Not every business needs every licence. The expensive mistakes run in both directions — paying for registrations you never needed, and operating for years without one you did.
Requirements vary by entity type, location, industry, workforce size, contractor use, and applicable law. Every engagement begins with a compliance applicability assessment.
Every line below applies to some businesses and not others. Read the middle column first. A business that leaves this page understanding it needs four of these and not fourteen has got the right answer.
| Registration / licence | Typically applies when | How we work |
|---|---|---|
| Company / LLP incorporation | A new entity is being formed, or an existing structure converted | Coordinated with CS/CA partner |
| PAN and TAN | On entity formation; TAN once tax is deductible at source | Coordinated |
| GST registration | Turnover or activity crosses the applicable threshold, or inter-state supply begins | Coordinated with CA partner |
| EPFO registration | Employee count crosses the statutory threshold, or voluntary coverage is chosen | Direct |
| ESIC registration | Employee count crosses the threshold at a premises in an implemented area | Direct |
| Professional Tax | The state levies PT and you employ there — both employer registration and employee enrolment | Direct |
| Shops & Establishments | A commercial premises opens in a state that requires it, usually within a set period of commencement | Direct |
| Labour Welfare Fund | The state operates an LWF and your establishment falls within its coverage | Direct |
| Trade / municipal licence | The local body requires a licence for your activity at that premises | Direct or partner, by city |
| Factory licence | Manufacturing with power and worker counts crossing the Factories Act thresholds | Specialist partner |
| Contract labour licence | A contractor supplies workers above the threshold — licence for the contractor, registration for the principal employer | Direct |
| Inter-state migrant worker | Workers are recruited from another state through a contractor, above the threshold | Direct, where applicable |
| BOCW registration | Building or other construction work is carried out with workers above the threshold | Direct, where applicable |
| FSSAI, Fire NOC, Pollution Control, sector approvals | Activity-specific — food handling, occupancy class, emissions or effluent | Verified specialist partners |
| Digital Signature Certificate | Portal filings require an authorised signatory DSC | Direct |
| Amendment, renewal, surrender, closure | Details change, a term expires, or an establishment closes | Direct |
Threshold figures are deliberately not published in this table. They vary by state and change by notification. Your assessment carries the current numbers for your jurisdictions, with the official source cited.
Six questions — entity type, states, industry, headcount band, contractor use and premises type. No email required to see the result.
You get three lists: what likely applies and why, what may apply and needs review, and what is unlikely to apply — because knowing what you do not need is half the value.
Indicative only. The result is based on the information you provide. Actual applicability depends on facts not captured in six questions — premises classification, workforce composition, contractor arrangements and current state notifications. It is not legal advice. A compliance applicability assessment confirms your position.
The applicability check takes about three minutes and tells you what you do not need as clearly as what you do.
Reviewed by: Shobhit Kesarwani, independent EPFO and employer-compliance practitioner ·
Last reviewed: September 2026
Sources: EPFO,
ESIC,
MCA,
Shram Suvidha,
and the relevant state labour department. Thresholds, rates and due dates change by notification — confirm against the official source at the date you act.