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Startup India (DPIIT) Recognition

Get DPIIT recognition and unlock tax holidays, patent discounts, and grant access

Government fee: Free
Typical timeline: 5–7 working days
Validity: 10 years from date of incorporation of the startup
Documents needed: 7 items

What is Startup India (DPIIT) Recognition?

DPIIT recognition is a certificate from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. It says your company, LLP or partnership meets the government's definition of a startup. It is what most people mean by "Startup India registration".

The certificate matters because other schemes use it as a gate. Seed funding schemes, state startup policies, tax relief for startups and several fee concessions ask for a recognition number before they will look at you. Having it early means you are not scrambling when a programme you want opens.

Recognition is not a loan, a grant or a licence to operate. It does not make your business legal and it does not pay you anything. It is a status, and the benefits come from separate applications that need it.

Last reviewed against the official sources below on 22 October 2026.

Who needs it

Any founder planning to apply to a government seed fund, a state startup policy or an incubator programme should check the entry rules first. A large share of them ask for DPIIT recognition. If a programme page says "DPIIT-recognised startups only", you cannot apply without it.

Founders who expect to claim the startup tax holiday (Section 80-IAC) also need it, because the tax application is only open to recognised startups. If your business is a trading arm, a reseller or a plain services shop with nothing new in how it works, recognition is unlikely and you should not spend time on it.

Eligibility

The entity must be a private limited company, a registered partnership firm, an LLP or a cooperative society. A sole proprietorship does not qualify; incorporate first.
It must be within its startup window: up to 10 years from the date of incorporation, or up to 20 years for deeptech startups.
Annual turnover must be below 200 crore rupees in any of the previous financial years (300 crore rupees for deeptech startups).
It must be working towards innovation or improvement of existing products, services or processes, with potential to generate employment or create wealth.
It must not have been formed by splitting up or reconstructing an existing business.
For the Section 80-IAC tax holiday specifically, the entity must be recognised, must be a private limited company or an LLP, and must have been incorporated after 1 April 2016. The holiday covers 3 consecutive financial years out of the first 10 years since incorporation.

Step-by-step process

1
Incorporate your entity first
You need the certificate of incorporation or registration, so the company, LLP or partnership must already exist. Keep the company PAN and the incorporation number (CIN or LLPIN) at hand.
2
Create an Investor account on the NSWS portal
Applications now go through the National Single Window System at nsws.gov.in. Create an Investor account there if you do not have one, or log in to your existing one.
3
Add the Startup registration approval
On the NSWS dashboard choose Add Approvals, then Central Approvals, find "Registration as a Startup" and add it to your dashboard. If your incorporation number is not mapped to your profile, enter it when asked.
4
Describe the innovation honestly
The form asks what your product or service does and how it is new or better. Write what actually changes for a customer, in plain language. Vague claims such as "we use technology" are what slow reviews down.
5
Upload the supporting documents and submit
Attach what the form asks for. A pitch deck, product link or letter from an incubator is useful if the form accepts it. Review the details against your incorporation certificate before you submit.
6
Track the application and download the certificate
Check the status from your NSWS dashboard. If the department asks a question, answer it in the same place. On approval you can download the certificate of recognition with your recognition number.

The Startup India page does not publish a fixed processing time, so we do not promise one. Reviews move faster when the incorporation details, the description and the documents all agree with each other. If a query comes back, reply quickly in the portal; most delays are a missing or mismatched document.

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Documents checklist

Documents checklist for DPIIT recognition
Item	Why it is needed	Tip
Certificate of incorporation or registration	Proves the entity exists and fixes its date of incorporation	Use the latest copy; names must match exactly
PAN of the entity	Identifies the entity on the portal	Check the spelling against the certificate
CIN or LLPIN or partnership registration details	Lets the portal map your entity	Enter it if the portal does not auto-fill
Details of directors or partners	Identifies who runs the business	Keep PAN and email ready for each
Short description of the innovation	This is what the reviewer judges	Say who the customer is and what is new
Pitch deck, product link or incubator letter	Supports the innovation claim	Optional unless the form marks it required

DPIIT recognition vs Udyam vs the 80-IAC tax approval

DPIIT recognition vs Udyam vs the 80-IAC tax approval
	DPIIT recognition	Udyam registration	80-IAC tax approval
What it is	Startup status	MSME status	A separate approval for the tax holiday
Issued by	DPIIT, via NSWS	Ministry of MSME	Applied for after recognition
Who can hold it	Private limited, LLP, partnership, cooperative society	Almost any business that fits the MSME size limits	Recognised private limited companies and LLPs incorporated after 1 April 2016
Cost	No government fee	No government fee	Check the portal for the current position
Opens the door to	Startup schemes and seed funds, state policies	MSME loans, schemes and procurement preferences	A 3-year income tax holiday inside the first 10 years

Common mistakes and rejections

Applying as a proprietorship. The system only accepts the entity types listed above.
Describing a reseller or a service shop as innovative. Reviewers look for something new in the product, the service or the process.
Entering a company name or date that differs from the certificate of incorporation. Copy it exactly.
Waiting until a grant opens. If you apply the week a scheme closes, a query can cost you the window.
Assuming recognition gives the tax holiday automatically. Section 80-IAC needs its own application.
Using a paid agent site that looks official. The government charges no fee for the certificate, and the application is made on NSWS.
Forgetting that the window runs out. After 10 years (20 for deeptech) the entity no longer counts as a startup.

After you are done

Download and save the certificate and your recognition number. Many forms ask for both.
Decide whether you qualify for the Section 80-IAC holiday and apply if so.
Search the programmes that ask for recognition and keep your documents ready.
Keep your annual company filings up to date. Several schemes check them.

Talk to an expert about Startup India (DPIIT) Recognition

Official sources

Rules and portals change. Confirm fees and form versions on the official site before you pay or file.

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Fees & Pricing

Government Fees

DPIIT recognition application

Completely free on the Startup India portal

Free

80IAC income tax exemption application

No fee; filed after recognition

Free

Professional Fees

DPIIT registration assistance package

Application preparation, document review, 80IAC guidance

Varies

* Government fees may vary. GST applicable on professional fees. Final pricing confirmed after review.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is DPIIT recognition free?

Yes. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry charges no fee for the certificate of recognition. Any amount you pay goes to a third party for help with the application, not to the government.

Who can apply for DPIIT recognition?

A private limited company, registered partnership firm, LLP or cooperative society that is within 10 years of incorporation (20 for deeptech), has turnover below 200 crore rupees in every earlier year (300 crore rupees for deeptech), is working on innovation or improvement of products, services or processes, and was not formed by splitting up or reconstructing an existing business.

Where do I apply?

On the National Single Window System at nsws.gov.in. Add "Registration as a Startup" under Central Approvals and fill in the application.

Can a sole proprietorship get recognition?

No. Incorporate as a private limited company, LLP or register a partnership first, then apply.

Does recognition give me the income tax holiday?

No. After recognition you can apply for the Section 80-IAC holiday separately. It is open to recognised private limited companies and LLPs incorporated after 1 April 2016, and covers 3 consecutive financial years out of the first 10 years.

How long does the certificate last?

The official page gives the startup window (10 years from incorporation, 20 for deeptech) and does not state a separate validity for the certificate. Check the certificate and the portal for your case.

Do I need a particular sector?

The criteria are about innovation, not industry. The test is whether your product, service or process is new or meaningfully improved.

Why do grants ask for the DPIIT number?

It is an easy, government-issued way to check that an applicant is a genuine early-stage business. Programmes that serve startups use it as a first filter.