Public Limited Company Registration Online — ₹4,999 + Govt. Fee
What a public limited company is, and when it is the right choice
A public limited company is a company that is not a private company: it has at least seven members, at least three directors, no ceiling on the number of shareholders, and its shares are freely transferable. It is the only form that can invite the public to subscribe to its shares or debentures and the only one that can list on a stock exchange, including the NSE Emerge and BSE SME platforms that Indian growth companies use for an SME IPO.
Registration runs through SPICe+ like a private company. The Companies (Amendment) Act, 2015 removed the old ₹5 lakh minimum paid-up capital, so a public company can start with any capital, and the MCA incorporation fee is nil up to ₹15 lakh authorised capital. What is different is the compliance load after incorporation, which is why most founders start private and convert when they are 12–18 months from a listing.
Register a public limited company if you
- •Plan an SME IPO or main-board listing and want the corporate form ready in advance
- •Will have more than 200 shareholders, for example an employee-owned or community-owned enterprise
- •Need to issue debentures or deposits to the public under Chapter III and V of the Act
- •Are a large family business consolidating under a holding company that may list later
Requirements for public limited company registration
| Requirement | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Shareholders | Minimum 7; no maximum | Section 3(1)(a) |
| Directors | Minimum 3, maximum 15; one resident in India; a woman director if paid-up capital reaches ₹100 crore or turnover ₹300 crore | Section 149 |
| Capital | No statutory minimum paid-up capital since 2015 | Companies (Amendment) Act 2015 |
| Name | Must end with Limited; unique and not similar to an existing name or trademark | Section 4 |
| Registered office | Indian address with proof within 30 days | Section 12 |
| Public issue | Only after incorporation, INC-20A and SEBI requirements; SME IPO needs a track record and merchant banker | Chapter III; SEBI ICDR Regulations |
Documents required
For all 7 subscribers and 3 directors
- •PAN card
- •Aadhaar card
- •Passport, voter ID or driving licence
- •Address proof not older than 2 months
- •Passport-size photograph
- •DIR-2 consent and DIR-8 declaration for directors
For the registered office
- •Utility bill not older than 2 months
- •Rent agreement if rented
- •No-objection certificate from the owner
For corporate or foreign subscribers
- •Board resolution and certificate of incorporation
- •Apostilled passport and address proof for foreign nationals
- •FDI sector check and reporting plan
Public limited company registration process
- 1Day 1–2 — Consultation on capital structure, board composition and whether a public company is needed now; name search on MCA and the trademark registry.
- 2Day 2–3 — Class 3 DSCs for directors and subscribers.
- 3Day 3–6 — SPICe+ Part A name reservation with a name ending in Limited.
- 4Day 6–9 — e-MoA and e-AoA drafted with public-company articles (share transfer, board, meetings, dematerialisation), DIR-2, INC-9 and AGILE-PRO-S.
- 5Day 9–10 — SPICe+ Part B filed with all subscribers' signatures; stamp duty paid for your state.
- 6Day 10–15 — Certificate of Incorporation, PAN and TAN issued.
- 7After incorporation — capital deposited, INC-20A, first board meeting, auditor, share certificates, demat ISIN where a listing is planned, and the public-company compliance calendar.
Public limited company registration fees
| Item | Amount | Charged by |
|---|---|---|
| BookMyCA professional fee | ₹4,999 (all-inclusive) | BookMyCA |
| MCA incorporation fee (SPICe+) | Nil for authorised capital up to ₹15 lakh; slab fee above that | Companies (Registration Offices and Fees) Rules, 2014 |
| MCA fee above ₹15 lakh authorised capital | Slab fee under the Fees Rules 2014, computed by the MCA portal | MCA |
| Name reservation (SPICe+ Part A) | ₹1,000 per application (two names, valid 20 days) | MCA |
| PAN and TAN (allotted with incorporation) | ₹131 (PAN ₹66 + TAN ₹65) | Income Tax Department via MCA |
| Stamp duty on MoA, AoA and SPICe+ | Varies by state and authorised capital; computed by the MCA portal at filing | State Stamp Act |
| Digital Signature Certificates (3 directors) | About ₹1,500–₹2,500 each, at actuals | Licensed CA vendor |
Because public companies often start with higher authorised capital, the MCA slab fee and stamp duty are the variables. We model two or three capital options and show the total for each before you decide.
What BookMyCA delivers for ₹4,999
- •Consultation with a CA on public versus private company and the SME IPO roadmap
- •Name search and SPICe+ Part A filing
- •Three DSCs and DINs; additional directors at cost
- •Public-company e-MoA and e-AoA, DIR-2, INC-9 and AGILE-PRO-S
- •SPICe+ Part B prepared, certified and filed
- •Certificate of Incorporation, CIN, PAN, TAN, EPFO and ESIC numbers
- •Statutory registers, share certificates, first board and general meeting kit
- •Compliance calendar with the public-company additions
Compliance for a public limited company
| Compliance | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| INC-20A | Within 180 days | Before any business or borrowing |
| Board meetings | First within 30 days; at least 4 a year with no more than 120 days between two | Section 173 |
| Annual General Meeting | Within 6 months of financial year end; quorum 5 members up to 1,000 members | Sections 96, 103 |
| AOC-4 and MGT-7 | 30 and 60 days after the AGM | Full annual return; MGT-8 certification above ₹10 crore capital or ₹50 crore turnover |
| Key managerial personnel | Company secretary, CFO and MD/CEO once paid-up capital reaches ₹10 crore | Section 203 |
| Independent directors and audit committee | Listed companies, and public companies above ₹10 crore paid-up capital, ₹100 crore turnover or ₹50 crore borrowings | Sections 149(4), 177 |
| Dematerialisation of shares | Public companies must issue and transfer securities only in demat form | Rule 9A, Share Capital and Debentures Rules |
| Income-tax return | By 31 October | Corporate rates |
Mistakes to avoid
- •Registering public because it sounds bigger; the extra compliance costs real money every year
- •Copying private-company articles, which contain restrictions a public company cannot have
- •Gathering seven subscribers who will not stay engaged; they are members for life until they transfer
- •Ignoring demat: since 2019 public companies cannot issue physical share certificates for transfer
Frequently asked questions on public limited company registration
There is no statutory minimum since the Companies (Amendment) Act 2015 removed the ₹5 lakh requirement. Choose authorised capital to suit the plan; the MCA fee is nil up to ₹15 lakh.
At least seven shareholders and three directors. The same individuals can be both.
₹4,999 BookMyCA fee plus government charges: nil MCA fee up to ₹15 lakh capital (slab fee above), ₹1,000 name reservation, ₹131 PAN and TAN, three DSCs and state stamp duty.
No. A listing needs a track record, audited accounts, a merchant banker and compliance with SEBI regulations. Incorporating as a public company only removes one conversion step from that journey.
Private, almost always. Convert to public when an IPO is 12–18 months away. Conversion is a special resolution and a Registrar filing.
About 10 to 15 working days, a little longer than a private company because of the number of signatories.
Yes. Unlike a private company, the articles cannot restrict transfer, which is the core reason public shareholders and exchanges require this form.