Last updated: 17 September 2026
Quick Answer: A Udyam Assist Certificate (UAC) is the Ministry of MSME's registration certificate for informal micro enterprises, issued through the Udyam Assist Platform. Your bank, NBFC or microfinance lender files it for you, with no documents from you, if your business isn't registered for GST. It counts for priority-sector loans; full Udyam registration needs PAN.
If a lender says you have a UAC, your small business already has a government MSME identity, numbered UDYAM-I-. It isn't a lesser certificate for bank loans: a Ministry letter of 23 December 2022 treats it at par with a Udyam Registration Certificate for priority-sector lending. Full Udyam is a separate registration, worth a look once you get PAN or GST registration.
Overview
| Point | What applies |
|---|---|
| What it is | A registration certificate numbered in the UDYAM-I series |
| Run by | Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME); Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) implements the platform |
| Who gets it | Informal micro enterprises not registered for Goods and Services Tax (GST) |
| Who files it | A Designated Agency: your bank, non-banking financial company (NBFC) or microfinance institution (MFI) |
| Documents from you | None; the lender shares details it already holds, with your consent |
| Main benefit | Treated at par with a Udyam Registration Certificate for priority-sector lending |
What is a Udyam Assist Certificate?
A UAC is the certificate given to every informal micro enterprise that gets a Udyam Registration Number (URN) through the Udyam Assist Platform.
The Ministry of MSME launched the platform on 11 January 2023 for tiny businesses, like a vegetable vendor, that lack the papers for the regular Udyam portal.
Who is eligible for a UAC and who issues it?
Informal micro enterprises that don't have GST registration are eligible. A Ministry press release adds businesses not covered by the income tax system.
You can't register yourself on the Udyam Assist Platform. A Designated Agency does it for you: a bank (including regional rural, small finance and cooperative banks), an NBFC or an MFI. It uploads your details with your consent, and the platform generates the certificate.
| Your situation | Which route fits |
|---|---|
| No GST Identification Number (GSTIN), and you borrow from a bank, NBFC or MFI | Ask that lender about a UAC |
| No PAN or GSTIN, and no lender | You can't get a UAC on your own; regular Udyam needs at least PAN, so check the documents Udyam registration asks for |
| You're registered for GST | Regular Udyam registration, not a UAC |
How is a UAC different from a Udyam Registration Certificate?
A lender files the UAC for you, while you file a Udyam Registration Certificate yourself with a Permanent Account Number (PAN).
| Point | UAC | Udyam Registration Certificate |
|---|---|---|
| Portal | udyamassist.gov.in | udyamregistration.gov.in |
| Who files | Your lender, with your consent | You, online, on self-declaration |
| PAN and GSTIN | Not needed; for businesses outside GST | PAN needed; GSTIN where GST law applies |
| Documents from you | None | None uploaded; you enter Aadhaar and PAN details |
| Number format | UDYAM-I-XX-00-0000000 | UDYAM-XX-00-0000000 |
| Category | Micro only | Micro, small or medium |
| Change details | Through your lender | Update option on the Udyam portal |
To get your UAC copy, ask your lender or download it yourself:
- Open the Udyam Assist portal and choose "Download of Udyam Assist Certificate".
- Enter your Udyam Registration Number, starting UDYAM-I-, and the mobile number your lender registered.
- Follow the prompts to download the PDF.
PM SVANidhi street vendors do their Udyam Assist Certificate download through the PM SVANidhi portal login instead. Regular certificates use a different check: see how to verify a Udyam Registration Certificate.
Can a UAC be used for a bank loan or a government scheme?
Yes for bank loans. Gazette notification S.O. 1296(E) of 20 March 2023 confirmed the at-par rule, and the Reserve Bank of India's circular of 9 May 2023 told banks to treat UAC holders as micro enterprises for priority-sector lending.
The lender still decides whether to lend. For any other scheme, check whether its guidelines accept a UAC or ask for a Udyam Registration Certificate.
How do you move from a UAC to full Udyam registration?
Full Udyam is a separate, free registration on the Udyam Registration Portal, and it needs your Aadhaar and PAN, plus GSTIN where GST law applies. You enter the Aadhaar number, verify PAN, add business details and submit; the e-certificate is generated online.
The official UAC pages don't explain how a holder should switch: the Ministry's 2022 letter covers only priority-sector lending, and the portal's circulars list has no migration order. The portal's "New Registration" option is labelled for entrepreneurs not yet registered as an MSME, and its rules say no enterprise shall file more than one Udyam registration.
So before filing, ask the lender that filed your UAC, or the contact listed on udyamassist.gov.in, whether your UDYAM-I record must be closed first.
Consider moving once you get PAN or GST registration, or grow past the micro limits of ₹2.5 crore investment and ₹10 crore turnover (see this guide to MSME limits). If you'd like help filing on the official portal, Jaagruk Bharat offers assisted Udyam registration support; the government registration itself costs nothing.
