/02 · Service specification
Getting the green lights
Incorporation makes your company exist. Licenses and registrations make it operate, both legally and with the government benefits you're entitled to. Most founders don't know which ones apply to them until it's urgent.
Getting the permits.
Incorporation is one filing. What comes after is a set of registrations that depend entirely on what your business actually does, how it makes money, who it sells to, whether it touches food or imports, and how many people it employs.
Some are mandatory the moment you cross a threshold. Others are free, optional, and leave real money on the table if you skip them.
Want us to handle licenses & registrations for you, end to end?
What we can do for you
Full service
buildwright.co.in
GST Registration
End-to-end GST registration: FORM GST REG-01 Part A and Part B, entity-specific document preparation, and tracking through ARN to Certificate of Registration, so you get a live GSTIN without navigating the portal yourself.
Already registered for GST? Fix a specific issue
GST Registration Clarification (REG-04) Reply
We draft and file your FORM GST REG-04 clarification reply to a REG-03 officer query, within the 7-working-day deadline, so a query doesn't turn into an automatic REG-05 rejection that forces you to restart the entire application.
GST Address / Principal Place of Business Change
We handle your GST registered-address change end-to-end. Same-state move: a FORM GST REG-14 core-field amendment filed within the 15-day deadline. Cross-state move: a GSTIN is state-specific, so we manage voluntarily cancelling your existing GSTIN and registering fresh in the new state instead. We tell you which branch applies before we scope the engagement.
GST Cancellation & Revocation Help
We manage your GST cancellation or revocation end-to-end: voluntarily closing a GSTIN, responding to a department show-cause notice before it's cancelled, or applying to revive a GSTIN the department already cancelled, so an unmanaged deadline doesn't cost you input tax credit or your ability to invoice.
GST Core-Field Amendment (Name / Director / Partner Change)
We file your GST core-field amendment: a legal name change, a principal or additional place of business change within the same state, or an addition/deletion of partners, directors, or equivalent. We file it via FORM GST REG-14 within the 15-day deadline, and track it through officer review to the REG-15 approval order.
Full service
buildwright.co.in
IEC (Import Export Code) Application
We get your Import Export Code issued, filed end to end on the DGFT portal, so your first international payment doesn't stall on paperwork.
Already incorporated? Fix a specific issue
IEC Reactivation (Deactivated to Active)
If your IEC went inactive because the annual DGFT update was missed, we complete the pending update on the DGFT portal so it's back in force.
Annual IEC Updation / Confirmation Filing
We file your mandatory annual IEC confirmation every year before the 30 June deadline, so it never lapses into deactivation.
IEC Modification / Amendment
Changed your address, bank account, or entity name? We file the IEC modification via ANF-2A in modification mode so your code matches your current details.
Full service
buildwright.co.in
Trademark Application
We file your FORM TM-A trademark application: class selection guidance, mark and goods/services description, and document preparation, tracked through to the examination report, so you get your application filed correctly the first time instead of losing the fee to a wrong-class refile.
Already incorporated? Fix a specific issue
Scope
We check your turnover, business model, and sales channels against every current GST threshold and mandatory-registration category. We look past the headline number.
Free, self-declared, and usually issued the same day. Real lending and payment-protection benefits are attached.
A state-specific registration required to legally operate your office or premises with employees.
FSSAI, IEC, and other licenses, each checked against what your specific business actually touches.
Government fees, stamp duty, DSC and certification are billed at actuals, separately from these figures. We give you a written scope before you pay.
Specifics
Missing a mandatory registration isn't a paperwork inconvenience. It can mean penalties, blocked bank relationships, or being unable to bid for a contract that requires it. On the other side, skipping a voluntary registration like Udyam (MSME) or DPIIT Startup India recognition means walking away from collateral-free loans, tax holidays, and payment protection that cost nothing to claim.
| Business type | GST | Udyam (MSME) | DPIIT (Startup India) | Shop & Establishment | FSSAI | IEC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SaaS / software startup | If above threshold | ✓ | ✓ (if innovative) | ✓ | N/A | If selling internationally |
| E-commerce / D2C brand | Usually mandatory | ✓ | Maybe | ✓ | If food-adjacent | If importing stock |
| Food business (any scale) | If above threshold | ✓ | Maybe | ✓ | Mandatory | If importing ingredients |
| Consulting / services firm | If above threshold | ✓ | Maybe | ✓ | N/A | N/A |
| Import/export trading | Usually mandatory | ✓ | Maybe | ✓ | N/A | Mandatory |
Mandatory once aggregate turnover crosses ₹40 lakh for goods (₹20 lakh in special category states), or ₹20 lakh for services (₹10 lakh in special category states). Turnover is calculated on a PAN basis across all your business activity in India. It isn't calculated per state.
Voluntary registration is available below the threshold. It's useful if you want to claim input tax credit, issue GST-compliant invoices to larger clients, or simply look more credible to enterprise customers. Penalty for not registering once liable: 10% of the tax due, or ₹10,000, whichever is higher. That rises to 100% of the tax due if the failure is found to be deliberate.
Free, self-declared, and often issued the same day. Available to nearly every business structure, including sole proprietorships (unlike DPIIT).
Eligibility: private limited company, LLP, or registered partnership (not a sole proprietorship); under 10 years old; annual turnover under ₹100 crore; working towards genuine innovation, or a scalable model with real potential for job creation or wealth generation.
| Udyam (MSME) | DPIIT (Startup India) | |
|---|---|---|
| Basis for eligibility | Business size (investment + turnover) | Genuine innovation + scalability |
| Cost | Free | Free |
| Speed | Often same-day | Roughly 2–10 working days |
| Sole proprietors eligible? | Yes | No, must be incorporated first |
| Best for | Credit access, payment protection, procurement | Tax holiday, angel tax exemption, investor credibility |
Practical guidance: register for Udyam immediately after incorporation. It's free and instant. Apply for DPIIT recognition once you can articulate the innovation in your business model clearly. The 10-year eligibility clock starts at incorporation, so there's no advantage in waiting for profitability.
| Registration | Typical timeline |
|---|---|
| GST | A few working days once documents are ready |
| Udyam / MSME | Often same-day |
| DPIIT / Startup India | 2–10 working days |
| Shop & Establishment | Varies by state |
| FSSAI | Varies by license tier |
| IEC | Typically a few working days |
Process
Step 1 of 4
We map what you need
Which licenses your specific business actually needs, mapped to what your business actually does.
Common mistakes founders make
Clarifications
Not for turnover reasons alone, but check the mandatory categories above. E-commerce sellers and inter-state suppliers often need it regardless of turnover.
Udyam. It's instant, free, and gives you credit and payment-protection benefits immediately. Apply for DPIIT once you can clearly explain the innovation in your business.
No, but it's genuinely useful for it. The angel tax exemption in particular removes a real friction point for early investors.
No. You'll need to incorporate as a Private Limited Company, LLP, or registered partnership first.
A simplified, lower-rate GST option for smaller businesses (turnover up to ₹1.5 crore for goods, ₹50 lakh for services), with reduced compliance but no input tax credit.
Tell us about your business and we'll take it from there.