Matter
Section 8 Company & NGO Registration
The most credible structure for a non-profit: a company licensed to apply its income only to its objects. Serious funders and CSR donors look for it, and the tax registrations that follow it.
This engagement covers
- Objects drafting
- Licence application
- Incorporation
- 12A registration
- 80G registration
- Compliance calendar
“They set up our Private Limited in under two weeks and explained every form before we signed it. The fee never moved from the first quote.”
Requisition
SH/START/SECTIO
- Governed by
- Companies Act, 2013 — section 8
- Filed as
- SPICe+ with licence in Form INC-12
- Typical timeline
- 20–30 working days
- Minimum people
- 2 directors, 2 subscribers
- Follow-on filings
- 12A and 80G registration
Overview
Best suited to. Foundations, charitable initiatives and social enterprises that intend to raise grants, CSR funding or public donations.
How we price it. One fixed professional fee, agreed in writing before any work begins, with government fees and statutory charges itemised separately and payable at actuals. If the scope changes, we tell you before doing the work.
What’s included
- 01
Objects drafting
The charitable objects drafted so the licence is granted and so future funders are not blocked by a narrow clause.
- 02
Licence application
Form INC-12 with the declarations, estimated income statement and supporting documents the Registrar requires.
- 03
Incorporation
SPICe+ filed with the licence, together with MoA and AoA drafted for a non-profit, not a trading company.
- 04
12A registration
Applied for so the organisation's income is exempt from income tax.
- 05
80G registration
Applied for so your donors can claim a deduction — usually decisive in whether they give.
- 06
Compliance calendar
Annual filings, audit and renewal dates set out in writing from day one.
Documents required
Collected once, digitally. We check the whole set before anything is filed — document problems are what turn a two-week job into a six-week one.
From every director and subscriber
- PAN card
- Aadhaar card
- Passport-size photograph
- Address proof not older than two months
For the organisation
- Proposed name and charitable objects
- Registered office proof — utility bill, NOC and rent agreement
- Estimated income and expenditure for the first three years
- Details of proposed activities and beneficiaries
How it works
- Step 01
Objects and structure
We draft the objects and confirm a section 8 company is the right vehicle rather than a trust or society.
- Step 02
Licence application
Form INC-12 filed with projections and declarations, and any query from the Registrar answered.
- Step 03
Incorporation
SPICe+ filed once the licence is granted, with PAN and TAN issued alongside.
- Step 04
Tax registrations
12A and 80G applied for, and the compliance calendar handed over.
Questions
Q1Section 8 company, trust or society — which is best?
A section 8 company has the strongest governance and the widest acceptance with CSR donors and institutional funders, at the cost of higher compliance. Trusts and societies are simpler but carry less weight. We will match the structure to who you intend to raise from.
Q2Can a section 8 company pay salaries?
Yes. It can pay reasonable remuneration to staff and professionals. What it cannot do is distribute profits or dividends to its members — income must be applied to the objects.
Q3Why are 12A and 80G separate?
12A exempts the organisation's own income from tax. 80G lets your donors claim a deduction. They are different registrations with different applications, and you generally want both.
Q4How long does the whole process take?
Longer than an ordinary company, because the licence under section 8 is granted before incorporation. Budget four to six weeks in total, and longer if the Registrar raises queries on the objects.
Something specific to your situation? Ask us directly — we answer within one working day.
Next step
Get a written quote for section 8 / ngo.
Tell us your situation in one message. We come back with the scope, the documents required and the total cost — before any work begins.