Business Registration Services

Indian law offers several structures. A sole proprietorship and a traditional partnership are simple to start but expose the owners to unlimited personal liability. A Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) and a private limited company both give limited liability, meaning personal assets are generally protected from business debts. A One Person Company (OPC) suits a single founder who wants a corporate structure, and a Section 8 company is used for not-for-profit objectives. The right choice depends on liability, funding plans, and the compliance you are prepared to carry.

Both protect personal assets, but they differ in purpose. An LLP, governed by the LLP Act 2008, is managed directly by its partners, carries lighter annual compliance, and suits professional firms and smaller ventures. A private limited company, governed by the Companies Act 2013, separates shareholders from a board of directors, carries higher compliance and mandatory audits, and can issue shares. An LLP cannot raise equity from outside investors, while a private limited company can. A common path is to start as an LLP and convert to a private limited company when funding is needed.

Angel investors, venture capital funds, and most institutional lenders prefer a private limited company. It can issue equity shares and multiple classes of stock, grant employee stock options (ESOPs), and record share transfers cleanly, which an LLP or partnership cannot do as easily. If raising external funding is part of your plan, the private limited company is the structure most investors expect. If you are self-funding a service business with no funding plans, an LLP may serve the same purpose at lower cost.

A private limited company is registered with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs through the SPICe+ form. The steps are obtaining a Class 3 Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) for each director, reserving the company name in SPICe+ Part A, then filing Part B, which combines the Director Identification Number (DIN), the incorporation application, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, and PAN and TAN. A minimum of two directors is needed and there is no minimum capital requirement. Once the Registrar issues the Certificate of Incorporation, registration is complete, usually within 7 to 14 days.

For each director and shareholder you need PAN, an identity proof such as passport, Aadhaar or voter ID, and a recent address proof such as a bank statement or utility bill. For the registered office you need a utility bill and, where the premises are rented, a rent agreement with a No Objection Certificate from the owner. You also decide the authorised and paid-up capital and how the shares are divided. A foreign director's documents usually need to be notarised or apostilled.

The cost has three parts: government and stamp-duty fees that vary by state and by authorised capital, the Digital Signature Certificates for the directors, and professional fees for drafting and filing. Government fees for a small company are modest, and several states have reduced or waived stamp duty on incorporation. Because the total depends on the number of directors, the state, and the capital structure, we provide a written estimate for your specific case before starting work.

Incorporation gives you the company, but operating usually needs further registrations. PAN and TAN are generated along with incorporation. Depending on activity and turnover you may need GST registration, Professional Tax registration in states that levy it, a Shop and Establishment Act licence for your premises, and Udyam registration to access MSME benefits. Businesses that hire staff also register for Provident Fund and ESI once they cross the applicable thresholds. We map the registrations your specific business needs rather than applying a fixed list.

GST registration is not automatic on incorporation. It becomes mandatory once turnover crosses the threshold, currently Rs 40 lakh for goods and Rs 20 lakh for services in most states, or earlier if you make inter-state supplies, sell through e-commerce platforms, or fall within specified categories. Many companies also register voluntarily to claim input tax credit and to invoice business customers who expect a GST invoice. We assess whether your company must register or would benefit from registering.

Yes. Indian law allows conversions, for example a proprietorship or an LLP into a private limited company, or a private limited company into an LLP, subject to the conditions in the relevant Act. Conversion involves fresh filings, transfer of assets and liabilities, and sometimes tax considerations, so it is planned rather than automatic. Starting with a structure that fits your next two to three years usually costs less than converting early, which is why structure selection at the outset matters.

DPIIT recognition is granted through the Startup India portal to an eligible entity within the applicable age window, with turnover not exceeding Rs 200 crore for a regular startup, that works on innovation or a scalable business model. Recognition brings easier compliance and access to government schemes, but it does not itself grant the income-tax holiday. That separate benefit is claimed under Section 80-IAC [ITA 2025: s. 140] by an eligible company or LLP holding Inter-Ministerial Board certification: a 100% deduction of eligible-business profits for any three consecutive years within the first ten years. For a claim relating to FY 2025-26, the section 80-IAC [ITA 2025: s. 140] turnover ceiling is Rs 100 crore; from tax year 2026-27, section 80-IAC [ITA 2025: s. 140] sets it at Rs 300 crore. The incorporation window runs from 1 April 2016 to before 1 April 2030.

A trust is created through a trust deed that names the settlor, the trustees, and the beneficiaries or charitable purpose, executed on stamp paper and signed before witnesses. Private trusts fall under the Indian Trusts Act 1882, while public charitable and religious trusts follow state-specific Public Trust Acts. The deed is registered with the local Sub-Registrar, which is mandatory where immovable property is involved, after which the trust obtains a PAN. A charitable trust seeking income-tax benefits applies for registration under Section 12A [ITA 2025: s. 332] and Section 12AB [ITA 2025: s. 332] and, separately, for approval under Section 80G [ITA 2025: s. 354] so eligible donors can claim deductions under Section 80G [ITA 2025: s. 133].

Yes, but Indian exchange-control rules apply. A resident individual can invest abroad under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme, capped at USD 250,000 per financial year, and can hold an operating overseas company under the Overseas Direct Investment route. An Indian company can make overseas direct investment up to 400% of its net worth under the automatic route. These flows are governed by the Foreign Exchange Management (Overseas Investment) Rules 2022 and carry reporting requirements, including Form FC within the prescribed time. We structure the investment and handle the RBI reporting so the setup stays compliant.

A company in the UAE is set up either on the mainland, licensed by the emirate's economic department, or in a free zone, licensed by that zone's authority. Indian founders can now own 100% of most mainland and free zone companies without a local partner. Free zones suit international trade and offer virtual-office options, while the mainland suits trading directly in the local market and needs a physical office. On tax, the UAE charges 9% corporate tax on profits above AED 375,000. A free zone company can access a 0% rate on qualifying income only if it meets all the Qualifying Free Zone Person conditions, so the structure needs care.

A foreigner can own 100% of a Singapore private limited company, but two local requirements apply: at least one director who is ordinarily resident in Singapore, often met through a nominee director service, and a local registered address. A company secretary must be appointed within six months of incorporation, and the minimum paid-up capital is S$1. Foreigners cannot self-file on the ACRA BizFile+ portal and must engage a registered filing agent. Registration itself is fast, often one to three working days once due-diligence checks are cleared.

The three common US structures are the C-Corporation, the S-Corporation, and the LLC. An S-Corporation can be owned only by US citizens or residents, so it is not available to a founder based in India. That leaves the C-Corporation, a separate taxpayer that can take on unlimited investors and issue multiple share classes, and the LLC, a pass-through structure that is simpler but creates personal US tax filing for foreign owners. For a founder planning to raise venture capital, the C-Corporation is the standard choice.

Delaware is the usual home for venture-backed US companies for practical reasons. Its Court of Chancery is a specialised business court with two centuries of case law, which makes legal outcomes predictable. Its corporate statute is well understood by investors and their lawyers, so venture funds are comfortable with it, and many expect a Delaware C-Corporation before they invest. A non-resident can form one without living in the US, but must appoint a registered agent located in Delaware and file an annual report with the state franchise tax.

Three areas matter. First, tax: a C-Corporation pays US corporate tax, and dividends to an Indian shareholder face US withholding, reduced under the India-US tax treaty, which also lets you credit US tax against Indian tax so the same income is not taxed twice. Second, compliance: a US company carries its own obligations, including an Employer Identification Number, annual reports, and federal and state returns. Third, Indian rules: setting up and funding the US entity must follow the Overseas Investment framework and be reported to the RBI. We coordinate the US formation with the Indian reporting so both sides stay compliant.