Business setup and registrations
Start your business on the right legal footing
Our expert team helps you pick a structure, prepare the incorporation papers, and complete the registrations your activity needs, from GST and Udyam to trademark and Startup India recognition.
Photo: Zoshua Colah / Unsplash
Subsidy Setu is a private platform, not a government website. We are not a government body and are not affiliated with, endorsed by or acting for any government department, scheme authority or bank. Applications are made on the official portals or with the lender you choose.
Why it helps
One structure, chosen with reasons
We compare a company, OPC, LLP, partnership, proprietorship and Section 8 company against your plans, so the choice is yours and informed.
Incorporation papers prepared
Name, objects, directors or partners, address proof and agreements are prepared and checked before anything is filed.
Registrations in one place
GST, Udyam, Import Export Code, shops and establishments, FSSAI, trade licence, trademark and Startup India recognition are planned together, in the order your activity needs.
Subsidy-ready from day one
Most MSME subsidies are open to several structures. We check the scheme you have in mind before the structure is fixed.
Know the filings that follow
You get a plain list of the annual and event-based filings your structure carries, so nothing surprises you after registration.
Straight answers on timelines
Timelines depend on the Registrar and the authority concerned. We confirm what to expect for your case at the start and do not promise dates.
Who it is for
- First-time entrepreneurs starting a manufacturing, trading or service business
- Proprietors thinking of moving to a company or LLP as the business grows
- Founders who want a separate legal entity for investors, banks or customers
- Promoters of a charitable or non-profit body that may need a Section 8 company and income-tax registration
- Founders who want to protect a brand name or logo, or seek Startup India recognition from DPIIT
- Existing units that need Udyam, GST, IEC, shops and establishments or FSSAI registration
- Families and partners who need a partnership firm or LLP with a written agreement
What we do
Structure advice
We explain the options side by side and what each means for liability, ownership, filings and funding. The decision is yours.
Private limited company
Incorporation of a private limited company, including name, objects, directors, members and the registered office papers.
One person company and LLP
Incorporation of an OPC with its nominee, or an LLP with its LLP agreement, as your plans require.
Partnership and proprietorship
A partnership deed for a firm, with registration of the firm where you choose it, or a clean proprietorship start with the right registrations.
Section 8 company
Where the objects are charitable or non-profit, we prepare the application for the licence from the Central Government and the company papers.
Business registrations
GST, Udyam, Import Export Code, shops and establishments, FSSAI and trade licence, as your activity and State require.
Trademark registration
A search of the trademark register, the right class and the application papers for your brand name, logo or tagline. The application is filed in your name, by you or by a registered trade marks agent or advocate.
Startup India recognition
We check your entity against the current DPIIT conditions and prepare the recognition application, including the note on your innovation that the portal asks for.
Income-tax registration for charities
For a trust, society or Section 8 company, we prepare the application for income-tax exemption and for the approval that lets donors claim a deduction.
Which structure fits?
Which structure fits depends on your case. This is a general comparison, not advice on your facts.
Private limited company
Companies Act, 2013
- A separate legal entity from its owners.
- At least two directors and two members.
- Files annual financial statements and an annual return with the Registrar of Companies.
Often considered when you expect outside investors, bank funding or a larger team. Whether it fits depends on your case.
One person company (OPC)
Companies Act, 2013
- A company with one person as its member.
- The member names a nominee.
- A separate legal entity from its owner.
Often considered by a sole founder who wants a company structure. Conditions on who can form one depend on your case.
Limited liability partnership (LLP)
Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008
- A separate legal entity from its partners.
- At least two partners.
- Run under an LLP agreement.
Often considered by professionals and small businesses that want a partnership style with a separate entity. Depends on your case.
Partnership firm
Indian Partnership Act, 1932
- Governed by the Indian Partnership Act, 1932 and the partnership deed.
- Registration of the firm is optional, but it has consequences that we explain for your case.
- The firm is not a separate legal entity from its partners.
Often considered for family or small trading businesses with a few partners. Depends on your case.
Proprietorship
No separate statute for the structure
- No separate legal identity: the business and the owner are the same in law.
- The owner is personally liable for the business.
- Registrations such as GST and Udyam are taken in the owner’s name as the activity requires.
Often the simplest start for one owner. Many owners move to a company or LLP later; the steps depend on your case.
Section 8 company
Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013
- For charitable or non-profit objects.
- Needs a licence from the Central Government.
- Profits are applied to the objects, as the licence and the company’s papers provide.
Considered only where the objects are charitable or non-profit. Not a route for a business that wants to distribute profit.
Most MSME subsidies are available to several structures, but eligibility and the area category are checked for the specific scheme. Try the free eligibility check or read about subsidy and DPR support.
Registrations your business may need
Which of these apply depends on your activity, your State and your size. We confirm the list for each case.
GST registration
Whether you must register depends on your supplies, turnover and State. Voluntary registration is also possible.
Udyam registration
The MSME registration that most subsidy and loan schemes ask for.
Import Export Code (IEC)
Needed by a business that imports or exports goods or services, issued by the DGFT.
Shops and establishments
Rules differ by State and by the type and size of the premises. We confirm the position for each case.
Professional tax and labour registrations
These depend on the State and on whether you employ people. We confirm which apply to you.
FSSAI and trade licence
Needed where the activity touches food or where the local authority requires a licence. We confirm for each case.
Trademark
Protects a brand name, logo or tagline under the Trade Marks Act, 1999. We search the register and prepare the application, which is filed in your name.
Startup India (DPIIT) recognition
Open to companies, LLPs and registered partnership firms that meet the DPIIT conditions on age, turnover and innovation. Several startup benefits ask for it first.
Income-tax registration for charities
A trust, society or Section 8 company registers for income-tax exemption and can seek approval so that its donors claim a deduction. These were sections 12A and 80G under the Income-tax Act, 1961; the provision under the Income-tax Act, 2025 is confirmed for your case.
The filings that follow
Setting up is the start. Here is what a registered entity usually carries afterwards, described in general terms. Dates and requirements for your case are confirmed with you.
Annual filings for companies
A company files its annual financial statements and annual return with the Registrar of Companies every year.
Annual filings for LLPs
An LLP files its own yearly statements with the Registrar. The details depend on the LLP’s size and turnover.
Director KYC
Directors of a company keep their KYC details updated with the Registrar. We tell you when it is due for your directors.
Auditor appointment
Where the law requires an auditor for your company or LLP, the appointment and its filing are planned with you.
Changes in the entity
A change in directors or partners, the registered address or the capital is filed with the Registrar or recorded in the deed, depending on the structure.
Closure or strike-off
If you wind up or close the entity, the closure or strike-off steps and the returns that must be up to date first are explained for your case.
For books, returns and MIS after set-up, see accounting and virtual CFO and GST services.
How it works
Step 1: Free consultation
Tell us what you plan to do, who the owners are, where you operate and whether you expect investors, loans or subsidies.
Step 2: Structure recommendation
We compare the options for your case and note what each one means for filings, liability and funding.
Step 3: Document collection
We give you a checklist for the owners and the premises, and tell you what each paper is used for.
Step 4: Preparation and your review
Our team prepares the names, forms, agreements or deeds. You read them and confirm before anything is filed.
Step 5: Filing and registrations
Papers are filed with the Registrar or the authority concerned, and the registrations your activity needs follow.
Step 6: Handover and filing list
You receive your documents and a plain list of the annual and event-based filings that apply to your structure.
Documents we usually ask for
- PAN and Aadhaar of the proprietor, partners, directors or members
- Passport-size photographs of the promoters
- Proof of the registered office or business address, and the owner’s consent if the premises are rented
- A short description of the business activity and the proposed name options
- Digital signature certificate of the directors or designated partners, where the structure needs one
- Bank account details of the business, or of the promoters for a new entity
- For an OPC: details of the nominee and the nominee’s consent
- For a partnership or LLP: the agreed terms of the deed or LLP agreement
The exact list depends on your case; we confirm it with you on the first call.
Good to know
- The Registrar and the other authorities decide on every application. Timelines depend on them and are confirmed at the start; we do not promise a date.
- A proposed company or LLP name is subject to availability and approval. We suggest options but cannot promise a particular name.
- The choice of structure is yours. We explain the options; it is not legal or tax advice on your facts.
- Most MSME subsidies are open to several structures, but eligibility and the area category are checked for the specific scheme. Registering an entity does not by itself make you eligible for a subsidy.
- Government fees and stamp duty differ by structure and by State. We list what applies to your case when we quote.
- Documents prepared by our team are reviewed by a qualified professional where the law reserves the work to one.
- The Trade Marks Registry examines every application and may raise an objection or advertise it for opposition. We cannot promise registration; replies at a hearing and oppositions go through a registered trade marks agent or an independent advocate.
- DPIIT recognition and income-tax registration are decided by the authority concerned. Recognition does not by itself make you eligible for any benefit.
Official sources this page relies on
Frequently asked questions
Which business structure should I choose?
There is no single right structure. It depends on the number of owners, the liability you are comfortable with, whether you expect investors or loans, and the filings you can keep up with. We compare the options for your case on the first call.
Does the structure affect my chances of getting a subsidy?
Most MSME subsidies are open to several structures. Eligibility and the area category are checked for the specific scheme, so we look at the scheme before the structure is fixed. You can also try the free eligibility check.
How long does registration take?
It depends on the Registrar or the authority concerned and on how complete your documents are. We confirm what to expect for your case at the start and do not promise a date.
Can I start as a proprietor and convert later?
Many businesses do. The steps and their effects, including on registrations and contracts, depend on your case, so we go through them before you decide.
What filings continue after registration?
Companies and LLPs file annual returns and statements with the Registrar, and every structure has its own registrations and event-based changes. We give you a plain list for your structure at handover.
Do I need GST and Udyam registration?
It depends on your activity, supplies, turnover and State. Udyam is the registration that most MSME schemes ask for. We confirm what applies to you.
When should I consider a Section 8 company?
Only where the objects are charitable or non-profit. It needs a licence from the Central Government. A Section 8 company, trust or society usually also registers with the income-tax department for exemption, and we prepare that application too. A business that wants to distribute profit to its owners should look at the other structures.
Can you register my trademark?
Our team searches the register, suggests the class and prepares the application. It is filed in your name, by you or by a registered trade marks agent or advocate, because the law limits who may act for an applicant before the Registry. The Registry decides on registration.
Do I need DPIIT recognition for a subsidy?
Most MSME subsidies ask for Udyam registration rather than DPIIT recognition. Some central and State startup benefits ask for DPIIT recognition first. We check the conditions for your entity and the benefit you have in mind before you apply.
Who prepares and reviews the documents?
Our expert team prepares the papers. Where the law reserves a piece of work to a qualified professional, the document is reviewed by one before it is filed. You read and confirm everything before filing.
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Related services
- Free eligibility checkSee which subsidy schemes your unit may be eligible for.Read more
- Subsidy and DPRScheme screening, DPR and subsidy filing support.Read more
- GST servicesGST registration, returns and notices.Read more
- Accounting and virtual CFOBookkeeping and MIS once your business is running.Read more
- GeM registrationRegister to sell to government buyers.Read more