SPICe+ (Simplified Proforma for Incorporating Company Electronically Plus)

By Manu Rao | Updated March 2026

What Is SPICe+?

SPICe+ (pronounced "spice plus") is the MCA's single-window incorporation form that replaced the older SPICe form in February 2020. Its full name: Simplified Proforma for Incorporating Company Electronically Plus. The form combines 10 different services into one application — company name reservation, incorporation, PAN, TAN, GST, Professional Tax, EPFO, ESIC, bank account opening, and DPIIT recognition for startups.

Before SPICe+, incorporating a company required filing multiple forms with different government departments. A typical incorporation needed 5-7 separate applications spanning 15-25 days. SPICe+ reduced this to a single filing with a turnaround of 3-7 working days.

Legal Framework

• Companies Act 2013, Section 7 — Incorporation of a company
• Companies (Incorporation) Rules 2014, Rule 38 — SPICe+ form and procedure
• MCA Notification dated February 23, 2020 — Mandatory use of SPICe+ for all new incorporations

SPICe+ Structure

SPICe+ has two parts:

Part A — Name Reservation

Part A is the name approval section. You can propose up to 2 names (with 1 re-submission opportunity if both are rejected). Part A can be filed separately or along with Part B.

Name reservation through Part A is valid for 20 days. If Part B is not filed within 20 days, the name lapses and must be reserved again. Alternatively, you can reserve a name through RUN (Reserve Unique Name) which gives a 60-day validity.

Part B — Incorporation

Part B is the actual incorporation application. It includes:

• Company details — type, category, sub-category, and registered office state
• Director/subscriber details — up to 3 directors can apply for DIN through Part B
• MOA (Form INC-33) and AOA (Form INC-34)
• AGILE-PRO-S — Application for GST, Professional Tax, EPFO, ESIC, and bank account
• INC-9 — Declaration by first subscribers and directors

What You Get After SPICe+ Approval

Upon approval, MCA issues the following in a single step:

The bank account opening request is sent to the selected bank, which contacts the company separately to complete KYC.

SPICe+ for Foreign Investors

Foreign nationals and NRIs use the same SPICe+ form, with additional documentation:

Additional Requirements for Foreign Directors

• Passport — Notarized and apostilled (or consulate-authenticated for non-Hague countries)
• Foreign address proof — Utility bill, bank statement, or driving license — not older than 2 months, notarized
• DSC — Obtained from an Indian Certifying Authority
• Declaration — That the person has not been convicted of any offense or declared as a defaulter by RBI

Additional Requirements for Foreign Subscribers

• If the subscriber is a foreign company (body corporate), submit apostilled certificate of incorporation and board resolution authorizing the investment
• Power of attorney in favor of an Indian representative, if the foreign subscriber cannot sign personally

Common Issues for Foreign Applicants

• DSC compatibility — The DSC must work with the MCA V3 portal's signing module. Some DSCs issued on Mac-compatible tokens face issues.
• Name format — The name on the DSC, passport, and SPICe+ form must match exactly. Even spacing differences cause rejection.
• Apostille delays — Getting documents apostilled can take 1-3 weeks depending on the country. Plan this step before starting SPICe+.

Filing Fees

SPICe+ fees depend on the company's authorized capital:

Stamp duty is charged separately and varies by state. Delhi stamp duty for MOA and AOA is approximately Rs. 1,300 for Rs. 1 lakh authorized capital. Maharashtra charges higher rates.

Step-by-Step Process

1. Obtain DSCs for all directors and subscribers — 1-7 days depending on location
2. File Part A (or RUN) to reserve the company name — 2-3 days for approval
3. Prepare documents — Draft MOA and AOA, gather apostilled foreign documents, registered office proof
4. File Part B — Complete all sections, attach MOA (INC-33), AOA (INC-34), and supporting documents
5. Pay fees — MCA fee + stamp duty, paid online through the portal
6. Track status — MCA processes the application. Queries (if any) are raised within 3-5 days.
7. Receive COI — Digital certificate issued upon approval

Common Mistakes

• Not filing Part B within 20 days of Part A — The reserved name expires. You must reserve again, potentially losing the name to another applicant.
• Incorrect company type selection — Choosing "Public Limited" when you mean "Private Limited" requires the entire filing to be redone. This cannot be corrected in the same application.
• Missing declarations — INC-9 declarations must be signed by all subscribers and directors. Unsigned declarations trigger rejection.
• Incorrect registered office state — The state in the MOA's registered office clause must match the state selected in SPICe+. A mismatch is a ground for rejection.
• Not attaching AGILE-PRO-S correctly — The GST and EPFO sections must be filled even if not immediately required. Incomplete AGILE-PRO-S holds up the entire application.

Practical Example

A Canadian SaaS company wants to incorporate a wholly owned subsidiary in Bangalore. The proposed name: "MapleTech India Private Limited."

The Canadian parent company's CFO and an Indian hire are proposed as directors. The CFO obtains a DSC from eMudhra (7 days including video KYC and international shipping). The Indian director gets his DSC in 2 days.

SPICe+ Part A is filed with "MapleTech India Private Limited" as the first choice. MCA approves the name in 2 days. Within 20 days, Part B is filed with:

• The Canadian parent company as subscriber (99.99% shares) — apostilled Canadian certificate of incorporation and board resolution attached
• The CFO as second subscriber (0.01%) — apostilled Canadian passport attached
• MOA listing objects as "software development and technology consulting services"
• AOA with standard provisions plus FEMA compliance clause
• AGILE-PRO-S with GST application for Karnataka
• Registered office proof — rental agreement for a co-working space in Bangalore

MCA approves the application in 5 working days. The company receives its CIN, PAN, TAN, DIN for the CFO, and GSTIN — all from a single filing.

For end-to-end SPICe+ filing assistance, visit Beacon Filing.