The complete document checklist for incorporating a company in India — what every director and subscriber must provide, what the registered office needs, and the extra requirements for LLPs, one person companies, Section 8 companies and foreign nationals.
Incorporation is refused far more often for document defects than for anything substantive — an address proof a week too old, a photograph that does not match the identity document, a no-objection certificate that nobody signed. This checklist is organised so you can collect everything once.
For Every Director and Subscriber
- PAN card. Mandatory for every Indian national. The name must match the other documents exactly, including initials.
- Aadhaar card.
- Identity proof — passport, voter identity card or driving licence.
- Address proof — bank statement, electricity bill, telephone bill or mobile bill, not older than two months.
- Passport-size photograph, recent and in colour.
- Email address and mobile number, each unique to the individual, as they are used for one-time password verification.
- Digital signature certificate, class 3, for whoever will sign the incorporation forms.
The two-month rule is applied strictly. Address proof means a bill or statement dated within the last two months at the time of filing, not at the time you collected it. If your application sits waiting for a name approval, re-download the statement before filing rather than submitting the one you gathered a month ago.
For Foreign Nationals and Non-Resident Directors
- Passport, mandatory, and it must be notarised and apostilled — or consularised, where the country is not party to the Hague Convention.
- Address proof from the country of residence, notarised and apostilled on the same basis.
- Documents in a language other than English require a certified translation.
- Where the person is present in India, a copy of the visa and entry stamp may be required.
Apostille is not a formality you can add later. A foreign document that has not been apostilled will be rejected, and obtaining apostille from abroad routinely takes two to four weeks. Start it before anything else in the incorporation process.
For the Registered Office
- Utility bill for the premises — electricity, gas, telephone or water — not older than two months.
- No-objection certificate from the owner of the premises, signed and dated.
- Rent or lease agreement, where the premises are rented.
- Proof of ownership, where the premises belong to a director or subscriber.
A residential address is acceptable as a registered office. The address must be capable of receiving communications, since notices are validly served there.
Additional Documents by Entity Type
Private Limited Company
- Memorandum and articles of association, filed electronically as part of the incorporation form.
- Declaration and consent from each proposed director.
- Minimum two directors and two subscribers; at least one director must be resident in India.
One Person Company
- All of the above, with a single member and a single director permitted.
- Nominee consent — the member must nominate a person who becomes the member on their death or incapacity, and that nominee's written consent is required.
- The nominee's PAN, Aadhaar and address proof.
Limited Liability Partnership
- Minimum two designated partners, at least one resident in India.
- Designated partner identification number, or PAN where a number is yet to be allotted.
- LLP agreement, which must be filed within 30 days of incorporation. This is the deadline LLPs miss most often.
- Subscribers' sheet, signed and witnessed.
Section 8 Company
- Draft memorandum and articles setting out objects of a charitable nature.
- Declaration by the promoters.
- Estimated statement of income and expenditure for the first three years.
- A description of the proposed work and the grounds for the application.
- A licence under section 8 must be obtained before incorporation.
After Incorporation
- INC-20A, the declaration of commencement of business, within 180 days of incorporation. A company cannot commence business or exercise borrowing powers until it is filed.
- Open a current account in the company's name and bring in the subscription money.
- Appoint the first auditor within 30 days of incorporation.
- Hold the first board meeting within 30 days of incorporation.
- Apply for registrations that apply to you — goods and services tax, provident fund, state insurance, professional tax, import export code.
- For an LLP, file the LLP agreement within 30 days.
The subscription money matters more than people expect. INC-20A requires a declaration that every subscriber has paid the value of the shares agreed to be taken. Bring the money into the company's bank account before filing, and keep the bank statement — it is the evidence behind the declaration.