Two or more people sharing profits under a written deed. Registration with the Registrar of Firms is technically optional, but an unregistered firm loses the right to enforce its own contracts in court.
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TIMELINE
7 to 12 working days
MINIMUM MEMBERS
2 partners
GOVERNED BY
Indian Partnership Act, 1932
BEST FOR
Small family and trade businesses
What is included
Drafting of the partnership deed
Stamp duty assessment for your state
Notarisation of the deed
Application to the Registrar of Firms
Firm PAN and TAN
Current account opening documentation
Guidance on profit sharing and capital clauses
Documents you will need
From every partner
PAN card
Aadhaar card
Passport size photograph
Address proof not older than two months
For the place of business
Latest utility bill for the premises
Rent agreement, if rented
No Objection Certificate from the owner
How the filing runs
Draft the deed
Profit share, capital contribution, partner duties, admission and retirement terms and dispute resolution are drafted around how the business will actually run.
Stamp and notarise
Stamp duty is state specific and depends on capital contribution. The deed is executed on stamp paper and notarised.
Register with the Registrar
Form 1 is filed with the Registrar of Firms for the state, along with the deed and partner details.
PAN, TAN and banking
The firm PAN and TAN are obtained and the current account documentation is prepared.
Skipping registration costs you your remedy
An unregistered partnership firm cannot file suit to enforce a contract against a third party, and a partner cannot sue the firm or other partners to enforce rights under the deed. You can still be sued. The saving from not registering disappears the first time a customer refuses to pay. Register at the start rather than scrambling when a dispute arises.
Not strictly, but the consequences of not registering are severe enough that it should be treated as compulsory. An unregistered firm cannot enforce its contracts in court.
A partnership offers no limited liability, so partners are personally liable for firm debts. An LLP limits liability to contribution but carries mandatory annual filings. Partnerships are simpler and cheaper to run.
The firm is taxed as a separate entity at a flat rate, and partner remuneration and interest on capital are deductible within limits set by the Income Tax Act.