Sole Proprietorship Registration
When a business is owned and governed by one person, it is called a sole proprietorship company. This type of business can be incorporated in fifteen days and hence makes it one of the most popular types of business to begin in the unsystematic sector, specifically among merchants and small traders. For a Sole Proprietorship business, registration is not required as it is identified through alternate registrations, such as GST registrations. However, its liability is unlimited and it also doesn’t have perpetual existence.
Checklist Items for a Sole Proprietorship Registration
- A certificate/license issued by Municipal authorities under the Shop & Establishment Act.
- The license issued by Registering authorities like the Certificate of Practice is issued by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.
- The registration/licensing document is issued in the name of the proprietary concern by the Central Government or the State Government Authority/ Department, etc,
- The banks may also accept the IEC (Importer Exporter Code) issued to the proprietary concern by the office of the DGFT as an identity document for opening of the bank account etc,
- Complete Income Tax return (not just the acknowledgement) in the name of the sole proprietor where the firm’s income is reflected, duly authenticated and acknowledged by the Income Tax Authorities,
- The utility bills such as electricity, water, and the landline telephone bills in the name of the proprietary concern,
- Issue of GST Registration/Certificate.
FAQs on Sole Proprietorship
Any Indian citizen with a current account in the name of his/her business can start a sole proprietorship. Registration may or may not be required, depending on the type of business that is planned to be established. However, to open a current account, banks typically require a Shops & Establishments Registration.
A Sole Proprietorship business does not take more than 15 days to set-up and start functioning. This simplicity makes it popular among small traders and merchants. It's also much cheaper, of course. This is the other reason why it's the most widely used business structure.
Most local businesses are run as sole proprietorships, from grocery stores to fast-food vendors, and even small traders and manufacturers. That is not to say that larger businesses cannot operate as sole proprietorships, they can! Jewellery shops are sole proprietors, but it is not recommended.
This depends on the business you're in. It is compulsory for any business whose turnover in a financial year exceeds Rs 20 lakhs (Rs 10 lakhs in the case of North Eastern states) to get a GST registration. For businesses that are involved in selling goods or services to customers out of a commercial establishment, it is mandatory to register under Shops and Establishments Act.
Yes, it is much cheaper to run an LLP than a private limited company. Mostly because compliances, such as an audit, apply to LLPs only after their turnover is sizeable. Most LLPs spend about half as much as a private limited companies, in their first year on registrations and compliance work.
The procedure involved is a little tedious, but it is possible. It is very common for sole proprietors to convert into partnerships or private limited companies at a later stage of their businesses.