REGISTRATIONS

Partnership Firm is a popular form of business constitution for businesses that are owned, managed and controlled by an Association of People for profit. Partnership firms are relatively easy to start are is prevalent amongst small and medium sized businesses in the unorganized sectors. With the introduction of Limited Liability Partnerships in India, Partnership Firms are fast losing their prevalence due to the added advantages offered by a Limited Liability Partnership.

There are two types of Partnership firms, registered and un-registered Partnership firm. It is not compulsory to register a Partnership firm; however, it is advisable to register a Partnership firm due to the added advantages. Partnership firms are created by drafting a Partnership deed amongst the Partners and India Filings can help start a registered or un-registered Partnership firm in India.

Sole proprietorship is a business that is owned, managed and controlled by one person. It is one of the most common forms of business in India, used by small businesses operating in the unorganized sectors. Proprietorships are very easy to start and have very minimal regulatory compliance requirement for getting started. However, after the startup phase, proprietorship’s do not offer the promoter a host of other benefits such as limited liability, separate legal entity, independent existence, transferability, etc., which are desirable features for any business. Therefore, proprietorship’s are suited for unorganized, small businesses that will have a limited existence.

There is no mechanism provided by the Government of India for the registration or incorporation of a Proprietorship. Therefore, the existence of a proprietorship is established only by tax registrations and other business registrations that a Proprietorship is required to have as per the rules and regulations. At SSP Associates, we can help you establish an identity for your Proprietorship by obtaining the relevant registrations.

Service tax is an indirect tax levied on a wide array of services specified by the Central Government under the Finance Act, 1994. The service provider (a restaurant or tour operator, for example) pays the tax and recovers the amount from its customers. To pay this tax, the service provider must be registered with the Central Government if the preceding fiscal year’s turnover is over Rs. 9 lakh. However, collection must start, at the rate of 14%, only when the turnover of the business exceeds Rs. 10 lakh. Service Tax is to be paid to government via designated branches once every quarter by LLPs, partnerships and sole proprietors and once every month by all other entities.

Value Added Tax (VAT) Registration is a tax registration required for businesses trading or manufacturing goods in India. VAT Registration replaced Sales Tax in India and is synonymous with CST Registration and TIN Registration. VAT is a multi-stage tax with the provision to allow ‘Input tax credit (ITC)’ on tax at an earlier stage, which can be appropriated against the VAT liability on subsequent sale. Therefore, VAT is ultimately borne by the consumer.

VAT is collected and governed by the State Government, so each State Government in India has distinct rules applicable for their State based on the type of good manufactured or sold. Hence, it is important for any business involved in the manufacturing or trading of goods to check the VAT rates applicable for the goods they sell in their state and comply with the relevant regulation. VAT Registration is mandatory in most states for traders or manufacturers having a turnover of more than Rs.5 lakhs per year (Rs.10 lakhs in some states). Therefore, manufactures or traders must be aware of the relevant state VAT regulation and obtain registration if required. When registered for VAT, the manufacturer or trader is allotted a unique 11 digit number which will serve as the VAT Number / TIN Number / CST Number for the business.

The Shops and Establishments Act regulates conditions of work, lists rights of employees in the unorganised sector and provides a list of obligations for every employer. It applies nationwide to shops, commercial establishments, hotels, restaurants, eating houses, theatres and other places of public amusement or entertainments. Every shop and establishment is required to register itself under the Act within 30 days of commencement of work, whether or not it has employees.

Small Scale Industries (SSI) or Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) can register themselves under the MSMED Act. It isn’t necessary, but very beneficial to do so, as it only exists to offer benefits to those registered under it. These benefits include priority sector lending, excise and direct tax exemptions, capital investment subsidies and power tariff subsidies. To qualify as an MSME, manufacturing enterprises need to have investment of less than Rs. 10 crore in plant and machinery, while service enterprises must have no more than Rs. 5 crore invested in plant and machinery. If, at any time, you cross this investment limit, you need to cancel your registration under the MSMED Ac.

Import Export (IE) Code is a registration required for persons importing or exporting goods and services from India. IE Code is issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Ministry of Commerce and Industries, Government of India. IE Codes when issued can be used by the entity throughout its existence and doesn’t require any renewal or filing. Therefore, it is recommended for most organizations to obtain IE Code, irrespective of if they need it at the moment.

IE Code application must be made to the Directorate General of Foreign Trade along with the necessary supporting documents. Once, the application is submitted, DGFT will issue the IE Code for the entity in 15 – 20 working days or less.

Trust Registration

Society Registration

ESI Registration