Digital Signature Certificates & Bank Account Opening Support

What does this service cover?

Two things every new business needs before it can properly operate. A Digital Signature Certificate (DSC), valid under the IT Act, 2000, is how directors and partners sign filings on government portals. A current account in the business's own name is how it receives and makes payments.

Neither is difficult, but both are where new businesses most often get stuck — a DSC that doesn't match a PAN, or a bank application returned for a missing resolution or an address the bank can't verify.

The key parts

A handful of concepts explain most of what banks and portals ask for:

Class 3 DSC

The digital signature directors and signatories use on the MCA, GST, and income-tax portals. It's issued on a USB token and is valid for one to three years.

Individual vs. organisation DSC

An individual DSC carries only the person's name and is what MCA filings use. An organisation DSC also carries the entity's name, and is typically used for e-tenders and some corporate portals.

Current account

The bank account a business runs on. Companies, LLPs, and firms open current accounts in their own name, separate from any partner's or director's personal account.

Authorised signatories

The people allowed to operate the account, named in a board resolution or partners' authority, with the limits and combinations the entity decides.

Beneficial owners

Banks must identify the individuals who ultimately own or control the entity — for a company, anyone holding more than 10% of shares or profits — and take their KYC too.

Contact point verification

Many banks visit or video-verify the business's address before activating the account, so the address on the documents needs to be real and reachable.

Bank account at incorporation

SPICe+ lets a new company apply for a bank account with participating banks as part of incorporation, using the same filing data.

Why it matters to get these right

Both are early steps, but a lot depends on them:

You can't start without one

A new company has to show its share subscription money received in its bank account when it files INC-20A, the declaration that it's commenced business.

Missing INC-20A is expensive

A company that doesn't file INC-20A within 180 days of incorporation faces penalties on the company and its directors, and can be struck off.

Keeping money separate

Mixing business money with a founder's personal account undermines limited liability, complicates the accounts, and raises tax questions.

Clients and platforms need it

Payment gateways, marketplaces, and larger clients pay only into an account in the business's own name.

Every filing needs a DSC

MCA forms, company income-tax returns, and many GST actions have to be signed with a valid DSC. Without one, a signatory can't file anything.

Fewer rejected applications

Most bank delays come from mismatched names, missing resolutions, or an unverifiable address. Getting documents right first time avoids weeks of back-and-forth.

Signatory control

Clear signatory rules — who can sign, up to what amount, alone or jointly — protect founders from each other and from mistakes.

Who is this for?

• Newly incorporated companies and LLPs that need their first current account and DSCs
• New directors or designated partners who need a DSC before they can sign filings
• Proprietors opening a current account in their business name for the first time
• Businesses changing signatories, adding a director, or moving banks
• Founders whose account opening has stalled on documents or verification

If you only need a DSC — for example as an individual filing your own returns — our Digital Signature Certificate service covers that on its own.

What banks ask for, by entity type

The KYC rules are set by the RBI, so the core list is the same at every bank, though each adds its own forms. Here's what differs by entity:

What we'll need from you

Identity and address proof

PAN and Aadhaar (or passport) for each director, partner, or signatory. Names must match across documents.

Entity documents

Certificate of incorporation, MoA and AoA or LLP agreement, and the entity's PAN — or business proofs for a proprietorship.

Signatory resolution

A board or partners' resolution naming the signatories and how the account will be operated. Many banks supply their own format.

Registered office proof

A recent utility bill for the premises, and a rent agreement and owner's NOC if the premises aren't owned.

Beneficial owner details

The shareholding or profit-sharing pattern, so the bank can identify everyone above the 10% threshold.

For the DSC

PAN, Aadhaar, a phone and email for verification, and a short live video. Foreign nationals use a passport and an apostilled address proof.

Opening a current account doesn't carry a government fee. Banks set their own minimum balance and charges, which vary a lot between account types.

How it works

With documents in order, DSCs take about a day and a bank account about a week. Here's the usual sequence:

1. 1

   Get DSCs for signatories

   Each director or designated partner gets a Class 3 DSC through online Aadhaar or PAN-based verification, usually within a day.

2. 2

   Choose the bank and account

   We compare account types, minimum balance, and digital banking for your needs, and check the bank's own document list.

3. 3

   Pass the signatory resolution

   The board or partners resolve to open the account, name the signatories, and set how it will be operated.

4. 4

   Prepare the application

   The form, entity documents, resolution, and KYC for signatories and beneficial owners are put together and checked for mismatches.

5. 5

   Submit and verify

   The application goes in, online or at the branch, followed by the bank's KYC checks and usually an address or video verification.

6. 6

   Activate and start using it

   The account is opened and net banking activated. A new company then deposits share subscription money and files INC-20A.

What happens after the account is open?

A few things keep the account and the DSCs working as the business grows:

File INC-20A

A new company declares it's received its subscription money, with the bank statement, within 180 days of incorporation.

Signatory changes

When directors or partners change, the bank needs a fresh resolution and KYC for new signatories. Removing a departing signatory promptly matters.

Periodic re-KYC

Banks periodically ask for updated KYC. Missing the request can lead to the account being restricted until it's updated.

DSC renewal

A DSC can't be extended. Apply for a new one before it expires, and register it again on the MCA, GST, and income-tax portals.

Keep the token secure

Whoever holds the token and password can sign as that person. If it's lost, have the certificate revoked and a new one issued.

Address and name changes

If the registered office or entity name changes, update the bank as well as the ROC, or transactions and verification can fail.

Benefits and responsibilities