Company registration in Kerala.
Your Private Limited Company anywhere in Kerala, filed and checked by a team of chartered accountants, with the filings after incorporation done for you.
Company registration in Kerala, in short
Company registration in Kerala means incorporating your business with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, through the online SPICe+ form. Once the Certificate of Incorporation is issued, your company has its own name, its own PAN and TAN, and a liability separate from yours.
With Mavensmark, your private limited company registration in Kerala is filed and checked by a team of chartered accountants, and one price covers our professional fee, the government filing fees, the stamp duty and the GST. The amount and what it covers are on our company incorporation page. Certificate of Incorporation in 3 to 12 working days from the day your documents are complete.
Mavensmark is a consultancy company founded and led by chartered accountants. Our registered office is in Thiruvananthapuram, our branch is in Calicut, and we have worked with more than 1,000 businesses since 2015.
Online company registration in Kerala: the process
The company registration process in Kerala is the same as in every other state, because it runs through the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. With us, your part takes about 20 minutes.
- 1.Answer eight questions. Your proposed names, directors, shareholding, state and business activity.
- 2.Make one payment. The full price is shown before you pay.
- 3.Upload your documents. PAN, Aadhaar, a photograph, address proof and office proof.
- 4.Complete the Digital Signature video call. We call you by the next working day. It is the only call you get from us.
Then the work is ours:
- We apply for a Class 3 Digital Signature Certificate for each director and shareholder.
- Our name-check team runs your names against the MCA register, live trademarks and the naming rules under the Companies Act, and we file the name application.
- We draft the MOA and AOA for your business activity and pay the Kerala stamp duty on them.
- We file SPICe+, which also applies for the Director Identification Numbers, the company PAN and the TAN.
- Chartered accountants prepare and file every form, and they check it before it reaches the MCA.
The Central Registration Centre processes the application online. After that, a company with its registered office in Kerala comes under the Registrar of Companies at Ernakulam, Kochi, which covers Kerala and Lakshadweep.
What a new company registration in Kerala includes
| Item | Included |
|---|---|
| Name application, four proposed names | Yes |
| 2 Digital Signature Certificates and 2 DINs | Yes |
| MOA and AOA, and the Kerala stamp duty on them | Yes |
| SPICe+ filing and government filing fees | Yes |
| Company PAN, TAN and Certificate of Incorporation | Yes |
| INC-20A, ADT-1, INC-22, registers and share certificates | Yes |
Stamp duty on the MOA and AOA is set by each state. You do not need to work out the Kerala figure: it is part of the registration. The price, what can change it and what it does not cover are on our company incorporation page.
Choosing a company name in Kerala
The Central Registration Centre refuses a name that is too close to an existing company or a live trademark, or that breaks the naming rules under the Companies Act. These rules catch founders most often:
- The name ends in "Private Limited". You choose the words before it.
- Adding a place, such as Kerala, Kochi or Trivandrum, to an existing company's name is usually not enough to make it different.
- Words such as Bank, Insurance or Board need approvals that a new company does not have.
- Someone else's registered trademark is refused, even if no company uses it.
Your registration includes four proposed names across the application and the permitted resubmission. We check every name before we file it and tell you which ones are likely to clear. No one can guarantee approval: it is the Central Registration Centre's decision.
Name approval does not give you a trademark. The company name and a trademark are separate registrations, and trademark registration is not part of the incorporation.
What changes once your business is a company
| Before you register | Once you are registered |
|---|---|
| You invoice from a personal account | You invoice from a company account with a CIN on it |
| Larger clients cannot raise a purchase order for you | Procurement has the entity, CIN and company PAN it needs |
| Your personal assets stand behind the business | Your liability is limited to what you put into the company |
| A bank lends to you, on your own credit | The company builds its own credit history |
| A co-founder joins on a promise | A co-founder takes real shares |
Documents for company incorporation in Kerala
From every director and shareholder:
- PAN card and Aadhaar card
- A passport-size photograph
- Address proof: a bank statement or utility bill not older than two months
- A personal email and mobile number
For the registered office in Kerala:
- The latest electricity or water bill
- A rent agreement and No Objection Certificate from the owner, if rented
- Ownership proof, if owned
You can register before you have an office. We file INC-22 after incorporation, as part of the registration.
Why a Kerala company registration filing gets a query
The Central Registration Centre can send a filing back with a query before it approves it. These are the usual reasons:
- An address proof or utility bill older than two months
- A name, address or date of birth that does not match across the PAN, Aadhaar and the form
- A rent agreement or No Objection Certificate that does not match the office address
- A business activity in the MOA that is too vague
- A proposed name too close to an existing company or a registered trademark
Our chartered accountants check each of these before they file. If a query comes back, they answer it and resubmit. What your registration covers for a resubmission is on our company incorporation page.
Business registration in Kerala: which structure
Business registration in Kerala can mean several things: a Private Limited Company, an LLP, a One Person Company, a partnership firm or a sole proprietorship with a GST and trade licence. They differ in liability, cost and what investors and banks can do with them.
A Private Limited Company is the structure for a business that wants limited liability, more than one owner, investment or larger clients. Procurement teams need a registered entity with a CIN before they raise a purchase order, and an investor needs shares to buy.
Our online registration is for a Private Limited Company with Indian resident members. For an LLP, a One Person Company or a case with an NRI shareholder, message us on WhatsApp and we handle it as a consultation.
Company registration across Kerala
The process is the same in every district, because the filing is online and the Kerala stamp duty is part of the registration.
- Thiruvananthapuram. Our registered office is at Kowdiar. Read about company registration in Trivandrum.
- Kozhikode. Our branch is at Mankavu. Read about company registration in Calicut.
- Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kannur, Kollam, Malappuram, Kottayam and every other district. Register online in the same way. Your registered office can be anywhere in Kerala.
After incorporation in Kerala
Three filings fall due soon after the certificate, and we do all three as part of your registration: INC-20A within 180 days, ADT-1 for the first auditor, and INC-22 if you had no office at incorporation. A missed INC-20A costs the company Rs. 50,000 plus a daily penalty on each director.
Depending on your business, you may also need:
- GST registration
- A trade licence from your municipal corporation, municipality or panchayat
- Registration under the Kerala Shops and Commercial Establishments Act
- Professional tax, collected by the local body
- State clearances through K-SWIFT, Kerala's single window portal
Startup company registration in Kerala
A Private Limited Company is the usual structure for a startup. After incorporation, you can apply for DPIIT recognition on the Startup India portal and for a Unique ID from the Kerala Startup Mission, which several state schemes ask for.
Company registration consultants in Kerala
Mavensmark is a consultancy company founded and led by chartered accountants, with our registered office in Thiruvananthapuram and a branch in Calicut. For your company registration in Kerala:
- A team of chartered accountants files and checks every form before it reaches the MCA.
- The stamp duty and the government fees are part of the registration.
- INC-20A, ADT-1 and INC-22 are part of the registration.
- The only call is the Digital Signature video verification.
Questions founders ask
- How much does company registration in Kerala cost?
- With Mavensmark, one price covers our professional fee, the government fees, the Kerala stamp duty and the GST. The amount, and what changes it, is on our company incorporation page.
- How long does company registration in Kerala take?
- Certificate of Incorporation in 3 to 12 working days from the day your documents are complete.
- Can I register a company in Kerala online?
- Yes. Company registration is filed online through SPICe+. With us, you answer the questions, pay and upload your documents online, and the only call is the Digital Signature video verification.
- Which Registrar of Companies is for Kerala?
- The Registrar of Companies at Ernakulam, Kochi, which covers Kerala and Lakshadweep. New incorporations are processed by the Central Registration Centre.
- Is the Kerala stamp duty included?
- Yes. The stamp duty on the MOA and AOA is part of the registration, as are the government filing fees and the GST.
- Do I need an office to register a company in Kerala?
- No. You can register first, and we file INC-22 for the registered office once you have premises. It is part of the registration.
Register your company anywhere in India.
Start the registration yourself, or talk to us first.