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Which registrations do I need?

Tell us your structure, scale, whether you sell across states, your headcount and your sector. We split the answer into what is legally mandatory and what is simply worth having — with the reason for each, so you know what to confirm and what to skip.

Your business

Inter-state or online sales require GST from the first rupee.

ESI applies at 10+, provident fund at 20+.

Registrations for a proprietorship

2 mandatory

2 you must have and 3 worth taking, on the answers you gave.

Mandatory

PAN

A proprietorship runs on the proprietor’s own PAN — needed for the bank account, GST and TDS.

Shops & Establishment registration

Most states require it for any commercial premises, usually within 30 days of starting up.

Recommended

TAN

Only needed once you deduct TDS — on salary, rent or contractor payments. Apply when that first arises.

GST registration

Below the threshold you can register voluntarily to claim input credit and to sell to GST-registered buyers.

Udyam (MSME) registration

Free and quick, it unlocks priority-sector lending, tender benefits and the 45-day payment protection.

Registrations depend on your state as well as these answers — professional tax and shops & establishment rules vary. Treat this as the shortlist to confirm, not the final word.

Know what to get. Then get it done.

Taxlabs turns this shortlist into filings and reminders once you are set up — so the registrations you take on lead straight into the returns they trigger.

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Frequently asked

Do I need GST registration to start a business?

Not always. GST is mandatory once turnover crosses ₹40 lakh for goods or ₹20 lakh for services, or from the first rupee if you sell inter-state or online. Below that you can register voluntarily to claim input credit and to sell to GST-registered buyers, but you are not required to.

Is Udyam (MSME) registration mandatory?

No. Udyam is recommended, not mandatory. It is free and quick, and it unlocks priority-sector lending, tender preferences and the 45-day payment protection under the MSME Act — which is why most small businesses register even though nothing forces them to.

When do PF and ESI become mandatory?

ESI is mandatory once you have 10 or more employees earning ₹21,000 a month or less. Provident fund (EPF) is mandatory at 20 or more employees. Below those counts you can register voluntarily, and many do so early to avoid a scramble when they cross the line.

What is a Shops & Establishment registration?

It is a state registration for any commercial premises — an office, shop or place of work — under the state’s Shops and Establishments Act. Most states require it within about 30 days of starting up, and it is often the first document a bank or landlord asks to see.

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