Overview
A partnership firm is two or more people carrying on a business together and sharing its profits under a partnership deed. It is simple to set up and run, but the partners are personally liable for the firm's debts, without limit.
Registering a firm is not compulsory, but it matters: under section 69 of the Indian Partnership Act, an unregistered firm and its partners can't sue third parties or each other to enforce rights arising from a contract. Registration is done with the Registrar of Firms of the state where the firm has its place of business; the forms, fees and whether it is online differ from state to state.
Our team drafts the partnership deed with you (capital, profit sharing, duties, admission and retirement of partners), arranges its stamping and execution as your state requires, and files the registration with the Registrar of Firms.
Who needs it
- Two or more people starting a small business together
- Family businesses that want their arrangement in writing
- Existing unregistered firms that want to register so they can enforce contracts in court
Documents required
What we usually ask for. Our team confirms the exact list for your case before anything is filed.
- PAN and identity proof of every partner
- Address proof of every partner
- Proof of the firm's place of business (rent agreement or ownership document, utility bill)
- The partnership deed on stamp paper of the value your state requires
- Photographs of the partners
How it works
- 1
Agree the terms
We take down the partners, capital, profit sharing, roles and what happens when a partner joins, retires or dies.
- 2
Draft and execute the deed
We draft the partnership deed; it is printed on stamp paper (or e-stamped) as your state requires and signed by all partners with witnesses.
- 3
Firm PAN
The firm applies for its own PAN, which it needs for a bank account and tax filings.
- 4
Register with the Registrar of Firms
We file the registration application with the Registrar of Firms of your state with the deed and the fees. Some states take applications online.
- 5
Certificate
The Registrar records the firm and issues a registration certificate (the time this takes varies by state).
Typical timeline
Registration time depends on your state's Registrar of Firms. The law lets a firm register at any time, but registration before you need to enforce a contract is what protects you.
Get a free quote
Answer a few questions and our team will contact you. It takes about two minutes.
Official sources
The government portals and laws this page is based on:
Please note