Startup India Registration
DPIIT recognition & tax-holiday eligibility
Get DPIIT-recognised — unlock the 80-IAC tax holiday, self-certification compliance and government tender access.
What's included
- DPIIT recognition application
- Pitch-deck & innovation write-up support
- 80-IAC guidance
- Startup scheme advisory
Understanding Startup India Registration
Startup India recognition, granted by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), is the gateway to most startup benefits in India. An entity qualifies if it is a private limited company, LLP or registered partnership, is less than 10 years from incorporation, has turnover under ₹100 crore in any financial year, and is working on innovation or improvement of products, processes or services with potential for employment or wealth creation. Importantly, an entity formed by splitting up or reconstructing an existing business does not qualify.
The headline benefit is the section 80-IAC tax holiday: a 100% deduction of profits for any 3 consecutive years out of the first 10 years since incorporation, available to eligible startups incorporated up to 1 April 2030 after the Budget 2025 extension. Recognition also unlocks self-certification under 6 labour laws and 3 environmental laws, an 80% rebate on patent filing fees and 50% on trademarks with fast-tracked examination, easier public procurement norms including exemption from prior-experience criteria, and access to capital through the SIDBI Fund of Funds for Startups.
The catch is that DPIIT recognition and 80-IAC approval are separate gates. Recognition is document-driven and usually comes through in days; the 80-IAC deduction requires a further application to the Inter-Ministerial Board with a persuasive innovation write-up and financials. We handle both — drafting the innovation narrative, filing on the National Single Window System and Startup India portal, and following up — for ₹3,999, with recognition typically secured in 5-10 working days.
Who needs this?
Early-stage private limited companies and LLPs
Entities under 10 years old with under ₹100 crore turnover working on an innovative or significantly improved product, process or service — the core DPIIT eligibility.
Founders planning to claim the 80-IAC tax holiday
Startups expecting profitability within their first 10 years should get recognised early, then apply for the 3-year 100% profit deduction before choosing which years to claim.
Startups raising from funds and angels
Many incubators, government schemes, and the SIDBI Fund of Funds ecosystem treat DPIIT recognition as a baseline credential during diligence.
Product companies filing patents or trademarks
Recognised startups get an 80% rebate on patent fees, 50% on trademark fees, and expedited examination — significant savings for IP-heavy businesses.
Startups selling to government
Recognition brings exemptions from prior turnover and experience conditions in public procurement and easier onboarding on GeM, opening tenders that would otherwise be out of reach.
Teams that want lighter compliance
Self-certification under 6 labour laws and 3 environmental laws means no routine inspections for 3 to 5 years in most cases, freeing early teams from inspector-driven compliance.
When this is NOT the right fit
| Your situation | What applies instead |
|---|---|
| ✕The entity is a sole proprietorship or an unregistered partnership | Only private limited companies, LLPs and partnership firms registered under the Partnership Act qualify. Proprietors must incorporate first. |
| ✕The business was formed by splitting up or reconstructing an existing business | The notification expressly excludes such entities, and this is also a specific disqualification under section 80-IAC. Rebranding an old family business as a startup does not work. |
| ✕The entity is more than 10 years old or has crossed ₹100 crore turnover | Either event ends startup status. Recognition lapses automatically once the age or turnover ceiling is crossed. |
| ✕There is no genuine innovation or improvement story | A routine trading, franchise or services business without a differentiated product, process or scalable model is the most common reason DPIIT applications are rejected. |
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Documents you'll need — and why
Certificate of incorporation or registration
Establishes the entity type and incorporation date, which determine eligibility and the 10-year window for benefits.
PAN of the entity
Mandatory identifier on the Startup India portal and for the subsequent 80-IAC application to the tax authorities.
Brief write-up on the innovation
The heart of the application — DPIIT assesses whether the product or process is innovative, improved or scalable, so this note effectively decides the outcome.
Website, pitch deck, video or product links
Supporting evidence of what you have actually built; a working demo or deck materially improves both recognition and 80-IAC prospects.
Director and partner details with DIN or PAN
Required fields on the portal; also used to check that the founders are not simply reconstituting an existing business.
Financial statements and ITRs, if any years are completed
Evidence turnover is under ₹100 crore and, for 80-IAC, form the basis of the projections placed before the Inter-Ministerial Board.
Intellectual property filings, if any
Patents, trademarks or design registrations strengthen the innovation claim and are specifically asked about in the application.
Funding details, if externally funded
Investment from recognised funds supports credibility of the innovation claim in the 80-IAC evaluation.
How it works, step by step
- 1
Eligibility screening
Day 1We confirm entity type, age, turnover and the splitting-up test, and give an honest read on whether the innovation story will clear DPIIT scrutiny.
- 2
Drafting the innovation write-up
Day 2-3We interview the founders and draft the problem-solution-differentiation narrative and supporting answers that the portal application requires.
- 3
Filing on the Startup India portal
Day 3-4We complete the recognition application with all documents and submit it, then track it through any clarification queries DPIIT raises.
- 4
DPIIT recognition certificate
Day 5-10Straightforward applications are typically recognised within about a week of filing; the certificate downloads from the portal with a permanent recognition number.
- 5
80-IAC application, if opted
Post-recognitionFor eligible startups we prepare and file the separate Inter-Ministerial Board application with financials and projections; approval timelines run into weeks and are outside DPIIT's recognition track.
Due dates to know
Incorporation cutoff for the 80-IAC tax holiday
On or before 1 April 2030
Extended by 5 years in Budget 2025; the deduction is 100% of profits for any 3 consecutive years within the first 10 years from incorporation.
Startup status validity
10 years from incorporation or ₹100 crore turnover, whichever is earlier
Recognition lapses automatically on crossing either limit; no separate renewal filing exists.
Why doing this right pays off
3-year, 100% tax holiday under section 80-IAC
Eligible startups can claim a full deduction of profits for any 3 consecutive years in their first 10, chosen when profits actually arrive — often worth many times the cost of every compliance combined.
Self-certification for labour and environment laws
Recognised startups self-certify under 6 labour laws and 3 environmental laws, avoiding routine inspections for years and cutting early-stage compliance friction.
Cheaper, faster intellectual property
80% rebate on patent filing fees, 50% on trademarks, expedited patent examination and access to facilitators whose fees the government bears.
Government market access
Exemption from prior-experience and turnover criteria in public procurement, plus EMD exemptions in many tenders, let young companies bid for government work.
Funding ecosystem access
The SIDBI Fund of Funds and the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme channel capital through AIFs and incubators to DPIIT-recognised startups, and recognition is the entry ticket.
Common DIY mistakes we see
- Writing a generic business description instead of an innovation narrative — DPIIT rejects applications that read like a trading or agency business.
- Assuming DPIIT recognition automatically grants the tax holiday; the 80-IAC deduction needs a separate Inter-Ministerial Board approval that many recognised startups never apply for.
- Incorporating by taking over an existing family business's assets and clients, then failing the splitting-up or reconstruction test.
- Claiming the 80-IAC deduction in loss years or too early, wasting the choice of the best 3 consecutive profit years.
- Letting turnover cross ₹100 crore or the entity cross 10 years and continuing to represent the company as a recognised startup in tenders.
Frequently asked questions
Recognition is the basic startup credential, granted by DPIIT on a portal application, and unlocks self-certification, IP rebates and procurement benefits. The 80-IAC tax holiday needs a second, separate application evaluated by the Inter-Ministerial Board. Recognition takes days; 80-IAC approval takes longer and has a higher bar.
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All-inclusive professional fee. Government fees (if any) extra at actuals.
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