- Home
- Services
- Business registrations
- Startup India (DPIIT)
Startup India (DPIIT) Recognition
DPIIT recognition is the Government of India's recognition of a new venture as a startup, applied for on the Startup India portal. It is the gateway to the schemes and benefits that require it. Sanmayu checks your eligibility, prepares the application and follows queries from the department. The department decides on recognition.
Free first consultation · a named contact replies
Who needs Startup India (DPIIT)?
A new venture that qualifies as a startup can apply for recognition to be considered for the schemes that depend on it.
- Founders of new venturesBuilding a product or service with a scalable idea.
- Companies and LLPsIncorporated entities within the eligibility limits.
- Startups seeking schemesWhose benefit requires recognition first.
Does DPIIT recognition cost anything, and can an agent apply for me?
The Ministry does not charge a fee for the certificate of recognition. It states that it has not appointed any agency, representative or franchise for the certificate, and that the application should be filed by the startup itself with its own details, mobile number and email. Our work is preparing the application and following it up while the account and login stay yours.
Which products or businesses does this apply to?
Private limited companies, LLPs and registered partnerships within the age, turnover and innovation conditions. Whether you qualify is for an expert to confirm.
How does Startup India (DPIIT) work?
The stages, from your documents to the decision. The right-hand column is what most often slows each stage.
| Stage | Who acts | What happens | What can hold it up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · Eligibility check | Sanmayu with you | Entity type, age, turnover, originality and innovation conditions reviewed against the DPIIT notification | An entity formed by splitting up or reconstructing an existing business is not a startup |
| 2 · Portal account | Sanmayu with you | Investor account created on the National Single Window System; PAN validated, addresses and authorised signatory added | Signatory details that differ from the incorporation records |
| 3 · Add the approval | Sanmayu | "Registration as a Startup" added to the dashboard from the central approvals list | Applying through a look-alike service instead of the portal |
| 4 · Application | Sanmayu with you | Form filled: incorporation certificate uploaded and the innovation or scalability case written out | A description that does not show what is new or scalable |
| 5 · Review and submit | You | Final check by the founder; the application cannot be changed once submitted | An error found after submission |
| 6 · DPIIT examination | DPIIT | Application examined; clarifications asked if needed | Queries on the nature of the business |
| 7 · Certificate | DPIIT | Digital certificate of recognition issued; available on the portal and DigiLocker | A rejection; it cannot be edited and a fresh application waits three months |
| 8 · Follow-on benefits | You with Sanmayu | Separate applications for schemes such as the income tax exemption, each with its own conditions | Assuming recognition grants every benefit |
Which documents are needed for Startup India (DPIIT)?
| Document | Why it is needed | Common problem |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of incorporation or registration | Mandatory; proves the entity, its type and its date | Entity type not eligible |
| Write-up of the business | Explains how the venture is innovative or scalable | Generic text |
| PAN of the entity | Validated when the portal account is set up | Mismatch with registration |
| Authorised signatory details | Added to the account and the application | Details that do not match |
| Website, product or pitch links, if you have them | Supports the write-up | Links that do not work |
| Shareholding details and latest structure | Asked for when applying for the income tax exemption afterwards; the 80-IAC form lists the other items it needs | Not the current version |
| Tax acknowledgements and audited accounts for the years that exist | Also for the tax exemption application; a new company will not have three years | Years missing or unaudited |
Who is eligible for DPIIT recognition?
An entity incorporated as a private limited company, registered partnership firm, limited liability partnership or cooperative society, no more than ten years from incorporation (twenty for deep tech), while under the turnover ceiling in the notification, working on innovation or improvement of a product, process or service, and not formed by splitting up or reconstructing an existing business. A sole proprietorship is not on the list. The Revised Guidelines for recognition add further bars, including holding and subsidiary companies, joint ventures, entities incorporated outside India, and entities formed by merger or by compromise or arrangement, so the notification tests are the start of the check.
What are the cost components of Startup India (DPIIT)?
Three parts, quoted for your case after a short review. Your first consultation is free.
- Government feeThe recognition application on the portal does not carry a fee.
- Testing or verificationNone.
- Our serviceEligibility review, description, filing and follow-up. A named contact quotes after review.
Get a quote for your case
A named contact reads your details and replies with a quote that lists each part above.
- What you make, move or run, in a line or two
- Where it is made and where it will be sold
- Any certificate or registration you already hold
Free first consultation covers
- Whether your product or activity falls under this service, and what its scope is.
- Which approvals, schemes or registrations apply to your case.
- The list of documents you will need to gather.
- What a named contact needs from you to prepare a quote.
The first consultation is free. Any work after it is quoted separately, and you decide whether to go ahead.
What commonly holds Startup India (DPIIT) up?
- Weak descriptionA write-up that does not show what is new or scalable draws queries or a rejection.
- Reconstructed businessesAn entity formed by splitting up or reconstructing an existing business is not treated as a startup.
- No edits after submissionThe application cannot be changed once submitted, and a rejected one cannot be edited.
- Benefit confusionRecognition does not by itself grant every benefit; each scheme has its own conditions.
Is the income tax exemption part of recognition?
No. It is a separate application made after recognition. The 80-IAC form admits a private limited company or LLP incorporated on or after 1 April 2016, still inside the age and turnover ceiling printed on that form. The exemption covers three consecutive financial years out of the first ten. Other startup benefits, such as faster patent examination and facilitator support for patent and trademark filing, also need recognition first and carry their own conditions.
Startup India (DPIIT): common questions
What is DPIIT recognition?#q-what-is-dpiit-recognition
It is recognition by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade of an entity as a startup, issued as a digital certificate.
Where is the application made?#q-where-is-the-application-made
On the National Single Window System, as the approval named "Registration as a Startup". Companies, LLPs, registered partnerships and cooperative societies all apply there.
Is there a government fee?#q-is-there-a-government-fee
No. The Ministry does not charge a fee for the certificate of recognition.
How long is the recognition valid?#q-how-long-is-the-recognition-valid
The portal guide says ten years from incorporation. The recognition page treats deep-tech startups as startups for twenty years, and recognition ends earlier if the turnover ceiling is crossed. We read both against your entity.
What if my application is rejected?#q-what-if-my-application-is-rejected
A rejected application cannot be edited. A new one can be filed three months after the rejection email.
What do I get with recognition?#q-what-do-i-get-with-recognition
Eligibility for schemes that require it, for example self-certification under listed labour and environment laws, faster patent examination and exemption from earnest money in government tenders. Each scheme decides separately.
Can a sole proprietorship apply?#q-can-a-sole-proprietorship-apply
No. The eligible types are private limited companies, registered partnerships, LLPs and cooperative societies.
How much does it cost?#q-how-much-does-it-cost
Our service is quoted by a named contact after review. Your first consultation is free.
Often needed with Startup India (DPIIT)
On this page
Discuss my requirement
Tell us the product and the market. A named contact replies by email or WhatsApp.
Choose any channel. Your market only suggests the order; email always works.
Phone: +91 72899 60446 · +91 96112 31611
Consultations and documents are in English; translation on request.