How to Register an Accounting and Tax Practice in India?
On this page
In short
FY 2026–27, April–October 2026: 31,963 registrations within this guide’s stated activity scope — 18,074 Private Companies, 12,075 LLPs and 1,814 OPCs. Broader-sector counts do not identify every narrow business type.
A bookkeeping or tax-support business and a Chartered Accountant practice need different eligibility checks. For a CA firm, review ICAI's permitted firm arrangements before choosing ownership; do not treat an ordinary company as permission to perform reserved professional work.
Ownership questions for your accounting and tax practice
Distinguish preparing records from signing audit reports or certifications. Agree client-file access, supervision and who accepts professional responsibility.
Choose a permitted structure first
Confirm which ownership arrangements the relevant professional or sector rules permit. Then compare control, liability, funding and annual costs among those options. Do not assume that a generic PVT. LTD., LLP, OPC, Proprietorship or Partnership comparison establishes professional eligibility.
Registrations and operating requirements
ICAI provides firm-name and LLP constitution processes. Confirm professional membership, practice permissions and the proposed services before incorporation or marketing.
Check requirements for the actual activity and location before committing to premises, equipment or customer contracts. Incorporation and operating permission are separate.
Historical registration context: 1 April 2016 to 31 October 2026
No separate verified annual series for this specific business has been established from the MCA records analysed for this research. The table below reproduces the existing broader-sector series without changing its figures. Related activities may be classified elsewhere; these counts do not show active businesses, success rates or why founders chose a structure.
What the table covers: Legacy divisions 71, 73–74; newer divisions 69–75 and 77–82. Includes equipment rental, research, professional and business support activities. Core software services are excluded. Advertising and digital marketing records may appear here rather than in IT.
| Financial year | Private Limited |
LLP | OPC | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2016–17 | 38,986 (74.74%) |
10,586 (20.30%) |
2,587 (4.96%) |
52,159 |
| FY 2017–18 | 45,494 (73.59%) |
12,720 (20.58%) |
3,604 (5.83%) |
61,818 |
| FY 2018–19 | 40,656 (80.21%) |
7,289 (14.38%) |
2,740 (5.41%) |
50,685 |
| FY 2019–20 | 20,250 (68.12%) |
7,784 (26.19%) |
1,691 (5.69%) |
29,725 |
| FY 2020–21 | 22,401 (69.78%) |
7,609 (23.70%) |
2,092 (6.52%) |
32,102 |
| FY 2021–22 9 source months |
14,572 (63.91%) |
6,563 (28.79%) |
1,665 (7.30%) |
22,800 |
| FY 2022–23 | 17,114 (68.43%) |
6,150 (24.59%) |
1,745 (6.98%) |
25,009 |
| FY 2023–24 | 21,766 (63.44%) |
10,216 (29.78%) |
2,325 (6.78%) |
34,307 |
| FY 2024–25 | 21,776 (60.77%) |
11,694 (32.63%) |
2,366 (6.60%) |
35,836 |
| FY 2025–26 | 29,185 (60.06%) |
16,417 (33.78%) |
2,994 (6.16%) |
48,596 |
| FY 2026–27 Apr–Oct 2026 |
18,074 (56.55%) |
12,075 (37.78%) |
1,814 (5.68%) |
31,963 |
Coverage notes: Calculations use MCA monthly incorporation reporting periods from 1 April 2016 to 31 October 2026. FY 2021–22 is missing November 2021, January 2022 and March 2022. FY 2026–27 covers April–October 2026 only. Records without usable activity codes are excluded from sector allocation, including LLP records in October 2018 without activity codes and one LLP in October 2026 with no activity code. Code definitions changed over time; the stated legacy/newer scope is retained. No missing records are estimated. The sector table includes Private Limited, LLP and OPC only; Public/Other Companies, Foreign Companies, Proprietorships and ordinary Partnerships are excluded. Private Limited excludes OPC. These sector tables are not the Company-only state tables, which exclude LLPs.
Source: Derived from the research dataset compiled from 127 distinct MCA monthly incorporation workbooks analysed for this research; deduplicated on CIN/LLPIN. Activity scope follows the legacy/newer code indicator retained in that extraction. Classification reference: MoSPI NIC 2008.
Read the national business-activity research and classification scope for the original sector scope and interpretation.
Documents, registration and annual costs
Prepare owner identity and address records, the proposed name and activities, office-use evidence, and an ownership agreement. Use the Documents Required for Company Registration in India: PVT. LTD. and OPC or LLP Registration in India: Process, Documents, Costs and Agreement for the entity you choose; Proprietorship and Partnership follow different routes.
Get a written annual estimate for accounts, tax returns, applicable audit and entity filings, plus the sector obligations identified above. Include work needed even when revenue is zero. Compare it with the compliance calendar and GST registration guidance before paying a registration fee.
A common founder question
Does an accounting company automatically have the right to sign statutory audits?
No. Professional eligibility and permitted firm arrangements require separate verification.
Next steps
Compare PVT. LTD., LLP and OPC, then use the current-account documents guide. Browse the business guide directory for related activities.
Official reference points: ICAI firm constitution and LLP FAQs. Requirements checked 9 October 2026; applicability depends on the business and location.
This page explains the law in simple words, for learning. It is not legal advice. Rules, fees and due dates change, so check the official source before you file. Spotted an error? Tell us on WhatsApp, and the page will be corrected.
