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Company Law & MCA Compliance

DIR-3 KYC for Directors

DIR-3 KYC

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Regulatory Framework

Governed by Section 153, Companies Act 2013, read with Rule 12A, Companies (Appointment and Qualification of Directors) Rules 2014. Every individual holding a Director Identification Number (DIN) allotted on or before 31 March of a financial year must file Form DIR-3 KYC (for first-time filing, or where personal details have changed since the last filing) — or the simplified web-based DIR-3 KYC-WEB confirmation (where no details have changed) — by 30 September of the immediately following financial year. Filing requires PAN, a unique personal mobile number and email ID authenticated by OTP, Aadhaar (or passport for foreign nationals), and a digital signature. Missing the deadline results in the DIN being marked "Deactivated due to non-filing of DIR-3 KYC," which blocks the individual from being named as a director, signatory or authorised representative on any MCA filing until KYC is completed and a late fee of ₹5,000, prescribed under the Companies (Registration Offices and Fees) Rules 2014, is paid to reactivate the DIN. The requirement applies annually to every DIN holder regardless of whether they currently hold a directorship.

Overview

DIR-3 KYC is the annual Know Your Customer filing every director with a Director Identification Number must submit to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs — once in each financial year, in the window the MCA prescribes. The requirement is anchored in the Companies Act 2013 framework — the DIN is obtained under Section 153, and the annual KYC filing is prescribed under the Companies (Appointment and Qualification of Directors) Rules 2014 (VERIFY: Rule 12A of the Rules prescribes the DIR-3 KYC filing and its period).

The KYC filing is the MCA's way of keeping its director database live: every DIN is tied to a real person whose identity and address are re-verified each year. The form asks for the director's personal details, the companies they are associated with, and their contact information, and it is filed on the MCA21 portal against each active DIN.

Missing the KYC window has a specific and well-known consequence: the DIN is marked as not KYC-compliant and can be deactivated, and a deactivated DIN blocks the director from being appointed to any company, from filings that require the DIN, and from holding office in a live company — the director's entire corporate footprint freezes over a missed form.

This service is for directors who need their DIR-3 KYC filed correctly and on time — including directors whose DINs have already been deactivated for non-filing and need reactivation. We confirm the applicable KYC window, file the DIR-3 KYC form for each DIN on the MCA portal, and manage the reactivation process where a DIN has lapsed.

How It Works

  1. 1

    KYC Requirement Check

    We confirm the KYC window and the DINs that need the filing in the current year.

    Harun Raaj & Associates does this1 day
  2. 2

    Director Details Collection

    You provide the personal, address and company association details for the form.

    You do this1-2 days
  3. 3

    Form Preparation

    We prepare the DIR-3 KYC form for each DIN with the required particulars.

    Harun Raaj & Associates does this1-2 days
  4. 4

    MCA Filing

    We file the DIR-3 KYC on the MCA21 portal and confirm the acknowledgment.

    Harun Raaj & Associates does this1 day
  5. 5

    DIN Reactivation (if needed)

    Where a DIN was deactivated, we manage the reactivation process and restore the DIN.

    Harun Raaj & Associates does this1-2 weeks

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is required to file DIR-3 KYC and when is it due each year?
Every individual who has been allotted a Director Identification Number (DIN) — whether or not they are a director in a company at the time of filing — must complete the annual KYC process as mandated under Rule 12A of the Companies (Appointment and Qualification of Directors) Rules 2014 read with the MCA notification dated July 5, 2018. For DIN holders who have filed DIR-3 KYC at least once using the full web form, the annual KYC can be completed via the DIR-3 KYC-Web form (a simplified web-based confirmation) on the MCA21 portal instead of re-filing the full XML form. The due date is September 30 each year, covering individuals who were allotted DIN as of March 31 of that financial year. MCA deactivates DINs not subjected to KYC, and any filing made by a director with a deactivated DIN is invalid, creating a compliance risk for the company.
What is the penalty for failing to complete DIR-3 KYC by the due date?
If DIR-3 KYC or DIR-3 KYC-Web is not filed by the due date of September 30, the DIN is marked as 'Deactivated due to non-filing of DIR-3 KYC' by the MCA system, and the DIN holder cannot make any company filing until the KYC is completed. To reactivate a deactivated DIN, the individual must file the DIR-3 KYC form after the due date and pay a penalty fee of ₹5,000 per DIN as prescribed under Rule 12A of the Companies (Appointment and Qualification of Directors) Rules 2014. There is no provision for waiver of this late fee. A director who files board resolutions, annual returns, or financial statements using a deactivated DIN risks those filings being treated as defective, exposing the company to penalties under the Companies Act 2013.
What documents and details are required for the first-time DIR-3 KYC filing?
For first-time DIR-3 KYC filing, the director must provide their DIN, PAN, Aadhaar number (verified through the OTP-based Aadhaar authentication on the MCA21 portal), personal mobile number, and personal email address as required under Rule 12A of the Companies (Appointment and Qualification of Directors) Rules 2014. The mobile number and email address provided must be unique to the individual and must be verified by OTP during the filing process — these details are linked to the DIN permanently and used for all future MCA communications. The form must be digitally signed by the DIN holder and certified by a practising Chartered Accountant, Company Secretary, or Cost Accountant, who verifies the particulars including the Aadhaar-PAN linkage. Mismatches between PAN and Aadhaar data will cause the form to be rejected, so the director must ensure PAN-Aadhaar linkage is complete (due date for PAN-Aadhaar linking was June 30, 2023 under CBDT Circular No. 6/2023).
Can a foreign national director complete DIR-3 KYC, and what is different about their process?
Yes, foreign nationals holding a DIN must also comply with annual DIR-3 KYC under Rule 12A of the Companies (Appointment and Qualification of Directors) Rules 2014. However, foreign nationals are not required to provide Aadhaar since Aadhaar is issued only to Indian residents; instead, they must provide a certified copy of their passport as the primary identity document. The mobile number and email address provided must be active personal contacts of the director, and OTP verification is conducted on those. The DIR-3 KYC form for a foreign director must be certified by a practising professional (CA/CS/CMA) and must be accompanied by a self-attested copy of the passport and a notarised and apostilled address proof document from the foreign director's country of residence if the address proof is in a foreign language or jurisdiction. Foreign directors should initiate the KYC process well before September 30 to allow time for document apostilling and courier.
Does deactivation of a DIN affect the director's existing appointments, and how is business continuity maintained?
Deactivation of a DIN does not itself vacate the director's office or invalidate their existing appointment; the director remains in the company's register of directors. However, while the DIN is deactivated, the director cannot sign or be party to any e-filing on the MCA21 portal under the Companies Act 2013, meaning the company cannot file Form MGT-7 (Annual Return), AOC-4 (Financial Statements), or any other form that requires the director's DIN. This effectively blocks the company's entire regulatory filing workflow until the deactivated DIN is reactivated by filing DIR-3 KYC with the ₹5,000 penalty. The company may also become liable for penalties under Section 403 (additional filing fee for late filing) for all filings that were delayed because of the director's deactivated DIN. To maintain business continuity, companies should proactively track KYC due dates for all their directors and send reminders before September 30 each year.

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