Gumasta License (Maharashtra Shop Act Registration) — Fee, Process & Documents FY 2026-27

What is the Gumasta licence?

“Gumasta” is the popular name in Maharashtra for registration under the state Shops & Establishments Act. From 19 December 2017 the old Bombay Shops and Establishments Act, 1948 was replaced by the Maharashtra Shops & Establishments (Regulation of Employment & Conditions of Service) Act, 2017, with the Rules, 2018. It governs working hours, weekly holidays, leave and wages for people employed in shops and commercial establishments across Maharashtra, and the registration certificate serves as basic proof that a business exists — which is why banks routinely ask for it to open a current account, and it supports GST and other registrations.

Do you need to register, or only intimate?

The 2017 Act draws a clear line at ten workers:

• Fewer than 10 workers: you are not required to register. You file a one-time online intimation in Form F within 60 days of commencing business, with the documents in Part C of the Schedule. There is no fee and no certificate, and no other substantive compliance under the Act.
• 10 or more workers: registration is mandatory. You apply in Form A within 60 days and receive a Registration Certificate to display at the premises.

A one-person proprietor with no employees therefore only needs the Form F intimation — but many still obtain it because banks and other authorities ask for the Gumasta document.

Registration fee

The government fee for registration (10+ workers) is nominal and rises with the number of workers. The figures below are indicative of the notified slab; Mumbai (BMC) and several municipal corporations levy additional local charges, so always confirm the current amount on Aaple Sarkar before paying.

Indicative government fee per the notified slab — confirm the exact amount, and any Mumbai/municipal charges, on Aaple Sarkar.

Documents required

The document set is prescribed by the Labour Department on the Aaple Sarkar portal. A distinctive Maharashtra requirement is a photograph of the establishment showing the name board in Marathi (Devanagari script), in a font not smaller than any other language on the board.

For registration (Form A — 10 or more workers):

• Photograph of the establishment with the interior and the Marathi name board; the signature and passport-size photograph of the employer (BMP, 50–128 KB); and the employer’s Aadhaar.
• Premises proof (any one) — if owned: sale / purchase deed, current property-tax receipt, electricity bill or society maintenance receipt; if rented or leased: registered leave-and-licence or lease agreement, together with the owner’s ownership proof.
• Constitution proof — Certificate of Incorporation and a list of directors with addresses on letterhead (company); Partnership Deed or LLP Agreement (firm); or the Society / Trust registration and Government Resolution number.
• Internal (POSH) Committee member list under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act; any other licence mandatory to start the business; and a No-Objection Certificate from a family member / relative or the housing society where the premises are theirs.

For the intimation (Form F — fewer than 10 workers):

• The signature and passport-size photograph of the employer (BMP, 50–128 KB); the establishment photograph with the Marathi name board; and the employer’s Aadhaar. A previous registration certificate, if any, is also uploaded.

Source: the document checklist notified on the Aaple Sarkar (MahaOnline) Labour Department portal. Later changes are filed in Form I, and closure of business in Form J (20 or more workers) or Form K (0–19 workers).

How to apply online (Aaple Sarkar)

1. Go to aaplesarkar.mahaonline.gov.in and register or log in as a citizen.
2. Under the Labour Department services, choose Shops & Establishment registration (Form A) or intimation (Form F), as applicable to your worker count.
3. Fill in the establishment details — name, address, nature of business, date of commencement and number of workers (male, female and total).
4. Upload the scanned documents and pay the fee online (for Form A). Form F carries no fee.
5. Submit. You can download the acknowledgement, and the Registration Certificate once approved — display it at your place of business.

Validity, renewal and penalty

A key benefit of the 2017 Act is that the registration is permanent — there is no annual renewal, unlike the old 1948 Act. You only update the record (for example when the number of workers, name or address changes). Failing to register or intimate where required, or continuing without it, is an offence under the Act and attracts a fine, so complete it within the 60-day window.

Gumasta licence – Frequently Asked Questions