ESIC Registration
Employer registration with ESIC under Chapter IV of the Code on Social Security, 2020, which replaced the ESI Act, 1948 from 21 November 2025. Corpseed checks coverage and prepares and files the registration on the government portal.
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The Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) runs the ESI scheme, which gives insured employees and their families medical care and cash benefits during sickness, maternity, disablement and death from employment injury. An employer whose establishment is covered must register with ESIC, register its employees and pay monthly contributions.
The law changed on 21 November 2025
ESI coverage now comes from Chapter IV of the Code on Social Security, 2020. The Code came into force on 21 November 2025 (S.O. 5319(E)) and replaced the Employees' State Insurance Act, 1948. The Social Security (Central) Rules, 2026 (G.S.R. 344(E), 8 May 2026) replaced the ESI (Central) Rules, 1950.
Corpseed checks whether your establishment is covered, prepares the registration and files it on the government portal. Registration is granted by the authority. Corpseed is not part of ESIC or the Government.
Already registered? For the monthly contributions and returns, see ESIC Monthly Payment & ESIC Return.
Which establishments and employees are covered
Establishments (Code on Social Security, First Schedule, Chapter IV)
- 10 or more persons: every establishment in which ten or more persons are employed, other than a seasonal factory.
- Hazardous work: an establishment carrying on a hazardous or life-threatening occupation notified by the Central Government is covered even with a single employee.
- Voluntary coverage: where the employer and the majority of employees agree, the Director General of ESIC can apply Chapter IV to an establishment by notification (section 1(7)). ESIC says establishments with fewer than 10 employees can register this way.
- Plantations: the employer may opt in where ESI benefits are better than those the employer already provides.
Before 21 November 2025, the employee threshold depended on the type of establishment and on Central and State notifications: 10 for most, 20 for some establishments under the Central Government. ESIC's coverage page still describes that earlier position.
Employees
- Wage limit: ESIC's coverage page states Rs 21,000 a month (Rs 25,000 for persons with disability), effective 1 January 2017. Under the Code, the wage ceiling is the amount the Central Government notifies (section 2(89)). Check ESIC for any revision before relying on it.
- New definition of wages: from 21 November 2025, 'wages' means basic pay, dearness allowance and retaining allowance (section 2(88)). If the excluded payments, such as HRA, conveyance and overtime, are more than half of total pay, the excess counts as wages. ESIC expects this to bring many previously excluded employees into coverage.
When to register
ESIC's notices say an establishment must register within 15 days from the date the Code becomes applicable to it.
Documents and details needed
Under rule 5 of the Social Security (Central) Rules, 2026, the employer applies online in Form-I (the common registration form under the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (Central) Rules, 2026) on the Shram Suvidha Portal. The form asks for details of the establishment and uploads of the documents it specifies, including proof of identity and address of the employer. The establishment's PAN may be verified online.
To complete the form, we usually collect:
- PAN of the establishment and its registration document (for example, certificate of incorporation, partnership deed or other registration);
- address of the premises where people work;
- identity and address proof of the employer or authorised signatory;
- nature of business, date of start and number of persons employed;
- for each eligible employee: name, Aadhaar number, date of joining, wages and family details (needed for employee registration under rule 18).
The portal shows the exact uploads required for your type of establishment.
Registration process
- Coverage check: we count the persons employed, check for notified hazardous work, and apply the new wage definition to see which employees are covered.
- Establishment registration: Form-I is filed online on the Shram Suvidha Portal and signed digitally or as the portal requires. ESIC's notices also refer to the ESIC employer portal.
- Certificate: if the application is complete, the certificate of registration is issued electronically in Form-III within seven days of submission. If it is not issued in that time, the establishment is deemed registered and the certificate is auto-generated (rule 5(1)(e)).
- Employee registration: before or on the day an employee joins, the employer enters the employee's name, Aadhaar number and other details on the portal. An insurance number is allotted at once. The employer must complete the employee's family declaration within 30 days, or the number becomes invalid (rule 18).
- Contributions: monthly contributions start (see 'Contributions & Compliance').
If your establishment is already registered under another central labour law, the Code treats that as registration under the Code. You update the particulars on the Shram Suvidha Portal (rule 5(3)) and still register employees and pay ESI contributions.
Government fee and timeline
- Government fee: rule 5 of the Social Security (Central) Rules, 2026 does not mention a registration fee. Any charge will be shown on the portal at the time of filing.
- When to apply: within 15 days of the Code becoming applicable to your establishment, as ESIC's notices state.
- Certificate: within seven days of a complete application, or deemed registration after that (rule 5(1)(e)).
ESIC's one-time SPREE registration scheme ended on 31 December 2025. ESIC has said that establishments found coverable after that may face inspection and past dues.
Contribution rates, due date and ongoing duties
| Share | Rate (rule 19, Social Security (Central) Rules, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Employer | 3.25% of wages payable to the employee |
| Employee | 0.75% of wages payable to the employee |
- Each amount is rounded up to the next rupee.
- Employees with disability: the employer does not pay the employer's share for up to three years from the start of the contribution period (or a period the Central Government specifies). The Central Government reimburses that share to ESIC.
- Due date: contributions are paid within 15 days of the last day of the calendar month in which they fall due.
- Contribution periods: 1 April to 30 September and 1 October to 31 March. The matching benefit periods are 1 January to 30 June and 1 July to 31 December.
- Quote the registration number on all documents, update any change in the Form-I particulars within 30 days, and display the registration certificate at the workplace (rule 5).
For monthly payment and returns, see ESIC Monthly Payment & ESIC Return.
Why Corpseed
Corpseed checks whether the Code applies to your establishment, applies the new wage definition to your payroll, and prepares and files the registration with you. We then help you register employees and keep to the monthly due date. ESIC and the registering authority decide the application.
Connect With Corpseed
Connect with the Corpseed team to discuss your requirements at IVR: 7558640644 or hello@corpseed.com. It takes 20–25 minutes to discuss the requirement.
Dedicated Manager
Once you discuss the requirement, we will align a dedicated Account Manager to understand your business needs and assist throughout the process.
Real Time Update
Track the progress of your application and always know what’s in progress and what’s done.
Job Completed
Once the job is completed, you will receive registrations & certifications directly to your email ID and at your doorstep.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to common questions about this service.
Is the ESI Act, 1948 still in force?
No. From 21 November 2025, ESI is governed by Chapter IV of the Code on Social Security, 2020, and ESIC describes the 1948 Act as repealed. The Social Security (Central) Rules, 2026 replaced the ESI (Central) Rules, 1950.
How many employees make ESIC registration compulsory?
Ten or more persons employed, in any establishment other than a seasonal factory. An establishment doing hazardous or life-threatening work notified by the Central Government is covered even with one employee.
Can a business with fewer than 10 employees register?
Yes, voluntarily. If the employer and the majority of employees agree, ESIC's Director General can apply the ESI chapter to the establishment under section 1(7) of the Code.
What is the wage limit for ESIC coverage?
ESIC's website states Rs 21,000 a month (Rs 25,000 for persons with disability), effective 1 January 2017. Under the Code, the ceiling is whatever the Central Government notifies. Also, 'wages' now follows the Code's definition: basic pay, dearness allowance and retaining allowance, plus any excluded payments above half of total pay.
What are the ESIC contribution rates?
3.25% of wages from the employer and 0.75% of wages from the employee (rule 19 of the Social Security (Central) Rules, 2026), each rounded up to the next rupee.
When are monthly contributions due?
Within 15 days of the last day of the calendar month in which they fall due.
How long does registration take?
Under rule 5(1)(e), the certificate is issued electronically within seven days of a complete application. If it is not issued by then, the establishment is deemed registered and the certificate is generated automatically.
We are registered under another labour law. Do we register again?
The Code treats registration under another central labour law as registration under the Code, and you update your particulars on the Shram Suvidha Portal. You still have to register eligible employees with ESIC and pay contributions.
Where is the application filed?
Rule 5 provides for Form-I on the Shram Suvidha Portal. ESIC's notices of December 2025 also refer to registration through the ESIC employer portal.
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