Who needs one
Broadly, anyone carrying on a trade or business from commercial premises.
- Shops, restaurants and food outlets
- Offices, warehouses, manufacturing units
- Clinics and salons
- Premises using machinery or handling food
Trade Licence
Municipal trade licence - for your premises.
A trade licence is permission from the local municipal body to carry on a specified trade at a specified address. It is not a national registration and there is no single national process, which is why most of what you will read about it online is wrong for your city.
Qualified CA / CS partnersCity-dependentBest for: Shops, restaurants, offices, warehouses, clinics, units
Starting at
₹2,999 onwards
Trade licence
Shops, restaurants, offices, warehouses, clinics, units
Issued by the municipal corporation or panchayat
Kolkata: Certificate of Enlistment
Maharashtra: Gumasta does much of the same work
Usually renewed annually
Timeline
City-dependent
What it is
Trade licence, explained in plain English.
The licence is issued by the municipal corporation, municipality or panchayat with jurisdiction over the premises, with authority coming from the relevant state municipal Act and the bye-laws made under it. The name differs by city: in Kolkata the Kolkata Municipal Corporation issues a Certificate of Enlistment, which is what most people mean by 'trade licence' in West Bengal. In Maharashtra a Gumasta licence under the Shops and Establishments Act does much of the same work. In Delhi the position depends on the trade and on whether a health trade licence is required.
TL;DR
If someone quotes you a single national fee for a trade licence, they have not looked at your city. Broadly it is needed by anyone carrying on a trade from commercial premises - shops, restaurants and food outlets, offices, warehouses, manufacturing units, clinics, salons, and premises using machinery or handling food.
Key terms
The vocabulary you'll see on the portal.
Certificate of Enlistment
What the Kolkata Municipal Corporation issues, and what 'trade licence' generally means in West Bengal.
Health trade licence
An additional licence required for specified health-related trades, notably in Delhi.
Fire NOC
Required from the fire department for specified trades before the licence is issued.
Pollution consent
Consent from the state pollution control board, required for specified manufacturing and other trades.
Routes & scenarios
Match the situation to the right fix.
Additional licences by trade
A trade licence is often not the only permission required.
- Food businesses: FSSAI registration or licence
- Health trades: health trade licence
- Manufacturing: factory licence
- Specified trades: pollution consent
Validity and renewal
Most trade licences run for a financial year, though some cities issue longer terms.
- Renewed annually in most cities
- Renewal generally due before the start of the year
- Late renewal attracts penalty
- Some cities issue longer terms
The process
Trade licence - from kickoff to confirmation.
01
Identify the authority and the trade
The municipal corporation, municipality or panchayat with jurisdiction over your premises, and whether your trade needs any additional licence.
02
Assemble premises documents
Address proof, latest property tax receipt, site plan, and photographs. Rented premises need the rent agreement with the owner's ownership proof and NOC.
03
NOCs where required
Fire department and pollution control board NOCs for specified trades, obtained before the application where the local body requires them.
04
Apply and follow up
Application filed with the local body, with inspection where required, and the licence issued for the applicable term.
Documents required
What we'll need from you.
Upload via our secure portal. We pre-check every scan before filing - cuts portal rejections by ~90%.
Address proof of the premises: ownership document, or rent agreement with the owner's ownership proof and NOC
Latest property tax receipt for the premises
Identity and address proof of the applicant
PAN of the applicant or entity
Certificate of incorporation, partnership deed or Udyam registration, as applicable
Site plan or layout of the premises
NOC from the fire department, for specified trades
NOC from the pollution control board, for specified trades
Photographs of the premises
Occupancy certificate, where the local body requires it
Trade licence FAQ
Common questions, answered by partners.
Still unsure if Trade licence is right for your case? Book a free 20-minute consult - a senior CA / CS will walk you through your specifics.
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 →No. It is issued by the local municipal body with jurisdiction over your premises, under the relevant state municipal Act and its bye-laws. There is no single national process or fee, which is why generic online guidance is usually wrong for your city.
Ready when you are
Let's get your Trade licence sorted this week.
A senior CA / CS will get on a call with you, confirm scope and start the work - usually within 24 hours.