Incorporate it once, and correctly.
Private Limited, LLP, OPC or a partnership firm — name approval, DSC, SPICe+ filing, MOA and AOA, certificate of incorporation, PAN and TAN. Then the part most founders miss: what you're obliged to do in the first 180 days after the certificate arrives.
Timelines run from the date of incorporation. Verified against the Companies Act 2013 and Companies (Incorporation) Rules as on 03 Aug 2026.
The wrong entity is expensive to undo.
Liability, compliance load, how you'll raise money and how you'll be taxed all follow from this choice. It's worth ten minutes before it's worth a filing.
Private Limited Company
Separate legal entity with limited liability, the structure investors expect, and the heaviest ongoing compliance of the group. Registered with the MCA.
Limited Liability Partnership
Partnership flexibility with limited liability, and a lighter annual compliance load than a company. Common for professional and family-run firms.
One Person Company
A company structure for a single founder — limited liability and separate legal identity without needing a second shareholder.
Partnership Firm
Two or more partners under a partnership deed, registered with the Registrar of Firms. Simple to run, but liability is unlimited.
Sole Proprietorship
You and the business are the same legal person. Nothing to incorporate — but GST, MSME or a shop act licence may still be needed to operate.
Section 8 Company
For not-for-profit objects — charitable, educational, environmental. Incorporated as a company but barred from distributing profit to members.
Not sure which fits? Send us a line about the business on WhatsApp — funding plans, number of founders and expected turnover usually settle it in one conversation.
What each structure actually commits you to.
| Basis | Private Limited | LLP | OPC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Governing law | Companies Act 2013 | LLP Act 2008 | Companies Act 2013 |
| Minimum members | 2 + 2 | 2 partners | 1 + nominee |
| Minimum paid-up capital | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Liability | Limited | Limited | Limited |
| Incorporation form | SPICe+ | FiLLiP | SPICe+ |
| Statutory audit | Always | Above prescribed thresholds | Always |
| Suits | Startups raising equity, growing SMEs | Professional firms, family businesses | Solo founders |
Verified against the Companies Act 2013, LLP Act 2008 and the incorporation rules as on 03 Aug 2026. Audit applicability for LLPs depends on turnover and contribution thresholds — we confirm your position before you choose.
The certificate is the start of the obligations, not the end.
First board meeting
The board must meet within thirty days of incorporation, with minutes recorded. It's a paperwork step that's easy to skip and awkward to reconstruct later.
First auditor appointed
The board appoints the first statutory auditor within thirty days of incorporation. If it doesn't, the obligation shifts to the members within a further window.
Share certificates issued
Certificates must be issued to subscribers within sixty days of incorporation — before the full subscribed capital is necessarily paid in.
INC-20A, or you can't trade
Subscribed capital deposited in the company's account and the commencement declaration filed under Section 10A within 180 days. Until it's approved, the company cannot legally commence business or borrow.
Missing 10A is costly
Failure attracts a penalty of ₹50,000 on the company and ₹1,000 per day on each officer in default, subject to a cap — and exposes the company to strike-off proceedings.
Then it repeats every year
Annual return, financial statements, director KYC and the income tax return follow every year, whether or not the company has traded.
Penalty figures verified against Section 10A of the Companies Act 2013 as on 03 Aug 2026.
One engagement, from name search to first invoice.
For a Private Limited: name reservation, digital signatures for the directors, DIN allotment through SPICe+, MOA and AOA drafting, the incorporation filing itself, and PAN and TAN issued alongside. Government fees are quoted inside the engagement rather than added afterwards. For an LLP the route is FiLLiP with the LLP agreement drafted and filed; for a partnership firm, a stamped deed and registration with the Registrar of Firms where applicable.
Seven steps, tracked on WhatsApp.
Structure & name
We settle the entity type, check name availability against existing companies and trade marks, and file for reservation with alternatives ready.
Digital signatures
DSCs obtained for every proposed director or designated partner — nothing can be filed with the MCA without them.
DIN allotment
Director Identification Numbers allotted through the incorporation form itself for first-time directors.
Drafting
MOA, AOA and the declarations drafted around what the business will actually do — objects clauses that don't need amending in year two.
Filing
SPICe+ for companies or FiLLiP for LLPs, with PAN and TAN applied for in the same submission.
Certificate of incorporation
MCA issues the certificate with the CIN. We walk you through what the incorporation date now commits you to.
Post-incorporation
Bank account, capital deposit, INC-20A, auditor appointment and GST registration where you need it — handled in sequence, not left as a list.
What to keep ready.
Personal documents
- PAN card — Indian nationals
- Aadhaar card
- Passport-size photograph
- Address proof — bank statement, electricity or telephone bill, generally not older than two months
- Passport — mandatory where a director is a foreign national
Premises documents
- Utility bill for the premises
- Rent agreement, where the premises are rented
- No-objection certificate from the owner
- Proposed names in order of preference, with the business objects
A residential address can serve as the registered office. Foreign national documents may require notarisation or apostille depending on the country — we confirm the requirement before you courier anything.
What founders ask first.
Is there a minimum capital requirement?
No minimum paid-up capital applies to a Private Limited company, LLP or OPC. Many founders choose ₹1 lakh authorised capital as a starting point and increase it later, but that's a choice rather than a legal floor.
How long does incorporation take?
It depends on name approval and how quickly documents come back. Name reservation is usually the fastest stage; the incorporation filing itself then runs through MCA processing. We give you a realistic date once names are approved rather than a number upfront.
Private Limited or LLP?
If you expect to raise equity, a Private Limited is the structure investors are set up for. If you're a professional or family firm with no funding plans, an LLP carries a lighter annual compliance load. Turnover, partner count and funding plans usually decide it in one conversation.
Can I use my home address as the registered office?
Yes, with a utility bill and — if the premises are rented — a no-objection certificate from the owner.
What is INC-20A and why does it matter so much?
It's the declaration under Section 10A that subscribed capital has been paid into the company's bank account, due within 180 days of incorporation. Until it's filed and approved, the company cannot legally commence business or borrow — and the penalty for missing it is ₹50,000 on the company plus ₹1,000 per day on each officer in default.
Do I need GST registration immediately?
Not automatically. It depends on turnover, whether you supply inter-state, and whether you sell through a marketplace. See GST registration for where the thresholds sit.
Before you pick a structure.
Partnership vs LLP vs Private Limited
Liability, compliance and funding compared for a first-time founder.
Starting a Business in India
The registrations and decisions that come before your first invoice.
DIR-3 KYC and AGM Deadlines
The annual MCA dates every director needs on the calendar.
Incorporated already? Books, GST and payroll from month one are covered under a monthly retainer, and bookkeeping alone on the accounting page.
Tell us about the business — we'll suggest the structure.
Share a few details and our team confirms scope on WhatsApp within a few hours. Prefer to talk now? WhatsApp or call us directly.
Ready to incorporate?
Tell us how many founders there are, whether you plan to raise money, and what the business will do. We'll recommend a structure and confirm scope within a few hours.