Trust Registration for a Charitable Trust
A public charitable trust set up properly: the deed drafted with charitable objects and the dissolution clause the tax officer checks, registered with the sub-registrar, and the trust's PAN applied for. Add 12A and 80G so the trust's income is exempt and donors get the deduction.
Starts at ₹4,999 + GST; stamp duty and registration fee at actuals
Ask an expert on WhatsApp, freeWhat registering a trust involves
A public charitable trust needs a settlor, who creates the trust and settles the initial corpus, trustees (the law sets no minimum for a public trust, but two or more is standard and most registrars and banks expect it), and a trust deed registered with the sub-registrar for the area of the trust's office. In states with a public trust law, such as Maharashtra and Gujarat, the trust also registers with the Charity Commissioner or equivalent, a separate step from registering the deed.
Registering the deed creates the trust; it does not make its income tax-free. That needs a separate registration under the Income-tax Act, formerly section 12A and now section 332, and 80G approval if donors are to claim a deduction. A trust for named family beneficiaries is a private trust under the Indian Trusts Act, 1882 and is taxed differently; this page is about public charitable trusts.
Why founders register their trust with us
Specific charitable objects, irrevocability and a dissolution clause that sends assets to another charity, which the tax officer checks.
Who must attend, what to bring and the stamp paper or e-stamp, so execution takes one visit.
Where the state has a public trust Act, we tell you about the Charity Commissioner step before you start.
₹4,999 for the deed and registration; stamp duty and the registration fee quoted for your state before filing.
Applications under the Income-tax Act filed once the deed and PAN are in place.
Books, audit, return, the 85% application rule and donor certificates on one calendar.
Documents required
From the settlor and trustees
- PAN and Aadhaar (or passport) of the settlor and every trustee
- Passport photographs of the settlor and trustees
- PAN and Aadhaar of two witnesses
- The corpus amount, paid once the trust's bank account is open
For the registered office
- Sale deed, rent agreement or utility bill for the premises
- No-objection letter from the owner, if the premises are not the trust's
Not sure which package fits?
A specialist will map your situation to the right plan in one call.
From deed to 12A
- Name and deed
We check the name and draft the deed with you: objects, trustees, powers, succession and dissolution.
- Stamp paper and registration
The deed is stamped and executed before the sub-registrar with the settlor, trustees and two witnesses.
- PAN and bank account
The trust's PAN is applied for, then the bank account opened in the trust's name.
- 12A and 80GExempt plan
With the Register + Exempt plan, the Income-tax applications follow; a provisional order usually comes within a month of applying.
Transparent pricing
Register
₹4,999
deed and registration
- Name check and trust deed drafted
- Stamp duty and registration fee quoted for your state
- Sub-registrar execution planned and attended to
- PAN application for the trust
- 12A and 80G under the Income-tax Act
Register + Exempt
₹19,999
with 12A and 80G
- Everything in Register
- Registration under the Income-tax Act (old 12A, now section 332)
- 80G approval for donors' deduction
- First-year compliance calendar
- Charity Commissioner filing in states that need it
Professional fees exclude GST at 18%. Stamp duty on the deed and the sub-registrar's registration fee are set by your state, and in some states by the corpus or property settled; we quote them in writing before filing and you pay them at actuals. Charity Commissioner registration in Maharashtra, Gujarat and other public-trust states is quoted separately.
Trust, society or Section 8 company
| Trust | Society | Section 8 company | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Created by | Trust deed | Memorandum and rules | MCA licence and incorporation |
| People needed | A settlor and trustees (two or more is standard) | At least seven members | At least two directors and two members |
| Registered with | Sub-registrar; Charity Commissioner too in states with a public trust Act | Registrar of Societies of the state | Registrar of Companies |
| Best for | Quick set-up, run by a few trustees | Member-run bodies that admit new members | Larger NGOs and CSR partners wanting a company structure |
| Our fee | From ₹4,999 | From ₹7,999 | From ₹4,999 |
Government fees are separate in each case and set by the state (trust stamp duty and registration fee, society registration fee) or by MCA (Section 8). 12A and 80G registration under the Income-tax Act is a separate step for all three.
What to get right
Objects that are clearly charitable
Vague objects like “any lawful activity” cause trouble at the 12A stage, because the tax officer has to see that every object is charitable.
Irrevocable, with a charitable dissolution clause
A charitable trust should be irrevocable, and on dissolution its assets must go to another charity with similar objects, never back to the settlor or trustees.
The name
It must not copy a registered brand or suggest government backing; words such as “National” or “India” draw objections in some states.
Foreign trustees and money
Foreign nationals and NRIs can be trustees, but receiving foreign money brings the trust under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, which needs its own registration or prior permission.
Related guides
After registration
A registered trust keeps books of account and has them audited when income crosses the exemption limit, files the audit report (Form 126 under the 2026 Rules, formerly 10B or 10BB), files its income tax return every year even if all income is exempt, and applies at least 85% of its income to its objects in the year or accumulates it through the prescribed form. With 80G approval it files the donation statement and issues donor certificates by 31 May each year. In states with a public trust Act, annual accounts and changes in trustees or property are also reported to the Charity Commissioner.
Frequently asked questions
How much does trust registration cost?
Our fee is ₹4,999 plus GST for the deed, registration and PAN, or ₹19,999 with 12A and 80G. Stamp duty and the registration fee are set by your state and paid at actuals; we quote them before filing.
How many people are needed to register a trust?
A settlor and trustees. The law sets no minimum for a public charitable trust, but two or more trustees is standard and most registrars and banks expect it.
Where is a trust registered?
The deed is registered with the sub-registrar for the area of the registered office. In states with a public trust law, such as Maharashtra and Gujarat, the trust also registers with the Charity Commissioner.
Is trust registration the same as 12A registration?
No. Registering the deed creates the trust. Registration under the Income-tax Act (old section 12A, now section 332) is a separate application that makes its income exempt.
Can a trust be registered online?
Some states allow e-stamping and online appointments, but the deed is still executed in person before the sub-registrar. The income tax registrations are fully online.
Can the settlor be a trustee?
Yes, but not the only one, and the settlor cannot benefit from the trust's assets if it is to qualify as charitable.
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
Facts on this page are checked against these sources; the date of the last check is shown at the top of the page. It is general guidance, not advice on your specific facts. How we write and check our guides.