Company registration in Howrah
Filed with ROC Kolkata-II, which is not the office that serves Kolkata.
If your registered office will be in Howrah district, your company is registered with ROC Kolkata-II, and that is not the office that registers Kolkata companies. It is the most common mistake made on Howrah filings, and it also decides how a later move into Kolkata has to be done. There is no Regikart office in Howrah: the work is done from our Kolkata head office, across the Hooghly, with documents by WhatsApp or email. Over 250 clients across our services.
- How long
- 7-14 working days, subject to MCA name approval and document accuracy.
- Indicative cost
- West Bengal stamp duty on the SPICe+ forms is ₹370 in total, ₹10 on INC-32, ₹60 on the e-MoA and ₹300 on the e-AoA, and it does not rise with authorised capital. Government fees are paid at actuals, our fee is separate.
- You receive
- Certificate of Incorporation, company PAN and TAN, DINs, the e-MoA and e-AoA. The HMC Certificate of Enlistment and West Bengal professional tax enrolment are quoted separately.
- Jurisdiction
- ROC Kolkata-II, which covers all of West Bengal except the district of Kolkata. It is not the office that registers Kolkata companies. That is ROC Kolkata-I.
Reviewed by CS Gaurav Singh· Last updated 25 September 2026
From ₹1,499
+ govt fees and DSC (if directors don't already hold a valid one)
7-10 days
to incorporation
CS-reviewed
MCA incorporation
Built for Howrah founders.
- There is no Regikart office in Howrah. Your filing is done from our Kolkata head office, across the Hooghly.
- West Bengal stamp duty on the e-AoA is a flat ₹300, not a percentage of your authorised capital.
- Your municipal document is the HMC Certificate of Enlistment, filed at tl.myhmc.in, not a KMC one.
What a Pvt Ltd costs in Howrah.
West Bengal stamp duty on the e-AoA is a flat ₹300, not a percentage of your authorised capital.
| Regikart professional fee | From ₹1,499 |
| Digital signature certificates | Quoted at the Certifying Authority's current price |
| Name reservation (SPICe+ Part A) | ₹1,000 |
| MCA incorporation fee (authorised capital up to ₹15,00,000) | Nil |
| Company PAN | ₹66 |
| Company TAN | ₹65 |
| West Bengal stamp duty on INC-32, e-MoA and e-AoA | ₹370 |
| Government fees, total | ₹1,501 |
Government fees at ₹10,00,000 authorised capital: name reservation ₹1,000, MCA incorporation fee nil up to ₹15,00,000 of authorised capital, company PAN ₹66, TAN ₹65, stamp duty ₹370. Professional fees exclude GST at 18%. Government fees, where they apply, are paid at actuals to the department and are shown separately. Fees verified on 25 September 2026.
Which office actually registers your Howrah company
ROC Kolkata-II. Not ROC Kolkata-I, which is the office that registers Kolkata companies.
This is new. Notification S.O. 4850(E) of 23 October 2025, made under section 396 of the Companies Act, 2013, re-notified ten Registrar of Companies offices with district-level jurisdictions, effective 1 January 2026, and the new and reorganised offices became operational on 16 February 2026. A single ROC Kolkata that covered the whole of West Bengal became two. Kolkata-I took the district of Kolkata (see company registration in Kolkata). Kolkata-II took every other district in the state, Howrah included.
Both offices are in Kolkata city, which is why so many pages still say Howrah and Kolkata share a registrar. They do not. Regional Director work for West Bengal still goes to the Regional Director (Eastern Region) at Kolkata, and that has not changed.
The consequence nobody else on this search page will tell you
If you later move your registered office from Howrah to Kolkata, you cross from ROC Kolkata-II to ROC Kolkata-I. That is a change of Registrar within the same state, not a simple registered office change inside one registrar's books.
Under the first proviso to section 12(5) and section 12(6) of the Companies Act, 2013, that route needs a special resolution, then the Regional Director's confirmation applied for on INC-23, then INC-28 filed within 60 days of the confirmation order, and then INC-22. It used to be a bare INC-22 while one ROC covered the whole state. It is not any more.
Two practical points come out of that. First, if you expect to shift into Kolkata within a year or two, it is cheaper to think about the registered office address now than to run the INC-23 route later. Second, if a provider quotes you an INC-22 for a Howrah-to-Kolkata move, they are pricing the pre-2026 position.
What West Bengal costs you
Stamp duty is a state levy, so Howrah and Kolkata pay the same: ₹10 on INC-32, ₹60 on the e-MoA and ₹300 on the e-AoA, ₹370 in total. The e-AoA figure is flat, so it does not move with your authorised capital. At ₹10,00,000 of authorised capital that is ₹370 in West Bengal against ₹1,710 in Delhi, where the e-AoA is charged at 0.15% of authorised capital.
Professional tax applies. The West Bengal State Tax on Professions, Trades, Callings and Employments Act, 1979 is administered by the Directorate of Commercial Taxes at comtax.wb.gov.in. Your company takes a PTEC enrolment in its own right and a PTRC registration once it pays salaries. Neither certificate carries a government fee; a duplicate costs ₹20 per application under rule 26. Nothing can exceed ₹2,500 per person per year, the ceiling in Article 276(2) of the Constitution. The West Bengal schedule is under revision, so we confirm your slab at enrolment rather than quote one here.
Shop and Establishment registration is under the West Bengal Shops and Establishments Act, 1963, filed at wbshopsonline.gov.in, with the fee on a slab by number of employees. The renewal fee was dispensed with by notification Labr/175/IT&EoDB dated 7 January 2019, so renewal is deemed and costs nothing. The registering authority for a Howrah establishment is the Labour Commissionerate's Howrah-area office rather than a Kolkata one, and we confirm which one before filing.
The municipal document is a Certificate of Enlistment, and it comes from HMC. The Howrah Municipal Corporation is its own corporation, not a borough of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Its License Department issues and renews the Certificate of Enlistment "as per HMC Act and HMC Revenue Regulations framed there under". New applications use the form titled "Application for New Certificate of Enlistment for Trade", and HMC runs its own online module at tl.myhmc.in with separate new-application and renewal flows. Howrah uses the same "Certificate of Enlistment" wording as Kolkata, because both sit under West Bengal municipal law, but the corporation and the portal are different. We confirm the current fee and renewal cycle with HMC before you apply, because HMC does not publish them. More on municipal licensing on our trade licence page.
What a Howrah company usually needs next
Most Howrah incorporations take GST registration in the same month, because the ₹40 lakh goods and ₹20 lakh services thresholds are beside the point if you sell inter-state or through a marketplace. Udyam registration is free on the government portal. State approvals and clearances run through Silpasathi, West Bengal's single-window portal at silpasathi.wb.gov.in, which serves Howrah as it does the rest of the state. If you employ people, the four labour codes came into force on 21 November 2025, and factories now sit under the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 rather than the Factories Act.
Where we do the work
There is no Regikart office in Howrah. Your filing is handled from our Kolkata head office at 129A, Bangur Avenue, near Reliance Smart, Block A, Lake Town, Kolkata, West Bengal 700055, across the Hooghly. Documents come to us by WhatsApp or email at [email protected], and nothing needs to be couriered. Phone and WhatsApp +91 70444 94804.
Types of company you can register
Choosing the right structure at the outset saves cost and compliance friction later. Our company registration guide compares them in full. The most common options we register:
| Structure | Best for | Minimum members | Key feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private Limited Company | Startups planning to raise funds | 2 directors / 2 shareholders | Investor-ready, limited liability |
| One Person Company (OPC) | Solo founders wanting a company | 1 director + nominee | Single-owner corporate shield |
| LLP registration | Partners not seeking equity funding | 2 partners | Lower compliance, audit exemption below thresholds |
| Section 8 Company | Non-profits / social enterprises | 2 directors | Charitable objects, tax benefits |
| Partnership Firm | Simple joint ventures | 2 partners | Easiest to form, unlimited liability |
Everything you need to incorporate in Howrah.
Howrah district or Kolkata district.
Every registered office in Howrah district files with ROC Kolkata-II and takes its Certificate of Enlistment from the Howrah Municipal Corporation. Cross the Hooghly into the district of Kolkata and both answers change: ROC Kolkata-I, and a KMC Certificate of Enlistment. Tell us the address and we will confirm which side of the line it falls on before we file.
From application to Certificate in Howrah, 8 steps.
Apply for Digital Signature Certificate (DSC)
Class 3 DSC issued by a Certifying Authority after video KYC. Time: 1-2 working days.
Reserve company name (SPICe+ Part A)
Up to 2 names per application. Typically approved in 2-4 working days.
Draft MOA and AOA
The Memorandum defines your business objects; the Articles set internal governance rules.
File SPICe+ Part B with AGILE-PRO
Integrated form covering 8 services - incorporation, DIN, PAN, TAN, EPFO and ESIC.
ROC verification & Certificate of Incorporation
COI issued with CIN, PAN and TAN, usually 3-7 working days after submission.
PAN, TAN & bank account
PAN and TAN are auto-allotted. Open your current account using the COI, MOA and AOA.
First board meeting & ADT-1
Hold within 30 days of COI and appoint your statutory auditor via ADT-1.
File INC-20A within 180 days
Declaration of Commencement of Business. Until it is filed the company cannot start business or borrow. Penalty: ₹50,000 on the company and ₹1,000 a day on each officer in default, up to ₹1,00,000.
Local note: Howrah is ROC Kolkata-II, Kolkata is ROC Kolkata-I
A company with its registered office in Howrah district is registered with ROC Kolkata-II. Until this year a single ROC Kolkata covered the whole state. Notification S.O. 4850(E) of 23 October 2025 re-notified ten ROC offices with district-level jurisdictions from 1 January 2026, and the new and reorganised offices became operational on 16 February 2026. Kolkata-I took the district of Kolkata; Kolkata-II took every other district in West Bengal, Howrah included. Both offices sit in Kolkata city, so a Howrah company is not registered by the office that registers Kolkata companies even though they share an address book. Two things follow: your registrar is not the same as a Kolkata company's, and your municipal document comes from the Howrah Municipal Corporation, not the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.
What is different in Howrah, and what a Kolkata-focused provider gets wrong
Incorporation is not identical to Kolkata. Your ROC office is different, and so is your municipal authority. Three things catch Howrah founders out:
The HMC Certificate of Enlistment, not a KMC one
The Howrah Municipal Corporation is its own corporation. It is not a borough of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and it issues its own document: a Certificate of Enlistment, issued and renewed by the HMC License Department "as per HMC Act and HMC Revenue Regulations framed there under". New applications use the form titled "Application for New Certificate of Enlistment for Trade", and HMC runs its own online module at tl.myhmc.in with separate new-application and renewal flows. A provider that files your enlistment with KMC has filed it with the wrong corporation.
West Bengal Professional Tax
West Bengal levies professional tax under the West Bengal State Tax on Professions, Trades, Callings and Employments Act, 1979, administered by the Directorate of Commercial Taxes at comtax.wb.gov.in. Your company takes a PTEC enrolment in its own right, and a PTRC registration once it pays salaries. Neither certificate carries a government fee; a duplicate certificate costs ₹20 per application under rule 26. The tax itself cannot exceed ₹2,500 per person per year, the ceiling in Article 276(2) of the Constitution. We confirm the slab that applies to you when we enrol you, because the West Bengal schedule is under revision.
Flat stamp duty on the e-AoA
West Bengal charges ₹10 on INC-32, ₹60 on the e-MoA and ₹300 on the e-AoA, and the e-AoA figure is flat rather than a percentage of authorised capital. At ₹10,00,000 authorised capital that is ₹370 of stamp duty in West Bengal against ₹1,710 in Delhi, where the e-AoA is charged at 0.15% of authorised capital. Stamp duty is a state levy, so Howrah and Kolkata pay the same.
What we'll need from you.
We check every scan against the MCA's format rules before we file, so a resubmission does not cost you a week.
From every director & subscriber
- Self-attested PAN card (mandatory)
- Aadhaar card (mobile linked)
- Identity proof - Passport, Voter ID or Driving Licence
- Address proof - bank statement / utility bill (≤ 2 months)
- Recent passport-size photograph
- Email ID & mobile number (for DSC OTP)
For the registered office
- Latest utility bill (electricity / gas / phone, ≤ 2 months)
- NOC from the property owner
- Rent agreement (if rented) or sale deed (if owned)
A residential address is acceptable as your registered office in Howrah with an NOC from the owner.
What you'll owe after registration.
Your Year 1 compliance calendar is included, and we file each form on time.
| When | What | Form |
|---|---|---|
| Within 30 days of COI | First board meeting + appoint auditor | ADT-1 |
| Within 30 days of COI | Open current account + deposit fees | Bank |
| Within 60 days | Issue share certificates | SH-1 |
| Within 180 days of COI | Declaration of Commencement of Business | INC-20A |
| Once every three financial years, by 30 June | Director KYC for all directors, next due 30 June 2028 for directors already compliant | DIR-3 KYC |
| Within 30 days of AGM | File financial statements | AOC-4 |
| Within 60 days of AGM | Annual return | MGT-7/7A |
| By 31 October | Statutory audit + income-tax return | ITR-6 |
Post-incorporation compliance in the first year
Incorporation is the start, not the finish. In your first year a Howrah company must, at minimum:
- File INC-20A (declaration of commencement of business) within 180 days.
- Appoint a statutory auditor within 30 days of incorporation.
- Apply for the HMC Certificate of Enlistment at tl.myhmc.in and keep it current.
- Take the West Bengal PTEC enrolment, add PTRC once you pay salaries, and file the returns on the dates we confirm at enrolment.
- Register for GST if turnover or business type requires it, and file annual ROC returns (AOC-4, MGT-7/7A).
Company registration in Howrah: your questions.
Not sure whether your address falls in Howrah district or Kolkata district, or what that changes? Send us the address and we will confirm the ROC office and the municipal authority.
Still have questions?
Tell us about your case and our team will walk through it and outline next steps.
Talk to our team →Register your Howrah company.
Send us your registered office address, the number of directors and the authorised capital you have in mind, and we will come back with the ROC office, the stamp duty and a written fee quote.