Section 8 Company Registration Cost in India (2026): What You Pay in Total and Why Quotes Differ
Section 8 company registration cost has a professional fee plus separate government, stamp duty and DSC charges. Shunya's professional fee is ₹1,999; it excludes the DSC issuer's charge, government fees and stamp duty, which are billed separately. Government fee and stamp duty for a Section 8 company vary, so your CA confirms both for your case before you pay.
How much does Section 8 company registration cost in total?
The total cost of registering a Section 8 company is the professional fee plus government charges, state stamp duty and the digital signature certificate. Shunya's professional fee is ₹1,999. The other lines depend on your state and your filing, so no honest article can give you one fixed all-in number.
Take Meera, a school teacher in Nagpur, as an illustration. She and a friend want to start a foundation that funds evening tuition for children in slum settlements. She searches for the cost and finds quotes that look wildly different. One provider lists a low headline figure, another lists a much higher one, and a third refuses to give a number without a call.
The difference is usually in what each quote includes. Some show only their own fee. Others fold in charges that actually belong to the government or a third party. So before you compare anything, split every quote into three buckets: what the professional charges, what you pay to the government and your state, and small third-party items such as the digital signature.
A Section 8 company also has an extra moving part that a normal company does not: a licence application, filed together with the incorporation. That is why drafting effort, not just filing, is part of the price. The sections below take each bucket in turn, and the last one shows how to get your exact figure.
What are the components of the Section 8 registration fee?
A Section 8 registration bill has five components: the professional fee, the government fee, state stamp duty, the digital signature certificate (DSC) and any other third-party charges. Only the first is fixed by Shunya; the rest are set by the government, your state or the issuing agency. The table below shows who sets each one.
| Component | Who charges it | What to know (as of September 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Professional fee | Shunya | ₹1,999 for Section 8 registration. |
| Government (MCA) fee | Ministry of Corporate Affairs | Published figures for this route conflict across sources, so we do not quote one. Your CA confirms the fee for your capital structure. |
| State stamp duty | Your state government | Varies by state and can differ by how the documents are structured. Confirmed by your CA before you pay. |
| Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) | A certifying authority | Needed for each director. Billed separately by the issuer. |
| Other third-party costs | Varies | Any incidental third-party charge your CA flags on the callback. |
Shunya's professional fee excludes the DSC issuer's charge, government fees, stamp duty and other third-party or statutory costs. These are billed separately, and your CA walks you through each one on your callback.
One useful check: a Section 8 company can be formed with no share capital, with no share capital (the usual non-profit route), and there is no minimum capital requirement. So you are not paying to "park" capital the way some for-profit structures require. Your cost is fees, not funding.
What does Shunya's professional fee cover for a Section 8 company?
Shunya's professional fee covers the CA-led preparation and filing of your Section 8 incorporation and licence application. Based on the Section 8 registration page, the CA does the following for you.
- Drafts your MOA and AOA with an objects clause written around your mission.
- Prepares the licence application and obtains DSC and DIN for your directors (the DSC issuer's charge is billed separately).
- Files the licence application and SPICe+ (Simplified Proforma for Incorporating Company Electronically Plus) on the MCA portal.
- Handles any officer query on your behalf, with a practising Chartered Accountant reviewing the filing before it goes in.
- Delivers your Certificate of Incorporation and licence when approved.
It does not cover the follow-on 12A and 80G filings. Those are a separate step after incorporation; see our guide to 12A and 80G after Section 8 registration and the 12A and 80G registration service. If you need something else, such as a bank account or GST registration, ask your CA on the free callback rather than assuming it is included.
Why do Section 8 registration quotes differ so much?
Section 8 quotes differ because providers bundle different things, and because official charges for this route are described inconsistently across the web. Knowing the common reasons lets you compare like with like.
Bundled versus itemised quotes
A low figure often shows only the provider's own fee, with government charges added later. A high figure may already include government fees, stamp duty and DSC. Neither is wrong, but they are not comparable until you split them into the buckets above.
Drafting effort
A Section 8 application lives or dies on the objects clause and the three-year income and expenditure estimate. A provider who charges very little may be using a template. A vague objects clause is one of the commonly reported reasons a licence application gets objections.
Capital structure
Whether the company has no share capital or has shares can change the documents you prepare. Decide this with your CA before you file.
Ask every provider for a written split of professional fee, government fee, stamp duty and DSC. If a quote cannot be split, you cannot compare it.
Share your objects on a free callback and a CA lists every charge for your case.
Start Section 8 registration →Can you register a Section 8 company yourself to save the fee?
Yes, you can file a Section 8 application yourself on the MCA portal, and there is no rule that requires a professional to file it. The catch is that the application also needs a declaration from a practising professional (Advocate, CA, CMA or CS) that the company meets Section 8 requirements, so a pure DIY route is not fully DIY.
The real risk of doing it alone is not the portal. It is a rejection. Commonly reported reasons include:
- An objects clause that is generic, such as "promoting education and social welfare" without specifics.
- A weak or missing three-year income and expenditure estimate.
- MOA or AOA clauses that allow profit distribution or indirect benefit to members.
- Address proof that is out of date or missing an owner's no-objection letter.
Each rejection costs time and can cause an application to lapse if not fixed within the prescribed period. If your objects are simple and you are comfortable drafting legal documents, DIY can work. If not, a CA-reviewed filing is usually the cheaper path once you count a re-filing.
What costs come after Section 8 registration?
After incorporation, a Section 8 company has running costs that you should budget for now. The registration bill is only the first one.
- Statutory audit: every Section 8 company must be audited every year, regardless of turnover.
- Annual ROC filings: financial statements (AOC-4) and the annual return (MGT-7), with a late fee of ₹100 per day if you miss the due date.
- Tax registration: incorporation does not give income tax exemption. 12A and 80G are separate applications. Without them, surplus can be taxed like an ordinary company's.
- Director KYC and books: accrual accounting with double entry and a cash flow statement are required.
Our Section 8 annual compliance guide covers the calendar in detail. Missing filings can also lead to loss of the exemptions the company enjoys, so treat compliance as part of the true cost of the structure.
Is a Section 8 company cheaper or costlier than a Trust or Society?
A Section 8 company usually costs more to run than a Trust or Society, and in return it offers a corporate structure with limited liability and a public record of filings. Trusts and Societies are registered at state level and generally have lighter filings, which can mean lower running cost.
That said, the cheaper structure is not always the right one. If your plan depends on CSR funders, institutional grants or a board that must be answerable, the company structure often makes diligence easier for funders, though that is a judgment, not a rule. Our Section 8 vs Trust vs Society comparison sets out the trade-offs.
If your goal is actually to lend to members and accept deposits, look at a Nidhi company instead. If you want a business that can pay dividends, a Private Limited company is the right structure.
How do you get your exact Section 8 registration total?
You get your exact Section 8 total by sharing your objects and director details with a CA and asking for a written split of every cost. Shunya's process makes this a short sequence.
- Open the Section 8 registration page and request a free callback with your name and phone. A CA calls within the hour.
- Tell the CA your objects, number of directors and whether you want a no-share-capital or share-capital structure.
- Ask for the government fee, stamp duty and DSC charge to be listed for your case.
- Pay Shunya's professional fee of ₹1,999 online once you are comfortable, or continue on the callback.
You can also WhatsApp or call +91 80809 18797. The fee excludes DSC, government fees and stamp duty, which are billed separately.
How much does Section 8 company registration cost in India?
Shunya's professional fee is ₹1,999. On top of that, government fees, state stamp duty and the director's digital signature certificate are billed separately. Government fee and stamp duty vary, so your CA confirms both for your case before you pay anything.
Does Shunya's fee include government fees and stamp duty?
No. Shunya's professional fee excludes the DSC issuer's charge, government fees, stamp duty and other third-party or statutory costs. These are billed separately, and your CA walks you through each one on your free callback before you commit.
Is there a minimum capital needed for a Section 8 company?
No. There is no minimum capital requirement for a Section 8 company, and it can be formed with no share capital. Your registration cost is therefore fees and charges, not capital you must deposit.
Can I register a Section 8 company myself to avoid the professional fee?
You can file on the MCA portal yourself, but the application needs a declaration from a practising professional, and rejections over vague objects clauses or weak income estimates are common. A re-filing costs time, so many founders prefer a CA-reviewed filing.
Does registering a Section 8 company give tax exemption?
No. Incorporation and tax exemption are separate steps. After incorporation you apply separately for 12A registration for the organisation and 80G so donors can claim deductions. These follow-on filings are not part of the Section 8 registration fee.
What ongoing costs does a Section 8 company have?
Every Section 8 company needs a statutory audit each year and must file its financial statements and annual return with the Registrar of Companies. A late fee of ₹100 per day applies to missed filings, so budget for compliance from the first year.
This article is for general information only. For your specific situation, consult a practicing CA.
Ready to register your Section 8?
Request a free callback or pay the ₹1,999 professional fee online and a CA starts your filing. Government fees and other statutory costs are billed separately at actual cost.
Professional fee ₹1,999. Government fees, statutory costs and any third-party charges are billed separately; your CA walks you through them on your callback.