Last updated: 30 September 2026
To register a company in India, you file the SPICe+ web form (INC-32) on the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) portal. Part A reserves the name, and Part B, with its linked forms, incorporates the company and also allots DIN, PAN and TAN. The government fee is nil for authorised capital up to ₹15 lakh; stamp duty is extra and depends on the state.
The steps below apply to a private limited company, the most common choice. A one person company and a public company follow the same form with different minimums.
Company registration at a glance
Point | Position |
|---|---|
Form | SPICe+ (INC-32) with e-MoA (INC-33), e-AoA (INC-34), AGILE-PRO-S (INC-35) and INC-9 |
Name reservation | Part A; an approved name stays reserved for 20 days |
Government fee | Nil for authorised capital up to ₹15 lakh; state stamp duty extra |
DIN | Allotted through SPICe+ for up to three proposed directors |
Minimum people | Private company: 2 directors and 2 shareholders; OPC: 1 of each; public company: 3 directors and 7 shareholders |
Minimum capital | None prescribed |
Output | Certificate of Incorporation with CIN, plus the company's PAN and TAN |
After incorporation | INC-20A within 180 days; first auditor within 30 days |
Step 1: Choose the right business structure
The form you file depends on the structure, so settle it first. A private limited company suits businesses that plan to raise investment or grow a team; a one person company suits a single founder who wants limited liability; an LLP suits partners funding the business themselves.
Point | Private limited | One person company | LLP |
|---|---|---|---|
Minimum owners | 2 shareholders | 1 member plus a nominee | 2 partners |
Raising equity | Easy | Must convert first | Difficult |
Registration form | SPICe+ | SPICe+ | FiLLiP |
Yearly compliance | Highest | Moderate | Lowest |
For the detail behind each option, see what an LLP is and what a one person company is.
Step 2: Get digital signatures for directors and subscribers
Every proposed director and subscriber signs the forms with a Class 3 Digital Signature Certificate (DSC). A DSC is issued by a certifying authority after identity verification, usually within a day. Our DSC for company registration service issues them alongside the application.
Step 3: Reserve the company name in SPICe+ Part A
Part A lets you propose up to two names. According to MCA guidance on SPICe+, an approved name is reserved for 20 days, and Part B must be filed within that window or the name lapses.
The Registrar rejects names that are identical or too similar to an existing company or LLP, or that use restricted words such as Bank, Insurance or Stock Exchange without the regulator's approval. Search the MCA name index and the trademark register before proposing a name; a name that clashes with a registered trademark can be challenged later.
If you are confident about the name, Part A and Part B can be filed together in one submission.
Step 4: File SPICe+ Part B with the linked forms
Part B carries the company's details: registered office, authorised and paid-up capital, directors, subscribers and their shareholding. It is filed together with four linked forms.
Form | What it contains |
|---|---|
e-MoA (INC-33) | Memorandum of Association: name, registered office state, objects and capital |
e-AoA (INC-34) | Articles of Association: internal rules for shares, meetings and management |
AGILE-PRO-S (INC-35) | Applications for GSTIN (optional), EPFO, ESIC, professional tax where applicable, and a bank account |
INC-9 | Declarations by subscribers and first directors |
Each director also gives consent in DIR-2. The documents to attach are covered in detail in our guide to documents required for company registration.
Step 5: Pay fees and stamp duty, then submit
SPICe+ generates one challan covering the form fee, MoA and AoA fees, and PAN and TAN charges. Companies with authorised capital up to ₹15 lakh pay no government filing fee, but stamp duty on the MoA and AoA is payable according to the state of the registered office.
Our view: start with authorised capital at or below ₹15 lakh unless you need more on day one. Raising it later takes a board and shareholder approval and an SH-7 filing, handled through our authorised capital increase service, which is simpler than paying a higher fee at incorporation for capital you may not issue for years.
Step 6: Respond to queries and receive the certificate
The Central Registration Centre reviews the application. If it finds defects, it returns the form for resubmission; MCA's SPICe+ FAQs allow two resubmissions to correct them. Once approved, the company receives its Certificate of Incorporation with a Corporate Identity Number (CIN), along with the PAN and TAN allotted through the same form.
Example timeline, for planning only: two founders in Rohtak obtain DSCs on day 1, get the name approved in Part A by day 3, and file Part B on day 5. If there is no resubmission, the certificate typically follows within about a week of Part B. MCA does not guarantee a processing time, so build in slack before a bank or client deadline.
Common reasons SPICe+ is sent back
A resubmission costs days, and MCA allows only two. These are the defects that return applications most often, and each is avoidable before filing.
Defect | How to avoid it |
|---|---|
Name too close to an existing company, LLP or trademark | Search the MCA name index and the trademark register first; propose a distinctive second name |
Objects clause too vague or too broad | Describe the actual business in plain terms; list related activities, not every possible trade |
Address proof older than two months | Download a fresh bank statement or utility bill on the day you prepare the file |
Name mismatch across PAN, Aadhaar and the form | Correct the record first so all three match, including middle names |
Office address differs from the utility bill | Type the address exactly as it appears on the bill, including flat or shop number |
Unclear or cropped scans | Attach complete, legible PDFs of every page |
Most of these are document problems rather than legal ones, which is why a pre-filing check against the forms saves more time than any other step.
What to do in the first 180 days after incorporation
Open the bank account and deposit each subscriber's share money.
Appoint the first auditor by board resolution within 30 days of incorporation.
File INC-20A, the declaration of commencement of business, within 180 days.
File INC-22 within 30 days if the registered office was not verified at incorporation.
Register for GST if your turnover or business model requires it.
Set up statutory registers and issue share certificates to subscribers.
A company cannot commence business or borrow until INC-20A is filed, so treat it as the first real deadline. GST is covered on our GST registration page, and yearly MCA filings under annual ROC filing.
Want the whole incorporation handled end to end? Talk to our team about company registration at ComplyLocal →
