DPIIT Startup India Recognition
DPIIT Startup Recognition is a government certification under the Startup India initiative that identifies your business as an officially recognised "startup.
- Unlocks income tax exemption under Section 80-IAC (subject to conditions)
- 50% discount on trademark government fees
- Self-certification compliance under labour and environment laws
Key Details
Eligibility age — entity must be less than 10 years old from date of incorporation
Turnover cap — annual turnover should not have exceeded ₹100 crore in any financial year
Innovation criterion — business must work toward innovation, improvement of products/services, or a scalable business model
Recognition certificate — issued by DPIIT via the Startup India portal
Tax benefit — eligible startups can apply separately for income tax exemption under Section 80-IAC
What is DPIIT Startup India Recognition?
DPIIT Startup Recognition is a government certification under the Startup India initiative that identifies your business as an officially recognised "startup." It's issued by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade and opens access to tax benefits, self-certification compliance, easier public procurement norms, and reduced trademark/patent fees.
"An entity shall be considered a Startup... up to a period of ten years from the date of incorporation/registration, if its turnover for any of the financial years since incorporation/registration has not exceeded one hundred crore rupees." — DPIIT Startup India Notification, G.S.R. 127(E)
Benefits of DPIIT Startup India Recognition
50% discount on trademark and patent government filing fees
Eligibility to apply for income tax exemption under Section 80-IAC
Self-certification compliance under 6 labour laws and 3 environmental laws
Faster winding-up process (within 90 days) under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code
Access to the government's Startup India Seed Fund and other funding schemes
Priority access to government tenders with relaxed prior-experience/turnover criteria
Required Documents for DPIIT Startup India Recognition
Certificate of Incorporation / Registration
PDF (Max 5MB)
PAN Card of the Entity
PDF, JPG, PNG (Max 5MB)
Details of Directors/Partners (name, address, contact)
PDF/Text
Brief Write-up on Business Innovation/Model
PDF, DOC (Max 5MB)
Additional Documents (if applicable)
Website/Pitch Deck/Product Demo Link (if available)
OptionalProof of Funding (if any external funding received)
OptionalWhat's included
Eligibility age — entity must be less than 10 years old from date of incorporation
Turnover cap — annual turnover should not have exceeded ₹100 crore in any financial year
Innovation criterion — business must work toward innovation, improvement of products/services, or a scalable business model
Recognition certificate — issued by DPIIT via the Startup India portal
Tax benefit — eligible startups can apply separately for income tax exemption under Section 80-IAC
How it works
Requirements
Answer a short questionnaire about your specific needs.
Your Details
Provide the names, addresses, and relevant party information.
Review
Preview the draft before proceeding.
Payment
Pay securely. From ₹499 — no hidden charges.