—Guide
DIN and DIR-3 KYC in India: How to Get a DIN and Keep It Active
What a Director Identification Number is, how to get one, how DIR-3 KYC keeps it active, and what deactivation and disqualification mean for a director.
Every director of an Indian company, and every designated partner of an LLP, needs a Director Identification Number. It's a small thing to get, and an easy thing to lose track of: a DIN that isn't kept active through KYC gets deactivated, and a deactivated DIN blocks its holder from signing any MCA filing. This guide explains what a DIN is, how to get one, and how to keep it working.
What Is a DIN?
A DIN is a unique identification number issued by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs to anyone who is, or wants to become, a director. It's personal, not tied to any company, and it lasts for life. If you're a director of three companies, you use the same DIN for all three.
- One person can hold only one DIN. Applying for a second is not allowed.
- The same number serves as the DPIN for designated partners of LLPs.
- It appears on every MCA filing a director signs, and on the company's public director list.
How to Get a DIN
At incorporation
For the first directors of a new company, the DIN is allotted through the SPICe+ incorporation form itself, for up to three directors who don't already have one. There's no separate application.
For an existing company
If an existing company wants to appoint someone who doesn't have a DIN, they apply in Form DIR-3. The application is signed with the applicant's DSC and verified by a director, company secretary, CEO or CFO of the company making the appointment.
What you'll need
- PAN, which is mandatory for Indian nationals.
- Proof of identity and address, such as Aadhaar, passport, voter ID or driving licence.
- A recent photograph.
- A Class 3 DSC.
Foreign nationals apply using their passport as identity proof and an apostilled or consularised address proof.
DIR-3 KYC: Keeping Your DIN Active
Every DIN holder has to complete KYC with the MCA periodically, through DIR-3 KYC. For most of its history this has been an annual filing due by 30 September. The MCA has been revising how often KYC is needed, so check the current cycle each year rather than relying on an old reminder.
Two ways to file
- DIR-3 KYC e-form: for a first KYC, or when your mobile number, email or other details have changed. It's certified by a practising professional.
- DIR-3 KYC-WEB: a quick web-based verification when nothing has changed since your last KYC, using OTPs on your registered mobile and email.
What happens if you miss it
Your DIN is marked "Deactivated due to non-filing of DIR-3 KYC." You can't sign any MCA filing while it's deactivated, which can hold up annual returns, allotments and director changes at every company you're on. To reactivate it, you file the KYC with a fee of ₹5,000.
Updating Your DIN Details
If your name, address, nationality or other particulars change, update them on your DIN through Form DIR-6, with supporting proof. Then let each company you're a director of know, so their records match.
When a DIN Is Disqualified
A DIN can also be marked disqualified. That's different from deactivation, and much harder to fix. Under Section 164 of the Companies Act, a director is disqualified if, among other things:
- A company they're a director of hasn't filed its financial statements or annual returns for three continuous financial years.
- That company has failed to repay deposits, debentures or dividends for a year or more.
- They've been convicted of an offence and sentenced to six months or more, or are an undischarged insolvent.
Disqualification for a company's filing defaults lasts five years and applies to every company, not just the one in default. The director can't be appointed to any company during that time.
Surrendering a DIN
If you obtained a DIN but were never appointed as a director of any company, you can surrender it through Form DIR-5. A DIN that has been used for a directorship can't simply be surrendered.
A Checklist for Directors
- Keep your DSC valid, since you need it for KYC and every filing.
- Check your KYC status on the MCA portal every year, and file before the due date.
- Keep your registered mobile number and email current.
- Update your DIN details through DIR-6 whenever they change.
- Keep an eye on the filing status of every company you're a director of.
Getting Help
Think Filing handles DIN applications, DIR-3 KYC filings and reactivations, and DIN detail updates for directors and designated partners, and can advise if your DIN has been disqualified.