Startup India (DPIIT) Registration
DPIIT recognition is free and takes days. What it unlocks — a three-year tax holiday, 80% off patent fees, tender eligibility without a track record — is worth considerably more than the effort, provided the innovation write-up is written to be approved.
Starts at ₹1,499 no government fee for recognition
What is DPIIT recognition?
Startup India is the central government’s programme for early-stage companies, administered by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade. Recognition is granted to an entity, free of charge, on an online application.
Recognition on its own is a certificate. Its value lies in what it makes you eligible to apply for: an income-tax holiday under section 80-IAC, steep rebates on patent and trademark fees, self-certification under labour and environment laws, relaxed public procurement norms, and a faster route out under the insolvency code.
Applications are refused for one reason far more often than any other — a description of the business that reads like a services brochure rather than something innovative or scalable. The form is trivial. The write-up is the work.
What recognition actually unlocks
A 100% deduction of profits for three consecutive years out of the first ten, subject to a further approval by the Inter-Ministerial Board.
80% rebate on patent filing fees and 50% on trademarks, with facilitator costs borne by the government.
Self-certify compliance under nine labour laws and three environment laws, with no inspection for the first three to five years.
Exemption from prior turnover and experience requirements on government tenders, and from earnest money deposits.
Eligibility to approach SIDBI-backed alternative investment funds operating under the Fund of Funds for Startups.
Startups can wind up within 90 days under the fast-track provisions of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code.
Documents required
Entity documents
- Certificate of incorporation or registration
- PAN of the entity
- Details of directors or partners with their contact information
The substantive part
- A description of how the business is innovative, or how it improves an existing product, process or service
- Details of the scalable business model and its potential for employment or wealth creation
- Website, pitch deck, or video demonstrating the product
Supporting evidence, where available
- Patents or trademarks filed or granted
- Awards, recognitions or incubation certificates
- Funding letters from an incubator, angel investor or fund
- Revenue and customer traction data
Not sure which package fits?
A specialist will map your situation to the right plan in one call.
How we run the application
- Eligibility checkDay 1
We confirm entity type, age and turnover against the current criteria, and tell you honestly whether the innovation test is likely to be met.
- The write-upDays 1–3
We draft the innovation and scalability narrative. This is the part that determines approval, and it is written to what the reviewers look for.
- FilingDay 3
Application submitted on the Startup India portal with supporting documents attached.
- RecognitionDays 5–13
The DPIIT recognition certificate is typically issued within two to ten working days.
- 80-IAC, if you want itOn request
Where the tax holiday is worth pursuing, we prepare and file the separate Inter-Ministerial Board application.
Transparent pricing
Recognition
₹1,499
DPIIT certificate
- Eligibility assessment
- Innovation write-up drafted
- Portal filing
- DPIIT certificate
- 80-IAC application
- Resubmission if rejected
Recognition + Resubmit
₹2,999
with rejection cover
- Everything in Recognition
- Resubmission if rejected
- Benefit activation note
- IPR rebate guidance
- 80-IAC application
Recognition + 80-IAC
₹14,999
tax holiday application included
- Everything in Recognition + Resubmit
- Inter-Ministerial Board application
- Financial projections prepared
- Certified financials and ITR pack
- Follow-up until decision
Professional fees only, exclusive of GST. DPIIT recognition itself carries no government fee. The 80-IAC application is a separate approval with a materially higher bar than recognition.
Are you eligible?
| Criterion | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Entity type | Private limited company, LLP, or a registered partnership firm |
| Age | Up to 10 years from the date of incorporation |
| Turnover | Below ₹100 crore in any financial year since incorporation |
| Nature | Working towards innovation, or improvement of a product, process or service, or a scalable model with high potential for employment or wealth creation |
| Origin | Not formed by splitting up or reconstructing an existing business |
Sole proprietorships and unregistered partnerships are not eligible. For the separate 80-IAC tax holiday, the entity must additionally be incorporated before 1 April 2030 — a window extended by the Finance Act, 2025.
What the application really turns on
Recognition and the tax holiday are two different things
The great majority of recognised startups never receive the 80-IAC deduction, because it requires a second approval from an Inter-Ministerial Board with a much narrower view of what counts as innovation. Recognition is close to routine for a genuine product business; the tax holiday is not. Budget for that expectation gap.
Angel tax is no longer the issue it was
Section 56(2)(viib) — the “angel tax” that taxed share premium above fair value — was abolished for all investors with effect from assessment year 2025-26. Older material still lists exemption from it as a headline benefit of DPIIT recognition. It is no longer a live concern for anyone, recognised or not.
The write-up decides the outcome
An application saying you provide software development services will be refused. The same business described in terms of the specific problem it solves, why the existing approach is inadequate, and how the model scales without proportionate cost, is approved. This is not spin — it is answering the question that was actually asked.
Trading and consultancy struggle
Pure resellers, agencies billing time, and businesses whose only differentiator is price generally do not meet the innovation test. If that describes you honestly, the IPR rebates and procurement benefits are not available and it is better to know before paying anyone.
Use the IPR benefit early
An 80% rebate on patent fees and 50% on trademarks is the most immediately monetisable part of recognition, and government-empanelled facilitators handle the drafting at government cost. Startups that file their trademark before recognition pay full fees for no reason.
Applications are made on the Startup India portal, administered by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.
Using the recognition
File your trademark and any patents through the Startup India IPR facilitation route, not directly — the rebate and facilitator support only apply if you go through it.
If you are pursuing 80-IAC, remember it is a deduction against profits. A company with no taxable profit in its first years gains nothing from it now, and the three years can be chosen out of the first ten — so it is usually worth applying once profitability is in sight rather than immediately.
Recognition lapses if you cross ten years from incorporation or ₹100 crore in turnover. It also has to be surrendered if the entity is reconstructed. Neither is retrospective, but both end future eligibility.
Frequently asked questions
Is Startup India registration free?
Yes. DPIIT recognition carries no government fee. Our ₹1,499 fee covers the eligibility assessment and the innovation write-up, which is what decides whether the application succeeds.
How long does DPIIT recognition take?
Typically two to ten working days once filed, provided the application is complete and the innovation narrative is well drafted.
Does recognition mean I get the tax holiday?
No. The section 80-IAC deduction is a separate application to an Inter-Ministerial Board, with a considerably higher bar. Most recognised startups do not obtain it.
Can an LLP get DPIIT recognition?
Yes. Private limited companies, LLPs and registered partnership firms are all eligible. Sole proprietorships and unregistered partnerships are not.
What about angel tax exemption?
Section 56(2)(viib) was abolished with effect from assessment year 2025-26 for all investors. It is no longer a benefit specific to recognised startups, because it no longer applies to anyone.
What if my application is rejected?
Rejections are almost always about the innovation description rather than eligibility. The application can be resubmitted with a stronger narrative; our ₹2,999 plan includes resubmission.
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.