Research Analyst Launch Checklist: What to Set Up Before Your First ClientBefore your first paying client, a SEBI research analyst needs registration and RAASB enlistment done, a compliant website, MITC and terms, KYC and consent in onboarding, a permitted payment setup, and a records system. This checklist walks through each step and links to a detailed guide for each one.  Last updated: 29 October 2026 A research analyst launch checklist covers everything a new SEBI RA should set up before the first paying client: registration and RAASB enlistment, a compliant website, MITC and terms, KYC and consent, payments within the fee rules, and records for every recommendation. Getting this right on day one is much easier than fixing it after an audit, and it is what a CRM built for SEBI research analysts is designed to handle. Work through the sections in order. Each one links to a detailed guide. Rules change, so check the current SEBI regulations and master circular; this checklist is not legal advice. What do you need before you can start?Registration and enlistmentYou need SEBI registration as a research analyst and enlistment with BSE as the Research Analyst Administration and Supervisory Body (RAASB). See how to become a SEBI research analyst and RAASB enlistment and filings. QualificationsKeep your NISM certification current, since it lapses if you don't renew it. See NISM Series XV certification. Part-time?If you'll run research alongside another job, read the extra conditions in part-time research analysts. The launch checklist at a glanceHow do you set up your website?Regulation 19A requires every RA to keep a functional website. It must show your registered name, registration number and address, the standard disclaimer, the Investor Charter, monthly complaint data and your compliance audit status. Follow the checklist in research analyst website requirements. What terms and consent do you need?MITCSEBI's Most Important Terms and Conditions, issued on 17 February 2025, must be part of your terms, with client consent before you give research or charge a fee. See the MITC guide. Signed agreementAadhaar e-sign gives you a clean record of consent; see Aadhaar e-sign for client agreements. How should client onboarding work?Every client goes through KYC, sees your MITC and consents before paying. Doing this in one fixed sequence stops a client from paying before consent. See client KYC and KRA onboarding. How do you set fees and take payments?Fee limitFees for individual and HUF clients are capped at ₹1,51,000 per family per year across your research services, excluding statutory charges. See fee limits and payment rules. Payment channelsFees come through banking channels only, never cash. Obtain your validated UPI handle; see SEBI validated UPI for research analysts. PricingDecide your plans and what each includes; see how to price research subscriptions. What records do you need from day one?Keep every recommendation with its rationale, the research report and its disclosures, client consent and communication. See record keeping and call recordings and research report disclosures. What about complaints and marketing?GrievancesSet up a grievance process and know how SCORES and SMART ODR work; see SCORES and ODR for research analysts. AdvertisingYour posts, ads and groups follow SEBI's advertising code; see the advertisement code for RAs and SEBI finfluencer rules. What does a first month look like?Which launch mistakes should you avoid?Starting before the certificateDon't take fees or publish research before your registration certificate is issued. Thin policiesGeneric terms copied from elsewhere miss SEBI's MITC and disclosures. Use SEBI's prescribed text and fill in your own details. Letting NISM lapseTrack renewal dates for everyone who needs certification. No records systemSpreadsheets and chat history make it hard to show what you recommended, when and to whom. Set up records before the first call goes out. What happens after launch?Once clients are paying, compliance becomes a monthly routine: complaint data by the 7th, grievances resolved in time, records kept up to date, and half-yearly and annual filings with RAASB. Use the monthly compliance checklist. Launch with the setup already in placeFinuro gives a new RA the onboarding sequence (KRA KYC, MITC, Aadhaar e-sign and payment), plans with GST invoices, recommendation delivery on email, WhatsApp and Telegram, and records with an audit trail, ready on day one. See Finuro's CRM for SEBI research analysts, or list yourself free in the SEBI research analyst directory. Related Finuro features
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