Getting the Shop and Establishment licence when starting a business


The Shop and Establishment Act is one of the most significant Acts for individuals planning on running or starting their businesses and companies. All shops and businesses have to be registered under it if they want their shop licence. There are rules about the shop licence and keeping it displayed at the establishment at a place where the customers visiting the establishment can find it with ease.

Furthermore, the Department of Labor maintains and regulates the Shop and Establishment Act by looking after premises where any trade, business or professional work are carried out. Additionally, the act does not only control the working of commercial establishments but societies, charitable trusts, printing establishments, educational institutions that run for gain and premises in which banking, insurance, stock, or share brokerage is carried on.

It regulates working hours, rest interval for employees, opening and closing hours, closed days, national and religious holidays, overtime work, rules for employment of children, annual leave, maternity leave, sickness and casual leave, etc. Additionally, there are rules on the amount of compensation that employees should receive for working overtime.

Here are some of the details that come with the Shop Licence

  • Name and category of the establishment
  • Address
  • Name of employer or occupier
  • Name of the manager
  • Nature of business
  • No. of employees

Before receiving the Shop licence, a series of forms have to be filled out, along with a couple of inspections conducted. There were a lot of businesses that were only getting their information and documents in time for the inspection, and they do not bother keeping things in place. In time for their next inspection, a year later, they would get everything in order. To make sure that they review companies, the department would also handle random inspections to make sure they were following the rules.

The Shop and labour License Registration is a basic license that provides business entities with a legal identity so they can carry out trade, business or professional work. Additionally, the license makes an entity a registered business establishment in the eyes of law so they can get through inspections or government surveys without too much trouble.

Depending on the work a company goes through and the type of company that they registered, there are additionally a lot more documents and forms to be submitted. To create a smoother process, there are a bunch of websites where people, employers or business owners could get assistance when it comes to registering their businesses. They can download all the application forms for the process, can even fill them out and upload the documents if they want. Otherwise, they can choose to take the documents and head to the office and submit it there. The process, while it has aspects that can be handled online, has inspections and reviews have to be conducted in person.