DPIIT Registration for Startups in India
Official DPIIT startup recognition through the Startup India portal. Filed end-to-end by Regikart's CA and CS team, with the Section 80-IAC tax-holiday application as a separate, optional add-on.
- Free government fee
- 2-15 day approval
- 80-IAC support
- Pan-India CA team
At a glance
DPIIT recognition - the essentials
| Granted by | Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), via the Startup India portal |
| Output | Recognition certificate with a unique DPIIT recognition number |
| Government fee | Free - the application is fully online on startupindia.gov.in |
| Eligibility | Private Limited Company, LLP or registered Partnership Firm; up to 10 years old; turnover up to Rs 100 crore in any year |
| Headline benefit | Section 80-IAC 3-year income tax holiday (via separate Inter-Ministerial Board approval) |
| Angel tax | Abolished for all investors from 1 April 2025 (Finance Act 2024) - DPIIT no longer needed for angel-tax protection |
| Recent update | DPIIT notification dated 4 February 2026 added cooperative societies and a Deep Tech Startup sub-category |
Founders we have served
What startups say about Regikart
Regikart's innovation write-up cleared our DPIIT application in 6 days. We had been stuck for two months with another consultant who kept copying boilerplate.
Aakash R.
Co-founder, SaaS startup
The 80-IAC application is genuinely hard. Regikart's CA team built the financial projections and the technical narrative - we got the IMB nod on the first cycle.
Priya M.
Founder, healthtech Pvt Ltd
DPIIT recognition unlocked our GeM registration and the 80% patent rebate within the same month. Single point of contact made the whole thing painless.
Rohit S.
Director, deep-tech LLP
Why DPIIT matters
The recognition is the entry ticket
DPIIT recognition by itself does not give the tax holiday. It is the entry ticket that lets a Private Limited Company or LLP apply to the Inter-Ministerial Board for the Section 80-IAC certificate - which under 2 percent of recognised startups secure each year.
Entry ticket to every Startup India benefit
Without DPIIT recognition, your startup cannot claim the Section 80-IAC tax holiday, IPR rebates, procurement relaxations or Startup India funding schemes. The certificate is the gateway.
Tax holiday worth lakhs
A DPIIT-recognised Private Limited Company or LLP can claim 100 percent deduction of profits for any 3 consecutive years in the first 10, after a separate Inter-Ministerial Board certificate.
IPR rebates and faster examination
Recognised startups get an 80 percent rebate on patent filing fees, a 50 percent rebate on trademark fees, and access to fast-tracked examination - a real edge for innovation-led businesses.
2030 window is closing
Budget 2025 extended the 80-IAC incorporation window to 1 April 2030. Founders setting up companies after that date will lose access to the tax holiday entirely.
Eligibility
Who can apply for DPIIT recognition?
An entity must satisfy all of the conditions below. The February 2026 DPIIT notification additionally extended recognition to cooperative societies and introduced a Deep Tech Startup sub-category.
- It is a Private Limited Company, an LLP or a registered Partnership Firm
- It is up to 10 years old from the date of incorporation
- Its turnover has not exceeded Rs 100 crore in any financial year since incorporation
- It works towards innovation, development or improvement of products, processes or services, or has a scalable model with potential for jobs or wealth creation
- It is NOT formed by splitting up or reconstructing an existing business
Regikart DPIIT services
What we handle end-to-end
Eligibility review
We confirm your entity type, age, turnover and innovation fit before filing - so the application clears on the first try, not after a query.
Innovation write-up
We draft the description of products, services and scalability that the Startup India portal assesses. This is where most self-filed applications get queried.
Portal filing
We create the Startup India profile end-to-end and file for DPIIT recognition with the correct entity details and supporting documents.
Section 80-IAC support
We prepare and file the separate Inter-Ministerial Board application for the tax holiday - the harder approval that under 2 percent of startups secure each year.
Benefit activation
We help you actually use the recognition - claiming IPR rebates, self-certification under labour and environmental laws, and procurement relaxations under GeM.
Compliance fit
We align the recognition with your tax planning and funding roadmap so the certificate works alongside your audit, ROC and GST compliance, not against it.
The process
DPIIT registration in 8 steps
From eligibility check to recognition certificate, then the separate 80-IAC and benefit activation track. Founder effort under 2 hours.
- Step 01Day 1
Register on Startup India portal
Create the startup profile on startupindia.gov.in. The portal asks for the entity's legal details, business description and contact information for the authorised representative.
- Step 02Day 1
Confirm eligibility
Verify entity type (Pvt Ltd, LLP or Partnership), age under 10 years from incorporation, and turnover under Rs 100 crore in every financial year. Reconstruction risk is a frequent disqualifier.
- Step 03Day 1-2
Apply for DPIIT recognition
File the recognition application with entity details and the certificate of incorporation or registration. Director, partner and PAN information is uploaded at this stage.
- Step 04Day 1-3
Draft the innovation write-up
Add a clear, specific write-up on the product or service and how the business is innovative or scalable. A generic description is the single biggest reason applications get queried.
- Step 05Day 2-3
Submit supporting material
Attach website link, pitch deck, patents, awards or any third-party validation. Deep Tech applicants should also add technical artefacts that justify the sub-category.
- Step 06Day 2-15
Receive recognition certificate
DPIIT issues the recognition certificate digitally with a unique DPIIT recognition number. Most clean, well-drafted applications clear within 7 working days.
- Step 07Post recognition
File Section 80-IAC application
For the 3-year tax holiday, file a separate application to the Inter-Ministerial Board. Only Private Limited Companies and LLPs are eligible. This is a more rigorous review.
- Step 08Ongoing
Activate other benefits
Use the recognition number to claim IPR fee rebates, self-certify under nine labour laws and three environmental laws, register on GeM, and apply for Startup India funding schemes.
Documents
What we need from you
Entity documents
- Certificate of incorporation or registration of the entity
- PAN of the entity
- Memorandum and Articles of Association (for companies) or LLP/Partnership deed
- Current authorised representative details and contact information
People details
- Names, DINs/PANs and addresses of all directors or partners
- Photograph and contact details of the authorised representative
- Shareholding pattern or contribution details (where applicable)
Innovation evidence
- Short write-up on the product, service and how the business is innovative or scalable
- Website link or pitch deck demonstrating the product or service
- Patents filed, awards won, or letters of intent / customer validation (where available)
- Deep Tech artefacts - technical papers, IP filings - for Deep Tech sub-category applications
Benefits of recognition
What DPIIT recognition unlocks
Section 80-IAC tax holiday
3-year 100 percent income tax exemption on profits, for any 3 consecutive years in the first 10 - subject to a separate Inter-Ministerial Board certificate.
Self-certification
Self-declare compliance under 9 labour laws and 3 environmental laws. No inspection for the first 3 years (5 years for labour laws), reducing compliance burden materially.
IPR rebates
80 percent rebate on patent filing fees and 50 percent rebate on trademark fees, with fast-tracked examination by the patent and trademark offices.
Government procurement
Relaxations on GeM (Government e-Marketplace) including exemption from prior experience, turnover and earnest money deposit - a real shortcut into government contracts.
Startup India funding
Access to the Fund of Funds for Startups (Rs 10,000 crore corpus) and the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme - both gated on DPIIT recognition.
Faster winding up
Eligible startups can wind up within 90 days under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, instead of the standard timeline - useful if a venture pivots or shuts down.
Recognition vs tax holiday
DPIIT recognition vs Section 80-IAC
Founders frequently confuse the two. The recognition is the entry ticket; the 80-IAC certificate is the actual tax holiday and is granted by a different body after a separate, more rigorous review.
| Point | DPIIT recognition | Section 80-IAC |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Official startup recognition | 3-year income tax exemption on profits |
| Granted by | DPIIT, via Startup India portal | Inter-Ministerial Board (IMB) |
| Who can get it | Company, LLP or registered Partnership Firm | Private Limited Company or LLP only |
| Government fee | Free | Free |
| Approval rigour | Usually a few days; document check | Rigorous review; under 2 percent of recognised startups succeed |
| Timeline | 2 to 15 working days | Several weeks to months |
| Dependency | Entry ticket to all startup benefits | Requires DPIIT recognition first |
| Validity | Until the entity is 10 years old or crosses Rs 100 cr turnover | Block of 3 consecutive years chosen by the startup within first 10 |
Pricing
Transparent professional fees
The government fee on the Startup India portal is free. Our professional fee covers eligibility review, the innovation write-up, filing and, where applicable, the Section 80-IAC application.
Starter
DPIIT recognition only
Rs [insert fee]
- Eligibility review
- Innovation write-up drafting
- Startup India profile creation
- DPIIT recognition application filing
- Certificate delivery and benefit briefing
Growth
Recognition + 80-IAC
Rs [insert fee]
- Everything in Starter
- Section 80-IAC IMB application
- Tax-holiday strategy session with our CA team
- IPR rebate filing support (patent / trademark)
- Priority response within 4 working hours
Complete startup setup
End-to-end company + DPIIT package
Custom
- Private Limited or LLP incorporation
- PAN, TAN, GST, MSME registration
- DPIIT recognition + 80-IAC application
- Trademark filing with 50% rebate
- First-year compliance bundle
All fees and charges listed are indicative only and do not constitute a binding offer. Final amounts may vary depending on the volume of work and the complexity involved.
Why Regikart
Why startups choose us
CA and CS led
DPIIT applications are drafted and reviewed by qualified Chartered Accountants and Company Secretaries - not generic VAs working off a template.
Innovation note expertise
We have drafted hundreds of innovation write-ups across SaaS, deep tech, fintech, edtech, healthtech and D2C. The write-up is the difference between approval and a query.
80-IAC track record
We handle the rigorous IMB application end-to-end, including the technical and financial sections that drive the under-2-percent success rate.
Pan-India presence
Offices in Kolkata, Delhi, Gurugram and Pune. We serve founders across India, both in person and remotely, with regional language support.
Single point of contact
One dedicated relationship manager owns your file from eligibility check to certificate delivery and benefit activation. No ticket-shuffling.
Transparent pricing
Fixed-fee professional charges disclosed upfront. The government portal fee is zero, and we will not invent fictitious charges or 'expediting' premiums.
Common mistakes
Where DIY DPIIT applications get stuck
Generic innovation write-up
'We are an innovative tech company solving problems' gets queried instantly. The note must name the product, the specific problem and the scalability mechanism in plain terms.
Confusing recognition with the tax holiday
Founders often assume the DPIIT certificate gives the tax holiday. It does not. Section 80-IAC requires a separate, far more rigorous IMB application after recognition.
Wrong entity for 80-IAC
Partnership firms can get DPIIT recognition but cannot claim 80-IAC. If the tax holiday is the goal, the entity must be a Private Limited Company or LLP from day one.
Reconstruction risk
Entities formed by splitting up or reconstructing an existing business are ineligible. This trips up founders who 'restructure' a proprietorship into a Pvt Ltd to claim startup benefits.
Still worrying about angel tax
Section 56(2)(viib) was abolished from 1 April 2025. Some consultants still pitch DPIIT as 'angel-tax protection' - it has not been needed for that since the Finance Act 2024.
DIY vs Regikart
Filing it yourself vs with us
| Aspect | DIY filing | With Regikart |
|---|---|---|
| Innovation write-up | Copy-paste from sample templates - high query risk | Drafted by CA + CS team with sector context |
| Time investment | 10-20 hours plus query revisions | Under 2 hours of founder time |
| Eligibility check | Self-assessment, reconstruction risk often missed | Structured eligibility memo before filing |
| 80-IAC strategy | Often skipped or filed too late | Filed as part of Growth plan with full IMB pack |
| Benefit activation | Recognition certificate sits unused | We activate IPR, self-certification and GeM benefits |
| Cost if rejected | Refile from scratch + delay | We refile at no extra charge |
Legal and compliance framework
The rules behind the recognition
Startup India and DPIIT
Recognition is granted by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade under the Startup India initiative, through the Startup India portal. The framework was comprehensively revised by the DPIIT notification dated 4 February 2026.
Section 80-IAC, Income Tax Act
A DPIIT-recognised Private Limited Company or LLP can claim a 100 percent deduction of profits for any 3 consecutive years in the first 10, after a separate Inter-Ministerial Board certificate. The incorporation window now extends to 1 April 2030.
Angel tax abolition
Section 56(2)(viib), the angel tax on share premium above fair market value, was abolished for all investors from 1 April 2025 by the Finance Act 2024. DPIIT recognition is no longer required for angel-tax protection.
Other relief
Recognised startups benefit from ESOP perquisite tax deferral, relaxed carry-forward of losses, and capital-gains reliefs, subject to conditions - alongside the non-tax benefits of self-certification, IPR rebates and procurement relaxations.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions on DPIIT recognition, Section 80-IAC and the post-2024 angel-tax position.
Still have questions?
Book a free 20-minute consult with a senior partner - we'll walk through your case and outline next steps.
Talk to a partner →Related services
Build the full startup stack
Startup India registration
Program and eligibility view of the same recognition.
Private limited company registration
The structure most suited to 80-IAC and IMB approval.
Trademark registration
Where DPIIT recognition earns a 50 percent fee rebate.
Udyam (MSME) registration
Add MSME benefits alongside startup status.
Talk to Regikart
Get DPIIT recognised and unlock startup benefits
Free eligibility check. Innovation write-up drafted by our CA and CS team. Section 80-IAC application if you want the tax holiday. We respond within 2 hours on working days (Mon to Sat, 9 am to 7 pm IST).
About Regikart
Regikart, a CA and CS firm with offices in Kolkata, Delhi, Gurugram and Pune, files DPIIT recognition, drafts the innovation case, and handles the Section 80-IAC application - end-to-end, by qualified professionals. One platform. Fixed pricing. Zero paperwork.
Offices
Kolkata, Delhi, Gurugram, Pune
Led by
CA + CS team
Service
Pan-India, online
Response
Within 2 hours