Form INC-20A Filing - the e-form, field by field, filed correctly the first time
Form INC-20A is the e-form filed on the MCA V3 portal to declare commencement of business, within 180 days of incorporation. Beyond knowing the legal requirement, actually filing it means navigating the V3 portal's auto-pulled company data, correctly formatting and uploading the bank statement and declarations, matching the bank statement name exactly to the company's registered name, affixing the right director's DSC, and tracking the SRN through to approval - or responding to a resubmission notice if one comes back. This page focuses on the filing mechanics and the mistakes that get INC-20A rejected on the portal. If you want the broader legal picture - why the form exists, penalties, and strike-off risk - see our Commencement of Business overview page.
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The key facts, in one place
Everything a founder usually has to piece together from five different pages, in one place.
- Filing portal
- MCA V3 (mca.gov.in)e-Form INC-20A under 'Company Forms Download'
- Deadline
- 180 days from date of incorporationAs per your Certificate of Incorporation
- Mandatory attachment
- Bank statement matching company name exactlyThe single most common cause of resubmission
- Signing
- DSC of a director or managerMust be an authorised signatory registered with MCA
- Status tracking
- By SRN (Service Request Number)Generated on submission, tracked on the MCA portal
- Resubmission window
- As specified in the ROC's queryTypically a short fixed window - respond promptly
- Late filing
- ₹100/day penalty under Section 47Plus strike-off risk under Section 248
- Our fee from
- ₹1,999End-to-end e-form preparation and filing
What actually happens when you file Form INC-20A
This page is about the mechanics of filing Form INC-20A - the e-form itself, on the MCA V3 portal - rather than the underlying legal requirement, which our Commencement of Business page covers in depth. If you're unsure whether you need to file INC-20A at all, what the penalties are, or how it fits into your broader post-incorporation compliance, start there. If you already know you need to file and want to understand exactly how the form works, this page is for you.
Form INC-20A on the MCA V3 portal auto-pulls your company's CIN, name, registered office, and authorised/paid-up capital from the MCA master database once you enter your CIN - so most of the form is pre-filled. What you actively fill in are the declarations: that the subscribers to the memorandum have paid the value of shares agreed to be taken by them, that the minimum subscription (if any is specified in the prospectus) has been received, and - if the company's business is regulated by a sectoral authority (like RBI, SEBI, or IRDAI) - that the necessary registration or approval has been obtained.
The form is then attached with supporting documents, signed digitally by an authorised director or manager, and submitted for an SRN. From there it's a waiting game - the ROC either approves it, or flags it for resubmission if something doesn't match (most commonly, the bank statement name).
For a deeper walkthrough, read the full legal guide to commencement of business and Section 46A.
Who files Form INC-20A on the V3 portal
The eligibility rules are the same as for commencement of business generally - the difference on this page is what happens once you're actually in the portal.
- Directors or authorised signatories of a newly incorporated Private Limited, Public Limited, OPC, Section 8, or Producer company who need to actually submit the e-form
- Companies that have their bank account operational and share application money deposited, and are now ready to file
- Companies past the 180-day deadline that need to file late, understanding the additional penalty and disclosure implications
- Companies that received a resubmission or query notice on a previously filed INC-20A and need to respond within the window given
- Companies incorporated via SPICe+ that assumed the form was covered at incorporation - it is not; INC-20A is always filed separately, after
Attachments required in the INC-20A e-form
Common to every entity
- Bank statement showing share application money deposited, with company name exactly matching MCA recordsMandatory
- Proof of registered office (if not already filed via a separate form) - utility bill, NOC
- Certificate/registration from a sectoral regulator (RBI/SEBI/IRDAI etc.), if the company's business requires one
- Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) of the signing director, registered with the MCA V2/V3 systemMandatory
Entity-specific
| Entity | Additional documents |
|---|---|
| PDF format requirements | Attachments must be in PDF format, typically under the portal's per-file size limit - scanned documents should be clear and legible, not photographs of paper |
| Bank statement specifics | Should show the deposit entry for share application money clearly, with the account held in the exact registered name of the company as per the Certificate of Incorporation |
| DSC specifics | Must belong to a director or manager who is an authorised signatory on record with the MCA - a DSC registered to someone no longer associated with the company will fail signing |
How to file Form INC-20A on the MCA V3 portal
Six steps from opening the form to getting an approved status - the deadline is fixed (180 days from incorporation), so the goal is a clean filing on the first attempt.
Log in and pull the e-form
Log in to the MCA V3 portal with the company's registered user credentials, navigate to the company forms section, and select Form INC-20A. Entering the CIN auto-populates the company name, registered office, and capital structure from MCA's records.
Complete the declarations
Fill in the specific declarations: confirmation that subscribers have paid for their shares, that minimum subscription (if specified) has been received, and - if applicable - that sectoral regulatory registration has been obtained. We draft the exact wording that matches your company's actual position.
Upload attachments in the correct format
Attach the bank statement (PDF, clear scan, company name matching exactly) and any sectoral approval or registered-office proof needed. We check every attachment against the portal's format and size requirements before upload.
Affix DSC and pre-scrutinise
The form is digitally signed by an authorised director or manager. Before final submission, we run the portal's pre-scrutiny check, which catches basic formatting errors before you commit to filing.
Submit and pay the fee
On submission, the applicable fee is paid online (nil for on-time filing; the base fee plus the per-day additional fee for late filing) and an SRN (Service Request Number) is generated - this is your tracking reference.
Track the SRN and handle any resubmission
We monitor the SRN status on the MCA portal. If the ROC raises a query - most commonly about the bank statement name or an unclear attachment - we prepare and file the resubmission within the window given, which is typically short and non-negotiable.
Pre-scrutiny on the MCA portal checks formatting, not substance - it will not catch a bank statement name mismatch or an inaccurate declaration. Those are caught by ROC review after submission, and trigger a resubmission notice with its own deadline. We verify the bank statement name and the substance of every declaration against your actual company records before we ever submit, specifically to avoid that back-and-forth.
What Form INC-20A filing costs
There is no government fee for filing INC-20A on time. Late filing adds a base fee plus an additional fee per day of delay under MCA rules. Our professional fee covers the e-form preparation, attachment verification, filing, and SRN tracking.
Basic
On-time e-form filing
- Declaration drafting
- Attachment format verification
- DSC signing coordination
- SRN tracking to approval
Standard
Filing + resubmission handling
- Everything in Basic
- Pre-scrutiny review before submission
- One round of resubmission handling included
- Priority SRN follow-up
Late Filing
For filings past 180 days
- Everything in Standard
- Late fee calculation and payment
- Additional ROC disclosure support
- Dedicated CA
Full fee breakdown
| Particulars | Government fee | Professional fee |
|---|---|---|
| Form INC-20A (on time) | Nil | ₹1,999 |
| Form INC-20A (late filing) | ₹100/day penalty under Section 47 | ₹3,999 |
| Resubmission handling (beyond first round) | N/A | Quoted if needed |
Not included in any tier:
- ✕ DSC issuance cost, if a director doesn't already have a valid one
- ✕ Resolving a minimum subscription shortfall before filing
- ✕ Sectoral regulator registration (RBI/SEBI/IRDAI etc.), where applicable, as a separate process
Which INC-20A filing plan do you need?
Answer a couple of quick questions and get a plan recommendation.
Where are you relative to the 180-day deadline?
Have you filed INC-20A before and received a query?
Why a clean first-attempt filing matters
Speed to approval
- A correctly formatted filing with a matching bank statement typically clears without any query
- Every resubmission round adds days to your timeline against a hard 180-day deadline
Avoid penalties
- Avoid the ₹100/day late filing penalty under Section 47 that starts accruing the moment 180 days passes
- Avoid the compliance flag and strike-off risk that follows a company that never gets INC-20A approved
Why INC-20A filings get flagged for resubmission
Bank statement name doesn't exactly match the company's registered name
Even a minor difference - an abbreviation, missing 'Private Limited', a typo carried over from account opening - triggers a mismatch flag. We compare the bank statement against the Certificate of Incorporation character-for-character before uploading.
Attachment is a low-quality scan or photo instead of a clean PDF
The portal accepts the file, but an illegible attachment gets queried by the reviewing officer. We ask for statements exported directly as PDFs from net banking rather than scanned printouts.
DSC belongs to someone no longer an authorised signatory
If a director has resigned or a DSC has expired since incorporation, signing fails or the filing gets challenged. We verify the signing DSC is current and belongs to someone on record with MCA before filing.
Declaring minimum subscription received when it hasn't been, or vice versa
We check your MoA for whether a minimum subscription is even specified before drafting this declaration - many companies incorrectly assume it always applies.
Missing sectoral regulatory registration for regulated businesses
If your company's objects require RBI, SEBI, IRDAI, or another regulator's registration before commencing business, INC-20A cannot be truthfully filed without it. We flag this during eligibility review, not after a rejection.
Missing the resubmission deadline after a query
A resubmission notice has its own short deadline - missing it can result in the filing being treated as not done at all, effectively restarting the clock against your original 180-day deadline. We track query notices and respond immediately.
Every rejection above has a fix - most come down to how the innovation note is written, not the business itself. Most applicants don't know that until after the rejection.
If you have already been rejected, or want to make sure it does not happen, the 15-minute call below is the fastest path - or read the broader consequences of missing the INC-20A deadline entirely.
Why file Form INC-20A through Bizeneed
Frequently asked questions
Form INC-20A is filed on the MCA V3 portal (www.mca.gov.in). Entering your company's CIN auto-populates the company name, registered office, and capital structure, and you complete the required declarations and attachments before submitting.
SRN stands for Service Request Number, generated when you submit the e-form. You can track your filing's status against the SRN on the MCA portal under transaction status - it will show as 'Pending', 'Under Processing', 'Approved', or flagged for resubmission.
The most common reason is a mismatch between the company name on the bank statement and the company's registered name in MCA records. Other common reasons include unclear/low-quality attachments, an inaccurate minimum subscription declaration, or a DSC belonging to someone no longer an authorised signatory.
The ROC specifies a fixed window in the resubmission notice itself, which is typically short. Missing it can result in the filing being treated as not filed at all - so it's important to respond immediately once a query is raised.
No. The portal's pre-scrutiny check only validates formatting (file type, size, required fields) - it does not verify the substance of your attachments or declarations. A name mismatch is caught by the ROC reviewing officer after submission, not by the portal upfront.
That subscribers to the memorandum have paid the value of shares agreed to be taken by them, that minimum subscription (if specified in the MoA/prospectus) has been received, and - if your company's objects require it - that any necessary sectoral regulatory registration (RBI, SEBI, IRDAI etc.) has been obtained.
The Digital Signature Certificate of a director or manager who is an authorised signatory currently on record with the MCA. If the intended signatory's DSC has expired or they've since resigned as director, the signing will fail or the filing can be challenged.
A clean PDF, ideally exported directly from net banking rather than a scanned printout, clearly showing the deposit entry for share application money, with the account name matching the company's registered name exactly.
No, there is no government fee for filing Form INC-20A within the 180-day deadline. Late filing attracts a penalty of ₹100 per day under Section 47 of the Companies Act, on top of the standard filing fee.
If a filing is outright rejected rather than queried for resubmission, you typically need to file a fresh INC-20A, which means going through the SRN and fee process again. We help determine whether your situation is a resubmission (respond within window) or requires a fresh filing.
Our Commencement of Business page (company-registration-commencement-of-business) covers the legal requirement under Section 46A - why the form exists, eligibility, penalties, and strike-off risk. This page focuses specifically on the mechanics of filing the e-form itself on the MCA V3 portal - field-by-field guidance, attachment formatting, and resubmission handling. Both services are delivered together when you file with us.
If your company's objects fall under a regulator like RBI, SEBI, or IRDAI, you cannot truthfully declare commencement readiness in INC-20A until that registration or approval is obtained. We check this during eligibility review so it doesn't surface as a rejection later.
Yes. Once we file, we monitor the SRN on the MCA portal until it shows approved, and if a resubmission query comes in, we prepare and file the response within the given window as part of our Standard and Late Filing plans.
You'll need a Digital Signature Certificate for the signing director before the e-form can be submitted. We can arrange a new DSC as an add-on if the director doesn't already have a valid one registered with MCA.
No. Pre-scrutiny is a formatting check the MCA V3 portal runs before you finalise submission - it confirms the form is structurally complete but does not mean the ROC has reviewed or approved the substance. Approval comes later, after ROC review of the SRN.
Written by Sameer Joshi, ROC Filing Operations Lead · Reviewed by CA Divya Menon, ACA, handles MCA V3 portal filings for incorporation and post-incorporation compliance
Last updated 9 September 2026
Sources
- Ministry of Corporate Affairs - Form INC-20A
- MCA V3 Portal - Company e-Filing
- Companies Act, 2013 - Section 46A
- Companies (Incorporation) Rules, 2014
Portal steps, field names, and formatting requirements described here reflect the MCA V3 portal as of the last updated date and can change with MCA system updates. Confirm current portal behaviour with our team before filing if it has been a while since this page was last reviewed.
You might also need
Commencement of Business (INC-20A) - Full Guide
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Learn moreGST Registration
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Learn moreROC Compliance
Ongoing ROC compliance after INC-20A
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