Other Compliance · All India

Registrations a New Business Needs

A short, ordered list for a new establishment — obtained in sequence, these avoid most first-year notices.

Typical sequence

RegistrationWhenIssued by
Entity formation / PANBefore commencing businessMCA / Income Tax
Trade licenceBefore opening the premisesMunicipal authority
Shops & Establishment registrationUsually within 30 days of commencementState Labour Department
Professional Tax enrolment and registrationOn commencement / first employeeState Commercial Tax
GST registrationOn crossing the turnover threshold or on a mandatory triggerGST authorities
EPF registrationOn crossing the employee thresholdEPFO
ESI registrationOn crossing the employee threshold in a notified areaESIC
Factory licenceBefore commencing manufacturingState Directorate of Factories
CLRA registrationBefore engaging contract labour at the thresholdLabour Department
Class 3 DSCBefore online filingsLicensed Certifying Authority

Frequently asked questions

Which registration should a new business get first?
Entity formation and PAN, then the trade licence and Shops and Establishment registration for the premises — labour registrations follow as headcount grows.
Do we need PF and ESI from day one?
Only once the applicable employee thresholds are crossed, though voluntary PF coverage is possible earlier.

Sources & references

Last Updated: 2026-09-06
Information is based on applicable laws, rules, notifications and government sources and should be verified for the latest amendments.

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