One Person Company (OPC)
Corporate identity for solo founders
Register an OPC and get the credibility of a company with the control of a proprietorship — full incorporation kit included.
What's included
- Name approval
- 1 DSC + 1 DIN
- MOA & AOA drafting
- Nominee documentation
- PAN & TAN
Understanding One Person Company (OPC)
A One Person Company lets a single founder enjoy the corporate advantages that normally require two people — separate legal identity, limited liability and perpetual succession — while remaining the sole shareholder. Introduced by the Companies Act 2013, an OPC is incorporated through the same SPICe+ process as a private limited company, with one distinctive feature: you must name a nominee (with their consent in Form INC-3) who steps into your shoes as member if you die or become incapacitated.
The eligibility rules are specific. Only a natural person who is an Indian citizen and resident in India (present for at least 120 days in the financial year) can incorporate an OPC or be its nominee. A person can hold membership of only one OPC at a time, and a minor cannot be a member or nominee. Since the 2021 amendments, the old rule forcing conversion to a private limited company at ₹2 crore paid-up capital or ₹20 crore turnover has been scrapped — an OPC can now grow without a forced conversion, or convert voluntarily whenever it chooses.
Our ₹6,999 package covers one DSC and DIN, name reservation, MOA and AOA drafting, nominee documentation in INC-3, the full SPICe+ filing and PAN and TAN. Incorporation typically completes in 7 to 10 working days. You get a corporate identity that banks, marketplaces and enterprise clients take seriously, with compliance meaningfully lighter than a two-shareholder company — no AGM is required, and board meeting rules are relaxed for a single director.
Who needs this?
Solo founders who want limited liability
If you run the business alone but want your personal assets protected from business debts and claims, an OPC gives you the corporate shield without hunting for a co-founder.
Freelancers and consultants scaling up
High-billing independent professionals use an OPC to invoice under a corporate name, win enterprise contracts and separate business finances cleanly from personal ones.
Proprietors ready to formalise
A proprietorship's credibility ceiling is real — an OPC brings a CIN, audited accounts and a permanent legal identity that outlives the owner.
Founders testing before bringing in partners
You can start solo and later convert to a private limited company when co-founders or investors arrive, carrying forward the same legal entity and history.
E-commerce sellers needing a corporate face
Marketplaces and payment gateways onboard corporate entities more smoothly, and brand registries often prefer a company over an individual.
When this is NOT the right fit
| Your situation | What applies instead |
|---|---|
| ✕You are a foreign national, or an Indian citizen not resident in India for 120+ days | Only a natural person who is an Indian citizen and Indian resident can incorporate an OPC or act as its nominee. NRIs who are Indian citizens qualify only if they meet the 120-day residency test. |
| ✕You already own another OPC | The rules permit one OPC membership per person. If your nominee position in another OPC converts to membership, you must exit one of them within 180 days. |
| ✕You want to raise equity from investors | An OPC has exactly one shareholder by definition. To take equity investment you must first convert to a private limited company. |
| ✕You plan NBFC or investment business | An OPC cannot carry on non-banking financial investment activities, including investing in securities of other companies. |
| ✕You want a Section 8 (non-profit) structure | An OPC cannot be incorporated as, or converted into, a Section 8 company. |
Not sure which applies to you? Message us — we'll point you to the right service in minutes, free.
Documents you'll need — and why
PAN card of the member and the nominee
Primary identity proof for DIN allotment and for recording the nominee in INC-3.
Aadhaar card of the member and nominee
Used for e-KYC while issuing the member's Digital Signature Certificate and verifying the nominee.
Passport-size photographs
Required for the SPICe+ filing and DSC application of the member.
Address proof of member and nominee (bank statement or utility bill, not older than 2 months)
Establishes current residence and supports the Indian residency requirement.
Nominee consent in Form INC-3
The nominee must formally agree in writing to become the member if you die or become incapacitated — the OPC cannot be incorporated without it.
Registered office proof (utility bill not older than 2 months) with owner's NOC
Evidences the declared registered office and the owner's permission to use the premises.
Proposed names and business activity description
For the SPICe+ Part A availability and trademark check; OPC names end with '(OPC) Private Limited'.
How it works, step by step
- 1
KYC, DSC and nominee consent
1-2 working daysWe collect documents from you and your nominee, issue your Class 3 DSC and prepare the INC-3 nominee consent.
- 2
Name reservation via SPICe+ Part A
2-3 working daysAvailability and trademark checks, then filing of up to two proposed names with the CRC.
- 3
Drafting charter documents
1-2 working daysWe prepare the e-MOA and e-AOA with OPC-specific clauses, plus DIR-2 and INC-9 declarations.
- 4
SPICe+ Part B filing with AGILE-PRO-S
1 working dayIncorporation is filed together with DIN allotment, PAN, TAN, EPFO, ESIC and bank account applications.
- 5
Certificate of Incorporation and compliance handover
2-4 working daysYou receive the COI with CIN, PAN and TAN, along with our post-incorporation checklist covering INC-20A and auditor appointment.
Due dates to know
Commencement of business (Form INC-20A)
Within 180 days of incorporation
File after depositing your subscription capital in the company bank account.
First auditor appointment
Within 30 days of incorporation
Statutory audit applies to an OPC regardless of turnover.
DIR-3 KYC
30 September every year
AOC-4 (financial statements)
Within 180 days of the financial year end
OPCs are exempt from holding an AGM, so the AOC-4 clock runs from 31 March instead.
MGT-7A (abridged annual return)
Within 60 days from the date counted as the AGM deadline
What non-compliance costs
INC-20A not filed within 180 days
₹50,000 penalty on the company and ₹1,000 per day (capped at ₹1,00,000) on the defaulting officer, with strike-off risk.
Missing DIR-3 KYC
DIN deactivation and a ₹5,000 reactivation fee.
Late AOC-4 or MGT-7A
Additional fee of ₹100 per day per form without an upper limit.
Breaching OPC membership rules (two OPCs, ineligible member)
Contravention of the OPC rules attracts adjudication penalties on the member and the company, and can force restructuring.
Why doing this right pays off
Full control with limited liability
You take every decision alone, yet your personal assets remain protected — something a sole proprietorship can never offer.
Corporate credibility for a solo business
A CIN, MCA registration and audited financials open doors with enterprise clients, banks and marketplaces that hesitate with unregistered individuals.
Lighter compliance than a private limited company
No AGM is required, MGT-7A is an abridged return, and a single-director OPC is exempt from most board meeting formalities.
Business continuity through the nominee
The INC-3 nominee mechanism means the company, its contracts and its bank accounts continue seamlessly even if something happens to you.
Smooth upgrade path
When a co-founder or investor arrives, the OPC converts to a private limited company while retaining its CIN history, contracts and bank relationships.
Common DIY mistakes we see
- Treating the nominee as a formality and naming someone without genuinely discussing it — the nominee inherits full membership, so choose thoughtfully and get their INC-3 consent early.
- Assuming an OPC has proprietorship-level compliance; it still needs a statutory audit, AOC-4, MGT-7A and INC-20A even with zero revenue.
- Incorporating an OPC when equity fundraising is imminent, then paying for conversion within the year.
- Forgetting that the residency test (120 days in India) applies at incorporation — NRIs who fail it face rejection.
- Mixing personal and company funds in one account, which undermines the very liability protection the OPC exists to provide.
Frequently asked questions
The nominee does nothing while you are alive and well — they have no ownership or say in the business. They become the member only on your death or incapacity, keeping the company alive. You can change the nominee anytime by filing Form INC-4 with fresh consent.
Not sure if this is the right service?
Message us on WhatsApp — a real expert replies, usually within minutes.
All-inclusive professional fee. Government fees (if any) extra at actuals.
Grab a coupon below — it applies at checkout.
🎁 Offers on this service
20% off up to ₹1,500
You save ₹1,399 → pay only ₹5,600
on orders above ₹4,999
10% off up to ₹500
You save ₹500 → pay only ₹6,499