Kerala MSME Facilitation Act 2019, Certificate of In-principal Approval
A new MSME outside the pollution Red category can file a declaration on K-SWIFT and get a certificate that stands in for state licences for three years and six months, so it can start work first and get the licences within that time.
Last updated on
- Status
- Open
- Run by
- Industries Department, through the K-SWIFT portal
What you get
- The certificate counts as the approvals needed under state laws for three years and six months from issue
- No inspections for those approvals during that period
- The owner gets the regular licences and permits before the period ends
- Larger non-MSME enterprises outside the Red category can get a composite approval valid for five years through the Investment Facilitation Bureau
Who can apply
- New businesses, or people about to start one.
- Micro, small and medium enterprises.
- Project cost up to ₹50 crore.
- Not in the Red category of the State Pollution Control Board
- Investment up to ₹50 crore, per KSIDC
- The certificate does not allow use of paddy land or wetland, or land use against a notified master plan
How to apply
- Register on K-SWIFT and file the self declaration for the enterprise
- Download the Certificate of In-principal Approval
- Apply for the regular licences before three years and six months run out
In person, District Industries Centre for help
In Kerala, K-SWIFT portal, with help from the District Industries Centre
Figures you may see elsewhere
KSIDC pages still describe a three year exemption with six months after to get licences. The 2024 amendment in the Gazette sets three years and six months, within which the licences must be obtained
Worth knowing
The 2024 amendment (Act 26 of 2024, in force from 2 November 2024) renamed the acknowledgement certificate and extended its effect from three years to three years and six months. A March 2026 order of the Local Self Government Department, G.O.(Ms) 82/2026/LSGD of 11 March 2026, is reported to set out how these units regularise their licences.
Where we found this
- Kerala MSME Facilitation Act 2019 with the 2021 and 2024 amendments as published in the Kerala Gazette, PRS copy (external site) Official
- Bill No. 222 of 2024, Kerala Legislative Assembly (external site) Official
- Policy reforms, KSIDC (external site) Official
- K-SWIFT portal (external site) Other source
An independent guide by The Company of Four, not a government website. Schemes change often, so check every detail on the official website before you apply. Links marked ↗ open external websites that we do not run, and we are not responsible for their content. Seen something out of date? Tell us and we will look into it.