Quick Answers
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is the minimum cost to incorporate a Pvt Ltd? | Rs 7,000-12,000 all-in (professional + government fees). |
| What does Rs 1,999 cover at Regikart? | The professional CA/CS fees for the full incorporation process. |
| What are the government fees? | MCA filing fee + state stamp duty - charged at actuals. |
| Are there hidden charges? | Yes - stamp duty varies by state and authorised capital. Detailed below. |
Ask three providers what it costs to incorporate a Private Limited Company and you'll get three wildly different numbers - Rs 999, Rs 6,999, Rs 15,000. None of them is lying, exactly; they're just quoting different parts of the same bill. Incorporation cost is made of four moving components, and only one of them (the professional fee) is actually within a provider's control. This guide breaks down every rupee for 2026: what the government charges, how stamp duty swings by state, the real all-in cost for typical scenarios, and how to bring the total down legitimately.
A quick note on terminology before the numbers: incorporation cost (forming the company under the Companies Act) is what we're pricing here. It's narrower than the broader "registration" costs a business accumulates over time - GST, MSME, trademark and so on. If you're comparing those, our separate guide on the cost to register a Private Limited Company (/blog/cost-to-register-private-limited-company) covers the wider picture.
Why Incorporation Costs Vary So Much (and Why "Rs 999 Incorporation" Ads Are Misleading)
The single biggest source of confusion is that the professional fee is only one component of four. When an ad screams "Rs 999 company registration", it is almost always quoting the professional fee alone - and then billing the DSC, MCA fees and stamp duty separately as "government charges" once you're committed.
Three structural facts explain the spread you see online:
- Government fees are mandatory and separate. No provider can waive the MCA filing fee or state stamp duty; these go to the government, not the firm.
- Stamp duty varies dramatically by state. The same company costs far more to incorporate in Maharashtra than in Delhi or Rajasthan, because stamp duty on the MOA and AOA is a state subject.
- Cheap quotes often unbundle. Low headline prices frequently exclude DSC, or charge per-director DSC as an add-on, or quote without stamp duty.
The honest way to read any quote is to ask: does this number include DSC, MCA fees and stamp duty, or just your professional fee? At Regikart, the Rs 1,999 is the professional fee, and government fees are passed through transparently at actuals - no markup, no surprises.
The 4 Cost Components of Private Limited Company Incorporation
Component 1 - Professional / CA-CS Fees
This is the fee for doing the work: name approval, DSC facilitation, DIN, SPICe+ filing, MOA/AOA drafting, and PAN/TAN.
- Market range: Rs 999-15,000, depending on the provider and what's bundled.
- What a complete fee should include: name reservation, DSC, DIN, SPICe+ Part B filing, MOA & AOA drafting, and PAN/TAN - all in one price.
- Regikart: Rs 1,999, all-in on professional fees.
The wide market range mostly reflects what's bundled, not quality. A Rs 999 quote that adds DSC and "filing charges" later can land higher than a transparent Rs 1,999.
Component 2 - MCA Filing Fees (Government)
The MCA charges a filing fee tied to your authorised capital. The headline relief most founders miss: SPICe+ filing fee is Rs 0 for authorised capital up to Rs 15 lakh. Beyond that, a nominal slab applies.
Indicative MCA fee by authorised capital:
| Authorised capital | Indicative MCA fee |
|---|---|
| Up to Rs 15,00,000 | Rs 0 (waived) |
| Rs 15,00,001 - Rs 50,00,000 | Nominal (Rs 300-500 band) |
| Above Rs 50,00,000 | Rises with capital slab |
For the vast majority of new companies (which start with Rs 1-10 lakh authorised capital), the MCA filing fee is effectively nil.
Component 3 - State Stamp Duty (the Largest Variable)
Stamp duty is levied by each state on the MOA and AOA - and this is where the real variation lives. The same company can cost Rs 200 to stamp in Delhi and several thousand in Maharashtra.
Indicative stamp duty on incorporation documents, by state:
| State | Indicative stamp duty (MOA + AOA) |
|---|---|
| Delhi | ~Rs 200 (flat, for capital up to Rs 10 lakh) |
| Rajasthan | ~Rs 500 - 1,500 |
| West Bengal | ~Rs 1,000 - 3,000 |
| Tamil Nadu | ~Rs 1,500 - 4,000 |
| Karnataka | ~Rs 2,000 - 5,000 |
| Maharashtra | ~Rs 1,000 - 5,000+ (scales with capital) |
Component 4 - Digital Signature Certificate (DSC)
Each director needs a Class 3 DSC.
- Rs 1,200-2,500 per director
- 2 directors minimum -> Rs 2,400-5,000
- Valid for 2 years (reused for all future filings, so it's a one-time-per-cycle cost)
Realistic All-In Cost Examples by Scenario
Numbers in the abstract are hard to plan around, so here are three honest, end-to-end costings.
Scenario A - 2 Indian founders, registered office in Delhi, Rs 1 lakh authorised capital
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Professional fee | Rs 1,999 |
| DSC (2 directors) | Rs 2,500 |
| MCA filing fee | Rs 0 |
| Stamp duty (Delhi) | Rs 200 |
| Total | ~Rs 4,900 |
Scenario B - 2 founders, registered office in Maharashtra, Rs 10 lakh authorised capital
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Professional fee | Rs 1,999 |
| DSC (2 directors) | Rs 2,500 |
| MCA filing fee | Rs 0 |
| Stamp duty (Maharashtra) | Rs 4,000 |
| Total | ~Rs 8,900 |
Scenario C - 3 founders incl. 1 NRI, registered office in Karnataka
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Professional fee | Rs 1,999 |
| DSC (3 directors) | Rs 3,500 |
| NRI document apostille | Rs 3,000 - 5,000 |
| MCA filing fee | Rs 0 |
| Stamp duty (Karnataka) | Rs 3,000 |
| Total | ~Rs 13,000 - 15,000 |
The pattern is clear: the professional fee is stable and modest; what actually moves your bill is state stamp duty, the number of directors, and any cross-border document handling.
Post-Incorporation Costs You Must Budget For
Incorporation is a one-time spend. Running the company has its own costs - budget for these so the first year doesn't surprise you.
Immediate (Month 1-3)
- Current bank account: Rs 0-5,000, depending on the bank and minimum-balance terms
- GST registration: Rs 0 if self-filed; Rs 1,000-2,000 if professionally handled
- MSME / Udyam registration: Rs 0 - the Udyam portal is free
- Statutory auditor appointment: usually folded into your annual CA retainer
First-Year Annual Compliance Cost
| Compliance item | Indicative cost |
|---|---|
| ROC annual filings (AOC-4 + MGT-7) | Rs 3,000 - 8,000 |
| Income tax return | Rs 5,000 - 15,000 |
| GST returns (if registered) | Rs 2,500 - 5,000 / month |
| DIR-3 KYC | Rs 500 - 1,000 per director |
These recurring costs are where founders under-plan most often. Regikart offers retainer plans that bundle ROC, tax and GST compliance into a predictable monthly figure - explore the options on our company registration and compliance page.
How to Reduce Your Incorporation Cost (Legitimately)
There's no trick to dodging government fees - but there are smart, fully legal ways to keep the total lean:
- Keep authorised capital modest at the start. Rs 1-10 lakh keeps you inside the Rs 0 MCA-fee band and minimises stamp duty. You can always increase capital later via form SH-7 when you actually need it.
- Choose your registered-office state thoughtfully. If you have genuine flexibility, a low-stamp-duty state (Delhi or Rajasthan) trims the single largest variable cost.
- Use one firm for everything. Splitting incorporation, GST and compliance across multiple providers usually adds coordination friction and duplicate onboarding fees.
- Avoid "free incorporation" offers. If a headline price looks impossibly low, it's almost certainly excluding government fees that will appear later. Transparent pricing is cheaper than cheap pricing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I incorporate a Pvt Ltd for less than Rs 5,000 total?
Yes - Scenario A above lands near Rs 4,900 for two Indian founders in a low-stamp-duty state with minimal authorised capital. It's achievable, but only when stamp duty is low and there are no cross-border documents.
Is the MCA filing fee refundable if the name is rejected?
Name reservation and filing fees are generally non-refundable once the application is processed. This is exactly why checking name availability and trademarks before paying matters.
Does stamp duty change if I increase authorised capital later?
Yes. Increasing authorised capital (via SH-7) attracts additional stamp duty and fees on the increased amount. Starting lean and scaling up when needed spreads - and often reduces - the overall cost.
Why do some providers quote Rs 999 and others quote Rs 15,000?
Almost always because of what's included. Rs 999 typically covers the professional fee only; Rs 15,000 may bundle DSC, government fees, stamp duty and first-year compliance. Compare like with like by asking what the number includes.
What is included in Regikart's Rs 1,999 incorporation fee?
The professional CA/CS work for the full process: name approval, DSC facilitation, DIN, MOA/AOA drafting, SPICe+ filing, and PAN/TAN. Government fees (MCA + stamp duty) are charged separately at actuals, with no markup.
See exactly what your incorporation will cost
Related Articles
- Documents Required for Pvt Ltd Company Registration (/blog/documents-for-private-limited-company-registration)
- Cost to Register a Private Limited Company (/blog/cost-to-register-private-limited-company)
About the author
Deepak Jaiswal
Founding Partner, FCA at Regikart. Want to discuss this in the context of your business?
