One Person Company Registration
A full corporate identity for a solo founder — limited liability, a CIN, and bank-grade credibility, without needing a co-founder on paper.
Starts at ₹1,499 + govt. fees & stamp duty
What is One Person Company registration?
One Person Company (OPC) registration incorporates a company with a single shareholder under Section 2(62) of the Companies Act, 2013 — it costs ₹2,500–₹7,000 all-in on FilingBase (₹1,499 professional fees plus state stamp duty) and takes 7–12 working days. It is the only way in India for one person to own 100% of a company with limited liability.
An OPC gives a solo founder everything a private limited company offers — separate legal identity, limited liability, perpetual succession, corporate credibility with banks and enterprise clients — without hunting for a second shareholder. The one structural extra is a nominee: a person named at incorporation (with consent in Form INC-3) who takes over the company if the member dies or becomes incapacitated. The nominee has no rights or role while you run the business.
Since the 2021 liberalisation, OPCs can be started by NRIs (120-day residency), and the old rule forcing conversion to a private limited company at ₹2 crore turnover is gone — you convert only if and when you choose to. FilingBase handles the whole sequence: DSC, name approval, nominee paperwork, SPICe+ filing, PAN and TAN.
Why solo founders pick an OPC
Own the entire company yourself. No token 0.01% shareholder, no shared control, no partner risk.
Business losses stop at the company. Your home and savings are not on the line for company debts.
A CIN, a certificate of incorporation and a company PAN — enterprise clients and banks treat you as a company, not a freelancer.
The nominee mechanism means the company survives you — contracts and assets pass without probate chaos.
Convert to a private limited company any time you bring in co-founders or investors — the CIN and history carry over.
One director means board-meeting requirements are drastically simplified — one resolution replaces most formalities.
Documents required
For the member & nominee
- PAN card of member and nominee
- Aadhaar card of member and nominee
- Passport-size photographs
- Identity proof — passport, voter ID or driving licence
- Address proof — bank statement or utility bill (within 2 months)
- Nominee consent (Form INC-3 — we prepare it)
For the registered office
- Utility bill of the premises (within 2 months)
- NOC from the property owner
- Rent agreement, if rented
Not sure which package fits?
A specialist will map your situation to the right plan in one call.
OPC registration, step by step
- DSC for the memberDay 1
Class 3 digital signature issued after video KYC. Nominee documents collected and INC-3 consent prepared.
- Name reservation — SPICe+ Part ADay 2–4
Availability and trademark screening, then Part A filed. OPC names end with “(OPC) Private Limited”.
- SPICe+ Part B with nominee detailsDay 4–7
e-MoA, e-AoA, INC-3 nominee consent and declarations filed together, with PAN and TAN applied in the same form.
- Certificate of IncorporationDay 7–12
ROC issues the CIN and certificate; PAN and TAN arrive with it. Tracker updates at every stage.
- Bank-ready kitSame day
COI, MoA, AoA, PAN, TAN and board-resolution templates — open your current account the same week.
Transparent pricing
Basic
₹1,499
+ govt fees & stamp duty · ₹1 lakh authorised capital
- 1 Class 3 digital signature
- DIN for the director
- Name reservation (SPICe+ Part A)
- SPICe+ Part B incorporation
- Nominee consent (INC-3) drafting
- e-MoA and e-AoA
- Company PAN and TAN
- GST registration
Standard
₹2,999
+ govt fees & stamp duty · operating essentials
- Everything in Basic
- GST registration
- INC-20A commencement filing
- Auditor appointment guidance (ADT-1)
- Current-account opening assistance
- MSME / Udyam registration
- First-year ROC filings
Premium
₹4,999
+ govt fees & stamp duty · with year-one compliance
- Everything in Standard
- First-year AOC-4 and MGT-7A
- DIR-3 KYC for the director
- ITR filing for the company
- Compliance calendar & reminders
- Dedicated compliance manager
All prices are professional fees exclusive of GST at 18%. Government fees and stamp duty are charged at actuals and shown before you pay.
OPC vs Sole Proprietorship vs Private Limited
| OPC | Sole Proprietorship | Private Limited | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owners needed | 1 (+ nominee) | 1 | 2+ |
| Liability | Limited | Unlimited — personal | Limited |
| Separate legal entity | Yes | No | Yes |
| Setup cost & time | Moderate | Lowest | Moderate |
| Audit | Mandatory | Tax audit rules only | Mandatory |
| Equity investors | Restricted | No | Yes |
| Explore | This page | Proprietorship | Pvt Ltd |
OPC rules that changed — and the fine print that didn’t
The Companies (Incorporation) Second Amendment Rules, 2021 quietly made OPCs far more usable. The residency requirement for the member dropped from 182 days to 120 days, opening OPCs to NRIs. And the old forced-conversion rule — private limited conversion once turnover crossed ₹2 crore or capital crossed ₹50 lakh — was deleted. An OPC can now stay an OPC at any size, and can also convert voluntarily at any time, without waiting periods.
The fine print that still applies: one person can be a member of only one OPC at a time (and nominee of only one more). An OPC cannot carry on non-banking financial activities or invest in securities of other companies as its business. Minors cannot be members or nominees. And an OPC is still a company — statutory audit is mandatory from day one, unlike a proprietorship or small LLP, and annual ROC filings apply.
On tax, an OPC is taxed like any company — 25% where turnover is under the higher slab threshold (or 22% under Section 115BAA without exemptions) plus surcharge and cess. There is no slab benefit like an individual gets, which is why very small solo businesses sometimes start as proprietorships and incorporate once income and risk grow. If you are choosing between the two, our experts will run your numbers both ways before you spend anything.
Choose the nominee thoughtfully: it must be an Indian-resident individual who consents in writing, and changing the nominee later requires a fresh INC-3 and INC-4 filing. Most founders name a spouse or parent, and revisit it during estate planning.
What an OPC must file every year
An OPC files AOC-4 (financials, within 180 days of year-end) and MGT-7A (abridged annual return), maintains audited accounts, files the company income-tax return, and keeps the director’s DIR-3 KYC current. Add GST returns if registered. Our annual compliance plans cover OPCs at the same fixed fee.
Frequently asked questions
How much does OPC registration cost?
Professional fees start at ₹1,499 on FilingBase. Government charges add state stamp duty (MCA filing fees are nil up to ₹15 lakh authorised capital) — most OPCs land between ₹2,500 and ₹7,000 all-in. You see your state’s exact figure before paying.
Who can start a One Person Company?
A natural person who is an Indian citizen and has been resident in India for at least 120 days in the preceding financial year — which since 2021 includes most NRIs. You also need one Indian-resident nominee who consents via Form INC-3.
What exactly does the nominee do?
Nothing, while you are alive and capable. The nominee is a succession mechanism: if the sole member dies or is incapacitated, the nominee becomes the member so the company continues without probate. They have no ownership, signing power or liability until that event.
Does an OPC still have to convert to a private limited company at ₹2 crore turnover?
No — that rule was scrapped in 2021. An OPC can remain an OPC at any turnover, and can convert voluntarily whenever you want to add shareholders or raise investment.
Can an OPC raise funding?
Not equity funding in the normal sense — an OPC has one shareholder by definition. To take investors, convert to a private limited company first (a straightforward filing we handle). Debt funding and founder loans are fine.
Is audit mandatory for an OPC?
Yes. Every company, including an OPC, must appoint an auditor within 30 days of incorporation and have accounts audited annually — regardless of turnover. Budget for this recurring cost when comparing against a proprietorship.
Can I be a director in other companies while running an OPC?
Yes — directorships elsewhere are unrestricted. The one-OPC rule only limits membership: you can be the member of only one OPC at a time, and the nominee of at most one other.
OPC or sole proprietorship — which is better for a freelancer?
If your clients are enterprises, you carry professional risk, or you invoice above roughly ₹20–30 lakh a year, the OPC’s limited liability and corporate credibility usually justify its audit and filing costs. Below that, a proprietorship with GST is cheaper to run. We’ll tell you honestly which side you fall on.
Founders also file these.
Official references
The statutory sources behind this page. We keep our guidance aligned to them — verify anything time-sensitive directly.
- Ministry of Corporate AffairsCompanies Act filings, forms and fee schedules
- DPIITStartup recognition and FDI policy
- Income Tax DepartmentReturns, forms, rates and e-filing utilities
Content on this page is reviewed by a chartered accountant or advocate at LexVerge LLP. It is general guidance, not advice on your specific facts.