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We handle the complete process for your Public & Private Charitable Trust Registration right here in Chennai Office. Get certified quickly and legally with our expert local team.
Professional Fee: ₹8,099 | Govt Fee: ₹2,000 - ₹2,500 | Total: from ₹10,099 (incl. govt fees)
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A Charitable Trust is one of the most traditional, legally recognized, and widely adopted legal structures in India for establishing a non-profit organization, educational foundation, hospital, or philanthropic endowment. Governed by the Indian Trusts Act, 1882 (for Private Trusts) and respective State Public Trusts Acts (such as the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, 1950 or the Rajasthan Public Trusts Act, 1959 for Public Trusts), a trust is constituted when the founder (known as the Author or Settlor) irrevocably transfers ownership of property, funds, or assets to a group of trusted individuals (the Trustees) to administer solely for the benefit of the general public or specified beneficiaries. Unlike Section 8 Companies which require complex MCA corporate filings, Trusts offer unmatched operational flexibility, permanent governance continuity, and minimal annual statutory compliance burdens.
The legal bedrock of every trust is the Trust Deed—a formal, non-testamentary legal instrument executed on non-judicial stamp paper that explicitly defines the charitable objectives, trustee powers, appointment and removal procedures, fund utilization rules, and statutory dissolution clauses. To achieve legal validity, the Trust Deed must be mandatorily registered with the local Sub-Registrar of Assurances having jurisdiction over the registered office or trust property. At IPRO, our expert legal counsel and property drafting attorneys provide end-to-end trust constitution services—from custom drafting foolproof Trust Deeds tailored to your philanthropic vision to managing physical Sub-Registrar registration, PAN/TAN application, and subsequent 12A/80G tax exemption integrations.
Transparent, all-inclusive – no hidden line items.
Inclusive of professional + estimated govt fee
I-Pro specialist handling, drafting & filing
Statutory fee, passed through at cost
Professional Fee: ₹8,099 onwards | Govt Fee: ₹2,000 - ₹2,500 | Total: from ₹10,099 (incl. govt fees)
Gather these documents for your Chennai Office application.
The starting fee of ₹10,099 covers specialist consultation, document preparation, the government filing fee, and tracking until you receive the final certificate. Additional government fees may apply for objections, renewals, or expedited processing.
Turnaround depends on the specifics of your case. Once I-Pro Solutions scopes your requirements, I-Pro Solutions will give you a realistic timeline with milestones.
Most filings require identity proof (PAN/Aadhaar/passport), address proof, business registration documents, and (for IP filings) examples of use. An I-Pro Solutions specialist will send a tailored checklist within 24 hours of starting.
If a filing is rejected due to an error by I-Pro Solutions, I-Pro Solutions will refile at no extra cost and refund the service fee. If the rejection is due to information you provided, I-Pro Solutions will work with you to fix and refile at a discounted fee.
A Charitable Trust is a legal non-profit entity created when a founder (Settlor) transfers property or funds to Trustees to manage for public charitable causes. It is formed by executing a formal document called a Trust Deed on non-judicial stamp paper and registering it with the local Sub-Registrar of Assurances under the Indian Trusts Act, 1882 or State Public Trusts Acts.
A Public Charitable Trust is created for the benefit of the general public or a large, indefinite community (e.g., running a public hospital or school) and qualifies for 12A/80G tax exemptions. A Private Trust is created for the financial benefit of specific, identifiable individuals (such as family members or children) and does not enjoy charitable tax exemptions.
You need a minimum of two individuals to form a trust: One Author/Settlor (founder) and at least Two Trustees. In many states, the Settlor can also act as one of the Trustees. There is no statutory upper limit on the maximum number of trustees a trust can have.
A Trust Deed is the foundational charter document defining the trust's name, objectives, trustee powers, operational rules, and asset management terms. Under Section 5 of the Indian Trusts Act and Section 17 of the Registration Act, registration at the Sub-Registrar Office (SRO) is mandatory to give the trust legal validity and establish ownership of trust property.
There is no high statutory minimum capital requirement under central law. You can start a charitable trust with a token initial cash fund (corpus) such as ₹1,000, ₹5,000, or ₹10,000 donated by the Settlor, or by settling real estate or immovable property into the trust.
Stamp duty for registering a Trust Deed varies significantly by State. If the trust is formed with only a nominal cash fund (e.g., ₹10,000), states charge a fixed nominal stamp duty ranging between ₹500 to ₹1,500. However, if immovable property is transferred into the trust corpus, ad-valorem stamp duty (typically 2% to 5% of property value) applies.
Yes, physical presence of the Settlor, all proposed Trustees, and at least two independent witnesses (with their original Aadhaar/PAN cards) is mandatory at the local Sub-Registrar Office on the date of appointment for biometric verification and signing before the Registrar.
Yes, NRIs and OCI cardholders can become trustees of an Indian trust. However, to open bank accounts, apply for 12A/80G tax exemptions, and maintain compliance, it is strongly recommended that the Managing Trustee and a majority of the board be resident Indian citizens with valid PAN cards.
With IPRO's expert drafting and appointment coordination, a Trust Deed is typically drafted, stamped, and physically registered at the Sub-Registrar Office within 7 to 10 working days, followed immediately by PAN/TAN allocation.
Trustees can receive reasonable professional fees or compensation if they render specialized professional services to the trust (e.g., a doctor trustee working in a trust hospital), provided the Trust Deed explicitly authorizes such payment and the remuneration is reasonable under Section 13 of the Income Tax Act.
Trustees can be added, removed, or replaced in strict accordance with the rules laid down in the original Trust Deed. This is executed by drafting and registering a Supplementary Trust Deed or Deed of Appointment/Removal of Trustees at the same Sub-Registrar Office.
No, registration at the Sub-Registrar Office only creates the legal trust entity. To obtain income tax exemption on donations and surplus income, the trust must separately apply online for Section 12A/12AB and Section 80G registrations with the Income Tax Department.
A Trust is formed by 2+ people under Trusts Act with minimal ongoing statutory filing burdens and permanent trustee control. A Society requires 7+ members under Societies Act and operates on democratic voting. A Section 8 Company requires 2+ members under Companies Act with strict MCA corporate compliance but offers the highest corporate credibility.
A Public Charitable Trust is generally irrevocable. However, operational clauses can be amended via a registered Supplementary Deed. If the trust becomes impossible to run, it can be dissolved by transferring all remaining assets to another registered 12A/80G charitable trust, or via orders of the civil court / Charity Commissioner.
A registered charitable trust must annually obtain a CA Audit Report (Form 10B/10BB) if income exceeds ₹2.5 Lakhs, file an annual income tax return in Form ITR-7 by 31st October, and in states like Maharashtra/Gujarat, file annual accounting reports with the Charity Commissioner.