Field guide

What is a CNR number, and where do you find yours?

Published 22 Jul 2026

Verified against the live portal — 22 Jul 2026

In short

The CNR is a unique 16-character code assigned to every case filed in an Indian district court — for example DLNT010004752026. The first six characters identify the court, the next six are the case's serial number, and the last four are the year. You will find it printed on court orders, on the e-filing acknowledgment, and on the eCourts portal's case-status page.

If you have ever asked a court clerk "kaunsa case?", the answer that removes all doubt is the CNR. Party names repeat, case numbers restart every year in every court, but a CNR points to exactly one case in exactly one court — which is why every reliable way of tracking a case online starts with it.

Reading the code

Take a real-shaped example: DLNT010004752026.

First six characters — the court. DL is the state (Delhi), NT the district or court complex, and 01 the establishment — the particular court within that complex.
Next six — the serial. 000475 is the case's registration serial in that establishment.
Last four — the year. 2026.

That is all it is: court + serial + year, sixteen characters, no spaces.

Where it is printed

On orders and judgments. District court orders carry the CNR, usually at the top of the first page. If you have any certified copy or downloaded order in the file, the CNR is already in your hands.
On the e-filing acknowledgment, if the case was e-filed.
On the eCourts portal (services.ecourts.gov.in). Search the case under Case Status — by party name, case number, FIR number or advocate name — and the result shows its CNR.
From the filing counter or your advocate. The court's registry can look it up; an advocate's clerk usually has it noted on the file cover.

Note: High Court cases carry CNRs too (Delhi High Court CNRs start with DLHC), but High Court websites mostly work on case type, number and year. The Supreme Court uses diary numbers instead. This guide covers the district-court CNR, which is the one most people are asked for.

If you cannot find it

You do not strictly need the CNR to locate a case — you need it to locate the case unambiguously. On the eCourts portal, or on CourtWatch, you can search by party name, case number, FIR number or advocate name, open the right case from the results, and the CNR will be on the case page. Note it down once; every future lookup becomes a ten-second job.

FAQ

How many characters is a CNR number?

Sixteen, with no spaces or dashes: two for the state, two for the district, two for the court establishment, six for the case serial, and four for the year.

Is the CNR the same as the case number?

No. The case number (like "CS 123/2026") restarts every year and repeats across courts. The CNR is unique across the country — one CNR, one case.

Does every case have a CNR?

Every case in a district court does. High Courts assign CNRs as well, though their websites mostly search by case type, number and year. Supreme Court matters are identified by diary number instead.

Once you have the CNR, tracking the case takes about a minute.

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