Private Limited Company Registration is suitable for STARTUPS looking for Funding and Long term Growth.
A private limited company is a type of privately held small business entity which limits owner liability to the amount of share capital, limits the number of shareholders to 200.
What is Private Limited Company?
Private Limited Company is the most popular type of business entity in India. Over 20 lakhs companies have been registered in India as of October 2020 and 12 lakhs companies are classified as active. All companies registered in India are governed by the MCA (Ministry of Corporate Affairs) under the Companies Act, 2013.
Entrepreneurs register a company in India to create a business that is well regarded by customers, suppliers, bankers and the Government. By setting up a company, an Entrepreneur has the ability to create a small or large business that can easily raise capital and scale seamlessly to any size.
The ownership of a company is represented by shares. Thus, the ownership of a company can be shared or transferred to any other Indian or Foreign legal entity or person. The directors of a company are also easily replaceable. Hence, on a company allows an Entrepreneur to easily raise capital and transfer ownership without any hassles.
A private limited company provides limited liability protection to its shareholders. In case of any unforeseen losses, statutory or legal liabilities, the shareholders of the company will not be held responsible. Only the Directors of a private limited company are held responsible in most instances for various statutory liabilities.
A company can raise equity capital from persons or entities interested in becoming a shareholder. Entrepreneurs can raise money from angel investors, venture capital firms, private equity firms and hedge funds. A company can also raise debt financing from banks, financial institutions and NBFCs easily.
A private limited company is recognized as a separate entity with a dedicated PAN. Using the PAN and incorporation certificate of the company, an Entrepreneur can within days open a current account in any bank.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Company Registration Process
Document submission
Identify the 2 directors and submit their documents as given to the below.
- Identity Proof- PAN (Indian Nationals ) or Passport (Foreign nationals)
- Proof of Address- Passport / Drivers License / Election ID / Ration Card / Aadhar ID
- Proof of residence- Bank Statement / Electricity Bill / Phone Bill
Name Approval
The proposed name is applied and obtained from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. Upto 2 names can be provided. In case of rejection of both names, an opportunity is provided for re-submission of the form with 2 more names.
Digital Signature
Digital signatures must be obtained for the proposed directors of the company. Digital signature is required for signing of the incorporation application. However, digital signature is not required for obtaining the name approval.
SPICe+ form application
On obtaining the digital signature, the incorporation application can be submitted in the SPICe form with the MCA. There is no requirement for obtaining the RUN name approval for submission of SPICe Form.
Company Incorporation
Company is incorporated along with the incorporation certificate, PAN and TAN within 2-3 business days.
Company current account
Opening a current account for a private limited company is easier when compared to opening of current account for a sole proprietorship firm as a company is a registered legal entity – recognized by law. Therefore, once a company is incorporated, a bank account can be opened in the name of a company with the incorporation certificate of the company and identity/address proof of the Directors
Why Choose Company Registration in India?
Registering a company offers many benefits. A registered company increases the authenticity of your business. It helps your business -
- Shields from personal liability and protects from other risks and losses.
- Attracts more customers
- Procures bank credits and good investment from reliable investors with ease.
- Offers liability protection to protect your company’s assets
- Greater capital contribution and greater stability
- Increases the potential to grow big and expand
Documents required for Private Limited Company Registration
In India, Private Limited company registration cannot be done without proper identity and address proof. These documents will be needed for all the directors and the shareholders of the company to be incorporated. Listed below are the documents that are accepted by MCA for the online company registration process acceptable.
Identity And Address Proof
- Scanned copy of PAN Card or Passport (Foreign Nationals & NRIs)
- Scanned copy of Voter’s ID/Passport/Driver’s License
- Scanned copy of the latest bank statement/telephone or mobile bill/electricity or gas bill
- Scanned passport-sized photograph specimen signature (blank document with signature [directors only])
For the foreign nationals, an apostilled or notarized copy of the passport has to be submitted mandatorily. All documents submitted should be valid. The residence proof documents like the bank statement or the electricity bill must be less than 2 months old.
Registered Office Proof
For online company registration in India, the company must have a registered office in India. To prove admittance to the registered office, a recent copy of an electricity bill or the property tax receipt or water bill must be submitted. Along with the rental agreement, utility bill or the sale deed and a letter from the landlord with her/his consent to use the office as a registered office of the company should be submitted.
- Scanned copy of the latest bank statement/telephone or mobile bill/electricity or gas bill
- Scanned copy of Notarized rental agreement in English
- Scanned copy of No-objection certificate from the property owner
- Scanned copy of sale deed/property deed in English (in case of owned property)
Note: Your registered office need not be a commercial space; it can be your residence too.
Reasons to Register a Company in India
Entrepreneurs choose to register a company due to various reasons. Two of the main reasons is that a company is a distinct legal entity having perpetual succession. Hence, a company is not affected by the death, insanity, or insolvency of an individual member. The following are some of the top reasons to register a private limited company in India.
Separate Legal Entity
As per Law, a company is an artificial judicial person established under the Companies Act. A company is a separate legal entity from its Directors and Shareholders. Hence, a company enjoys a wider legal capacity, to own property and incur debts - while the individual company members owe no liability towards the company’s creditors for debts.
Perpetual Succession
Perpetual succession means continuing or enduring forever., A company is considered to be legally active until it is wound up by its members through a legal process. Hence, perpetual succession denotes continuous existence of a corporation or company till it is dissolved legally. Thus, a company is unaffected by death or departure of any member.
Limited Liability
Limited liability is a legal responsibility towards a limited amount of debts. The liability of the members with reference to company’s debts are limited i.e.; limited to the face value of the share purchased by them. This limited liability protection is often not afforded to Directors of a company - who are held responsible for operation of a company.
Owning Assets
A company can acquire, own, transfer any type of tangible or intangible asset in India. A shareholder is not eligible to claim the company’s property, as they are not owners of the company. A shareholder merely has an interest in the company arising under the articles of association of the company, measuring a sum for liability.
Transferability of Shares
The ownership of a private limited company is determined by the number of shares held by its shareholders. Shares of a company can be transferred to any other person or legal entity in India or abroad, subject to the articles of association of a company and the shareholders agreement. The easy transferability of shares is one of the top reason, Entrepreneurs opt to register a company.
Equity Raising
A company is the only type of legal entity which can help the promoters raise equity funding from Angel Investors, Private Equity Firms and the Stock Exchange. A private limited company would suffice for raising equity funds from Angel Investors and Private Equity Investors. In case of listing or allotment of shares to more than 200 shareholders, a Limited Company would be required.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is authorized capital and paidup captal?
Authorised capital is the maximum value of equity shares that can be issued by a company. On the other hand, paid up capital is the amount of shares issued by the company to shareholders. Authorised capital can be increased any time after incorporation to issue additional shares to the shareholders.
What is limited liability protection?
Limited liability is the status of being legally responsible only to a limited amount for debts of a company. Unlike proprietorships and partnerships, the liability of the shareholders with respect to the company’s liabilities is limited.
Can NRIs and foreign nationals or foreign entities register a company?
Yes, NRIs, foreign nationals and foreign entities can register a company and invest in India, subject to the Foreign Direct Investment norms set by the RBI. However, incorporation rules in India require for one Indian national to mandatorily be a part of the company on the Board of Directors.
Is an address required in India for starting a company?
Yes, every company registered in India must have a registered office where all official communication is sent by the MCA, governmental agencies, financial institutions, etc., The registered office of a company can be in any state of India.
How do I open a current account?
Once the company is incorporated, a current account needs to be opened in the name of the company for transactions. The bank in which you want to open the account submit the documents like certificate of incorporation, Memorandum and Articles of Association, board resolution, copy of PAN allotment letter and utilities bill.
Is GST registration mandatory at this stage?
GST registration is mandatory for certain businesses. Companies dealing with e-commerce operations or any other interstate activity and companies with turnover of more than Rs. 40 Lakhs are required to obtain the same.
What about the compliance for a private limited company?
A company is required to maintain certain compliances once it is incorporated. An auditor needs to be appointed within 30 days and income tax filing and annual return filing needs to be done every year. Apart from these, mandatory compliances like ‘Commencement of Business’ forms, and DIN eKYC also needs to be done.