The long answers, written by the people who file.
Ten guides that go step by step through what founders ask us most: registering, the documents, the costs, GST, the yearly calendar, trademarks, Startup India, ESOPs and the deck. Each one opens with the short answer.
How to register a Private Limited Company in India (2026)
A Private Limited Company is registered online through the MCA's SPICe+ form in about 12 to 15 working days from complete documents. You need two directors, two shareholders, a registered office in India and a digital signature for each director. There is no minimum capital and the MCA fee is nil up to ₹15 lakh authorised capital.
Read the guideDocuments required for company registration
To register a company in India you need three sets of documents: identity and address proof for every director and shareholder (PAN, Aadhaar or passport, a bank statement or utility bill under two months old, a photograph), a registered office proof (recent utility bill plus a no-objection letter), and the signed incorporation declarations. Foreign nationals need notarised and apostilled copies.
Read the guideCost of company registration in India (2026)
Registering a Private Limited Company in India costs between roughly ₹7,000 and ₹25,000 all-in for most startups. The MCA incorporation fee is nil up to ₹15 lakh authorised capital, so the total is made up of state stamp duty, digital signatures and professional fees. Budget separately for the first year's audit and annual filings.
Read the guideGST registration, step by step
GST registration is compulsory once turnover crosses ₹40 lakh for goods or ₹20 lakh for services (₹10 lakh in special category states), and from day one for e-commerce sellers and inter-state suppliers of goods. The application is free, filed online in two parts, and a GSTIN is usually issued within 7 working days when Aadhaar authentication succeeds.
Read the guideAnnual compliance calendar for a Private Limited Company
A Private Limited Company has about a dozen fixed annual deadlines: the AGM by 30 September, AOC-4 within 30 days and MGT-7A within 60 days of it, DIR-3 KYC by 30 September, DPT-3 by 30 June, MSME-1 on 30 April and 31 October, plus income tax, TDS and GST returns. Late ROC forms cost ₹100 per day each.
Read the guideHow to respond to a trademark objection
A trademark objection is the examiner's first view, not a refusal. You have 30 days from the examination report to file a written reply with evidence. Most objections are raised under Section 9 (the mark is descriptive) or Section 11 (it resembles an earlier mark), and a well-argued reply with proof of use clears the majority of them.
Read the guideStartup India recognition and the 80-IAC tax holiday
DPIIT recognition is available to a Private Limited Company, LLP or registered partnership under 10 years old with turnover under ₹100 crore, working on innovation or a scalable model. Recognition is free and granted within a few weeks. The Section 80-IAC tax holiday is a separate approval that exempts profits for any three consecutive years out of the first ten.
Read the guideESOPs for startups, explained
An ESOP gives an employee the right to buy shares at a fixed price after a vesting period, usually four years with a one-year cliff. Only companies can grant them. Startups typically reserve a pool of 5% to 15% of equity. Employees pay tax as salary at exercise and capital gains at sale, with a deferral for eligible DPIIT startups.
Read the guideHow to prepare a pitch deck investors actually read
A pitch deck that gets a meeting is 10 to 14 slides, opens with the problem and the one-line answer, shows traction with real numbers by slide four, and ends with a specific ask and use of funds. Investors spend about three minutes on a first read, so every slide needs one message and one number.
Read the guideHow to choose the right business structure
Choose a Private Limited Company if you plan to raise equity or grant ESOPs, an LLP for two or more partners in a services business who want limited liability with light compliance, an OPC for a solo founder who wants a company, and a proprietorship for testing a low-risk idea. The decision turns on liability, funding, tax and compliance cost.
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