DIR-3 KYC Explained: Who Files, Deadline, Documents, Penalty

Every director of an Indian company and every designated partner of an LLP holds a Director Identification Number (DIN). The Ministry of Corporate Affairs requires each DIN holder to confirm their identity and contact details every year through a process called DIR-3 KYC. It is one of the simplest filings on the MCA calendar and also one of the most frequently missed, because it is tied to the individual rather than to the company. This guide covers who must file, the two ways to file, the deadline, the documents and what happens if a DIN is deactivated.

Who must file

Any individual who holds a DIN in approved status as on 31 March of a financial year must file DIR-3 KYC for that year. It does not matter whether the person is currently a director, whether the company is active or dormant, or whether the person is an Indian resident or a foreign national. A DIN that was allotted during the financial year is also covered. The only people exempt are those whose DIN has been surrendered or deactivated for other reasons, or who were allotted the DIN after the end of the financial year.

The obligation is personal. The company secretary or the compliance firm can prepare and file the form, but the OTPs go to the director's own mobile and email, and the e-form needs the director's own digital signature. If a director is travelling, has changed their number, or has let their digital signature certificate expire, the filing stalls. Companies with several directors should run a quick check in August each year that every director's contact details and DSC are current.

DIR-3 KYC e-form vs web-KYC

Deadline

Under current rules the KYC for a financial year must be completed by 30 September of the following financial year; for FY 2025-26 that means 30 September 2026, unless extended. The MCA has been revising the frequency and format of the requirement over the years, including proposals to require the full e-form less often, so check the rule in force for the year you are filing. Extensions have been granted in some years, but you should not plan on one.

Documents for the e-form

• PAN card (mandatory for Indian citizens; the name must match the PAN database exactly).
• Aadhaar card, and for foreign nationals, passport (mandatory for foreign nationals).
• Proof of present residential address not older than two months, such as a bank statement, utility bill or telephone bill; if the permanent and present address differ, proof of both.
• Personal mobile number and email address, each verified by OTP; one number and one email can be linked to only one DIN.
• Your own Class 3 digital signature certificate (DSC), valid at the time of filing.
• Certification by a practising chartered accountant, company secretary or cost accountant, who verifies the documents and signs the form with their DSC.
• For foreign nationals, documents notarised and apostilled or consularised as applicable, and translated into English if in another language.

What happens if you miss it

1. The DIN is marked as deactivated due to non-filing of DIR-3 KYC on the MCA database.
2. You cannot sign any MCA form with that DIN until it is reactivated: no DIR-12, no AOC-4, no MGT-7, no LLP forms.
3. Reactivation requires filing the KYC with a fee of ₹5,000 under current rules, after which the DIN is restored.
4. Any company filings that became late because of the deactivated DIN attract their own additional fees of ₹100 per day.
5. Continued non-compliance can contribute to the company being flagged for strike-off and to the director being treated as in default under the Companies Act.

Step-by-step: filing the web-KYC

1. 1

   Log in: Sign in to the MCA portal with your user account and open the DIR-3 KYC web service.

2. 2

   Enter the DIN: The portal shows the email and mobile already on record.

3. 3

   Verify OTPs: Generate and enter the OTP sent to the email and the OTP sent to the mobile.

4. 4

   Submit: Confirm the details and submit. A service request number is generated and an acknowledgement is emailed.

5. 5

   Check status: After a short processing time the DIN status should show as approved with the KYC updated for the year.

Fastlegal's director KYC service handles both the e-form and the web-KYC for all directors and designated partners of a company or LLP in one go, including the professional certification, so the annual deadline is never a scramble.

This guide is general information under rules current at the date shown, not professional advice for your situation. Rules, due dates and fees change by notification.