How to register a private limited company in India
Incorporate a private limited company through the MCA's SPICe+ form, which also obtains PAN, TAN, GST, EPFO and ESIC registration in the same filing.
180 minutes7 stepsUpdated June 2026
What you need
- PAN and Aadhaar of every proposed director and shareholder
- Passport for any foreign national involved
- Address proof for each director — bank statement or utility bill, under two months old
- Proof of the registered office address, with a no-objection certificate from the owner
- Class 3 digital signature certificate for each subscriber
- Two or three proposed company names in order of preference
The steps
- 1
Obtain digital signature certificates
Every subscriber to the memorandum and every proposed director needs a Class 3 DSC, issued by a licensed certifying authority against video verification. Allow one to two working days.
- 2
Reserve the name through SPICe+ Part A
Submit up to two proposed names with their business activity. The name must not resemble an existing company or a registered trademark, and must end in 'Private Limited'. One resubmission is allowed if both are rejected.
Check the trademark register as well as the company register. A name clear at the MCA but conflicting with a registered mark produces an infringement claim later, after the branding is done.
- 3
Draft the memorandum and articles
The memorandum in eForm INC-33 sets out the objects the company may pursue; the articles in INC-34 govern its internal conduct. Draft the objects clause broadly enough to cover what the business may plausibly do in a few years — amending it later is a separate filing and a board resolution.
- 4
Complete SPICe+ Part B
Enter capital structure, registered office, director and subscriber details. The same form applies for PAN, TAN, EPFO, ESIC, professional tax where applicable, and optionally GST — which is why it replaced the older sequence of separate applications.
- 5
File AGILE-PRO-S and the declarations
The linked AGILE-PRO-S form handles GST, EPFO, ESIC and bank account opening. Form INC-9 is an automatically generated declaration from each subscriber. Attach the registered office proof and the owner's no-objection certificate.
- 6
Pay the fees and submit
Government fees depend on authorised capital, and stamp duty on the state of the registered office. Jharkhand's stamp duty differs from Delhi's for identical capital, so budget against your actual state.
- 7
Receive the certificate of incorporation
On approval the ROC issues the certificate carrying the Corporate Identity Number, with PAN and TAN printed on it. Approval typically takes ten to fifteen working days from a clean filing.
What happens afterwards
The compliance clock starts at incorporation, not at first revenue. Open the bank account and deposit the subscribed capital within sixty days, then file Form INC-20A to declare commencement of business — trading before that filing is an offence. The first board meeting must be held within thirty days, and the first auditor appointed within the same period.
Would you rather we did it?
This guide exists so you can do it yourself. If you would rather not, we will — and you will have a fixed price before any work starts.