⌘K
GETTING STARTED
FIND — Get an Idea
VALIDATE — Hit PMF (Phase 3)
UNIT ECONOMICS — First (Phase 4)
SCALE — Build to ₹1L/mo
AI & AUTOMATION
ANALYTICS & DATA
FINANCE
TOOLS & CALCULATORS
RESOURCES
Phase 6 of 13 — Legal & Compliance · Days 49-53
₹2K-8K
Proprietorship Setup
Cheapest way to start
₹11K-34K
LLP Setup
For when you're scaling
7-14 days
GST Registration
Required for legitimate ops
₹4,500
Trademark Filing
Per class, protects your brand
₹4,500
to trademark your brand name (per class)
The cheapest legal protection you'll ever get — do it before launch
| Item | Cost | Timeline | Priority | Required? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sole Proprietorship (MSME) | ₹0-2,000 | 1 day | Day 1 | Minimum |
| GST Registration | ₹0-2,000 | 7-14 days | Week 1 | Must Have |
| LLP Registration | ₹11,000-34,000 | 7-14 days | Later | Scale |
| FSSAI License | ₹100-7,500 | 7-30 days | If Food | If Food |
| Trademark | ₹4,500/class | 6-18 months | Week 3 | Must Have |
| Policy Pages | ₹0-3,000 | 2-3 days | Week 3 | Must Have |
| Business Bank Account | ₹0-1,000 | 1-7 days | Week 3 | Must Have |
| Factor | Sole Proprietorship | LLP | Pvt Ltd |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup Cost | ₹0-2,000 | ₹11,000-34,000 | ₹15,000-50,000 |
| Setup Time | 1 day | 7-14 days | 15-30 days |
| Liability | Unlimited personal liability | Limited liability | Limited liability |
| Compliance Burden | Minimal (GST returns) | Moderate (2 filings/year) | Heavy (MCA, ROC, board) |
| Tax Rate | Personal slab (5-30%) | 30% + surcharge | 30% + surcharge |
| Best For | First-time founders | Partners or scaling | Raising investment |
| When to Upgrade | Revenue crosses ₹5L/month | Revenue crosses ₹20L/month | Seeking funding |
Decide Entity Type
Register Business
Apply for GST
Open Business Bank Account
Apply for Trademark
Get FSSAI (if food)
Create Policy Pages
7-14 days
for GST registration — file early
Start the process in Week 3 so you have GSTIN before launch
Input Tax Credit: Claim GST paid on purchases against sales tax
Supplier Access: Legitimate suppliers require your GSTIN
Payment Gateways: Razorpay, PayU require GST for business accounts
Marketplace Selling: Amazon, Flipkart need GST for seller registration
Trust Signal: GST number on invoices builds customer confidence
PAN Card — of business owner
Aadhaar Card — for identity verification
Business Address Proof — electricity bill, rent agreement
Bank Account Proof — cancelled cheque or statement
Photo — passport size of applicant
Authorization Letter — if someone else is applying
Brand name, logo, and tagline
Check IP India database before filing
Per class filing fees
Single class: ₹4,500
Via attorney: ₹8,000-15,000
Multi-class: ₹4,500 per class
| FSSAI Type | Cost | Validity | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Registration | ₹100 | 1-5 years | Turnover <₹12L/year |
| State License | ₹2,000-5,000 | 1-5 years | Turnover ₹12L-20Cr/year |
| Central License | ₹7,500 | 1-5 years | Turnover >₹20Cr/year |
| Compliance | Frequency | Deadline | Penalty for Missing |
|---|---|---|---|
| GSTR-3B | Monthly | 20th of next month | ₹50/day (₹20 for nil return) |
| GSTR-1 | Monthly | 11th of next month | ₹50/day |
| Annual Return (GSTR-9) | Yearly | December 31st | ₹100/day, max ₹5,000 |
| ITR Filing | Yearly | July 31st | ₹1,000-10,000 |
| Trademark Renewal | Every 10 years | 6 months before expiry | ₹15,000+ surcharge |
Sources: GST Act 2017, IP India Trademark Registry, FSSAI Licensing Portal, Ministry of Corporate Affairs
Ready to move forward? Continue to Phase 5.
Phase 5: Supply Chain →