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Private Limited Company Registration in India

Register your Pvt Ltd in 7–10 days. End-to-end filing handled by chartered accountants. No portals, no DIY.

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Required Documents & Deliverables

A clean handoff. You send us a list of documents, we handle the rest.

Required Documents
For each director / shareholder
PAN card (mandatory)
Aadhaar card, Voter ID, or Driver’s License
Address proof (bank statement / utility bill) not older than 1 month
Passport-size photograph
Email and mobile number
Passport (mandatory for foreign nationals)
For the company
Property owner’s Aadhaar card (to draft rental agreement)
Electricity, telephone, or gas bill of your office address (not older than 1 month)
Two proposed company names (to apply for name reservation)
Details of business activity

What Is a Private Limited Company?

A Private Limited Company is the most common business structure used by Indian startups, especially those raising capital from venture investors. Governed by the Companies Act, 2013, it is a separate legal entity that owns property, signs contracts, and is taxed in its own name, distinct from the people who own it.

What makes the Private Limited Company structure particularly suited for founders is the combination of limited liability and share-based ownership. Directors and shareholders are not personally liable for the company's debts beyond what they have invested. Ownership is divided into shares that can be issued, transferred, or assigned to employees through ESOPs. It is the only Indian entity that supports priced equity rounds with shareholder agreements.

Key features

A Private Limited Company has between 2 and 200 shareholders, requires a minimum of 2 directors (at least one of whom must be an Indian resident), and operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA). The company has perpetual succession, meaning it continues to exist regardless of changes in ownership or management.

Why founders choose Private Limited

For most venture-backed startups, the Private Limited Company is the default choice. It is the only structure that allows you to issue priced equity to investors, grant ESOPs to employees, and easily bring in foreign investment under the automatic route. While compliance requirements are higher than for an LLP or proprietorship, the structural benefits typically outweigh the cost once you intend to raise capital or scale.

How it differs from a sole proprietorship

Unlike a sole proprietorship, which has no legal existence apart from its owner, a Private Limited Company is treated as a separate person in the eyes of the law. The business can own assets in its own name, sue and be sued, and continue indefinitely. This separation is crucial for raising institutional capital and building business credibility with banks, vendors, and customers.

Benefits of Private Limited Company Registration.

Six reasons the Private Limited structure remains the default for venture-backed Indian startups.

Limited liability
Personal assets stay protected. Directors' homes and savings can't be touched by business debts.
VC-fundable
The only Indian entity that supports priced equity rounds and standard shareholder agreements.
Perpetual succession
The company outlives its founders. Ownership transfers smoothly without disrupting operations.
ESOP-friendly
Issue stock options to employees. Standard practice for growing teams and a hiring advantage.
Higher credibility
Banks, vendors, and enterprise customers take a Pvt Ltd seriously. Easier to open credit lines.
Separate legal entity
Owns property, signs contracts, and is sued in its own name. A true separation from owners.

Who Can Register a Private Limited Company?

Standard requirements set by the Companies Act, 2013. We'll walk you through anything specific to your situation.

Minimum requirements
At least 2 directors (one must be an Indian resident)
At least 2 shareholders (can be the same as directors)
Registered office address in India
Unique company name (not similar to existing entities)
Valid PAN and Aadhaar for all directors
Restrictions to know
Maximum 200 shareholders
Shares can't be offered to the public
Share transfers require board approval
Mandatory annual audit, regardless of turnover
Higher compliance burden than LLP or proprietorship

How Registration Works.

Three steps. We handle two of them. Total timeline: 7–10 days from the day you send documents.

1
We Collect
Send us your documents through a secure link. We verify each one for completeness and accuracy before anything is filed with the MCA.
Day 1–2
2
We Process
Apply for DSC and DIN, draft MOA & AOA, file the SPICe+ form, and respond to any queries from the MCA on your behalf.
Day 3–7
3
We Deliver
Certificate of Incorporation, company PAN and TAN, plus assistance to open your current account with a partner bank.
Day 8–10

Pvt Ltd vs LLP vs OPC vs Sole Proprietorship.

The structural differences that matter when you're choosing an entity type for your startup.

Feature
LLP
OPC
Sole Prop.
Min directors / partners
2
1
1
Limited liability
VC funding eligible
ESOP support
Foreign investment (FDI)
Annual compliance
Medium
Medium
Low
Tax rate (base)
30%
22% / 25%
Slab rate
Mandatory audit
If turnover > ₹40L
If turnover > ₹1cr
Tax rates and audit thresholds shown above are subject to current finance act and require verification per your specific business. Reach out for a scoped consultation.

After Incorporation What's Next?

Getting your Certificate of Incorporation is the start, not the finish line. A newly registered Private Limited Company has a list of statutory obligations that begin from day one, and missing them attracts penalties from the MCA, the Income Tax department, and (if applicable) the GST authority.

1
Immediate next steps

Within the first 30 days, you need to hold your first board meeting and pass resolutions for opening a bank account, appointing a statutory auditor, and authorising signatories. The share certificates must be issued to subscribers within 60 days. We typically guide founders through these via a short post-incorporation call.

2
Tax and GST registration

Your company already has its PAN and TAN. If your turnover is expected to exceed the GST threshold (₹40 lakh for goods, ₹20 lakh for services in most states), or if you operate across state lines or sell through e-commerce, GST registration is required. We can handle this either as a follow-on service or bundled into your incorporation engagement.

3
Post-Incorporation Compliance

Once registered, you're on a recurring compliance schedule with the MCA and the Income Tax department. The core annual filings include:

  • File INC-20A within 180 days (Commencement of Business)
  • File AOC-4 annually (Financial Statements)
  • File MGT-7 / MGT-7A annually (Annual Return)
  • Complete DIR-3 KYC annually for all directors
  • Maintain statutory registers of members, charges, and directors at the registered office

These are the kinds of recurring obligations most founders underestimate, and where partnering with a full-service compliance firm pays for itself.

Frequently Asked Questions.

A Private Limited Company requires a minimum of 2 directors and 2 shareholders. At least one director must be an Indian resident (someone who has stayed in India for at least 182 days in the previous financial year). The same individuals can serve as both directors and shareholders. The maximum number of shareholders is capped at 200.
There is no minimum paid-up capital requirement for a Private Limited Company under current law. You can register with any authorised capital, though the standard practice is ₹1,00,000 (one lakh) as authorised capital with a paid-up capital of ₹10,000 or more. Higher authorised capital attracts higher stamp duty.
Yes. NRIs and foreign nationals can be directors of an Indian Private Limited Company. However, at least one director must be an Indian resident. For foreign directors, documents need to be apostilled or notarised by the Indian consulate in their country of residence, which adds 1-2 weeks to the timeline.
Typically 7–10 working days from the day you submit complete documents. This includes DSC (1 day), name approval via SPICe+ Part A (2–3 days), and incorporation filing (3–5 days). MCA processing times can vary; we keep you updated at each step and follow up on any clarifications raised.
Total cost depends on your state (stamp duty varies), authorised capital, and number of directors. Government and statutory fees typically range from ₹4,000 to ₹15,000 depending on these factors. Our professional fees are quoted separately based on scope. Reach out for an exact quote. We send line-itemed estimates, never round numbers.
Names are rejected if they are too similar to existing entities, include restricted words, or are misleading. The SPICe+ form allows up to 2 name proposals per application. If both are rejected, you can resubmit with new names by paying the form fee again. We screen names against MCA and trademark databases before filing, which significantly reduces rejection risk.
Yes. A Private Limited Company can be converted to an LLP, Public Limited Company, or OPC depending on eligibility criteria. Conversion involves passing a special resolution, MCA filings, and updating tax registrations. The reverse (LLP/OPC to Pvt Ltd) is also possible. Conversion timelines typically range from 30 to 60 days.
Not automatically. GST registration is required only if your turnover exceeds the threshold (₹40 lakh for goods, ₹20 lakh for services in most states), if you sell across state lines, or if you sell through e-commerce platforms. We help assess whether GST is required for your specific business and handle the registration if so.
You need a registered office address in India, but it doesn't have to be a commercial space. A residential address works (we'll need a NOC from the property owner along with proof of address such as a recent utility bill or rent agreement). Many early-stage founders register at a co-working space or home address and update later.
SPICe+ (Simplified Proforma for Incorporating Company Electronically Plus) is the integrated web form introduced by the MCA that combines incorporation, PAN, TAN, EPFO, ESIC, GSTIN, and bank account opening in a single application. Filing through SPICe+ reduces processing time from the older 30-day route to roughly a week.
A Private Limited Company has recurring compliance obligations: annual return filing (Form MGT-7) and financial statement filing (Form AOC-4) with the MCA, Director KYC, statutory audit, AGM within six months of financial year end, income tax return, GST returns if registered, and TDS returns. We handle all of these for our retainer clients as a single bundled service.
You have two options: convert your existing LLP to a Pvt Ltd (which preserves the entity history but takes 30–60 days), or register a new Pvt Ltd as a separate entity (faster, but you'll have two entities to wind down). The right choice depends on your LLP's age, existing contracts, and tax history. Worth a 15-minute call before deciding.

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