What are the two levels of RNI Registration

RNI registration is the required authorization that you have to obtain from Registrar of Newspapers in India to publish your newspaper or periodicals.

It has been the valid authorization for newspaper publication since the year 1857. Furthermore, the process hasn’t changed almost at all. Among all forms of business registrations, this one is considered unique to this day.  

So, what’s unique about it?

Well, there are not one, but two levels of RNI online registration that exist. In this article, we are going to unveil both of them. 

The two processes of RNI certificate of Registration

As we mentioned in the title, there are two levels of RNI registration. The Registrar of Newspaper has made extremely sure that all the newspapers that get circulated across or any part of India are properly vetted beforehand. With that being said, following are the two types of RNI registration:

1. RNI Title Registration: In this process, it’s title of the newspaper or periodical that gets the approval from the government. For this level for RNI registration, title should be:

   1. Not offensive to any community in India

   2. And should not be a copy of any newspaper or periodical already in circulation across or in any part of India. 

2. RNI publication registration: Once you gain access to use the title of the newspaper as per your desire, you can move ahead with the publication. It’s the final level of registration. Here, the first publication of your newspaper is checked by the office of registrar of newspaper for India. 

RNI Title Registration: Level 1 RNI Registration 

Upon the completion of this first process, you obtain the right to use the name of the publication as you wish. Following are the steps:

1. Check the availability of the title: RNI registration titles have to be unique. Thus, you have to ascertain whether or not your chosen publication name is unique or not. Conduct a thorough trademark registration and website registration. 

Note: The reason website registration names are important now is because as per the new laws, RNI registration for online news portal is also important. 

2. File the online RNI registration application: There used to be a time when RNI registration form PDF had to be downloaded, filled and submitted. Now, the entire process has been made online. 

3. Submit the offline copy of application: Regardless of the online process, the professionals are still sticklers of old school rules. Thus, once you’ve filed the online application for RNI Registration certificate, download and submit the online version of it. The personnel that you have to submit it to can be DCP/JCP/CMM/DM/DC. The personnel or authority to who you submit the application varies depending on your state.

4. Wait for verification of application:   The authorities you submitted the RNI application to will verify the application and if satisfied, will grant you the RNI verification letter. 

You can check the RNI registration status of your title application by simply contacting an RNI Registration agent. He will also take on the task to get you the certificate. 

RNI publication registration:  Level 2 RNI Registration

Once your title is approved, you now have to get approval for the content of your publication. The process to do the same is as follows:

1. File a declaration: File a declaration to your region’s Sub Divisional Magistrate that you’re planning to start a publication/newspaper. The DM would then authenticate the declaration. 

2. Publish your first issue: Once you’ve gotten the declaration authenticated, get to publishing your first issue:

   1. In case you’re planning to publish your newspaper daily or weekly, you have 42 days to publish your first issue. 

   2. In case you’re planning your newspaper to be published once every 15 days, you have 90days to publish our first issue. 

3. Submit the issue to the department: Once published, submit that issue to the RNI department. Keep a sharp eye on the RNI registration application status.

 Documents required for RNI registration

For Level  1 RNI registration, the documents are as follows:

1. Your address proof

2. Your ID proof

3. A passport sized Photo of you. 

4. No objection Certificate if the publication is foreign

5. Copy of a previous title, if any.

For Level 2 RNI registration, the documents required are: 

1. Title verification Letter

2. Authenticated Declaration

3. Written agreement with the publisher is applicable

4. Copy of the first issue

5. Authorization letter between owner and the publisher if applicable. 

Conclusion

The two process of RNI registration shall assure that you get to publish your first issue on time. Are you still worried about your newspaper registration fees? Don’t be. With us, you can rest assured the RNI registration fees charged (professional), would be low. 

Author: Dushyant Sharma

Hey there, I'm Dushyant Sharma. With the extensive knowledge I've gained in past 8 years, I have been creating content on various subjects such as banking, insurance, telecom, and all the important registration and licensing processes for various companies. I'm here to help everyone with my expertise in these areas through my articles.