identify whether the claimed activity falls under the route you searched. A typing error or an inappropriate directory can produce no result. Avoid publishing accusations or forwarding a warning about a named person solely because a single search did not succeed.
Ask for a written explanation and repeat the relevant official check. SEBI’s investor-support page provides routes for general queries and makes clear that such support does not provide investment or legal advice. Use the support channel to clarify a registration question; do not request an endorsement of the proposed investment.
If you already have a securities-market service grievance, registration checking may help identify the responsible entity, but it is not the complaint itself. Our SEBI SCORES complaint guide explains evidence and escalation questions. Confirm the current route and eligibility before lodging a complaint.
Frequently asked questions
Does a matching record guarantee investment returns?
No. Verification of a provider is separate from market risk, product suitability and the terms of the service. Do not interpret registration as a promise of profit.
Is a certificate screenshot enough?
Use the official current source independently. Compare the entity, reference and category, then confirm the contact behind the proposal.
Should I send identity documents just to check a registration?
A public-directory check is different from onboarding. Do not disclose extra personal documents to an unverified contact; resolve identity and service questions first.
Final SEBI registration check checklist
Identify the legal entity and activity, use the official directory, match the category and reference, verify the contact and digital route, and review written terms separately. A SEBI registration check should produce traceable evidence and clear questions, not an automatic investment decision.
Author: Ajit Naskar. Publication date: 14 October 2026. Updated and last verified: 14 October 2026. Correction history: First publication; no published corrections. Educational information, not personalised investment or legal advice. No affiliate links or intermediary endorsement. Evergreen verification guide; no new rule or filing deadline asserted.
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