Article · 10 min read

How to Find a CA for Your Indian Startup: Vetting and Fees

Vakilsearch Free Beginner India

Once you accept you need a CA on day one, the next real question is how to pick one who understands startups, and this piece is built around that: what to ask, what fees to expect, and how a startup CA differs from the generalist who files your neighbour's shop returns. The signal that matters for a fundable startup, comfort with GST, ESOP structuring, and investor-ready books, is different from year-end bookkeeping, and this article vets on exactly that. From Vakilsearch, a durable India-legal source.

  • Vet on startup-specific experience (fundraising readiness, GST, ESOP, cap-table hygiene), not just the CA credential, since many generalists file returns but cannot support founder-stage decisions.
  • Get fees and scope in writing up front and understand what the retainer actually covers, so 'ROC compliance' is not quietly excluded when a deadline hits.
  • Red flags are slow response times, an over-focus on year-end accounts, and inability to explain your numbers in plain language.
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The question it answers

  1. Do I really need a company secretary, a CA, and an auditor for a Pvt Ltd, and when?

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