Tax & Compliance·7 min read
The Essential Post-Incorporation Compliance Checklist
Your Certificate of Incorporation is day zero—miss auditor appointment, INC-20A, or GST activation and you risk penalties before your first sale.
January 08, 2024
What you'll take away
- Appoint statutory auditor within 30 days of incorporation—mandatory even at zero revenue.
- Open current account and deposit subscribed capital before commencing business.
- File INC-20A within 180 days to declare commencement of business.
- Pelago runs post-COI checklists so founders ship product—not ROC notices.
Day 1–7: corporate hygiene
- Issue share certificates and maintain register of members.
- Adopt common seal only if needed—most startups skip physical seal.
COI in hand means the clock started. Board must appoint first auditor (Form ADT-1 within 15 days of appointment) within 30 days of incorporation.
Apply for company PAN (often via SPICe+), TAN, and EPFO/ESIC if shown on certificate.
Banking and capital
Open current account with COI, MOA, AOA, PAN, board resolution, and KYC of directors.
Shareholders must transfer subscription money stated in MOA into this account—do not use personal UPI for company receipts.
File INC-20A within 180 days certifying capital deposit and commencement—without it, borrowing and some contracts are legally risky.
Founder tip: One board resolution template pack saves hours when banks ask for different wordings.
Just received your COI?
Post-incorporation compliance pack: bank, GST, ROC, payroll.
Get post-COI checklistTax and labour registrations
GST: Mandatory if turnover crosses threshold or inter-state supply from day one. Voluntary GST helps B2B invoicing with ITC.
Professional tax (PTRC/PTEC) in states like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala—employer registration before first salary.
Shop & Establishment registration for physical office within state timelines.
Pelago sequences registrations so payroll software and GSTIN align.
First-year ROC calendar
- First AGM within 9 months of FY end.
- AOC-4 (financials) within 30 days of AGM.
- MGT-7/7A (annual return) within 60 days of AGM.
- DIR-3 KYC for directors by 30 September annually.
Missing these triggers ₹100–₹500 per day penalties and director disqualification risk.
Founder agreements and IP
Sign founders' agreement with vesting. Assign all IP created before and after incorporation to the company via assignment deeds.
Update website footer with CIN, registered office, and GSTIN when live.