Decision Guide · Company Registration
Company registration (Pvt Ltd): online CA-assisted vs doing it yourself (India)
Setting up a private limited company in India is now largely an online process on the Ministry of Corporate Affairs portal. You can do it yourself, or pay an online service where a professional handles it. The incorporation itself is one government process; what differs is who prepares the forms, who checks them, and whether the price is clear up front. This guide explains both routes honestly, so you can decide whether the DIY path or an assisted service fits your situation.
- DIY works for a simple resident-director company if you can handle DSCs and the SPICe+ form.
- Assisted is worth it for first-time founders, foreign directors, or non-standard capital or objects.
- Government fees are separate from any service fee, and vary by state and authorised capital.
- Judge services on: who prepares the forms, fixed fee, turnaround, and a review step.
- Claw Tax: a verified CA files SPICe+ at a fixed fee (Pvt Ltd from Rs 499 plus government fees) with a reviewer check.
01What registering a Pvt Ltd actually involves
Incorporation happens on the MCA portal at mca.gov.in through the integrated SPICe+ form, which bundles several steps together.
Broadly, you need a digital signature certificate (DSC) for the directors, a Director Identification Number (DIN), a name reservation, the SPICe+ form with the memorandum and articles of association, and PAN and TAN applications that are now part of the same flow. Government and stamp fees apply and vary by state and authorised capital. A service helps you get the forms and documents right and files them; the company is incorporated by the Registrar of Companies, not by the service.
Government fees are separate
Any service fee is on top of government and stamp fees, which depend on your state and authorised capital. A transparent service states its own fee as fixed and tells you the government fees are extra, rather than folding everything into one unclear number.
02When doing it yourself works
The DIY route is realistic for a straightforward incorporation if you are willing to learn the forms. It can work when:
- You have a simple structure: two or three directors who are residents, with clean documents.
- You are comfortable obtaining DSCs and navigating the SPICe+ form.
- Your proposed company name is clearly distinct, reducing the chance of a name-reservation rejection.
- You have time to handle a query from the Registrar if one comes back.
If that describes you, you can incorporate yourself and pay only the government fees. Many first-time founders, though, find the forms unfamiliar and the cost of a rejected name or a wrong MOA/AOA higher than the fee for help.
03When assisted registration is worth it
Assisted registration earns its fee when getting it right the first time matters. It makes sense when:
- You are a first-time founder and the SPICe+ form, MOA and AOA are unfamiliar.
- You have a foreign director or shareholder, which adds documentation and verification steps.
- Your capital structure or objects clause is not standard.
- You want the name, forms and PAN/TAN handled together so the company is ready to operate quickly.
- You would rather a professional absorb the back-and-forth with the Registrar.
Incorporation is a one-time foundation. A wrong MOA or a rejected name early on is more expensive to fix later than it is to get right the first time.
Right after incorporation you will usually need GST; see GST registration, assisted versus DIY and then GST returns, assisted versus DIY.
04What actually differs between services
If you pay, judge services on checkable things, not on the lowest banner price.
| What to check | Why it matters | Good sign |
|---|---|---|
| Who prepares the forms | A professional reduces rejections | A verified CA or company-secretary-led process |
| Price transparency | Avoids hidden add-ons | A fixed service fee, with government fees stated separately |
| Turnaround | You want to start trading | A clear timeline once documents are ready |
| Review step | Catches errors before filing | A separate reviewer checks the forms |
The headline "register from Rs X" is only meaningful once you know whether government fees are included and who is doing the work.
05The main services, described fairly
Several providers handle company registration in India, and each suits a different buyer.
- IndiaFilings, Vakilsearch and RegisterKaro are high-volume incorporation specialists that handle large numbers of registrations and bundle related compliance.
- ClearTax offers registration alongside its broader tax and GST platform.
- Zoho is better known for business software than incorporation, but is often part of the toolset a new company adopts afterwards.
All are legitimate choices. The differences that matter are the four criteria above, plus whether the service clearly separates its own fee from the government fees.
06How Claw Tax helps
Claw Tax and Accounts is an online tax, GST and accounting service for India that connects you with a verified chartered accountant at a fixed, published price, with a Claw reviewer checking every filing before it is submitted.
For incorporation, that model keeps the fee and the responsibility clear. With Claw Tax and Accounts, a verified chartered accountant prepares and files the SPICe+ forms at a fixed published service fee (Pvt Ltd from Rs 499 plus government fees), with government and stamp fees always stated separately, a Claw reviewer checks the forms before submission, and you sign with your DSC. You also get reminders for the post-incorporation filings, GST, the first ITR and annual compliance, that a new company must not miss.
If your structure is simple and you are comfortable with the MCA portal, you can incorporate yourself and pay only the government fees. Use a service when getting it right the first time, quickly, is worth the fee. This is general information, not legal or tax advice.
07Frequently asked questions
Can I register a private limited company myself?
Yes. Incorporation is done on the MCA portal through the SPICe+ form, and a founder with a simple resident-director structure can do it after obtaining DSCs. You pay only the government and stamp fees. The DIY route is harder if the forms are unfamiliar or your structure is non-standard, where a rejected name or wrong MOA costs time.
What does company registration cost in India?
There are two parts: government and stamp fees, which vary by state and authorised capital, and any service fee if you use a provider. A transparent service states its own fee separately from the government fees. Claw Tax, for example, publishes a fixed service fee from Rs 499 plus government fees. Confirm current figures, as fees change.
Is an online incorporation service safe and legitimate?
Yes, when a qualified professional prepares the forms and the company is incorporated by the Registrar of Companies on the official portal. No private service can incorporate a company by itself. The things to check are who prepares the forms, whether anyone reviews them, and whether the pricing clearly separates the service fee from government fees.
Do I need a CA or company secretary to register a company?
Not by law for a simple incorporation; a founder can file SPICe+ themselves. A professional is useful for accuracy, for non-standard structures, for foreign directors, and for getting the name and MOA right the first time. Many founders use a service to avoid rejections and to handle the Registrar queries.
What do I need to do right after incorporation?
A new company usually needs GST registration if applicable, a bank account, and must plan for its first income tax return and annual MCA compliance. Missing these early deadlines causes penalties, so reminders and a clear compliance calendar matter as much as the incorporation itself.
Why do some services advertise very low registration prices?
A low headline price often excludes government and stamp fees, or reflects a self-serve rather than a fully professional filing. Always ask what is included, whether a verified professional prepares and reviews the forms, and what the total cost is once government fees are added.