In police and criminal law, NCR stands for Non-Cognizable Report, sometimes written out by courts as Non-Cognizable Offence Information Report. It is the police record of a complaint about a non-cognizable offence, one for which the police cannot arrest without a warrant. Under Section 174 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS), earlier Section 155 CrPC, the police note the complaint and send you to a Magistrate.
Why this matters
You may have come across "NCR" on a police receipt, a status report, or a court order and wondered whether a case has been filed. Usually it has not. An NCR is a register entry, not a criminal case. Knowing what the letters mean tells you what happens next, and what does not.
NCR full form, in plain words
| Letters | Full form | Where you see it |
|---|---|---|
| NCR | Non-Cognizable Report | Police stations, charge sheets, court orders |
| NCR | Non-Cognizable Offence Information Report | Used by the Delhi High Court in a December 2025 judgment |
| NC Report | Non-Cognizable Report | Used by the Bombay High Court in a January 2026 judgment |
| N.C.R. | Non-Cognizable Report | Used in the Allahabad High Court's case descriptions |
The three spellings point to the same thing. The word "non-cognizable" matters most: the BNSS defines a non-cognizable offence as one for which a police officer has no authority to arrest without a warrant (Section 2(1)(o) BNSS). A cognizable offence is the opposite: the police can arrest without a warrant (Section 2(1)(g) BNSS).
Not the National Capital Region. In news stories and addresses, NCR usually means the National Capital Region around Delhi. In a document about a police complaint, it means Non-Cognizable Report. The two have nothing to do with each other.
What an NCR actually is
When someone reports a non-cognizable offence, Section 174(1) BNSS requires the officer in charge of the police station to:
- Enter the substance of the information in the register kept for this purpose, and
- Refer the informant to the Magistrate, and forward the daily diary report of all such cases to the Magistrate every fortnight.
That entry is the NCR. The police cannot investigate a non-cognizable case without a Magistrate's order (Section 174(2) BNSS), and nobody concerned in such an offence can be arrested except under a warrant or order of a Magistrate (Section 35(2) BNSS). So an NCR is not the beginning of a police investigation. It is a record that you reported the matter, plus a pointer to the court that can act.
How to read an NCR number
Courts describe NCRs with a number, a year and the offence sections. Real examples from recent judgments:
- NCR No. 0005/2020, registered at a Delhi police station, under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (defamation). The Delhi High Court was hearing a challenge to it on 15 December 2025.
- N.C.R. No. 126 of 2018, under Sections 323 and 504 IPC (hurt and insult), at a Bahraich police station. The Allahabad High Court dealt with the case that grew out of it on 9 December 2025.
- NC Report No. 681/2024, recorded in a Nagpur-area sand-transport matter. The Bombay High Court dealt with it on 27 January 2026.
The pattern is the same: a serial number for that police station's register, the year, and the sections of the law the information relates to. Numbering and register formats are set by each State, so yours may look different. Whatever the format, note the number, the date and the police station, because the Magistrate will want them.
NCR vs FIR at a glance
| NCR | FIR | |
|---|---|---|
| Offence type | Non-cognizable, such as simple hurt, assault, intimidation, defamation, ordinary cheating | Cognizable, such as grievous hurt, hurt with a weapon, criminal trespass |
| Law | Section 174 BNSS (earlier 155 CrPC) | Section 173 BNSS (earlier 154 CrPC) |
| Police investigation | Not without a Magistrate's order | Yes, without a Magistrate's order |
| Arrest | Only under a warrant or Magistrate's order | Possible without a warrant in the cases the law allows |
| Next step for you | Go to the Magistrate | Police investigate |
If one incident involves several offences and at least one is cognizable, the whole case is treated as cognizable, and the police should register an FIR (Section 174(4) BNSS). If you believe the police recorded an NCR when the facts disclose a cognizable offence, the Supreme Court's Constitution Bench held in Lalita Kumari v. Government of Uttar Pradesh (12 November 2013) that registering an FIR is mandatory in that situation, with no preliminary inquiry.
What to do if you have an NCR
- Keep the NCR number, date and police station. Ask for a copy. Section 174 does not itself promise one, so photograph the entry if you cannot get it.
- Go to the Magistrate of the area. You can apply for an order allowing the police to investigate, or file a private complaint.
- Watch the time limit. Courts cannot take cognizance of minor offences after the period in Section 514 BNSS, so do not let the matter sit.
Our short guide, What Is a Non-Cognizable Report (NCR) and When Is It Filed?, walks through those steps, and our full guide, Got an NCR Instead of an FIR? What Happens Next, covers the court rulings, what happens if police investigate without a Magistrate's order, and how to challenge a wrong classification.
Common myths
Myth: NCR means the police have registered a case against the other person. Reality: It records your complaint. A case against the accused starts only when a Magistrate orders an investigation or takes cognizance of a complaint.
Myth: NCR is just another word for FIR. Reality: They are different records under different sections, with different consequences for investigation and arrest.
Myth: An NCR number is useless. Reality: It is proof that you reported the matter, and it should be quoted in any application or complaint you file before the Magistrate.
The law behind this
| Aspect | Old Law (CrPC) | New Law (BNSS) |
|---|---|---|
| Non-cognizable offence defined | Section 2(l) | Section 2(1)(o) |
| Cognizable offence defined | Section 2(c) | Section 2(1)(g) |
| NCR recorded; informant referred to Magistrate | Section 155(1) | Section 174(1) |
| No police investigation without Magistrate's order | Section 155(2) | Section 174(2) |
| No arrest without warrant or order | No express equivalent | Section 35(2) |
| FIR for cognizable offences | Section 154 | Section 173 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the full form of NCR in police? In police and criminal law NCR stands for Non-Cognizable Report. Courts also expand it as Non-Cognizable Offence Information Report. It is the police record of information about a non-cognizable offence, made under Section 174 of the BNSS (earlier Section 155 of the CrPC).
What is the full form of NCR in law? Non-Cognizable Report. In legal documents you will see it written as NCR, N.C.R. or NC Report, usually followed by a number and year and the offence sections, for example NCR No. 0005/2020 under Section 500 IPC.
Is NCR the same as an FIR? No. An FIR records information about a cognizable offence and lets the police investigate and arrest without a warrant (Section 173 BNSS). An NCR records information about a non-cognizable offence; the police must then send you to a Magistrate and cannot investigate or arrest on their own (Sections 174 and 35(2) BNSS).
Does an NCR mean a criminal case has been registered? No case is registered against anyone on the strength of an NCR alone. It is an entry in a police register. A criminal case against the accused begins only if the Magistrate orders an investigation or takes cognizance on a complaint.
Can police arrest someone after an NCR? No. A person concerned in a non-cognizable offence cannot be arrested except under a warrant or order of a Magistrate (Section 35(2) BNSS).
Is NCR in police the same as the National Capital Region? No. In news and addresses NCR often means the National Capital Region around Delhi. In a police receipt, FIR copy or court order about a complaint, NCR means Non-Cognizable Report.
This guide is general legal information for readers in India, not legal advice for your situation. Confirm the current position with a lawyer or your District Legal Services Authority before you act.