Business Glossary
Plain-language definitions
The jargon that shows up across our guides, explained in one line, then in full — no dictionary tone.
AOA (Articles of Association)
The internal rulebook for how a company is run — how directors are appointed, how shares transfer, how decisions get made.
→ARN (Application Reference Number)
The tracking number issued the moment you submit your GST registration application — used to check status before your GSTIN is issued.
→Authorized Capital
The maximum value of shares a company is legally permitted to issue — a ceiling, not the amount actually invested.
→Composition Scheme
A simplified GST track for small businesses — flat, lower tax rates and quarterly filing, in exchange for giving up input tax credit and interstate selling.
→DIN (Director Identification Number)
A unique number every director of an LLP or company must hold before they can be appointed — issued once, for life, by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
→DSC (Digital Signature Certificate)
An encrypted digital ID used to sign incorporation documents and government filings electronically — required for every director or designated partner.
→E-way Bill
An electronic document required to move goods worth more than ₹50,000 — generated before the goods start moving, not after.
→FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India)
The regulatory body — and the license it issues — governing food safety for any business that manufactures, packages, stores, or sells food in India.
→GSTIN (GST Identification Number)
The 15-digit unique number assigned to every GST-registered business — your GST identity on every invoice, return, and filing.
→GSTR-1
The monthly (or quarterly) return where you report every sales invoice you've issued — due by the 11th of the following month for monthly filers.
→GSTR-3B
The monthly summary return where you declare total sales, ITC claimed, and tax payable — due by the 20th of the following month.
→HSN Code
The standardized code that classifies exactly what product you're selling — required on invoices and marketplace listings to determine the correct GST rate.
→ISO Certification
A voluntary, third-party audited quality management standard — not legally required, but often expected for government tenders and larger B2B contracts.
→ITC (Input Tax Credit)
The GST you've already paid on business purchases, which you can offset against the GST you collect from customers — so you only pay the net difference.
→Legal Metrology
The regulation governing how pre-packaged goods declare quantity, MRP, and manufacturer details on the package — required the moment you sell anything pre-packaged.
→MOA (Memorandum of Association)
The document that defines a company's purpose, scope, and boundaries — what it's legally allowed to do.
→NOC (No Objection Certificate)
A document confirming a relevant authority — a landlord, a fire department, a pollution control board — has no objection to your business operating as planned.
→Paid-up Capital
The actual amount shareholders have invested in exchange for shares — real money in, not just a legal ceiling.
→Professional Tax
A small state-levied tax on salaried employment, deducted by employers from staff salaries and remitted to the state — not levied in every state.
→Registered Office
The official address a business is registered under — where legal notices, government correspondence, and statutory records are addressed.
→ROC (Registrar of Companies)
The government office, under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, that companies and LLPs are registered with and file annual returns to.
→Shop & Establishment Act
A state-level law requiring registration of any commercial premises — shop, office, or warehouse — governing working hours and basic employee conditions.
→Trade License
Municipal approval confirming your specific business activity is permitted at your specific location — separate from Shop & Establishment Act registration.
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