Quick answers
- Open the company bank account and bring in the subscribed share capital within 180 days.
- File INC-20A (Declaration for Commencement of Business) within 180 days of incorporation.
- Appoint the first auditor within 30 days and file ADT-1 within 15 days of appointment.
- Hold the first board meeting within 30 days of incorporation.
- Maintain statutory registers — Members, Directors, Charges, Shares — from day one.
Why post-incorporation steps matter
The RoC can strike off a company that fails to commence business or file required declarations.
Banks, investors and government tenders all ask for these filings. A clean compliance trail protects directors from disqualification under Section 164.
Post-incorporation checklist
| Task | Timeline | Penalty on default |
|---|---|---|
| Open bank account & deposit capital | Within 180 days | INC-20A cannot be filed |
| Appoint first auditor | Within 30 days of incorporation | Section 139(6) — Rs 25,000–5,00,000 |
| File ADT-1 (auditor appointment) | Within 15 days of appointment | Late fee Rs 100/day |
| Hold first board meeting | Within 30 days | Rs 25,000 per director |
| File INC-20A | Within 180 days | Rs 50,000 company + Rs 1,000/day per director |
| Issue share certificates | Within 60 days of allotment | Rs 25,000–5,00,000 |
| GST registration | Before crossing threshold/inter-state | 10% of tax + interest |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating incorporation as 'done' and ignoring INC-20A — the steepest penalty in early compliance.
- Delaying first board meeting until the auditor 'wants minutes' — the Act requires it within 30 days.
- Not maintaining statutory registers — RoC inspections specifically check these.
- Skipping share certificate issuance after share allotment — invites stamp duty and penalty.
Other one-time registrations
Depending on your business, line up Shops & Establishment registration, MSME (Udyam), Trademark, Import-Export Code (IEC), Professional Tax (state-wise) and FSSAI/BIS where applicable.
ESIC and EPFO are auto-applied via AGILE-PRO-S at incorporation; activate them when you cross 10 (ESIC) and 20 (EPFO) employees.
Key takeaways
- INC-20A within 180 days is non-negotiable — file it first.
- Appoint auditor in 30 days, file ADT-1 in 15 days.
- Hold the first board meeting and adopt MoA/AoA, common seal (if any) and bank resolution.
- Maintain statutory registers and minutes books from day one.
- Track GST, MSME and sector licences alongside MCA compliance.
Frequently asked questions
- What happens if INC-20A is missed? Penalty of Rs 50,000 + Rs 1,000/day per director and possible strike-off.
- Kya bank account jaldi open karna chahiye? Yes — incorporation certificate ke baad first month mein.
- Can the same CA be auditor for life? No — rotation rules under Section 139 apply for certain companies.
- Do I need GST registration immediately? Only if turnover crosses limits or you do inter-state supply.
- What documents to keep in statutory registers? Members, Directors-KMP, Charges, Loans, Investments, Contracts.
- When is the first AGM due? Within 9 months of the close of the first financial year.
- What about share certificates — paper or demat? Issue paper certificates within 60 days; mandate demat once shareholders cross 200.
- Can I run business before INC-20A? No — Section 10A bars commencement of business or borrowing.
Post IncorporationINC-20AADT-1Compliance
About the author
Rohit
Senior Advisor at Regikart. Want to discuss this in the context of your business?
