Factory licenses, pollution clearances and labour compliance

Manufacturing units carry the heaviest license load of any industry — pollution NOCs, fire clearances, labour registers and factory-specific GST considerations all apply from day one.

Key requirements

• Factory licence (state Factories Act) (Licence) — Mandatory for any unit employing workers with power-driven machinery, from the state Directorate of Factories.
• Pollution Control Board NOC (CTE/CTO) (Licence) — Consent to Establish and Consent to Operate from the State Pollution Control Board, category-dependent.
• PF & ESI registration (Registration) — Mandatory once employee count crosses the statutory threshold (20 for PF, 10 for ESI in most states).
• Labour registers & returns (Compliance) — Wage registers, attendance and statutory returns under the Shops & Establishments Act / Factories Act.