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Mumbai, Maharashtra

Skincare brand

I am launching a skincare brand in Mumbai. We will sell face serums and creams on our own website and on Nykaa and Amazon.

Steps required
11
Total cost
Rs 11,631
Realistic time
30–90 days

Time is the critical path, not the sum of every step — independent registrations genuinely run in parallel.

Your path, in order

Each step lists what it costs, how long it takes, and the law it comes from.

  1. 1. Cosmetics manufacturing licence

    Required

    Cosmetics are regulated as strictly as medicines are on the manufacturing side. If you use a third-party contract manufacturer they hold this licence, not you -- but you must then hold a valid loan licence or a marketer agreement, and most founders discover this only after their first production run.

    Cost
    Rs 5,000
    Takes
    30–90 working days
    What this involves ▸

    Making or importing cosmetics needs a licence from the state drug controller, even for a small batch.

    You will need

    • List of products
    • Proof of business address
    • PAN card

    If you skip it

    Manufacturing without a licence is a criminal offence under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, not merely a fine.

    Fee note: per category, plus inspection

    Under Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940; Cosmetics Rules 2020, Rule 21 (Form COS-5) · Filed on CDSCO / state drug control department

  2. 2. EPR registration for plastic packaging

    Required

    Marketplaces increasingly require an EPR registration number at onboarding, because brand owners selling online are explicitly covered as producers under the 2022 guidelines. This is the compliance most D2C founders meet for the first time as a blocked seller account.

    Cost
    Free
    Takes
    15–45 working days
    What this involves ▸

    If your product ships in plastic packaging, you are legally the producer of that waste and must register.

    You will need

    • PAN card
    • Proof of business address
    • List of products

    If you skip it

    Environmental compensation levied by CPCB, and blocked marketplace onboarding.

    Fee note: registration is free; recycling targets carry a cost

    Under Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016, as amended; EPR Guidelines 2022 · Filed on CPCB EPR Portal

  3. 3. Digital Signature Certificate for each director

    Required

    Each of your 1 director needs one before any filing can be signed.

    Cost
    Rs 1,500
    Takes
    1–3 working days
    What this involves ▸

    A Class 3 digital signature, one per director. Every MCA form is signed with it, so nothing else can start until these exist.

    You will need

    • PAN card
    • Aadhaar
    • Passport photo
    • Address proof

    If you skip it

    You cannot sign or submit any MCA form. The entire incorporation is blocked.

    Fee note: Rs 1,500 per director x 1, paid to a licensed certifying agency rather than the government

    Under Information Technology Act 2000, s.35; Companies (Incorporation) Rules 2014 · Filed on Licensed Certifying Authority (eMudhra, Sify, VSign and others)

  4. 4. Reserve your company name (SPICe+ Part A)

    Required

    Your name must be approved before the incorporation form can be filed against it.

    Cost
    Rs 1,000
    Takes
    1–3 working days
    After
    step 3
    See this form already filled in →
    What this involves ▸

    Propose up to two names and have the Registrar approve one. An approved name is held for 20 days.

    If you skip it

    Rejection is the most common early delay. Names too close to an existing company or trademark are refused, and the fee is not refunded.

    Fee note: per name application

    Under Companies Act 2013, s.4(4); Companies (Incorporation) Rules 2014, Rule 9 · Filed on MCA21 V3

  5. 5. File for incorporation (SPICe+ Part B with AGILE-PRO-S)

    Required

    This single form does the work of eight separate registrations. Your registered office in Maharashtra determines which Registrar handles it.

    Cost
    Free
    Takes
    7–15 working days
    After
    step 4
    What this involves ▸

    One filing that creates the company and, in the same submission, applies for DIN, PAN, TAN, EPFO, ESIC, professional tax and a bank account.

    You will need

    • PAN card
    • Aadhaar
    • Passport photo
    • Proof of business address
    • Recent utility bill
    • No-objection letter from the owner
    • MOA and AOA

    If you skip it

    No Certificate of Incorporation, so the company legally does not exist.

    Fee note: no filing fee when authorised capital is Rs 15 lakh or less; state stamp duty still applies

    Under Companies Act 2013, s.7; SPICe+ (INC-32) with AGILE-PRO-S (INC-35) and INC-9 · Filed on MCA21 V3

  6. 6. Legal Metrology packer registration

    Required

    Your label needs the manufacturer name and address, net quantity, retail sale price inclusive of all taxes, date of manufacture and a consumer care contact. Marketplaces run automated label checks and delist non-compliant listings, so this usually surfaces as a takedown rather than a notice.

    Cost
    Rs 500
    Takes
    7–21 working days
    What this involves ▸

    If you sell anything in a sealed package, the label must carry specific declarations and you must register as a packer.

    You will need

    • PAN card
    • Proof of business address
    • List of products

    If you skip it

    Penalty up to Rs 25,000 for a first offence, and marketplace delisting.

    Fee note: state-level registration fee

    Under Legal Metrology Act 2009, s.18; Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules 2011, Rule 27 · Filed on State legal metrology department

  7. 7. GST registration

    Required

    You are selling goods through a marketplace. Once those goods cross a state line, section 24(i) makes registration compulsory with no turnover threshold at all. The limited exemption under Notification 34/2023 only survives if you sell within a single state.

    Cost
    Free
    Takes
    3–15 working days
    See this form already filled in →
    What this involves ▸

    Registration under GST. Whether you need it depends on what you sell, where you sell it, and how much -- not simply on being a company.

    You will need

    • PAN card
    • Aadhaar
    • Passport photo
    • Proof of business address
    • Bank statement
    • Rent agreement

    If you skip it

    Trading without a required registration attracts a penalty of Rs 10,000 or the tax due, whichever is higher, and marketplaces will not onboard you.

    Fee note: no government fee

    Under CGST Act 2017, s.22 and s.24; s.9(5); Notification 65/2017-CT; Notification 34/2023-CT · Filed on GST Portal

  8. 8. Shops and Establishment registration

    Required

    You have premises in Maharashtra, so the state labour department needs them on record. Banks frequently ask for this certificate before opening a current account.

    Cost
    Rs 1,000
    Takes
    3–15 working days
    What this involves ▸

    A state registration for your place of business. Required almost everywhere you have premises, and often asked for when opening a current account.

    You will need

    • Proof of business address
    • Rent agreement
    • PAN card
    • Passport photo

    If you skip it

    State-level fines, and a current account application that stalls for want of proof of establishment.

    Fee note: varies by state and headcount

    Under State Shops and Commercial Establishments Act (varies by state) · Filed on State labour department portal

  9. 9. Company PAN and TAN

    Required

    Already bundled into your incorporation filing. Listed here so you know it is handled and do not pay someone to do it again.

    Cost
    Rs 131
    Takes
    Automatic
    After
    step 5
    What this involves ▸

    Issued automatically with your Certificate of Incorporation. You do not apply separately.

    If you skip it

    Not applicable. This cannot be skipped or forgotten separately.

    Fee note: collected within the SPICe+ filing

    Under Income-tax Act 1961, s.139A and s.203A; issued via SPICe+

  10. 10. Professional tax registration

    Required

    Maharashtra levies professional tax, so you need an employer enrolment. Many states -- Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh among them -- do not levy it at all.

    Cost
    Rs 2,500
    Takes
    2–10 working days
    What this involves ▸

    A state tax on employment. Levied in some states and not in others -- one of the most common things founders are wrongly told they need.

    You will need

    • PAN card
    • Proof of business address

    If you skip it

    Interest and penalty on arrears from the date the liability began.

    Fee note: annual employer enrolment, varies by state and salary slab

    Under State Professions, Trades, Callings and Employments Act (state-specific) · Filed on State commercial tax portal

  11. 11. Open a current account

    Required

    A current account is pre-applied inside AGILE-PRO-S, but you still choose the bank. That choice is worth two minutes -- minimum balance requirements differ by an order of magnitude between banks.

    Cost
    Free
    Takes
    2–10 working days
    After
    step 9
    What this involves ▸

    The final step. Your company cannot legally receive revenue into a personal account.

    You will need

    • PAN card
    • Aadhaar
    • Proof of business address
    • Board resolution

    If you skip it

    You cannot invoice, receive payments or demonstrate clean books to an investor.

    Fee note: no government fee; banks set their own minimum balance

    Under RBI Master Direction on KYC, 2016 (as amended)

  12. 12. Trademark your brand name

    Worth doing

    This is the gap that surprises founders most: an approved company name stops another company registering the same name, but it does not stop anyone trading under your brand. Startups and MSMEs file at the reduced fee.

    Cost
    Rs 4,500
    Takes
    180–540 working days
    What this involves ▸

    Registering your company at MCA does not protect your brand. Only a trademark does.

    You will need

    • PAN card
    • List of products

    If you skip it

    Someone else can register your brand name and force you to rebrand.

    Fee note: per class, e-filing, at the concessional rate for startups and MSMEs

    Under Trade Marks Act 1999, s.18; Trade Marks Rules 2017 · Filed on IP India Portal

  13. 13. Startup India (DPIIT) recognition

    Worth doing

    You said you plan to raise external investment. Recognition is a precondition for the angel tax exemption under section 56(2)(viib), so this is worth doing before you take a cheque.

    Cost
    Free
    Takes
    3–15 working days
    After
    step 5
    What this involves ▸

    Recognition that unlocks a three-year income tax holiday, self-certification on labour laws and cheaper trademark filing.

    You will need

    • PAN card
    • Board resolution

    If you skip it

    You lose access to the tax holiday and the angel tax exemption.

    Under DPIIT Notification G.S.R. 127(E) dated 19 February 2019 · Filed on Startup India Portal

  14. 14. Udyam (MSME) registration

    Worth doing

    It costs nothing and takes about ten minutes. The statutory 45-day payment protection alone is worth it if you invoice larger companies.

    Cost
    Free
    Takes
    Automatic
    After
    step 9
    What this involves ▸

    Free, takes minutes, and unlocks protection against late payment from larger buyers plus cheaper credit.

    You will need

    • PAN card
    • Aadhaar

    If you skip it

    You forgo MSME credit schemes and the delayed-payment protection under the MSMED Act.

    Under Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act 2006, s.8 · Filed on Udyam Registration Portal

What you do not need yet

2 things you would likely be sold anyway. Each shows the exact condition that would change the answer.

  1. 15. Provident Fund (EPFO) registration

    Not yet

    You have 4 employees. This starts at 20, so it is not your problem yet -- but the registration is already pre-applied inside your SPICe+ filing.

    This changes when: Your headcount reaches 20.

    What this involves ▸

    Becomes compulsory once you employ 20 or more people.

    You will need

    • PAN card
    • Proof of business address
    • Bank statement

    If you skip it

    Damages and interest on unpaid contributions, backdated to when you crossed the threshold.

    Under Employees Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1952, s.1(3) · Filed on EPFO Unified Portal

  2. 16. Employee State Insurance (ESIC) registration

    Not yet

    You have 4 employees. This starts at 10 in most states.

    This changes when: Your headcount reaches 10.

    What this involves ▸

    Becomes compulsory once you employ 10 or more people.

    You will need

    • PAN card
    • Proof of business address

    If you skip it

    Penalties plus liability for any employee medical claim that ESI would have covered.

    Under Employees State Insurance Act 1948, s.2A and s.1(5) · Filed on ESIC Portal

Your business bank account

You need an account in the business's own name before you can be paid in it. A company also cannot file its declaration of commencement of business until the subscription money is sitting in that account, so it is not a step to leave for later. Here is the shape of account to look for, and why.

What your business needs from an account

  • You sell online, so pick a bank your payment gateway settles into cleanly — it saves a reconciliation headache every single month.
  • You will put a lot of transactions through the account, so compare the free monthly transaction limit and what each one costs beyond it. A low balance requirement is no bargain if the per-transaction charges eat the difference.

Read from your profile — this is everything the shortlist is built on

  • Modest balance is affordable
  • Little physical cash
  • No overseas receipts
  • Payment gateway settlements
  • High transaction volume

Where to start looking

These 3 came closest on your criteria, ordered by how many each one meets — not by which is better. It is a shortlist, not the whole field: other banks would serve you too, and every one of these still runs its own checks before it agrees to open an account.

  • HDFC Bank

    Business current account (startup variants available)

    Private sector
    Average balance
    Rs 10,000 – Rs 50,000

    Matched your profile on

    • Payment gateway integration
    • Comfortable at your transaction volume

    Strengths

    • Widest merchant and payment-gateway integration in the market
    • Concessional variants for DPIIT-recognised startups

    Tradeoffs

    • Standard tiers carry meaningful balance requirements

  • Kotak Mahindra Bank

    Digital-first current account

    Private sector
    Average balance
    Up to Rs 25,000

    Matched your profile on

    • Payment gateway integration
    • Comfortable at your transaction volume

    Strengths

    • Strong digital banking and clean API access for reconciliation
    • Entry tiers with little or no balance requirement

    Tradeoffs

    • Charges climb quickly on higher tiers
    • Cash handling is not its strength

  • ICICI Bank

    Business current account

    Private sector
    Average balance
    Rs 10,000 – Rs 50,000

    Matched your profile on

    • Comfortable at your transaction volume

    Strengths

    • Well-regarded for foreign inward remittances and prompt FIRC issuance
    • Broad branch and cash-handling network

    Tradeoffs

    • Higher balance requirements than digital-first banks

How this list was put together

We have no commercial relationship with any bank here. Nothing on this page is an affiliate link, nobody paid for placement, and no bank is contacted or sent your details. The order comes only from the criteria above, which is why they are shown.

Balance requirements, fee schedules and cash limits change often, and they vary by branch and by which variant of an account you are offered. Every figure here is an indicative band to start the conversation with — confirm the current terms in writing before you open the account.

What is real and what is simulated ▸

Real, and running right now

  • The compliance rules engine. This roadmap was computed from your inputs, not selected from a template.
  • Every legal citation, fee and timeline shown — hand-authored and checked against source.
  • Rule packs used: common v1.0.0, d2c_consumer_goods v1.0.0.

Simulated for this prototype

  • DigiLocker. A real integration requires organisational onboarding as a registered requestor through API Setu.
  • The MCA and GST portal screens. These are our own replicas — no government system is contacted at any point.
  • All identity documents and reference numbers.

Not built yet

  • Actual submission to any government portal.
  • Post-incorporation compliance calendar.
  • Guided filing for sectors other than food and beverage.

Fees and timelines are indicative and change. Every step links to the statute it comes from so you can check us.

This is one of four worked examples. Describe your own business to get a roadmap built from your actual situation.