Company registration fees in India — what it actually costs

Last updated 26 September 2026

What company registration actually costs — the three components

Every company registration bill in India is made up of three parts. Understanding them separately helps you spot inflated quotes and compare providers fairly.

Professional fee (CA/service provider)

This is what you pay a Chartered Accountant, company secretary, or a service like Shunya to prepare your application, file it with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), and handle any queries the government raises. This fee is for expertise and execution, not for the government filing itself.

Shunya charges a flat professional fee of ₹1,999 for company registration, whether you are setting up a Private Limited Company, an LLP (Limited Liability Partnership), or an OPC (One Person Company). Government fees and stamp duty are billed separately, so you always know what portion is going to the government and what is going toward the service.

Government filing fees (MCA)

The MCA charges its own fees to process your incorporation forms. For companies with authorised capital up to ₹15 lakh there is no incorporation filing fee; above that, the fee rises with the authorised capital you choose, so pick that figure deliberately and check the MCA fee calculator for the exact amount. Authorized capital is simply the maximum value of shares your company is permitted to issue, not the cash you need to have in the bank.

State stamp duty — varies by structure and state

This is the part that surprises most first-time founders. Stamp duty is a state government charge on your incorporation documents (the Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association for a company, or the LLP agreement for an LLP), and every state sets its own rate. Two founders registering an identical Private Limited Company on the same day, one in Maharashtra and one in Rajasthan, will pay different stamp duty simply because of where their registered office is located.

Cost by business structure

Private Limited Company

This is the most common structure for startups and growing businesses because it offers limited liability and is the easiest structure to raise funding into. Expect a somewhat higher stamp duty component compared to an LLP, since a Private Limited Company requires both a Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association to be stamped.

LLP

An LLP generally has a lighter cost structure than a Private Limited Company. Government fees are usually lower and the LLP agreement typically attracts less stamp duty. This makes an LLP a reasonable choice for professional services firms and businesses that do not plan to raise institutional funding.

One Person Company (OPC)

An OPC is registered by a single founder but is legally treated similarly to a Private Limited Company for incorporation purposes, so its cost profile is close to that of a Private Limited Company.

State-wise stamp duty comparison

Stamp duty rates differ across states and can change with state government notifications, so treat any number you see online as indicative rather than final. Some states charge a flat fee for incorporation documents, while others calculate it as a percentage of authorized capital, subject to a minimum and maximum. This is exactly why the professional fee and government charges need to be quoted separately. When someone gives you one all-in number without breaking it down, you have no way to check whether the stamp duty component is accurate for your specific state.

When you start your registration with Shunya, your CA confirms the exact stamp duty for your state before you pay anything beyond the professional fee.

Detailed cost guides are available for Maharashtra, Karnataka, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and every other state — see the full list of state-wise cost guides.

Cost also shifts a little depending on what kind of business you're registering — an e-commerce business, an IT/software company, an import-export business, or a restaurant/food business, for instance, each have their own registrations beyond incorporation — see the full list of business-type guides.

Detailed, structure-specific fee breakdowns: the Private Limited registration cost guide, the LLP registration cost guide and the OPC registration cost guide.

What increases the cost

Higher authorized capital

The higher your authorized capital, the higher your government fees and, in many states, your stamp duty. Most new businesses do not need a large authorized capital at incorporation. You can start modest and increase it later as your business grows, which keeps your initial registration cost down.

Number of directors (DSC costs)

Every director needs a Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) to sign incorporation forms electronically. Each DSC has its own issuance cost, so a company with three directors will have a higher DSC cost than one with a single director or two directors.

Add-on registrations (GST, trademark, etc.)

GST registration, trademark registration, and MSME/Udyam registration are not part of company incorporation and are priced separately. Many founders bundle these in around the same time as incorporation, so factor them into your overall budget even though they are not technically part of the "company registration" cost itself.

How Shunya prices company registration

Shunya keeps this simple and transparent:

1. Professional fee: a flat ₹1,999, regardless of whether you are registering a Private Limited Company, LLP, or OPC.
2. Government fees and state stamp duty: billed separately at actual cost, confirmed for your specific state and authorized capital before you pay.
3. No hidden charges added after you have already committed.

Turnaround is 7 to 10 working days for a standard incorporation. If it takes longer than 15 working days from the date you submit complete documents, Shunya waives the professional fee.

This article is for general information only. For your specific situation, consult a practicing CA.