Public Limited Company Registration

• Minimum Shareholders: At least 7 shareholders are required. There is no upper limit on the number of shareholders.
• Minimum Directors: At least 3 directors must be appointed. The maximum limit is 15, extendable via special resolution.
• Resident Director Requirement: At least one director must be a resident of India (must have stayed in India for at least 182 days in the previous calendar year).
• Minimum Paid-up Capital: A minimum paid-up capital of ₹5 lakh is required at the time of incorporation (subject to updates by the government).
• Unique Company Name: The name must be unique and approved by the Registrar of Companies (ROC).
• Registered Office: The company must have a registered office address in India to receive official correspondence.
• Digital Signature Certificate (DSC): All proposed directors must have a valid DSC to sign incorporation documents electronically.

• Listed Public Limited Company:
  These companies are listed on recognized stock exchanges like the BSE or NSE.
  - Their shares are freely traded in the open market.
  - They must strictly comply with SEBI guidelines and periodic disclosure norms.
  Example: Reliance Industries Limited, Infosys Limited.
• Unlisted Public Limited Company:
  These companies are not listed on any stock exchange.
  - While they can issue shares to the public, those shares are not publicly traded.
  - They have comparatively fewer compliance requirements than listed companies.
  Example: Many large-scale family-owned businesses that prefer greater control and privacy.

Incorporation Requirements

• Minimum of 7 shareholders and 3 directors.
• Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) and Director Identification Number (DIN) for all directors.
• Approval of company name from the Registrar of Companies (ROC).
• Drafting and filing of the Memorandum of Association (MoA) and Articles of Association (AoA).

Statutory Compliance

• Board Meetings: Minimum of 4 board meetings annually.
• Annual General Meeting (AGM): Compulsory to discuss financials, dividends, and policies.
• Annual Filing: File annual return and financial statements with the ROC.
• Audit Requirements: Appoint statutory auditors and file audited financial reports.
• SEBI Compliance: For listed companies, follow SEBI regulations and disclosure norms.

Other Mandatory Requirements

• Maintain statutory registers (e.g., register of members, register of charges).
• Regular income tax return filings.
• Compliance with GST, PF, and ESIC, if applicable.

• Obtain Digital Signature Certificate (DSC): All proposed directors must obtain a valid DSC to sign electronic documents during incorporation.
• Apply for Director Identification Number (DIN): DIN must be obtained for each director by filing the application on the MCA portal.
• Name Reservation: Apply to reserve a unique company name using the RUN (Reserve Unique Name) service via the MCA portal.
• Drafting of MoA and AoA: The Memorandum of Association (MoA) outlines the company’s objectives, while the Articles of Association (AoA) define internal rules and management procedures.
• Filing of Incorporation Forms: Submit SPICe+ (INC-32) form along with MoA, AoA, and other documents required for incorporation.
• Verification by ROC: The Registrar of Companies verifies the documents and issues the Certificate of Incorporation if everything is in order.
• Post-Incorporation Compliances: Apply for PAN and TAN, register for GST, PF, and ESIC (if applicable), open a corporate bank account, and conduct the first board meeting within 30 days.