Guides
The compliance questions Indian businesses actually ask.
Direct answers first, primary sources cited on every claim, updated when the law changes. Written from the gazette text — not from other blogs.
I missed filing INC-20A — what's the penalty, and can I still fix it?
Missing INC-20A (declaration of commencement of business) costs the company ₹50,000 plus ₹1,000/day per director. What happens after 180 days, how condonation works, and how to avoid strike-off.
Do the new Labour Codes (in force since 21 November 2025) apply to my business?
India's four Labour Codes took effect on 21 November 2025, replacing 29 central laws. What changes for a small employer: the 50% wage-definition rule, fixed-term employment, gratuity, and why state rules still decide the details.
LMPC certificate for Amazon and Flipkart sellers: when it's mandatory and what gets you delisted
Marketplaces reject listings and delist live products for Legal Metrology (LMPC) non-compliance. Who needs the certificate, what must appear on the product page itself, and the penalty ladder from ₹10,000 to prosecution.
BIS QCOs: how to check if your product needs certification before it ships
India has notified hundreds of Quality Control Orders; 14 were withdrawn in November 2025 alone. How QCOs work, what happens to uncertified goods at customs, and how to check your product before paying demurrage.
The zero-revenue Pvt Ltd trap: what doing nothing costs, and when to close instead
A private limited company with no revenue still owes statutory audit, ROC filings and ITR — typically ₹40,000–₹1.5 lakh/year. Skip them and you face ₹100/day late fees, strike-off and director disqualification. The real options, costed.
Udyam registration stuck? The errors, why the portal won't explain them, and the fixes
The Udyam portal rejects 35–40% of failed attempts on PAN/Aadhaar name mismatches — without saying where the mismatch is. The common errors, the fixes, and why registering is worth the friction (CGTMSE, delayed-payment protection, tenders).
FSSAI licensing changed in 2026: perpetual licences, new turnover thresholds, and what existing FBOs should do
The FSS (Licensing & Registration) Amendment Regulations 2026 introduced near-perpetual licences (suspended if annual fees/returns lapse) and new thresholds — Basic up to ₹1.5 Cr, State ₹1.5–50 Cr, Central above ₹50 Cr. Much online advice still describes the old regime.
Your export refund is stuck. Here's where it's actually stuck, and how to unjam it
Thousands of crores of exporter refunds sit blocked on invisible mismatches — ICEGATE vs GST returns, e-BRC reconciliation, deficiency memos. The diagnostic sequence for IGST-paid and LUT-route refunds, and when an RTI is the unlock.
The DPDP Act applies to your 10-person company too. Here's the small-business version
India's DPDP Rules were notified on 13 November 2025 with full compliance due by 13 May 2027. If you collect phone numbers, emails or any personal data digitally, you're a Data Fiduciary. The founder-sized checklist — without the enterprise-vendor noise.
Form 26Q: what this TDS return means, who files it, and what missing a quarter costs
Form 26Q is the quarterly TDS return for non-salary payments to residents — contractor payments, professional fees, rent, interest, commission. Due dates by quarter, the ₹200/day late fee under section 234E, and how it differs from 24Q and 27Q.