Startup Compliance Services — Your Complete Annual Compliance Calendar

Stay compliant from Day 1 — so you can focus on building

End-to-end compliance services for Indian startups — ROC annual returns, income tax, GST filing, director KYC, statutory audit, and DPIIT recognition support.

Indian startups face a surprisingly heavy compliance calendar in their first year — before any revenue, before any employees, and often before any clear direction on the business model. Certificate of Incorporation triggers immediate obligations: INC-20A (commencement of business within 180 days), ADT-1 (auditor appointment), DIR-3 KYC for all directors, and opening of a current account. As the company grows, GST registration, payroll setup, TDS filing, and eventually statutory audit pile up. Missing compliance deadlines — even for pre-revenue startups — attracts MCA penalties, GST late fees, and income tax interest that are disproportionately burdensome for early-stage companies. We provide startup-specific compliance packages that cover every obligation from incorporation to the first statutory audit, with a documented calendar and proactive reminders.

Related service: Compliance and Regulatory Governance

Key Points to Understand

• Complete First-Year Compliance Package: Everything a newly incorporated company needs in year one — INC-20A, ADT-1, DIR-3 KYC, GST registration, TDS setup, advance tax planning, statutory audit, and ROC annual returns — in a single engagement.
• DPIIT Startup Recognition and Benefits: DPIIT-recognised startups get income tax holiday for 3 consecutive years under Section 80-IAC, access to SIDBI Fund of Funds, and various government procurement preferences. We file recognition within days of incorporation.
• Compliance Calendar and Proactive Reminders: Every compliance deadline — monthly GST return, quarterly TDS, annual ROC filing, director KYC, and statutory audit — is documented in a calendar shared with the founders. We send reminders before each deadline.
• MCA Penalty Prevention: Late filing of ROC returns attracts additional fees that compound quickly — ₹100/day per form. For a startup that misses three or four filings, penalties can reach ₹50,000+. We prevent this through proactive compliance.
• Investor-Readiness Documentation: Audited financial statements, clean ROC filing history, and tax compliance certificates are essential for due diligence when raising seed or Series A. We structure your compliance to support investor-readiness from year one.
• Founders' Director KYC and Compliance: Directors of Indian companies must file DIR-3 KYC annually. Disqualification of directors for non-compliance can paralyse a company's ability to operate. We handle all director-level compliances automatically.

How It Works

1. Post-Incorporation Setup: INC-20A, ADT-1 (auditor), DIR-3 KYC, current account opening, PAN and TAN activation
2. GST Registration: Registration when threshold is crossed or voluntarily for B2B operations
3. Payroll and TDS Setup: Salary structuring, PF/ESIC registration, monthly TDS filing (Form 24Q)
4. Quarterly and Annual Compliance: GST returns, advance tax payments, director KYC renewal, quarterly TDS returns
5. Statutory Audit: Annual financial statements, statutory audit completion, income tax return (ITR-6)
6. ROC Annual Returns: AOC-4 (financial statements) and MGT-7A (annual return) with MCA

Who This Is For

• Newly Incorporated Startups: Companies less than 1 year old with immediate post-incorporation compliance obligations
• Pre-Revenue Startups: Idea or prototype-stage companies with no revenue but growing MCA compliance obligations
• Funded Startups Scaling Operations: Seed or Series A companies adding employees, GST obligations, and investor reporting requirements
• Founders Concerned About Compliance Gaps: Companies that have missed past filings and need to catch up and regularise compliance

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the first compliance obligation after incorporating a company?

INC-20A — a declaration of commencement of business — must be filed within 180 days of incorporation if the company has share capital. Simultaneously, ADT-1 (auditor appointment) must be filed within 30 days. DIR-3 KYC for all directors must be completed by September 30 of the relevant financial year.

Does a pre-revenue startup need to file income tax returns?

Yes. Every incorporated company must file ITR-6 annually — even if revenue is zero. A pre-revenue startup will show nil income and possibly startup expenses as losses. These losses can be carried forward for 8 years and offset against future profits — making timely filing important even before revenue.

What is DPIIT recognition and how does it help our startup?

DPIIT recognition classifies your company as a 'startup' under the Startup India initiative. Benefits include: income tax holiday for 3 consecutive years under Section 80-IAC (applied separately), exemption from angel tax (if DPIIT recognised), access to SIDBI Fund of Funds, and simplified compliance under labour laws.

When does a startup need statutory audit?

Every company — regardless of revenue — must get its accounts audited by a qualified statutory auditor under applicable law for each financial year. The audited financial statements form the basis of your ITR-6 and ROC filings (AOC-4). There is no revenue threshold exemption from statutory audit for companies.

What happens if my startup misses the ROC annual return deadline?

Late filing of AOC-4 and MGT-7A attracts an additional fee of ₹100 per day per form, with no upper limit. For a company that misses by 6 months, that's ₹100 × 180 × 2 forms = ₹36,000 in additional fees on top of the base filing fee. Directors may also face disqualification risk for repeated non-compliance.

We have 3 employees. Do we need PF, ESIC, and payroll compliance?

PF (EPF) registration is mandatory when you have 20 or more employees. ESIC is mandatory when you have 10 or more employees (20 in some states) with salary below ₹21,000/month. With 3 employees, you're not yet at mandatory thresholds — but professional tax (state-dependent), TDS on salary (if applicable), and proper salary structure are still required.

You Might Also Find Useful

• Business Registration Bangalore — Incorporate your startup
• Startup Accounting Services — Investor-ready books from month one
• Startup Payroll Services — Employee payroll and ESOP setup
• GST Registration for Startups — When and why to get GST registered
• Trademark Registration — Protect your startup's brand name and logo

Stay on Top of Your Compliance Deadlines From incorporation to statutory audit — complete compliance management for your startup. Book Expert Consultation or call +91 80493 67825.