Licences
Trade licence
A trade licence is permission from your municipal corporation, council or panchayat to carry on a particular trade at a particular place. We check what your local body needs, prepare the application and documents, file it and follow it up. You get the licence for your premises, and we tell you when it falls due for renewal.
- Your local body's requirements checked first
- Application and documents prepared
- Follow-up on inspections and queries
- Licence for your premises
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Price
Trade licence
₹2,999+ ₹540 GST
15–30 working days, subject to the local body
- Check of your local body's rules and trade category
- Application prepared and filed, online where available
- NOCs your trade needs listed for you
- Follow-up with the licensing department
- Help preparing for the inspection, if one is held
- Trade licence certificate
Fees are before 18% GST. The local body's licence fee, and the fees for any NOCs such as fire or pollution clearance, are paid at actuals. If you want us to get those NOCs, we quote for them separately.
Who needs trade licence
- Shops, restaurants, eateries and bakeries
- Workshops, small factories and storage godowns
- Salons, gyms and other service businesses open to the public
- Any business whose local body requires a licence for its trade
Documents you'll need
- PAN and Aadhaar of the owner or authorised signatory
- Photo of the owner or authorised signatory
- Proof of the premises: ownership document, or rent agreement with the owner's consent
- Latest property tax receipt for the premises
- Certificate of incorporation, partnership deed or other constitution document
- Site plan or layout, where the local body asks for it
- NOCs your trade needs, such as fire safety or pollution control
You upload these from your order page after you pay. Scans or clear phone photos are fine.
How it works
- 1
Your trade and premises
Tell us what you'll do, where, the size of the premises, and whether you'll store or use anything hazardous.
- 2
Local requirements
We check your local body's trade categories, fee and documents, and whether any NOC is needed.
- 3
Application
We prepare and file the application, online where the local body allows, and pay the fee.
- 4
Inspection
The local body may inspect the premises. We tell you what the inspector looks at and follow up on the application.
- 5
Licence
Once it's issued, we send you the licence with a note on display and renewal.
What a trade licence covers
A trade licence is issued under each state's municipal laws, and each local body decides which trades need one and what it costs. It confirms that the trade can be carried on at that place and meets local rules on health, safety and nuisance.
The licence is for a specific trade at specific premises. If you add a different trade, move, or change the owner, the licence usually has to be changed or applied for again.
Renewal
Most local bodies issue trade licences for a year and ask for renewal before it ends; some allow longer periods. Running a trade without a valid licence can lead to fines and, in some cities, sealing of the premises.
Keep the licence displayed at the premises and keep the renewal receipts. We can handle the renewal for you each year.
Frequently asked questions
Who issues a trade licence?
Your municipal corporation, municipal council or panchayat, under the state's municipal law. The department and its name vary by city.
Is a trade licence the same as GST or shop registration?
No. GST registration is for tax, shop and establishment registration is under labour law, and a trade licence is municipal permission to run your trade at your premises. A business may need all three.
How long does it take?
We file within a few working days of getting your documents. The local body's processing, with any inspection, often takes two to four weeks, but it varies widely by city.
Do I need one if I work from home?
It depends on the trade and the local body. Many local bodies don't license office work from home, but do license food, manufacturing or storage. We check for you.
Can I get a trade licence for rented premises?
Yes. You'll need the rent agreement and, in most places, the owner's consent and the property tax details.
What if my trade needs a fire or pollution NOC?
We tell you which NOCs apply. Each has its own process and fee, and we quote for them separately if you'd like us to handle them.