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Public limited company registration
Register a public limited company with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, with at least three directors and seven shareholders. We reserve the name, draft the MOA and AOA, get the directors' DSCs and DINs, and file the SPICe+ forms. You get the certificate of incorporation with the company's PAN and TAN.
- Certificate of incorporation, PAN and TAN
- DSC and DIN for three directors
- MOA and AOA drafted for a public company
- A CA handles your filing from start to finish
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- Work done by chartered accountants
- 100% online, anywhere in India
- Since 2017
Choose a package
Incorporation
₹14,999+ ₹2,700 GST
10–15 working days
- Name check and reservation, one resubmission included
- DSC and DIN for three directors
- MOA and AOA drafted for a public company
- SPICe+ filing with PAN and TAN
- Certificate of incorporation
- GST, PF and ESI registration through AGILE-PRO-S, if you need them
- Help opening a current account
Incorporation + first-year compliance
₹34,999+ ₹6,300 GST
10–15 working days, then through the first year
- Everything in Incorporation
- Commencement of business (INC-20A)
- Appointment of the first auditor
- ISIN for the company's shares, through a registrar and transfer agent
- Statutory registers and minutes of the first board meeting
- MGT-14 filings for board resolutions that need them
- First annual filing: AOC-4 and MGT-7
- DIR-3 KYC for the directors
- The company's income tax return
Fees are before 18% GST. Government fees, state stamp duty and DSCs for shareholders who aren't directors are paid at actuals. For the ISIN, the registrar and transfer agent's and the depositories' charges are also at actuals.
Who needs public limited company registration
- Businesses planning to raise money from a wide group of investors, or to list on a stock exchange later
- Companies that need freely transferable shares
- Groups of seven or more people who want to own a business together with limited liability
- Businesses whose lenders, licences or tenders ask for a public company
Documents you'll need
From each director and shareholder
- PAN card (passport for foreign nationals)
- Aadhaar card
- A recent passport-size photo
- Bank statement, or a phone, electricity or gas bill, not older than two months
- Email address and mobile number
For the registered office
- Electricity, gas or water bill not older than two months
- Rent agreement, if the premises are rented
- No-objection letter from the owner
You upload these from your order page after you pay. Scans or clear phone photos are fine.
How it works
- 1
Tell us about the company
Proposed names, the business you'll do, the three or more directors, the seven or more shareholders, and how much capital each brings in.
- 2
DSC and name approval
We get digital signatures for the directors and the other subscribers, and apply to reserve the name, which ends with 'Limited'. If it's rejected, we file again with your next choice.
- 3
Drafting and signing
We draft the MOA, AOA and declarations for a public company. You check them, and every subscriber signs the e-MOA and e-AOA with a DSC.
- 4
Filing with the MCA
We file SPICe+ with the e-MOA, e-AOA and AGILE-PRO-S, which also covers PAN, TAN and, if you choose, GST, PF and ESI.
- 5
Certificate of incorporation
The Registrar issues the certificate with the company's CIN, PAN and TAN. We send it with a list of what the company must do next, including INC-20A and the ISIN.
What a public limited company is
A public limited company is a company under the Companies Act, 2013 that is not a private company. Its articles don't restrict share transfers, it can have any number of shareholders, and it can invite the public to subscribe for its shares through a prospectus, subject to the Act and, for a listed offer, SEBI's rules. Shareholders' liability is limited to any amount unpaid on their shares.
It needs at least three directors and seven shareholders. One director must have stayed in India for at least 182 days in the financial year. There is no minimum capital, and the name ends with 'Limited'.
Public or private?
A private limited company is simpler: two directors, fewer filings and more exemptions under the Act. Most startups, including those raising venture capital, stay private until they plan a public issue. Choose a public company if you need freely transferable shares, many shareholders, or a structure that a lender, licence or tender asks for.
A public company has more rules to follow. Board resolutions on matters such as borrowing and approving the accounts are filed with the Registrar in MGT-14, shares must be issued in demat form, and larger public companies must appoint independent directors and a woman director once they cross limits set in the rules.
After incorporation
The company files a declaration of commencement of business (INC-20A) within 180 days, after the shareholders' subscription money reaches its bank account. The board appoints the first auditor within 30 days of incorporation, and the company gets an ISIN so its shares can be held in demat form.
Every year the company holds an AGM and at least four board meetings, files its financial statements (AOC-4) and annual return (MGT-7) with the Registrar, files its income tax return, and its directors complete DIR-3 KYC. Our first-year package covers these filings for the first year.
Frequently asked questions
How long does public company registration take?
Usually 10–15 working days from when we have all documents and signatures. Most of that time is the Registrar's review of the name and the SPICe+ forms, which we track and answer for you.
Do all seven shareholders need a DSC?
Yes. Every subscriber signs the e-MOA and e-AOA with a digital signature. Our fee covers DSCs for three directors. If other shareholders need one, we get it for them and charge it at actuals.
Can a public limited company raise money from the public straight away?
Not just by registering. An offer to the public needs a prospectus under the Companies Act, and a listed offer must also meet SEBI's rules and the stock exchange's conditions. Many public companies stay unlisted for years.
Is there a minimum capital?
No. The minimum paid-up capital for public companies was removed in 2015. You can start with any capital you choose and increase it later.
Can we convert our private company into a public company instead?
Yes. The shareholders pass a special resolution to change the articles, the company adds directors and members to meet the minimums, and the change is filed with the Registrar. Ask us before you register a new company.
Can an NRI or foreign national be a director or shareholder?
Yes, subject to the FDI rules for your sector. At least one director must have stayed in India for 182 days or more in the financial year. Foreign nationals' documents need notarisation or apostille, and the timeline is longer.
What are the government fees?
The MCA filing fee depends on the authorised capital, and stamp duty on the MOA and AOA depends on your state. We tell you the exact amount before filing and pay it at actuals.