DIR-3 KYC is the know-your-customer filing that every individual holding a Director Identification Number (DIN) must make with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) to keep the DIN active. Until March 2026 this was an annual exercise due by 30 September. The Companies (Appointment and Qualification of Directors) Amendment Rules, 2025 replaced it with a KYC intimation once in every three consecutive financial years, filed through a single DIR-3-KYC-Web form. This page explains who files, the revised due dates, what happens if a DIN is deactivated and how the filing is done on the MCA portal.
What is DIR-3 KYC?
Every person who is or wishes to become a director in an Indian company, or a designated partner in an LLP, must hold a DIN. The DIN is a permanent identifier, but MCA wants the contact details and identity records behind it to stay current so that notices reach directors and shell or dormant identities can be weeded out. DIR-3 KYC is the filing that refreshes those records.
Under the old framework, two forms existed: DIR-3 KYC, an e-form certified by a practising professional, and DIR-3 KYC-Web, a lighter web-based form for DINs that had been verified earlier. Both had to be completed every year by 30 September. If you missed it, the DIN was marked 'Deactivated due to non-filing of DIR-3 KYC' and a late fee of Rs 5,000 was payable before it could be reactivated.
The 2025 Amendment Rules notified on 31 December 2025 changed this. From 31 March 2026, every individual holding a DIN as on 31 March of a financial year must complete KYC once in every third consecutive financial year, on or before 30 June of the immediately following financial year. The e-form and web form have been merged into the DIR-3-KYC-Web form, which is now also used to update mobile number, email address or residential address and to reactivate a DIN. Directors who had already completed KYC under the old system next file by 30 June 2028, according to the ICAI announcement on the change.
Changes in personal mobile number, email address or residential address are event-based: they must be reported within thirty days of the change. Filing such an update does not reset the three-year cycle.
Who needs to file DIR-3 KYC?
The obligation attaches to the individual who holds a DIN, not to the company. The following persons should check their position:
- Directors of private limited, public limited, One Person Company and Section 8 companies
- Designated partners of LLPs who hold a DIN
- Individuals who were allotted a DIN but never joined a board, because the DIN stays live and is still subject to KYC
- Resident Indians, non-resident Indians and foreign nationals holding a DIN, subject to the identity documents applicable to them
- Directors whose DIN was deactivated earlier for non-filing and who now need to reactivate it before signing a form or resolution
- Persons who changed mobile number, email address or residential address and must report it within thirty days
Benefits of DIR-3 KYC Filing
Uninterrupted director status
An active DIN lets you sign MCA forms, be appointed to a board and act as signatory. A deactivated DIN stops all of this until it is regularised.
Fewer filings than before
The triennial cycle means a director who has completed KYC does not need to file every September, reducing the risk of a forgotten annual deadline.
Verified contact record
Updated mobile and email details mean that ROC notices, OTPs and portal alerts reach the right person, which matters during inspections or show-cause proceedings.
Cleaner company records
Companies are often asked by banks, investors and auditors to show that every director's DIN is active. A current KYC acknowledgement settles that quickly.
One form for several purposes
KYC, contact updates and DIN reactivation now run through the same web form, which keeps the process consistent.
Eligibility & applicability
The filing is open to every DIN holder, but the exact path depends on your current DIN status. Check the following before you start:
- You hold a DIN allotted by MCA that is active, or was deactivated for non-filing of KYC
- You hold a DIN as on 31 March of the financial year in which the three-year cycle ends
- Your mobile number and email address are unique to you; MCA uses OTP verification on both
- You have valid identity and address proof in the name recorded against the DIN
- For first-time or lapsed filings, your PAN and Aadhaar details are consistent with MCA records
- Forms left in draft or pending status under the old system were cancelled around 31 March 2026, so a fresh filing is required for those
Documents required
Identity and address documents
- PAN card of the director (passport for foreign nationals where PAN is not held)
- Aadhaar card or passport, voter ID or driving licence as address proof, as accepted on the form
- Latest passport-size photograph if the form asks for it
Contact verification
- Personal mobile number able to receive OTP, not a company or consultant number
- Personal email address able to receive OTP
- Existing DIN and, if applicable, the previous KYC acknowledgement number
For reactivation and event-based updates
- Proof of new residential address where address has changed
- Details of the earlier deactivation, if any, and challan for any fee payable
- Digital Signature Certificate, if the form is signed digitally in your case
Step-by-step DIR-3 KYC process
The filing is online on the MCA V3 portal. The steps below reflect how it is usually done; screens may change as MCA updates the portal.
Check DIN status
Log in to the MCA portal and look at the DIN status. If it shows 'Approved' you are active; if it shows 'Deactivated' you must file and clear the pending fee before the DIN works again.
Confirm which filing applies
Decide whether you are doing the periodic triennial KYC, an event-based update of address, mobile or email, or a reactivation. All three use the DIR-3-KYC-Web form.
Open the form and enter the DIN
Select DIR-3-KYC-Web, enter your DIN and PAN, and confirm that the details displayed match your records.
Verify mobile and email by OTP
Enter the personal mobile number and email you want recorded. MCA sends separate OTPs to both. Use details you will retain, because they will be used for future notices.
Update address and upload proofs
Where your address has changed, enter the new residential address and attach the supporting proof. Keep scans clear and in the format specified on the form.
Pay any fee and submit
If the DIN is deactivated, generate the challan and pay the applicable fee. Submit the form and note the SRN for tracking.
Track status and download acknowledgement
Track the SRN until the DIN shows as active again and save the acknowledgement. Give a copy to each company where you are a director so that its records are updated.
Government fees
Fees under the DIR-3 KYC regime depend on why you are filing. The figures below are based on published practitioner and ICAI-linked summaries; confirm current amounts on the MCA fee schedule before payment.
| Item | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Regular triennial KYC filed on time | Nil | No government fee has been charged for timely periodic KYC |
| Reactivation of DIN deactivated for non-filing | Rs 5,000 | Long-standing late fee for DINs deactivated under the annual regime; whether it applies unchanged to a missed triennial deadline should be confirmed on the portal |
| Event-based update (address, mobile, email) within 30 days | As per Fees Rules | Sources differ on whether any fee is charged; check the portal at the time of filing |
Professional charges are quoted separately after reviewing your case. Government fees are paid directly to the authority.
How long does DIR-3 KYC take?
The web form is largely system-processed, so an active DIN with matching details can complete the filing within the same day once OTPs are verified. Reactivation of a deactivated DIN depends on MCA processing and fee payment, and MCA does not commit to a fixed period. Allow a few working days when a board meeting or filing is waiting on the DIN.
| Stage | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Gathering documents and OTP verification | Same day if details are ready |
| Form submission and system processing | Same day to a few working days |
| DIN reactivation after fee payment | A few working days; not fixed by MCA |
Validity & the next due date
KYC is valid for the three-year cycle. A director who completed KYC under the old system next files by 30 June 2028. Directors whose DIN was allotted later have their own first due date, and published sources disagree on the exact year for DINs allotted in FY 2025-26, so check your DIN status on the portal or with a professional. Updating mobile, email or address does not reset the cycle, so keep a calendar reminder for the periodic filing.
Compliance after filing
- Save the acknowledgement and SRN with the director's personal compliance file
- Share confirmation with the company secretary or compliance team so that the director's master data on the MCA portal is consistent
- Report any change of mobile number, email address or residential address within thirty days of the change
- Verify that the DIN shows as approved on the portal before signing statutory forms or board resolutions
- Check that the company's own director particulars filed with the ROC match the updated details
- Diarise the next triennial KYC, due by 30 June of the relevant financial year
- Review the list of directors in all your companies and LLPs yearly, since the obligation is yours as a DIN holder, not the company's
Old annual DIR-3 KYC vs new triennial rule
| Point | Earlier regime (till March 2026) | Revised regime (from 31 March 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency | Every financial year | Once in every third consecutive financial year |
| Due date | 30 September | 30 June of the financial year immediately following the third year |
| Forms | DIR-3 KYC e-form and DIR-3 KYC-Web | Single DIR-3-KYC-Web form |
| Contact or address change | Handled through the annual filing | Report within 30 days of the change |
| Non-filing | DIN deactivated; Rs 5,000 to reactivate | DIN deactivation continues; fee for a missed triennial filing to be confirmed on the portal |
Common mistakes & rejection reasons
Using the consultant's mobile or email
Some directors let an accountant's number be used for OTPs. When the accountant changes, the director loses access to MCA notices and cannot complete future OTP steps. Always use personal contact details.
Assuming the old 30 September date still applies
The annual 30 September deadline belonged to the earlier regime. Relying on it, or ignoring the new 30 June date, risks deactivation.
Ignoring event-based changes
A change of address or phone number must be reported within thirty days. Many directors only file at the periodic deadline and forget this separate duty.
Leaving forms in draft
Forms left in draft or pending status were cancelled around the changeover. A director who thought a filing was nearly done may find it was never submitted.
Name or PAN mismatch
Differences between the name on PAN and the name on the DIN record cause the form to fail. Correct the DIN master data first through the appropriate change form.
Not checking DIN status before a board meeting
A deactivated DIN can hold up appointment, annual filing or a charge registration. Check status before the signing date, not on it.
Consequences of non-compliance
The principal consequence is deactivation of the DIN. A director with a deactivated DIN cannot be appointed or reappointed, and cannot sign MCA forms until the DIN is reactivated on payment of the applicable fee. Deactivation also has knock-on effects for the company, because forms requiring that director's DSC or signature cannot be filed. The specific penalty provisions under the Companies Act, 2013 for default by a director are not reproduced here and should be confirmed from the statute for your case.
Practitioner tips
- Check the DIN status of every director in your group each quarter. It takes minutes and prevents a deactivated DIN surfacing on the day of an annual filing.
- Keep a separate personal email and mobile for each director on record. Shared or consultant-held numbers are the most common reason OTPs fail years later.
- File address or contact updates promptly after a move or number change, even if the periodic KYC is not due. The thirty-day window runs from the change.
- If a DIN is deactivated, clear it before the company files its ROC annual filing because director signatures are needed on those forms.
- Download and keep the acknowledgement. During a bank KYC or investor due diligence, it is faster to produce than to re-check the portal.
How Lawgical Guru helps
DIN status audit
We check the status of every director's DIN in your company or group and tell you which ones need action and by when.
KYC filing
We prepare and submit the DIR-3-KYC-Web form, coordinate the OTP steps with the director and keep the acknowledgement for your records.
Reactivation support
Where a DIN is deactivated, we help you file, pay the applicable fee and follow up until the DIN shows as active.
Event-based updates
We help directors report changes of mobile, email or address within the thirty-day window.
Linked director filings
We support director appointment and resignation, ROC annual filing and digital signature certificate so director records stay consistent.
DIR-3 KYC Filing: frequently asked questions
What is DIR-3 KYC?
DIR-3 KYC is the Know Your Customer filing that every holder of a Director Identification Number must make with MCA to keep the DIN active. It verifies identity, mobile number, email and residential address. From 31 March 2026 it is done once in every three consecutive financial years through the DIR-3-KYC-Web form.
What is the due date for DIR-3 KYC now?
Under the 2025 Amendment Rules, a DIN holder files KYC once in every third consecutive financial year, on or before 30 June of the immediately following financial year. Directors who completed KYC under the old annual system next file by 30 June 2028. The old 30 September date applied to the earlier regime.
Is DIR-3 KYC still required every year?
No. The annual requirement was replaced from 31 March 2026 with a triennial KYC intimation. You must still report changes in mobile number, email address or residential address within thirty days of the change, and you must keep the DIN active by meeting the three-year deadline.
What happens if DIR-3 KYC is not filed?
The DIN is deactivated. A director with a deactivated DIN cannot be appointed or sign MCA forms until it is reactivated by filing the KYC form and paying the applicable fee. This can delay annual filings and other company compliances that need that director's signature.
What is the fee for DIR-3 KYC?
Timely periodic KYC has not carried a government fee. A fee of Rs 5,000 has applied to reactivate a DIN deactivated for non-filing. Whether it applies unchanged to a missed triennial deadline should be confirmed on the MCA portal, since published summaries differ on event-based update fees.
Is a professional certification still needed for DIR-3 KYC?
Under the old system the e-form needed a practising CA, CS or cost accountant to certify, while the web form did not. With the forms merged into DIR-3-KYC-Web, check the current form on the MCA portal for any certification requirement. We have not verified the gazette text on this point.
How do I reactivate a deactivated DIN?
Log in to the MCA portal, open the DIR-3-KYC-Web form, verify mobile and email by OTP, update address if needed and pay the applicable fee. After MCA processes the SRN the DIN returns to active status. Keep the acknowledgement for the company's records.
Do I need to file DIR-3 KYC if I am only a nominee or dormant director?
Yes. KYC attaches to the DIN, not to the role you play. A person who holds a DIN, even if the company is dormant or the person is not currently appointed, is subject to the KYC requirement and to deactivation on default.
Do foreign directors need to file DIR-3 KYC?
A foreign national holding a DIN is also subject to KYC. Identity and address proof acceptable for foreign nationals, such as a passport, is used in place of PAN and Aadhaar where those are not held. Check the form instructions and consider professional help with document attestation.
Can the company file DIR-3 KYC on behalf of its director?
The filing is the director's own obligation and is verified through OTPs sent to the director's mobile and email. A professional can prepare and submit the form, but the director must be available to complete verification and provide documents.
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Reviewed by Satyam Gupta, Company Secretary (CS) & Advocate
8+ years of industry experience. This page was last reviewed on 16 October 2026 against the official sources below. Rules and fees change — confirm on the official portal before you apply.