Startup licences and permits in India: documents, fees and how to apply
Every registration, licence and permit a new business in India commonly needs, with the steps online and in person, the documents and how to get each one, the government fee and the usual time, from the official sources.
Set up the business 11
Private limited company incorporation (SPICe+)Ministry of Corporate Affairs (Registrar of Companies)No MCA filing fee for authorised capital up to Rs 15 lakh; State stamp duty on MoA / AoA is calculated by the portal. DSC and any professional fee extra.Limited Liability Partnership (FiLLiP)Ministry of Corporate Affairs (Registrar of Companies)Depends on the total contribution (lowest slab up to Rs 1 lakh); stamp duty on the LLP agreement as per the State.Partnership firm registrationState Registrar of FirmsSet by the State (small)Sole proprietorship (no separate registration)None (identity through tax and local registrations)None for the form itselfPAN and TAN of the businessIncome Tax Department (Protean / UTIITSL)PAN about Rs 107; TAN about Rs 77Current account in the business nameAny scheduled bankFree (minimum balance as per the bank)Udyam registration (MSME)Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium EnterprisesFree (no fee is charged by the government)GST registrationGST Network (CBIC and State tax departments)FreeDPIIT startup recognition (Startup India)Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal TradeFreeSection 80-IAC tax holiday certificateInter-Ministerial Board (through the Startup India portal)FreeTrademark registrationController General of Patents, Designs and Trade MarksRs 4,500 per class online for individuals, startups and small enterprises; Rs 9,000 for others (paper filing costs more)
Premises and staff 9
Shops and Establishments registrationState Labour Department (or the municipal body in some cities)Set by the State, usually by number of employeesTrade licence (municipal) and health / eating-house licence where requiredMunicipal corporation, council or panchayat (and city police for eating houses in some cities)Set by the local bodyProfessional Tax registration (enrolment and employer registration)State commercial tax / Professional Tax departmentFree to register; tax as per the State's slabsEPF registration (provident fund)Employees' Provident Fund OrganisationFree to registerESIC registration (employees' state insurance)Employees' State Insurance CorporationFree to registerFire safety NOCState Fire and Emergency ServicesSet by the State (by area and occupancy)Factory licenceState Factories / Industrial Safety and Health DepartmentSet by the State (by workers and power used)Electrical installation approvalState Electrical InspectorateSet by the StatePollution Control Board consent (Consent to Establish and Consent to Operate)State Pollution Control Board / CommitteeSet by the State by capital investment and category
Sector licences 17
FSSAI registration or licenceFood Safety and Standards Authority of IndiaRegistration Rs 100 a year; State licence Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000 a year; Central licence Rs 7,500 a yearLegal Metrology registration for packaged goodsState Legal Metrology Controller (importers: Director of Legal Metrology, Government of India)Set by the StateVerification and stamping of weighing scalesState Legal Metrology DepartmentSet by the State per instrumentBIS certification (Compulsory Registration Scheme or ISI mark)Bureau of Indian StandardsApplication fee plus licence fee as published by BIS; laboratory testing extraWireless equipment type approval (WPC)Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing, Department of TelecommunicationsAs shown on the portalDrone registration (UIN) and Remote Pilot CertificatesDirectorate General of Civil Aviation (Digital Sky)Rs 100 per UIN and Rs 100 per Remote Pilot Certificate; training fees extraMedical device registration or licenceCentral Drugs Standard Control Organisation and State Licensing AuthorityAs set in the Medical Devices Rules, 2017 for each class, site and productDrug licence (retail, wholesale or manufacturing)State Drugs Control Department (Online National Drugs Licensing System)Set under the Drugs Rules for each licenceClinical establishment registrationDistrict registering authority under the Clinical Establishments Act, 2010 (or the State's own law)Set by the StateTelemedicine Practice Guidelines complianceNational Medical CommissionNoneRBI / IRDAI / SEBI authorisation, or a regulated partnerReserve Bank of India, IRDAI or SEBI (as applicable)As set by the regulatorSeed, fertiliser or pesticide dealer licenceState Agriculture DepartmentSet by the StateHomestay / tourism unit registrationState Tourism DepartmentSet by the StateCommercial vehicle registration and permitsState Transport Department / Regional Transport Office (Vahan)Set by the StateRERA registration (agents and projects)State Real Estate Regulatory AuthoritySet by the State RERADigital media and online game rulesMinistry of Information and Broadcasting; Ministry of Electronics and ITNoneArtisan identity card and PM Vishwakarma registrationDevelopment Commissioner (Handicrafts); Ministry of MSMEFree
Selling and compliance 3
No licence matches this search.
Which ones does my startup need?
It depends on the sector, the legal form, the State, the number of employees and whether you export or sell to government. The Startup Evaluator works this out for your plan and lists them in the order to get them.