Trade Licence
Municipal permission to carry on your particular trade at your particular address.
A trade licence is permission from the local municipal body to carry on a specified trade at a specified address. It is about the suitability of the location and the activity — whether the trade can safely and lawfully be conducted where you propose to conduct it — rather than about your business structure.
Because it is issued by the municipal corporation or council, the procedure, the fee and even the categories of trade differ from one city to another. What Pune requires is not identical to what Mumbai or Nagpur requires.
Choose a package
Telangana
₹5,604 plus GST
- Application prepared for you
- Application filed with the department
- Trade License Number
- 1 Year Trade License
Tamil Nadu
₹5,604 plus GST
- Application prepared for you
- Application filed with the department
- Trade License Number
- 1 Year Trade License
Karnataka
₹9,404 plus GST
- Application prepared for you
- Application filed with the department
- Trade License Number
- 1 Year Trade License
Who typically needs one
- Restaurants, hotels, bakeries and food processing units
- Manufacturing and workshop premises
- Shops dealing in hazardous or inflammable goods
- Clinics, diagnostic centres and pathology laboratories
- Salons, spas and gymnasiums
- Establishments using heavy machinery or generating trade effluent
How it differs from other registrations
Businesses frequently confuse the trade licence with other permissions, and end up holding one when they needed several.
- Shop and Establishment registration governs employment conditions, not the trade itself
- GST registration is a tax registration and says nothing about permission to operate
- An FSSAI licence covers food safety specifically, and is required in addition for food businesses
- A factory licence applies where the Factories Act is attracted, which is a separate threshold
- Fire clearance may be a precondition for the trade licence in some categories
Renewal, and the cost of letting it slip
A trade licence is usually issued for a financial year and must be renewed before expiry, commonly by the end of March. Renewal is not automatic.
Operating on a lapsed licence exposes you to a penalty and, in serious cases, to sealing of the premises by the corporation. Renewal is far cheaper and quicker than a fresh application after a lapse.
How we handle it
- 1 Identifying the category We establish which trade category your activity falls under, since the fee and the documents follow from it.
- 2 Assembling documents Premises proof, layout and any prerequisite clearances are collected and checked.
- 3 Filing the application The application is filed with the municipal corporation or council with the prescribed fee.
- 4 Inspection Where the corporation inspects the premises, we prepare you for what the inspector will look for.
- 5 Licence issued The trade licence is issued for display at the premises.
- 6 Renewal reminder We record the expiry so renewal is filed before the licence lapses.
Frequently asked questions
Is a trade licence the same as Shop and Establishment registration?
No. Shop and Establishment registration deals with employment conditions at the premises. A trade licence permits a specific trade at a specific location. Many businesses need both.
How long is it valid?
Usually for a financial year, requiring renewal before expiry, commonly by the end of March. Some corporations issue longer terms.
What if I change premises?
The licence is tied to the address. Moving generally means a fresh application for the new premises rather than an amendment.
What happens if I operate without one?
Penalties apply and the corporation can seal the premises. It also tends to surface at the worst moment, when you are applying for something else and the absence is noticed.
Do online businesses need a trade licence?
It depends on the activity and the municipality. A purely online service business often does not, but one storing or handling goods at a physical premises usually does.
What is not included. Government fees, statutory charges, stamp duty, court and registry fees, digital signature costs and any third-party professional charges are separate and payable at actuals. GST applies on professional fees where indicated. Prices shown are indicative and may change without notice; we confirm the total in writing before any work begins — see our terms on pricing.
Talk to us about Trade Licence
Share your requirement and our team will confirm the documents needed, the exact charges and a realistic timeline — usually the same working day.
- Expert document checking before submission
- Regular status updates on WhatsApp
- Transparent professional charges
- Assistance in Marathi & English
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