File your declaration of commencement of business with Legal Startup. A dedicated compliance expert checks whether INC-20A applies, reviews your subscription payments, arranges the professional verification and files the form with the ROC before the 180-day limit runs out.
Free call & custom quote · Professional fee + government fee
Form INC-20A is the declaration of commencement of business that a company with share capital files with the Registrar of Companies under Section 10A of the Companies Act, 2013. It confirms that every subscriber to the memorandum has paid for the shares they agreed to take, and it must be filed within 180 days of incorporation.
Last updated: October 2026. Rules, forms and fees can change, so we confirm the current position before filing. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Section 10A was added to the Companies Act, 2013 so that a newly incorporated company starts business only after its promoters have actually paid in the share capital they committed to. Form INC-20A is how the company declares this to the ROC.
The declaration is made on the date of filing and states that each subscriber to the memorandum has paid the value of the shares agreed to be taken. Until it is filed, and until the registered office is verified through Form INC-22, the company cannot commence business or exercise its borrowing powers.
The form is filed online on the MCA portal, signed by a director and verified by a practising professional. For forms and company master data, see the official Ministry of Corporate Affairs portal. INC-20A is the first of many annual and event-based obligations, so see our Pvt Ltd compliance service for what follows, and our trademark registration online service to protect your brand.
Important limits and penalties every new company's directors should know.
The right route depends on where your company stands today.
The simplest route when you file within 180 days.
The 180 days have passed and the form is still pending.
Founders have not paid in their share money.
Share money received from outside India.
A notice about non-commencement or non-filing has arrived.
The business plan has changed or stalled.
Not sure whether INC-20A applies to your company? Send us your date of incorporation and CIN, and our experts will check it free of charge.
Why directors file the declaration well within 180 days.
Once filed, the company can commence business and operations.
Loans and credit lines depend on a company that has filed.
On-time filing avoids the fine and additional filing fees.
Officers avoid per-day penalties for default.
Reduces the chance of ROC action for non-commencement.
A clean first-year filing history helps funding and due diligence.
Filed from anywhere in India without visiting a Registry office.
From deadline check to filed declaration, here is how online INC-20A filing works.
Timelines depend on how quickly payments and documents are ready and on portal workload. Not to scale.
We confirm the date of incorporation, whether the company has share capital and how many days remain.
We check that each subscriber has paid the full value of their shares into the company's bank account.
We confirm that INC-22 has been filed, or file it, so that the address is verified.
We prepare the board resolution and the INC-20A with the share and payment details.
A director signs with DSC, and a practising CA, CS or CMA verifies the form.
The form is filed online with the prescribed fee, and you receive the filing acknowledgement.
Keep these ready to avoid delays. Our expert will confirm the exact list for your company.
The total cost depends on whether you are filing on time or late, and on whether other first-year filings are pending. It generally has three parts:
ROC filing fee as prescribed. Additional fees apply to late filing. We confirm the current fee before filing.
Our fee depends on your situation and includes the professional verification. Call free for a custom quote before you pay anything.
DSC, INC-22, notice replies and other pending first-year filings are charged separately.
We share a clear, itemised quote before you begin – no hidden charges. Get your free quote →
Choose the situation that matches your company, or call free for a custom quote.
Your company is within 180 days and ready to file.
The 180 days have passed, or you have received a ROC notice.
You want INC-20A and the other first-year filings handled together.
Our professional fee is quoted after a free call. Government fee is separate; additional fees apply to late filing. Not sure which option fits? Ask for a free deadline check.
If your company was incorporated on or after 2 November 2018 and has share capital, check your date today.
Most newly incorporated Pvt Ltd companies must file within 180 days.
An OPC has share capital, so the declaration applies to its subscriber.
File before raising funds, taking loans or onboarding customers.
Overseas subscribers still need to pay in capital through banking channels.
If a non-commencement notice has arrived, reply and file quickly.
If 180 days have gone, speak to us before penalties grow.
A quick view of how the position changes as the deadline passes. Ask us where your company stands.
| Position | When it applies | What is needed | Cost | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| On time | Within 180 days of incorporation | INC-20A with payment proof | Government fee only | Lowest |
| Late filing | After 180 days | INC-20A with additional fees | Fee plus late fee | Moderate |
| Not filed | Default continues | Filing and penalty review | Penalty on company and officers | High |
| Business not started | No commencement for a year | Reply to notice, file or consider closure | Varies | Strike-off proceedings possible |
A deadline calendar and traceable payments prevent most problems.
Indicative timeline for a new company. Time limits can change, so confirm before relying on them.
Verify the registered office with INC-22 and hold the first board meeting.
The board appoints the first auditor, and ADT-1 is filed.
Issue share certificates to the subscribers after payment.
Declaration of commencement of business, with proof of subscription payment.
Begin operations and use borrowing powers, with GST and other registrations as needed.
Hold the first AGM within nine months of the first financial year end, then file the annual returns.
For what follows after the first year, see our Pvt Ltd compliance service. For brand protection, see our trademark registration online service, or if you have received a trademark notice, our trademark hearing online support.
Quick answers on Form INC-20A and commencement of business in India.
Form INC-20A is the declaration of commencement of business that a company with share capital files with the Registrar of Companies under Section 10A of the Companies Act, 2013. It confirms that every subscriber to the memorandum has paid for the shares they agreed to take.
Companies with share capital that were incorporated on or after 2 November 2018. Companies incorporated earlier, and companies without share capital, are outside its scope.
Within 180 days of the date of incorporation. The company should also file Form INC-22 to verify its registered office within 30 days of incorporation.
The company can be fined Rs 50,000, and each officer in default Rs 1,000 for every day the default continues, up to Rs 1 lakh. Additional filing fees also apply to late filing.
No. Under Section 10A, a company cannot commence business or exercise its borrowing powers until the declaration is filed and the registered office is verified.
The certificate of incorporation, MOA and AOA, bank statement showing receipt of subscription money, the list of subscribers with shares and amounts paid, a board resolution, the director's digital signature, and the professional's verification.
Yes. The form is signed by a director and verified by a practising Chartered Accountant, Company Secretary or Cost Accountant before it is filed with the ROC.
The declaration cannot truthfully be filed. The subscribers must first pay the value of their shares, normally through banking channels into the company's account, and the payment must be traceable in the bank statement.
File as soon as possible with additional fees and expect the penalty exposure above. If the company does not commence business within a year of incorporation, the ROC can begin proceedings to strike off its name after giving notice.
It depends on whether you are filing on time or late and whether pending first-year filings are included. Government fees are separate from our professional fee, and we share an itemised quote after a free call.
Not sure whether your INC-20A is due? Speak to our compliance expert today – the deadline check and the quote are free.
Tell us what you need and our team will get back to you with the right guidance.
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