YES, whether the operations are employee-driven or not, the business entity must get shop act license subject to the State laws. In most states, the registration is mandatory within 30 days, irrespective of the number of employees. Therefore, the owners must refer to the State law once to determine the Shop & Establishment registration requirement.

With reference to this registration, the shop is a premise, where any trade or business is carried out or where services are rendered to customers. It includes offices or warehouses, whether in the same premises or not, used in connection with such trade or business, but does not include a shop or office attached to a factory within the scope of the Factories.

With reference to this registration, a Commercial Establishment means a commercial or trading or banking or insurance establishment, an establishment or administrative service in which persons employed are mainly engaged in office work, a hotel, restaurant, boarding or eating house, a cafe or any other refreshment house, etc.

Factories are not covered by the shops & establishments act as they are regulated by the Factories Act, 1948.

The entity shall mandatorily apply to get involved in the shop and establishment registration process to the concerned authority (Labour Authority) depending on the area of the shop or establishment as and when it is established within the time period prescribed. In most States, the requirement of application registration arises within 30 days.

Yes, each branch is to be registered separately irrespective of the jurisdiction of the authority.

For Shop & Establishment registration, the Government fee depends on the number of employees and workers. In some places, that also depends on whether the premise is a shop or covered under establishment or on the type of activities.

Physical verification of the premise is not necessary normally. However, the officers are authorized and may come to verify the premise before grating a registration certificate.

In most of the state’s online registration application can be made. However, that is not the case in major jurisdictional authorities. compliancemsme.com can help you for both, online and physical registration application.

Various registers giving details of employment, fines, deductions and advances, salary, holidays, etc. should be maintained at the premises under this Act.

In cities like Ahmedabad, both the registration must be obtained simultaneously. In a few places, professional tax registration is a requirement for this application. Hence, it depends on where the jurisdiction of the premise is situated. Applicable state laws must be checked before the said registration.

In case the shop or establishment would like to close down the business, the occupier should notify the Chief Inspector in writing within fifteen days of the closing. The Chief Inspector, after reviewing the request for closure can remove the shop or commercial establishment from the register and cancel the registration certificate.