Incorporation Cost Estimator — Company & LLP Fees

How to Use the Estimator

1. Pick the entity type — fee structure differs (company SPICe+, LLP FiLLiP, or minimal for partnership/proprietorship).
2. Enter authorised capital — drives the SPICe+ slab and the stamp duty; start low (₹1 lakh) to minimise upfront cost.
3. Set signatories and DSC cost — each director/partner needs a DSC.
4. Choose your state band and professional-fee toggle, then Estimate for an itemised breakdown and a total range.

What Goes Into the Cost

Government fees are largely standard nationwide; the two variables that move the total are stamp duty (state) and professional fee (provider). All company and LLP filings go through the MCA portal, and PAN/TAN are issued via the income-tax department. See Patron's Pvt Ltd cost breakdown and the DSC registration page.

Stamp Duty — the Biggest Variable

Stamp duty on the MoA and AoA is a state subject, charged as a small percentage of authorised capital. The spread is wide: for the same capital, the duty can differ by several thousand rupees between states.

• Lower: Maharashtra, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh.
• Higher: Gujarat, Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan.

Because it scales with capital, a company incorporating at ₹1 lakh pays far less stamp duty than one at ₹25 lakh. If your registered-office location is flexible, the state choice alone can save a meaningful amount.

How to Keep the Cost Down

• Start with ₹1 lakh authorised capital — zero SPICe+ fee and minimal stamp duty; raise it later when needed.
• Choose a low-stamp-duty state if your office location is flexible.
• Begin with the minimum signatories (2 for Pvt Ltd/LLP, 1 for OPC) — fewer DSCs.
• Buy a 2-year DSC — you'll reuse it for all future MCA filings.
• Bundle incorporation with annual compliance from one firm for a better overall rate. Compare structures first with the entity type selector.

Costs After Incorporation

Incorporation is just the start. Budget immediately for auditor appointment (ADT-1), commencement of business (INC-20A), a bank account, and registrations like GST. Then there's recurring annual compliance — statutory audit, ROC annual filings, ITR and GST returns — typically ₹15,000–₹50,000+ a year.

Plan the ongoing cost with the annual compliance cost estimator, and see Patron's post-incorporation compliance guide.

Cost in Context — Timeline and Hidden Extras

A realistic incorporation runs about 10 to 20 working days from procuring the DSC to receiving the Certificate of Incorporation: a day or two for the DSC, a few days for name approval, then documentation, filing and ROC verification. The cost itself is front-loaded — most of it is spent before the certificate arrives — so it helps to budget the full figure up front rather than in instalments.

Two extras are easy to miss. First, a newly incorporated company that has issued share capital must file INC-20A (commencement of business) and appoint an auditor via ADT-1 within set deadlines, each with its own small fee. Second, if you intend to claim startup benefits, DPIIT recognition through the Startup India portal is free but takes its own paperwork, and the statutory audit that follows is governed by standards from the ICAI. Factoring these in avoids a nasty surprise a month after incorporation.

For an LLP the picture is lighter — no INC-20A, no mandatory audit below the turnover and contribution thresholds — which is part of why its all-in cost, both at setup and annually, tends to be lower than a company's.

Frequently Asked Questions