Startup Registration Online
Get your startup recognised by DPIIT under Startup India, end to end, from the eligibility check to your recognition certificate and the tax benefits that follow.
Startup registration in India means getting your business recognised as a startup by the DPIIT, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, under the Startup India scheme. That recognition turns a newly incorporated company into an official startup in the government's eyes, and it unlocks a set of real benefits: a three-year income tax holiday, freedom from angel tax, self-certification under labour and environment laws, rebates on patents and trademarks, and easier access to government tenders and funding. The recognition itself is free and fully online. AMpuesto checks your eligibility, prepares your application, and secures your DPIIT recognition certificate, then guides you on the tax benefits you can claim next.
Documents required
- Certificate of Incorporation or registration of the entity
- PAN of the company, LLP, or firm
- Details of the directors or partners, with contact information
- A short note on what the business does and what makes it innovative or scalable
- Website, pitch deck, or a brief profile of the business
- Details of any funding, awards, or intellectual property, if you have them
What you will get
- Registration on the Startup India portal
- DPIIT recognition application prepared and filed
- Your DPIIT Certificate of Recognition
- Guidance on the Section 80-IAC tax holiday and how to claim it
- A note on the other benefits your recognition unlocks
- A CA available for questions on startup compliance through the year
What is startup registration?
Startup registration is the process of getting DPIIT recognition under the Startup India initiative, which the government launched on 16 January 2016. Recognition is granted on the Startup India portal to eligible new businesses that work on innovation, improvement, or a scalable model. It does not replace incorporating your company, it sits on top of it, because you first register the entity and then apply for recognition as a startup. Once recognised, your business appears on the government's startup register and can claim the benefits reserved for the ecosystem.
Eligibility for DPIIT recognition
Not every business qualifies as a startup. To get DPIIT recognition, your entity has to meet each of these:
- Entity type: a private limited company, an LLP, or a registered partnership firm. A proprietorship does not qualify.
- Age: not more than ten years old from the date of incorporation.
- Turnover: annual turnover below ₹100 crore in any financial year since incorporation.
- Nature: working towards innovation, improvement of products or services, or a scalable model with potential for employment or wealth creation.
- Formation: not formed by splitting up or reconstructing an existing business.
Meet all five, and your business is eligible to apply. If you currently run a sole proprietorship, you would need to incorporate as a company or an LLP first, and we can handle that step too.
Benefits of DPIIT recognition
- Three-year tax holiday: a recognised startup can claim a 100% income tax deduction on profits for three years under Section 80-IAC, explained below.
- No angel tax: the angel tax under Section 56(2)(viib) stands abolished from 1 April 2025, so funding rounds no longer attract it.
- Self-certification: you can self-certify compliance under several labour and environment laws, with no inspection for the first few years.
- IPR benefits: startups get an 80% rebate on patent fees and a 50% rebate on trademark fees, with fast-track examination.
- Easier public tenders: recognised startups are exempt from prior experience, turnover, and earnest money conditions in government tenders, and they can list on GeM.
- Funding access: startups can tap the Fund of Funds for Startups, run through SIDBI, alongside easier bank and investor interest.
- Faster winding up: a startup can be wound up within 90 days under a fast-track process, if it comes to that.
The Section 80-IAC tax holiday
Recognition does not grant the tax holiday
The headline benefit is the income tax holiday under Section 80-IAC, and it is worth understanding properly, because DPIIT recognition alone does not grant it. A recognised startup can claim a 100% deduction on its profits for any three consecutive years within its first ten years, but the startup applies separately to the Inter-Ministerial Board, which approves the tax exemption.
Two conditions matter most. The entity must be a private limited company or an LLP, not a partnership firm, and it must be incorporated between 1 April 2016 and 1 April 2030, a window the 2025 Budget extended by five years. Turnover must also stay within ₹100 crore in the year you claim. We handle both the recognition and the 80-IAC application.
Recognition and the tax holiday: two separate steps
Founders often assume recognition brings the tax holiday automatically. It does not, and the difference is worth seeing clearly:
| Aspect | DPIIT recognition | 80-IAC tax holiday |
|---|---|---|
| What it grants | Startup India benefits, including angel-tax relief | 100% tax deduction for 3 years |
| Eligible entities | Pvt Ltd, LLP, or registered partnership | Pvt Ltd or LLP only |
| Approved by | DPIIT, via the Startup India portal | Inter-Ministerial Board (IMB) |
| Cost | Free | Free |
How startup registration works
Incorporate your entity
We register your private limited company, LLP, or partnership first, if it does not exist yet.
Register on Startup India
We create your profile on the Startup India portal.
Apply for DPIIT recognition
We complete the recognition form with your entity, activity, and what makes it innovative, and upload the supporting details.
Recognition certificate
DPIIT reviews and issues your Certificate of Recognition, usually within a few working days.
Apply for 80-IAC
Where you want the tax holiday, we file the separate application to the Inter-Ministerial Board.
What startup registration costs
Recognition: freeDPIIT recognition is free, and the Startup India portal charges no fee for it. If your entity is not yet incorporated, the usual company or LLP registration costs apply first. What you pay us for is getting the recognition application right, framing the innovation clearly, and taking the 80-IAC step where it fits.
How AMpuesto helps
Tell us about your business and share your incorporation details. We check your eligibility, register you on the Startup India portal, and file your DPIIT recognition, framing your innovation the way the reviewers look for. Once recognised, we guide you on the Section 80-IAC tax holiday and the other benefits, and file the Inter-Ministerial Board application where it fits. One point of contact runs it from eligibility to certificate.
Why register through a Chartered Accountant
Startup recognition is where legal structure and tax planning meet, and both decide what you can claim. Your entity type governs the 80-IAC holiday, your incorporation date governs the window, and the recognition application has to frame your innovation convincingly. Getting these right is worth a professional.
We also handle your annual ROC filing, income tax return, and GST returns, and a recognised startup can also register under Udyam for the MSME benefits alongside. A newly incorporated startup also has two early deadlines: auditor appointment within 30 days and commencement of business within 180.
Frequently asked questions
What is startup registration?
Can a proprietorship register as a startup?
How old can my business be?
What tax benefit does a startup get?
Is angel tax still charged?
Does DPIIT recognition give me the tax holiday automatically?
How much does startup registration cost?
How long does recognition take?
Get recognised, then claim what follows
Tell us about your business and send your incorporation details. We check eligibility, file your DPIIT recognition, and take the 80-IAC step where it fits.
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