A good business registration consultant tells you what the law requires, separates government fees from professional charges in writing, names the person who will actually handle your file, and explains what happens if the authority raises a query. A weak one gives you a single bundled price, a vague timeline and a guarantee about something no consultant controls. This guide gives you the questions to ask and the way to read a quote, so you can compare providers on facts.
It is written as a buyer's guide. It does not name or rank any provider, and it applies equally to us: you should put the same questions to Lawgical Guru that you put to anyone else.
Do you need a consultant at all?
Not always. Some registrations are straightforward and free on the official portal. Udyam registration and GST registration carry no government fee, and many applicants complete them alone when their documents are in order. A consultant adds value when:
- The choice of structure or licence is not obvious.
- The filing has several moving parts, such as company incorporation, a trademark with possible objections, or an FSSAI licence with a Kind of Business decision.
- Documents are inconsistent across names, addresses and constitution.
- You will need follow-up work such as annual filings, replies to notices or amendments.
- You lack the time to track queries on portals.
If your case is simple, a consultant should be willing to tell you so. That is a useful test in itself.
Government fee versus professional fee
This is the single most important distinction, and the place where most misunderstandings begin.
- Government fee: the amount fixed by the authority and paid to it, usually through the official portal. Examples from our service pages include the ₹1,000 name reservation for a company via SPICe+, the per-class trademark filing fee on the IP India portal, and the annual fee on FoSCoS for FSSAI. Some registrations, such as Udyam and GST, have no government fee at all.
- Professional fee: what the consultant charges for advice, preparation, filing and follow-up. It varies with scope, complexity and the provider.
- Other third-party costs: digital signature certificates, stamp duty, notarisation, stamp paper, lab tests, layout drawings and similar items paid to other parties.
A fair quote shows these three as separate lines. If a quote lists only one total, ask for the breakdown before you pay.
How to read a quote
The table below shows what a clear quote contains and what to question.
| Quote element | What a clear quote shows | What to question |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | The exact registrations or filings, by name and form | "Complete registration package" with no list |
| Government fee | Amount, the authority and the portal; stated as paid at actual | A round figure with no source, or a "government fee" for a free service |
| Professional fee | A stated amount for defined work | Price that changes after you pay a first instalment |
| Third-party costs | DSC, stamp duty and similar listed separately | Hidden or "to be advised" items |
| What is excluded | Replies to queries, hearings, amendments, renewals | No mention of what happens after a query |
| Timeline | Stages you control and stages the authority controls | A fixed date for an approval an authority decides |
| Payment terms | Clear milestones and receipts | Full payment demanded before documents are even reviewed |
| Deliverables | Certificates, acknowledgements and copies you will receive | Documents held back until a further payment |
Questions to ask before you hire
You can use this as a checklist in your first call.
About the work
- Which registrations or filings does this quote cover, and which does it not?
- Which authority and portal will you file with, and can you show me the official page for the fee?
- What documents do you need from me, and which of them commonly cause queries?
- What happens if the authority raises a query or rejects the application? Is the reply included?
- What are the post-registration filings, and are they in scope?
About the people
- Who will handle my file day to day, and who reviews it?
- Is a company secretary, chartered accountant or advocate involved, and in what role? A professional's qualification should be verifiable; you can ask for a membership number and check it with the relevant institute or bar council.
- How will you communicate with me, and how quickly do you respond?
About money and records
- Is the government fee paid directly to the authority, and will you share the payment receipt?
- Will you give me a written, itemised invoice and keep my documents confidential?
- Do I keep access to the login credentials on any portal created in my name, such as GST or MCA?
About timelines and promises
- What is the realistic timeline, and which parts depend on the authority?
- What do you commit to, and what is outside your control?
Red flags to take seriously
- Guaranteed approval or a fixed date for an authority's decision. Approval is the authority's decision, and for many registrations no law fixes the time. A provider can promise to file carefully and respond promptly, but not the outcome.
- A "government fee" for a free portal service. Udyam, GST registration and DPIIT startup recognition carry no government fee. If a quote lists one, ask who receives it.
- A price far below everyone else's, followed by add-ons. Check what is excluded.
- Pressure to pay quickly or to share OTPs. Share OTPs and Aadhaar details only on official portals and with people you trust to act for you.
- No clear scope. If the quote cannot name the forms, it cannot be held to account.
- Credentials that cannot be checked. A claim of a professional qualification should be verifiable with the institute or bar council.
- Controlling your accounts. Portals created in your name should be accessible to you; a consultant who keeps the only login creates a dependency.
- Silence about post-registration duties. A registration is the start of compliance. A provider who never mentions annual filings is not telling you the whole story.
Verify what you are told
You can check most claims yourself in a few minutes.
- Fees: look at the official schedule. For companies, the MCA's SPICe+ FAQs; for trademarks, IP India's Forms and Fees page; for FSSAI, FoSCoS. Fees can change, so use the current page.
- Eligibility and thresholds: many articles quote old limits. FSSAI's turnover thresholds changed from 1 April 2026 and Udyam's investment limits from 1 April 2025, so check the date of anything you read. See FSSAI licence registration and MSME Udyam registration for the current position.
- Certificates: after filing, you can verify a company or LLP on the MCA portal, a GSTIN on the GST portal and a trademark application on the IP India public search.
- Qualifications: check membership on the website of the relevant institute or bar council.
Matching the consultant to the job
Different jobs need different strengths.
| Job | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Company or LLP incorporation | Understanding of objects, capital, shareholding and the post-incorporation calendar; not just form filling |
| Trademark registration | Ability to search by sound and meaning, choose classes, and handle examination replies and hearings |
| GST registration | Care with name and address matching, HSN or SAC mapping and returns support |
| State and local licences | Knowledge of the State authority and sequence with other licences |
| Annual compliance | A tracked calendar and a named contact, not one-time filing |
If the job crosses several of these, ask whether the provider will coordinate them or hand you over to others.
What you can expect from us, and what we will not promise
To keep this guide honest about our own position: Lawgical Guru serves clients across India through an online process, with a particular focus on Delhi NCR, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Our office is at F-2, 1st Floor, Noida Sector-3, Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201301, and our content is reviewed by Satyam Gupta, CS and Advocate. We quote professional charges separately after reviewing your case, and government fees are paid directly to the authority. We do not promise approvals or fixed government timelines, because those are outside any consultant's control.
You can put the questions above to us on +91 92205 65553 or info@lawgicalguru.in, and then to anyone else you are considering.
A short decision checklist
- You know exactly which registrations you need and why.
- The quote lists scope, government fee, professional fee and third-party costs separately.
- You can verify each government fee on an official page.
- You know who will work on your file and what their role and qualification are.
- The timeline separates what the provider controls from what the authority controls.
- Query replies, hearings and amendments are either included or priced.
- You will hold the portal logins and copies of every certificate.
- There is no guarantee of an outcome that an authority decides.
This guide is general information and not advice on any specific engagement.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a government fee and a professional fee?
A government fee is fixed by the authority and paid to it, usually on the official portal. A professional fee is what the consultant charges for advice, preparation, filing and follow-up. Third-party costs such as DSC, stamp duty or lab tests are separate again. A clear quote lists each separately.
Can a consultant guarantee that my registration will be approved?
No. Approval is the authority's decision, and for many registrations no law fixes the time. A consultant can commit to careful preparation, timely filing and prompt query replies, but not to the outcome. Treat a guaranteed approval or a fixed approval date as a red flag.
Are Udyam and GST registration really free?
Yes. The official Udyam and GST portals charge no government fee for registration, and DPIIT startup recognition certificate also carries no fee. A consultant may charge a professional fee for preparing the application, but a quoted government fee for these services needs an explanation of who receives it.
How can I verify a consultant's qualification?
Ask for the professional's membership number and check it on the website of the relevant body, such as the Institute of Company Secretaries of India, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India or the State bar council. A genuine professional should be comfortable with this request.
Should I keep control of my portal logins?
Yes. Portals created in your name, such as GST or MCA, should be accessible to you, and you should receive copies of every certificate and acknowledgement. A consultant who holds the only login creates a dependency and a risk if the relationship ends.
Is the cheapest quote the right choice?
Not automatically. Compare scope, exclusions and follow-up. A low price that excludes query replies, hearings or post-registration filings can end up costing more. Ask each provider to quote the same defined scope, then compare the itemised lines and the clarity of the answers.
Official sources
Reviewed by Satyam Gupta, Company Secretary (CS) & Advocate
8+ years of industry experience. Last reviewed 16 October 2026. Always confirm current rules and fees on the official portal before acting.