What company registration actually costs in India (2026)

Ask three portals what company registration costs and you will get three answers, because most quotes hide either the stamp duty or the recurring costs. Here is the honest arithmetic for a typical two-director private limited company with ₹1 lakh authorised capital.

The government's share: smaller than you think

The MCA's SPICe+ filing fee is nil for authorised capital up to ₹15 lakh. PAN and TAN are allotted automatically at no extra charge, and DIN for up to three directors is included in the incorporation form. If you reserve a name separately through Part A, that is ₹1,000 per application.

Stamp duty: the biggest variable

Stamp duty on the MoA and AoA is a state subject, which is why totals vary so much. On ₹1 lakh capital it ranges from a few hundred rupees in Delhi, Maharashtra or Uttar Pradesh to several thousand in states like Gujarat or Kerala. Registering in Rajasthan, where our firm practises, sits in the moderate band. The state is fixed by your registered office — this is not a fee you can shop around.

Digital signatures

A Class 3 DSC costs roughly ₹1,500–2,500 per director from the licensed certifying agencies; a two-director company should budget ₹3,000–5,000. Buy two-year validity — annual renewals cost more over time.

What about professional charges?

Drafting the MoA and AoA, filing SPICe+ and handling Registrar queries is professional work, and the right fee depends on your shareholding structure, the state of registration and what else you need alongside — GST, startup recognition, agreements. Rather than quote a misleading flat number, we scope it to your case: send an enquiry through the form and we will reply with an exact, all-inclusive quote within one business day.

The costs that continue after registration

A company is a recurring commitment, and this is where cheap-registration portals go quiet. Every year a private limited company must maintain books, have them audited, file AOC-4 and MGT-7 with the Registrar and an income-tax return, and keep director KYC current. These are professional engagements whose cost depends on the volume and state of your records — an LLP runs lighter than a company, one reason the choice of structure matters; see our structure comparison, or ask us for a scoped annual-compliance quote.

Where founders overspend

Two habits inflate the bill: registering with a high authorised capital "for image" (stamp duty scales with it, and you can increase capital later), and buying bundled add-ons — trademark, startup recognition, GST — before knowing whether you need them at incorporation. Register lean; add registrations when the business actually requires them. Our GST guide explains when that particular registration becomes mandatory.

Frequently asked questions

What is the government fee for registering a private limited company?

The MCA filing fee is zero for companies with authorised capital up to ₹15 lakh. What you pay instead is state stamp duty on the MoA and AoA and digital-signature charges; professional charges depend on the scope of the engagement.

Why do registration quotes differ so much between providers?

Most low headline prices exclude stamp duty (which varies by state), DSC costs, or government levies, and recover margin through add-ons. Compare quotes only on the all-inclusive figure.

Is a higher authorised capital better?

Not at the start. Stamp duty rises with authorised capital and you can increase it any time later by a simple filing. Most startups begin with ₹1 lakh.

What are the annual costs of running a private limited company?

Statutory audit, ROC annual filings (AOC-4, MGT-7), the income-tax return and director KYC recur every year regardless of revenue. The professional cost depends on the state of your books and volume of transactions — enquire through our contact form for a scoped quote.