DPIIT Startup Recognition: How to Apply on NSWS

DPIIT recognition is the official record that the government treats your business as a "Startup". Most Startup India benefits depend on it, including the Section 80-IAC income-tax holiday and the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (closed to new startup applications since 31 May 2026). The application is online and free, and it's usually decided in a couple of working days. This guide covers who's eligible, how to apply on the National Single Window System (NSWS), what to upload and how to get your certificate.

This guide is based on the official guidelines as of October 2026; always check the portal for the latest rules.

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What changed in 2026

On 4 February 2026, DPIIT published a new startup definition, G.S.R. 108(E). It replaced the earlier G.S.R. 127(E) of 19 February 2019. It does three main things:

Raises the turnover ceiling to ₹200 crore.
Adds cooperative societies as eligible entities.
Creates a "Deep Tech Startup" category, which has a longer age limit and a higher turnover limit.

Some older guides and FAQs online still quote the 2019 limits. Go by the 2026 notification.

Who's eligible

Under G.S.R. 108(E), your entity is a Startup if it meets all four conditions below.

Entity type. It is one of these:
- a private limited company (Companies Act, 2013)
- a partnership firm registered under section 59 of the Partnership Act, 1932
- a limited liability partnership
- a Multi-State Cooperative Society registered with the Central Registrar
- a cooperative society registered under a State or Union Territory Cooperative Societies Act
Age. It is within 10 years of its date of incorporation or registration.
Turnover. Its turnover hasn't exceeded ₹200 crore in any financial year since incorporation or registration.
Innovation. It works on innovation, development or improvement of products, processes or services, or has a scalable business model with high potential for jobs or wealth creation.

An entity formed by splitting up or reconstructing an existing business is not a Startup.

Deep Tech Startups. For a startup recognised as a Deep Tech Startup, the age limit becomes 20 years and the turnover limit ₹300 crore. To qualify, you must be:

building a solution based on new scientific or engineering knowledge
spending a high share of revenue or funding on R&D
owning or creating significant novel IP and working to commercialise it
facing long development timelines, high capital needs and large technical uncertainty

DPIIT decides who qualifies using its own framework and the documents you submit.

Who isn't eligible

DPIIT's recognition guidelines rule out the following:

Sole proprietorships. If a proprietorship converts to an eligible entity type, recognition counts from the date the proprietorship started business.
Holding or subsidiary companies, joint ventures, and entities incorporated outside India.
Startups with less than 51% Indian promoter shareholding, as per the Companies Act, 2013 and SEBI (ICDR) Regulations, 2018.
Entities formed through merger, demerger, acquisition, amalgamation or a compromise or arrangement. There is a limited exception for certain mergers under section 233 of the Companies Act, 2013 between startups, or between startups and small companies.
Additional entities that share an address and product line or services with an existing entity and have at least one common director or partner.
Businesses in areas prohibited by law.

Before you start

The Startup India recognition page says:

No agency is authorised to apply for you. DPIIT hasn't appointed any agency, representative or franchise for the certificate.
File it yourself, using your own details, mobile number and email.
There's no fee. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry doesn't charge anything for the certificate.

Recognition is now handled on NSWS. The Startup India site sends you there when you click to apply.

Step-by-step: applying on NSWS

These steps follow DPIIT's NSWS application guide and its user guide.

1. Create your NSWS account

Go to nsws.gov.in and click Login → Investor Login.
If you're new, register (sign up), enter your details and verify them.
Set up your profile:
- choose your entity type
- enter the entity's PAN
- once the PAN is validated, add your postal and registered addresses
- add the authorised signatory's details and save

2. Add "Registration as a Startup"

From the dashboard, go to Add More Approval → Central Approvals. The user guide calls this path Centre Approvals → All Approvals.
Search for "Registration as a Startup".
Click Add to My Approvals.

3. Fill in and submit the form

Click Apply Now → Common Registration Form → Startup Recognition by DPIIT.
Enter your details, review them, and submit.

You can save a draft and come back later. You can't make changes after you submit, so check everything first.

Documents checklist

G.S.R. 108(E) says your application must include:

Certificate of Incorporation or Registration
A write-up on the nature of your business. It should explain how you're working on innovation, development or improvement of products, processes or services, or how your business can scale in terms of jobs or wealth creation.
For Deep Tech recognition only: the documents and information the portal asks for to show you meet the Deep Tech attributes

You'll also need these for the NSWS profile:

The entity's PAN
Postal and registered address
Authorised signatory details, with a mobile number and email you control

DPIIT may also ask for other documents or information before it decides.

Tip: The write-up does most of the work in your application. Be specific about what's new in your product or process and why it can scale. A generic description of a conventional business is less likely to show the innovation or scalability the definition asks for.

Processing and status

The Startup India FAQ says the certificate is typically issued within 2 working days once you've submitted a complete application.

To track your application:

On NSWS, open the form row on your dashboard. The "Processing Detail" section shows the status, your DPIIT number, any messages from Startup India and, once you're approved, your Recognition Certificate Number.
On startupindia.gov.in, click the DPIIT Recognition button on your dashboard to see the status under "Recognition Form Status". If DPIIT raises a query, the application opens there so you can reply.

If your application is marked incomplete or rejected

The Startup India FAQ names the usual cause: missing documents or insufficient information. It explains what happens next:

If it's marked "Incomplete", log in on startupindia.gov.in, select Recognition and Tax Exemption, click Edit Application and complete it.
If it's marked "Incomplete" three times, it is rejected.
A rejected application can't be edited. You can file a new one three months after the date of the rejection email.

The NSWS guide also says a startup whose NSWS application is rejected can apply again through the Startup India website. To log in there for the first time:

Click Login → Unable to Log in?
Enter your CIN or the authorised representative's email.
Reset your password using the OTP sent to that email.

Keep this password. You'll need it to manage your Startup India account.

Downloading your certificate

The certificate is issued digitally, and there's no physical copy. The NSWS guide says you can get it in three places:

NSWS: it is added to your Approvals.
Startup India: use the Verify Certificate button on the homepage.
DigiLocker: search for "Startup Certificate".

What to do next

Once you're recognised, you can:

Apply for the Section 80-IAC tax exemption on the Startup India portal. Only private limited companies and LLPs qualify.
Apply for seed funding when calls are open. The Startup India Seed Fund Scheme stopped taking startup applications on 31 May 2026; see our SISFS listing for its status.
Look for schemes that ask for DPIIT recognition in our scheme directory, and check subsidies for state-level incentives.

FAQ

Is there a fee for DPIIT recognition?

No. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry doesn't charge any fee for the Certificate of Recognition. Ignore anyone who says they can get it for a fee "through DPIIT". The department has appointed no agents.

Can a sole proprietorship or public limited company get recognised?

A sole proprietorship can't. The 2026 definition lists private limited companies, registered partnership firms, LLPs and cooperative societies, and doesn't include public limited companies.

How long is recognition valid?

You stay a Startup for 10 years from incorporation or registration (20 years if you're recognised as a Deep Tech Startup). You stop being one earlier if your turnover in any year goes above ₹200 crore (₹300 crore for Deep Tech). DPIIT's 2023 user guide gives 10 years, which was written before the Deep Tech category existed.

Can a foreign national be a partner?

The Startup India FAQ says a foreign national can be a partner in an LLP, and that LLP can be registered and recognised. The recognition guidelines still require at least 51% Indian promoter shareholding, so check how your shareholding is split.

Are there conditions after I'm recognised?

Yes. G.S.R. 108(E) says you should use your funds mainly for your core business. During recognition, you shouldn't invest in the following unless it's integral to your business:

residential or non-business property
loans and advances
capital contributions to other entities
shares and securities
high-value vehicles
jewellery or other luxury assets

Can someone file the application for me?

DPIIT says you should file it yourself, with your own details. If you want help preparing the business write-up or organising your documents, our services team can help. You still submit it from your own account.

Sources

Cover photo: Trizone India on Unsplash

How to Apply for DPIIT Startup Recognition on NSWS