How do I get shop registration and a trade licence in Odisha?

Shop registration and trade licence in Odisha: two different permissions

Shop registration and a trade licence in Odisha are often confused because both are asked for when opening a shop, office, clinic, restaurant or other business premises. They come from different laws and different offices:

Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments Act: who must register now

Until 2025, Section 4 of the Act required every employer of a shop or commercial establishment in a municipal corporation, municipality or NAC area with one or more employees to register. That changed with the Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 (Odisha Ordinance 3 of 2025, in force from 8 November 2025), later replaced by an amendment Act passed by the Odisha Legislative Assembly that takes effect from the same date. The main changes:

• The Act's provisions now apply to establishments employing twenty or more employees, except the signboard rule below.
• The employer of such an establishment must apply for registration within six months of starting business.
• The Inspector must issue the registration certificate within seven working days; if not, it is deemed to be granted.
• Every establishment, whatever its size, must display its name on a signboard in Odia (other languages may be added).
• Daily working hours can go up to ten (within a 48-hour week), with overtime limits raised, and the State may allow women to work night shifts with their written consent and prescribed safeguards.

An establishment with fewer than twenty employees therefore no longer needs this registration, though older guidance and some bank checklists still ask for it. If a bank or landlord insists, ask them which rule they rely on, or ask the District Labour Office for a written position. Existing registration certificates do not become invalid; check with the Labour office about renewal, amendment or closure.

How to apply for shops and establishments registration

1. Open the Labour Directorate e-labour services (also reachable through the GO-SWIFT single-window portal) and choose "New Registration of Establishment".
2. Fill in the establishment's name, address, nature of business, date of commencement, employer's details and the number of employees.
3. Upload proof of premises (for example a rent agreement, electricity bill or trade licence), a photo of the Odia signboard and the employer's signature.
4. Pay the fee online. The fee depends on the number of workers; check the current schedule on the portal.
5. The application goes to the District Labour Officer or Assistant Labour Officer for the area, who issues the certificate.

Changes such as a new address, change of employer, or closure are reported through the "Amendment / Transfer / Cancellation / Closure of RC" service.

BMC trade licence and trade licences in other Odisha towns

A trade licence is needed to run most trades and businesses from premises within the limits of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, Cuttack Municipal Corporation and other urban local bodies (ULBs). The categories of trade and the fee tariff are set by each body. Applications for all ULBs in Odisha go through SUJOG, the state's urban services portal.

1. Register on SUJOG with a mobile number and choose the trade licence service for your ULB (for Bhubaneswar, BMC).
2. Enter trade details: trade category and sub-type, premises address and ward, area of the premises, and owner details.
3. Upload documents. SUJOG states that identity proof and address proof are mandatory; other documents depend on the trade, such as ownership or rent papers, a holding tax receipt, a no-objection letter from the owner, and trade-specific approvals (for example fire safety or food safety).
4. Pay the fee online. The fee tariff can be downloaded from the SUJOG landing page.
5. Provisional licence. After payment a provisional certificate can be downloaded. SUJOG says it is valid for three months while officials verify and inspect, and it can be cancelled with the fee forfeited if the self-declaration turns out to be false.
6. Inspection and final licence. After verification and inspection, the final licence is downloadable from the portal.

Renewal: SUJOG states that a trade licence can be renewed for up to five years at a time. A temporary licence (for example for a short event) is valid for up to 30 days. Running a trade without a licence, or after it has expired, can lead to penalties and, in some cases, sealing of the premises by the corporation. If a notice is received, reply in writing within the time stated and keep proof.

The premises themselves also matter. A commercial use in a building approved only for residence can create problems with the development authority; see building plan approval in Bhubaneswar. Holding tax should be up to date, as it is often checked; see holding tax in Bhubaneswar.

Other registrations a new business in Odisha usually needs

• GST registration, where turnover crosses the threshold or the business makes inter-state supplies, through the GST portal.
• Professional tax enrolment and registration under the Odisha State Tax on Professions, Trades, Callings and Employments Act, 2000, administered by the Commissionerate of Commercial Taxes and GST, Odisha.
• EPF and ESI. Provident fund generally applies once 20 or more persons are employed, and ESI generally applies to establishments with 10 or more employees in implemented areas. These schemes now operate under the Code on Social Security, 2020, in force since 21 November 2025; confirm the current coverage rule with the EPFO or ESIC office.
• Labour codes. The four central labour codes came into force on 21 November 2025 and replace many older Acts, including the Contract Labour Act and the Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act. State rules are still being brought into line, so check with the Labour Directorate which registration or licence applies to contractors and contract workers.
• Food safety registration or licence for food businesses (FSSAI), Udyam registration for micro and small enterprises, and fire safety approval for premises above prescribed size.

For the employment side (unpaid wages, termination), see minimum wages and unpaid salary in Odisha. If a business is run as a firm, see partnership firm registration in Odisha.

If a licence is refused or a notice is issued

Ask for the reasons in writing. A refusal or cancellation of a trade licence can usually be appealed or reviewed within the corporation under the municipal law, and the order should say where. Under the Odisha Right to Public Services Act, 2012, delay in a notified service can be taken to the appellate officer. Where an order is passed without a hearing or without authority, a writ petition before the Orissa High Court may be possible; see writ petitions in the Orissa High Court. If you cannot afford an advocate, see free legal aid in Odisha.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

• Odisha Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 (PRS)
• Labour Directorate, Odisha: e-labour services
• Labour & ESI Department, Odisha: Shops & Commercial Establishments Act registration
• SUJOG: Odisha urban services portal
• SUJOG FAQ document (trade licence)
• GO-SWIFT single window (Invest Odisha)

General information, not legal advice. Every matter turns on its own facts and documents, and the law and official procedures change. Check the current position with the concerned office, or take advice on your own facts, before acting.