How to Register a Private Limited Company in India (2026 Costs, Timeline, Documents)

Last verified: July 2026. Government fees and processes change — every figure below was checked against current MCA rules this month.

Registering a private limited company in India in 2026 costs between ₹7,000 and ₹25,000 all-inclusive and takes 5–10 working days if your paperwork is clean. The government has made the process genuinely cheap — MCA filing fees are nominal for small companies, and PAN, TAN, and DIN come bundled free. What most founders don’t realise is that almost the entire cost variation comes from two things: which state you register in, and how much you pay a professional to file forms you could largely handle yourself.

Here’s the complete process, every rupee explained.

Why Pvt Ltd Is Still the Default for Startups

If you ever plan to raise venture funding, issue ESOPs, or sell the company, a private limited company under the Companies Act 2013 is effectively mandatory — investors do not put equity into proprietorships or ordinary partnerships. An LLP is cheaper to run (annual compliance of roughly ₹5,000–₹15,000 versus ₹15,000–₹40,000 for a Pvt Ltd), but it cannot issue shares. The rule of thumb: building a fundable startup → Pvt Ltd; running a services or family business → consider an LLP.

What Registration Actually Costs in 2026

Every incorporation has three cost buckets: government fees (fixed, low), stamp duty (varies wildly by state), and professional fees (the part you can negotiate).

The analysis most guides skip: those “₹499 company registration” ads you see everywhere are pure marketing hooks — they exclude DSC, stamp duty, and government charges, all of which are unavoidable. The absolute floor in mandatory government costs alone is around ₹3,000–₹5,000 even in the cheapest state. Anyone quoting below that is recovering the difference later.

Documents You Need Before Starting

For every director and shareholder: PAN card, Aadhaar, one address proof (bank statement or utility bill under 2 months old), a passport-size photo, and for the registered office: a utility bill plus a no-objection certificate from the owner (a rented flat works fine — a commercial address is not required).

The SPICe+ Process, Step by Step

Everything runs through one integrated form — SPICe+ (Simplified Proforma for Incorporating Company Electronically Plus) on the MCA portal — which bundles name approval, incorporation, DIN, PAN, TAN, and via the linked AGILE-PRO-S form, your EPFO, ESIC, profession tax, and bank account registrations.

Step 1: Get Digital Signature Certificates (Day 1)

Every director needs a Class 3 DSC from a certifying agency like eMudhra, Sify, or NSDL. Takes a few hours with video KYC. Buy the multi-year token.

Step 2: Reserve the Name — SPICe+ Part A (Day 1–3)

Submit two name options. Check availability on the MCA name search and the trademark registry first — name rejections are the most common cause of delays. The name must be unique and end in “Private Limited.”

Step 3: Fill SPICe+ Part B (Day 3–5)

Company details, registered office, authorised capital, director and shareholder details. Keep authorised capital at ₹1–10 lakh. Starting with ₹50 lakh “just in case” only inflates your stamp duty and annual ROC fees — you can increase capital in 5–10 days with Form SH-7 whenever you actually raise money.

Step 4: Draft e-MoA and e-AoA (Day 3–5)

The Memorandum (INC-33) defines what your company is allowed to do; the Articles (INC-34) define how it’s governed. Get the object clause right — wrong or overly narrow object clauses are a top rejection reason, and rejections mean re-paying non-refundable stamp duty.

Step 5: File AGILE-PRO-S and Submit (Day 5)

This linked form covers EPFO, ESIC, profession tax (where applicable), GST (optional at this stage), and opens your company bank account. Sign everything with the DSCs, pay fees and stamp duty, submit.

Step 6: Receive the Certificate of Incorporation (Day 5–10)

The RoC issues your Certificate of Incorporation with the CIN, company PAN, and TAN by email. You legally exist.

The Step Everyone Forgets: INC-20A

Your company cannot legally commence business until you file Form INC-20A (declaration of commencement) within 180 days of incorporation — and before filing it, shareholders must actually deposit the subscribed capital into the company bank account. Missing this deadline is the single most common post-incorporation default and can trigger strike-off proceedings. Set the reminder the day your certificate arrives.

Budget for Year One, Not Just Day One

Incorporation is ₹7,000–₹25,000. The first year of compliance — auditor appointment (ADT-1), INC-20A, DIR-3 KYC, statutory audit, ITR, and annual return — runs another ₹15,000–₹50,000. Founders who budget only for registration get an unpleasant surprise in month ten. If that ongoing cost feels heavy for your stage, that’s the signal to re-read the LLP comparison above.

FAQ

How much does it cost to register a private limited company in India in 2026?

₹7,000–₹25,000 all-inclusive for a standard 2-director company with ₹1–10 lakh authorised capital. The spread comes from state stamp duty (₹200–₹12,600) and professional fees (₹5,000–₹15,000).

How long does registration take?

5–10 working days with clean documents. Name rejections and MoA errors are the two things that stretch it to weeks.

Can I register a company myself without a CA?

Legally yes, via the MCA portal. Practically, most founders use a professional because government fees are non-refundable on rejection, and MoA/AoA drafting errors are easy to make.

Is there a minimum capital requirement?

No minimum paid-up capital is required. Most startups start with ₹1 lakh authorised capital and increase it at their first funding round.

What is INC-20A and why does it matter?

It’s the commencement-of-business declaration, due within 180 days of incorporation after depositing subscribed capital in the company account. Miss it and the company faces penalties and possible strike-off.