Business Setup & Incorporation

Common questions

Frequently asked

How long does the entire process take from first call to a usable company?

From a complete documentation set, the Certificate of Incorporation is issued by ROC Chandigarh in 5–7 working days. The current account typically activates inside another 3–5 days because banks run their own KYC after the CIN is issued. The full Day-1 stack — auditor appointment, GST registration, EPF/ESIC, and INC-20A capital deposit confirmation — closes inside the first 30 days. The single most common cause of delay is incomplete director KYC or a name proposal that conflicts with an existing trademark; we flag both inside the diagnostic so you don't lose a week to a rejection.

Pvt Ltd, LLP, or OPC — how do you decide which one fits?

Three questions usually settle it. First, will you raise external equity inside three years? If yes, Pvt Ltd is the only structure investors will fund cleanly. Second, is the business a professional services firm where the partners are also the operators? LLP gives you limited liability with materially lower compliance — no statutory audit until ₹40 lakh turnover or ₹25 lakh capital, no ROC filing weight, and partner remuneration is deductible within the Section 40(b) limits. Third, is there exactly one founder with no plan for co-founders or institutional capital? OPC works, but it must convert to a Pvt Ltd before it can admit a co-founder or an investor — so a business likely to add either is better incorporated as a Pvt Ltd from the start. We map your 5-year plan against these triggers and recommend in writing.

What does the engagement actually cost, and what is government fee versus professional fee?

Three layers: MCA fees (nil for a company with authorised capital up to ₹15 lakh, apart from name reservation), state stamp duty — which in Punjab is one of the higher in the country and scales with authorised capital — and our professional fee. Professional fee and government charges together typically run ₹12,000 to ₹20,000 for a private limited company, ₹10,000 to ₹15,000 for an LLP or an OPC, and ₹3,000 to ₹6,000 for a registered partnership. These are estimates; a fixed fee is quoted at the diagnostic stage, and the engagement letter is signed before any filing begins. Our company registration cost guide sets out each layer.

Can I use my home address as the registered office, and does that affect anything later?

Yes. A residential address is fully acceptable as registered office in Punjab provided you furnish a No Objection Certificate from the property owner and the latest utility bill (electricity, gas, or telephone, not older than two months). It has no effect on tax residence or GST jurisdiction. The one practical implication: if you later raise institutional capital, most term sheets ask the company to move to a commercial address before drawdown — it's a simple INC-22 filing and we handle it in 7 days when the time comes.

What happens if INC-20A or the auditor appointment is missed?

These are the two most under-discussed traps in cheap online incorporations. The board must appoint the first statutory auditor within 30 days of incorporation and file Form ADT-1 within 15 days of the appointment — if the board does not, the members must appoint one at a general meeting within 90 days, and late filing fees accrue on ADT-1. INC-20A — the business commencement certificate — must be filed within 180 days of incorporation after the subscriber capital is deposited; miss it and the company faces a ₹50,000 penalty on the company plus ₹1,000 per day on each director, and can be struck off the ROC register. Our engagement closes only after both are filed and acknowledgements are in your data room.

Do you handle DPIIT Startup India recognition alongside the incorporation?

Yes, in parallel — and for eligible companies we recommend it. DPIIT recognition under the Startup India scheme unlocks a 3-year income tax holiday under Section 80-IAC (claimable in any 3 of the first 10 years), exemption from angel tax under Section 56(2)(viib), 80% rebate on patent filing fees, and access to the Fund of Funds. Eligibility is tight — incorporation under 10 years old, turnover under ₹100 crore in any year, and the business must be working towards innovation, development, or improvement of products, processes, or services. We assess fit during the diagnostic and file the recognition application alongside the SPICe+ submission so both come through together.