Shop & Establishment Registration
The state registration for shops, offices and commercial premises.
Key facts
- Shop and Establishment registration is required under each state's Shops and Establishments Act for shops, offices, restaurants, hotels, warehouses, clinics and most commercial premises, including many home offices.
- Apply online on the state labour department portal, usually within 30 days of starting business (the time limit differs by state).
- The Acts regulate working hours, weekly holidays, overtime, leave, opening and closing times, and employment of women and young persons.
- Maharashtra (Act of 2017): establishments with fewer than 10 workers file a simple online intimation (Form F); those with 10 or more register online; certificates don't need renewal.
- Some states give lifetime registration and others need renewal every 1 to 5 years; check your state's portal.
- It is often called a Gumasta licence (Maharashtra, Gujarat) or trade licence in common use, though a municipal trade licence is a separate permission in many cities.
- Banks usually ask for the Shop Act certificate to open a current account in the name of a proprietorship.
Common questions
Who needs Shop and Establishment registration?
Almost every shop, office, commercial establishment, restaurant or hotel in a state, whether it employs staff or not. Exact coverage and thresholds depend on the state's Act.
Shop Act registration process: how do I get Shop and Establishment registration?
Apply on your state's labour department portal: fill in the establishment details, owner's ID and address proof, premises proof (rent agreement or electricity bill), number of employees and nature of business, pay the fee if any, and download the certificate. In many states it is issued online within a few days.
Is a Shop Act certificate needed for a proprietorship current account?
Usually yes. A Shop Act certificate is one of the most accepted proofs of a proprietorship for opening a current account, along with GST or Udyam registration.
Does the Shop Act certificate need renewal?
It depends on the state. Maharashtra and several other states now issue registrations without renewal; others require renewal every 1 to 5 years.
What is a Gumasta licence?
Gumasta licence is the common name in Maharashtra (and Gujarat) for Shop and Establishment registration under the state's Shops and Establishments Act. In Maharashtra it is now an online registration or, for fewer than 10 workers, a Form F intimation.
What is Form F in Maharashtra?
Under the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments Act 2017, an establishment with fewer than 10 workers files an online intimation in Form F instead of full registration.