How do I start an event management company in India?
An event management company needs no licence of its own in India; each event does. Set up with ordinary registrations (Shops and Establishment, a trade licence, GST once turnover passes Rs 20 lakh), then expect a permission stack per event, usually in the venue's or client's name: police permission, loudspeaker permission with the 10 pm limit, the venue's fire NOC and temporary-structure approvals, a liquor licence where alcohol is served, and music licences (PPL and IPRS) for corporate and ticketed shows. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting noted in March 2026 that a live event can need 10 to 15 clearances from separate agencies, and asked states to adopt a single model process. Keep vendor money separate under pure-agent rules, or GST at 18% can fall on your gross billing. Start in one segment you know, such as weddings or corporate offsites, with vendors you trust. What kills most event firms is cash flow: paying vendors before the client pays you.
The Ministry's 13 March 2026 letter to states noting that organising an event needs 10 to 15 clearances from separate agencies (local administration, police, fire, electricity, tax) with no time-bound process, and asking states to adopt a Model Executive Order with standard licence templates.
A July 2026 guide to the events trade: the planner needs no licence but each event needs police, loudspeaker (10 pm line), fire, temporary-structure and liquor permissions, music licences for corporate and ticketed shows, and pure-agent discipline so GST does not fall on your gross billing at 18%.
An August 2026 guide to music licences: playing music at a business or event is a communication to the public needing PPL for the recordings, IPRS for the lyrics and composition and Novex for major film catalogues, with published tariffs and a wedding exemption narrower than commonly believed.
A tighter second read that makes the "register early" case concrete: it lists 12 scenarios that force registration regardless of turnover and states plainly that below-threshold businesses register voluntarily to unlock input tax credit and to look credible. It also names the documents you need (PAN, ID proof, digital signature) so you know what to gather before you start.
