Your company registration is only as fast as your weakest document.
The documents required for company registration in India are PAN, Aadhaar, a photograph and a Class 3 Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) for every director, plus registered-office proof with the owner’s NOC. All of it is filed online through SPICe+ on the MCA V3 portal, along with the e-MoA, e-AoA, INC-9 and DIR-2.
2026 updates: address proof must be under 2 months old, a Class 3 DSC takes 2 to 3 working days, director KYC is now due once every 3 years, and the DPIIT startup turnover cap is ₹200 crore.
This guide covers the documents required for company registration by structure, what changed in 2026, and how to avoid a returned filing.
Documents Required for Company Registration: The Core List
Every new company files through SPICe+ on the MCA V3 portal. These company registration documents apply to almost every type.
For each director and subscriber
- PAN (Indian nationals) or passport (foreign nationals)
- Aadhaar or another accepted ID
- Address proof: bank statement or utility bill under 2 months old
- Passport-size photograph
- Mobile number and email for OTP checks
- Class 3 DSC, registered on your MCA profile
For the registered office
- Owned: ownership proof and a recent utility bill
- Rented: rent agreement, landlord NOC and a utility bill
- Co-working: agreement and the provider’s NOC
For the company
- e-MoA and e-AoA
- Form INC-9 (subscribers and first directors)
- Form DIR-2 (director consent)
- A declaration by a practising CA, CS or Cost Accountant
PAN and TAN are issued with the certificate of incorporation. A home can be the registered office if the NOC and bill are in order.
Expert tip: Most incorporation delays happen because the registered-office proof, NOC and applicant details do not match exactly.Â
Which Documents Are Required for the Registration of a Company? By Structure
The documents required for incorporation of a company change with its type. Use this table to see the extra load.
Structure | Minimum people | Extra documents |
Private Limited | 2 directors, 2 members | None beyond the core list |
OPC | 1 member, 1 nominee | Nominee KYC and INC-3 |
Public Limited | 3 directors, 7 members | KYC for every member |
Section 8 | 2 directors, 2 members | INC-13, INC-14, INC-15, income estimate |
LLP | 2 designated partners | LLP agreement within 30 days |
Partnership | 2 partners | Partnership deed |
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What the table tells you: a public company can need seven full KYC sets. An OPC needs only two, but one belongs to a person who is not the owner. Collect the nominee’s papers first. They are the ones founders forget.
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What Are The Documents Required for Private Limited Company Registration
Private Limited is the most common choice. In Feb to May 2026, 86% to 94% of new companies picked it each month.
You need the core list above, plus:
- At least two directors and two subscribers (they can be the same people)
- One director resident in India: 182 days or more in the previous calendar year
See our Private Limited registration service.
What Are The Documents Required for OPC Registration
An OPC has one member and one nominee. The nominee takes over if the member dies or cannot act.
Member
- PAN, Aadhaar, address proof, photograph, Class 3 DSC
- DIR-2 if the member is the director
Nominee
- ID, address proof, photograph
- Signed consent in Form INC-3
Eligibility: both must be Indian citizens resident in India. The member must have stayed 120 days or more in the previous financial year. Check this before buying a DSC.
Read our OPC registration guide.
What Are The Documents Required for Public Limited Company Registration
The documents required for public limited company registration follow the Private Limited list. What grows is the headcount: 3 directors and 7 members.
- Full KYC for all seven members
- DSC and DIN for each director
- MoA and AoA drafted for a public company
- INC-9, DIR-2 and the professional declaration
There is no minimum paid-up capital. But governance duties are heavier. Public companies carry additional governance requirements and are generally used where a wider ownership or fundraising structure is intended.Â
Documents Required for Section 8 Company Registration
Section 8 suits NGOs and non-profits. The documents required for Section 8 company registration add licence papers to the core list:
- Draft MoA in INC-13, with non-profit objects
- INC-14: professional’s declaration
- INC-15: subscribers’ declaration
- Estimated income and expenditure for 3 years
- A short note on the planned work
After incorporation, apply for 12AB (tax exemption) and 80G (donor deductions). See our Section 8 service.
Startup India Registration Documents and Criteria
Startup registration is two steps. First incorporate. Then apply for DPIIT recognition on NSWS. It is free.
Startup Registration Criteria (2026)
A February 2026 notification raised the limits:
Criterion | 2019 | 2026 |
Turnover cap | ₹100 crore | ₹200 crore |
Age limit | 10 years | 10 years |
Deep Tech turnover cap | None | ₹300 crore |
Deep Tech age limit | None | 20 years |
The entity must be a Private Limited company, LLP, registered partnership or cooperative society. It must work on innovation or a scalable model. Sole proprietorships do not qualify.
Documents Required for Startup Registration
- Certificate of Incorporation or registration
- A write-up on the business and its innovation
- Deep Tech only: proof of the extra criteria
A pitch deck or website link helps. Recognition brings an 80% patent fee rebate and a 50% trademark rebate. The 80-IAC tax holiday needs a separate IMB certificate.
Business Startup Documents to Keep Ready
- Entity PAN and TAN
- GST registration, if applicable
- Bank account opening papers
- Founders’ agreement and shareholding record
LLP, Partnership and Foreign Applicant Documents
LLP
- ID, address proof and photograph of both designated partners
- Registered-office proof with NOC
- Class 3 DSCs
- LLP agreement within 30 days
See the LLP registration process.
Partnership firm
- Partnership deed signed by all partners
- Firm address proof; partners’ PAN and address proof
Registration is optional. But an unregistered firm cannot sue third parties to enforce contracts.
Foreign nationals and NRIs
- Passport as ID
- Address proof under one year old, notarised and apostilled
- Class 3 DSC from an Indian authority
What Changed in 2026?
Director KYC is now every three years. The MCA replaced annual DIR-3 KYC with a triennial filing from 31 March 2026. The next due date is 30 June 2028 for directors who completed KYC. Report any change of mobile, email or address.
Draft incorporation rules are pending. The MCA’s April 2026 draft proposes:
- Up to 5 DINs per SPICe+ (now 3)
- Dropping Form DIR-12
- PAN and Aadhaar as director KYC, with no affidavit
- Risk-based office verification
We could not confirm the final notification. Use the current list until the Gazette says otherwise.
Company Registration in India: What the 2026 Data Shows
Metric | Figure |
Registered companies, 31 May 2026 | |
Struck off | 28.5% |
Incorporations, last 12 months vs prior | |
New companies, March 2026 | |
New companies, May 2026 |
Our reading:
- Roughly 42% to 50% of new companies authorise capital of ₹1 lakh or less. Low capital is normal.
- Nearly 3 in 10 companies are struck off. Registration is the start of compliance, not the end.
- Rising incorporation volumes make document readiness more important before starting SPICe+.
Questions Founders Quietly Ask
Do I need a CA to register? A practising professional must sign the declaration. You can fill the form yourself.
Can I use a co-working address? Often yes, with an agreement, bill, and NOC from the provider.
Can one person be a director and subscriber? Yes. In an OPC, the member is usually the director.
Do documents expire? Address proofs do. Keep them under two months old on the filing date.
What if the name is rejected? Your KYC papers stay valid. Only the name step repeats.
Five Checks Before You File
- Names and addresses match across PAN, ID, DSC and office documents.Â
- Bills are fresh. Under two months old.
- NOC is signed, and its name matches the bill.
- DSC is registered on MCA V3 before filing.
- DIN is active. A missed KYC can deactivate it and block the filing.
Get Your Documents Checked by Actax
Actax India reviews your document set before submission and flags gaps. A professional can also confirm how these rules apply to you.
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