Shop and Establishment Registration
Shop and establishment registration is the state labour-law registration for shops, offices and other commercial premises. In Haryana, an establishment with 20 or more workers registers online within one month of starting business; a smaller one files a short online intimation in the same window. Every state sets its own rules, and we file in Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.
What it is
Shop and establishment registration puts your shop, office or other commercial establishment on the state Labour Department’s record, with the employer’s name and the number of people working there. Here is the catch: each state has its own Shops and Establishments Act. Cross from Faridabad into Delhi and the rules on who registers, and by when, change.
In Haryana the law is the Haryana Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958, amended with effect from 12 November 2025. Section 13 deals with registration. A new Section 13A adds a simple online intimation for smaller units, and both go through the Labour Department’s portal, hrylabour.gov.in. Delhi and Uttar Pradesh have their own Acts, compared in the table below.
Who it applies to
Register if you employ 20 or more in Haryana
The employer applies online within one month of commencing business. The form asks for the headcount, the nature of business and the address with its GPS location.
File an intimation if you employ fewer than 20
Take a Faridabad hardware shop where the owner works with three helpers. It needs no registration certificate, only an online intimation under Section 13A within one month, which brings a Basic Information Performa ID number. For units this size, Section 13A is the only part of the Act that applies.
Check the Delhi and UP rules separately
Delhi’s 1954 Act still covers every establishment, whatever its size. Uttar Pradesh, since November 2025, asks only establishments with 20 or more employees to register.
Haryana, Delhi and UP at a glance
| Point | Haryana | Delhi | Uttar Pradesh (incl. Noida) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law | Haryana Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958 | Delhi Shops and Establishments Act, 1954 | Uttar Pradesh Dookan Aur Vanijya Adhishthan Adhiniyam, 1962 |
| Who files | 20 or more workers: registration (Section 13). Fewer than 20: online intimation (Section 13A) | Every establishment, until the Amendment Act, 2026 (20 or more employees) is brought into force | 20 or more employees register. Fewer than 20 are exempt under Section 3 |
| Time limit | One month from starting business | 90 days from starting work (Form A) | Six months from starting business |
| Where to file | hrylabour.gov.in | labour.delhi.gov.in | UP Labour Department portal |
| Certificate | Issued online after the Inspector verifies; valid until amended, cancelled or revoked | Issued online; no renewal since the December 2025 rules amendment | Granted automatically once complete; sent by email |
| Penalty | ₹3,000–₹10,000 (first), ₹5,000–₹25,000 (second), plus ₹500 a day if it continues | Fine under the 1954 Act | Fine up to ₹2,000 (first), up to ₹10,000 (later offences) |
Rules differ by state, and each branch follows the law of the state it sits in.
Why it matters
Open a current account
RBI’s KYC rules let a bank take this certificate as one of the two proofs of business it collects from a sole proprietary firm.
Pass payment gateway checks
RBI’s KYC rules also apply to payment aggregators, who must check a merchant before onboarding. Alongside your GST registration and Udyam registration for MSMEs, it shows your trade name and address.
Stay ready for an inspection
Haryana’s amended Act carries penalties up to ₹25,000. With 20 or more workers, it also requires appointment letters with a photograph, and identity cards; our payroll compliance team can set these up.
Documents required
Gather the business papers
- PAN of the business or the proprietor
- Certificate of incorporation, partnership deed or LLP agreement, as applicable
- Nature of business and date of starting
Prove the premises
- Rent or lease deed, sale deed or any other proof of possession
- Front photograph of the shop or office showing its surroundings
- Exact location for the GPS tag (Haryana)
List the people
- Name, PAN and Aadhaar of the employer and the manager
- Number of workers employed
- Working email ID and mobile number for the portal login
How it works
Count your workers first
Headcount decides the route. In Haryana, 20 or more means registration and fewer means intimation; a Gurugram software office that grows past 20 people moves to full registration under Section 13. In Uttar Pradesh, fewer than 20 means no registration at all.
Collect the premises proof and photos
In practice, the address must match everywhere, so we check the rent deed against what you give the bank and the GST portal.
File on your state’s portal
We file on the right state portal (hrylabour.gov.in in Haryana) and pay the government fee online.
Download the certificate or ID
In Haryana, the Inspector verifies the application and issues the certificate online within the time notified under the Haryana Right to Service Act, 2014. An intimation gets a Basic Information Performa ID instead.
Report changes within seven days
In Haryana, report any change online within seven days and a closure within 30 days. The amended certificate is free.
Timelines
Haryana: file within one month
Registration (20 or more workers) or intimation (fewer than 20) within one month from the date business starts.
Delhi: file within 90 days
Section 5 of the 1954 Act gives 90 days from the day the establishment starts work.
Uttar Pradesh: apply within six months
An establishment with 20 or more employees applies on the departmental web portal within six months of commencing business. A Noida office that opens with 25 staff has those six months.
Haryana: report changes in 7 days
Report any change within seven days. Report a closure within 30 days, and the Inspector cancels the certificate.
What happens if you skip it
Pay up to ₹25,000 in Haryana
Section 13(7) sets ₹3,000 to ₹10,000 for the first violation and ₹5,000 to ₹25,000 for the second. If it continues, the competent authority can add ₹500 for every day.
Face the same range for other breaches
Section 26 applies the same penalties, ₹3,000 to ₹25,000 plus ₹500 a day, to other contraventions of the Haryana Act.
Pay fines of up to ₹10,000 in UP
Under Section 35 of the UP Act, the fine can go up to ₹2,000 for a first offence and up to ₹10,000 for each later one.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need shop and establishment registration in Haryana if I have fewer than 20 workers?
Not full registration, but you still file an online intimation. Since 12 November 2025, Section 13A of the Haryana Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958 asks every establishment with fewer than 20 workers to submit one within one month of starting business. You then get a Basic Information Performa ID number. It is a short online form, and we file it for you once you send your details.
How long is a Haryana shop registration certificate valid?
It stays valid until it is amended, cancelled on closure or revoked by the Inspector, so there is no renewal. Section 13(3), as amended from 12 November 2025, says so, and Haryana had already dropped periodic renewal in 2018. All you do is report any change online within seven days and apply for an amended certificate, which is free. Do that, and the certificate stays good for as long as the business runs.
What is the time limit to register after opening a shop or office?
It depends on the state. In Haryana you register, or file the intimation, within one month of starting business. In Delhi, Form A is due within 90 days of starting work. In Uttar Pradesh, an establishment with 20 or more employees applies within six months. If your date has already passed, file now; we will check what applies to you.
Does a small shop in Delhi still need registration?
Yes, for now. The Delhi Shops and Establishments Act, 1954 covers every establishment, regardless of size, and Section 5 gives 90 days from the start of work to register. The Delhi Shops and Establishments (Amendment) Act, 2026, notified on 11 March 2026, limits the Act to establishments with 20 or more employees, but only from a date the Delhi Government notifies. Until then, register; we can file it for you online.
My business is in Noida with 12 employees. Do I need to register?
Not under the current Uttar Pradesh law. Since the November 2025 amendment, Section 3 of the Uttar Pradesh Dookan Aur Vanijya Adhishthan Adhiniyam, 1962 exempts shops and commercial establishments employing fewer than 20 employees. At 20 or more, you apply on the Labour Department’s web portal within six months of commencing business, and registration is granted automatically once the application is complete. If you are growing towards 20, talk to us early.
Is shop and establishment registration the same as GST or Udyam registration?
No. Shop and establishment registration comes from your state’s labour law. It records your premises and staff. GST registration is a tax registration, and Udyam registration records your business as an MSME with the central government. A Faridabad trading firm with a godown and four staff may need all three. One does not replace another. We can file them together so the names and address match across every certificate.
Why does my bank ask for a Shop and Establishment certificate?
Because RBI’s KYC rules list it as a proof of business for a sole proprietorship. Under paragraph 28 of the RBI Master Direction on KYC, a bank opening an account for a proprietary firm collects any two documents that show the business in the firm’s name. A certificate or licence under the Shop and Establishment Act is one of them. If you already hold one, that is one document fewer to arrange.
What is the penalty for not registering in Haryana?
A penalty of ₹3,000 to ₹10,000 for the first violation and ₹5,000 to ₹25,000 for the second, under Section 13(7) of the Haryana Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958. If the default continues, the competent authority can add ₹500 for every day. Section 26 applies the same range to other contraventions of the Act. Filing now, before any inspection, is the simplest fix, and we can do it quickly.
Do I still need it if I register under the OSH Code?
In Haryana, an OSH Code registration can take its place. A Labour Department notification of 4 May 2026 (No. 02/26/2026-2Lab) exempts an establishment registered under Section 3 of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 from separate registration or intimation under Sections 13 and 13A, once Haryana’s rules under the Code are finalised. Other duties under the Shops Act still apply. We check which route fits before filing anything.
What it costs
Our fee plus the government fee that applies to your case, quoted before you commit. Tell us the situation and we will price it exactly.
Government fees depend on the state. Haryana’s portal works out the fee from the nature of business you select, and an amended certificate costs nothing. Delhi’s fees under Schedule I of the Delhi Shops and Establishments Rules, 1954 are nominal, from ₹5 to ₹100 depending on headcount and category. In Uttar Pradesh, the portal shows the prescribed fee.
Ready to begin?
Send us your address and headcount. We will tell you whether you need registration or just an intimation, and file it before your deadline.