Director DIN + KYC: Complete Guide for Directors — New 3-Year DIR-3 KYC Rule (2026)
DIR-3 KYC is now once every three years from 31 March 2026; compliant directors next file by 30 June 2028. DIN process, due dates, deactivation. From ₹449.
Director KYC is no longer annual: from 31 March 2026, every DIN holder files DIR-3 KYC once every three financial years, by 30 June of the year after the third year, and directors who had already completed KYC next file by 30 June 2028. Any change in mobile number, email or residential address must be updated within 30 days, and a DIN whose KYC is missed is deactivated until it is filed with the late fee.
Every director of an Indian company must have a Director Identification Number (DIN) and must keep its KYC current through Form DIR-3 KYC. In this guide, we cover DIN application, the DIR-3 KYC process under the new three-year cycle, deadlines, and the consequences of missing them, as the position stands in October 2026.
What changed on 31 March 2026
| Point | Until 31 March 2026 | From 31 March 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency | Every financial year | Once every three consecutive financial years |
| Due date | 30 September | 30 June of the year after the third financial year |
| Next filing for directors already KYC-compliant | — | By 30 June 2028 |
| Forms | e-form DIR-3 KYC or web form DIR-3 KYC-Web | Single Form DIR-3 KYC Web |
| Change in mobile, email or address | Updated at the next annual KYC | Updated within 30 days of the change, with the prescribed fee |
| Law | Rule 12A, Companies (Appointment and Qualification of Directors) Rules, 2014 | Rule 12A as amended by G.S.R. 943(E), 31 December 2025 |
Nothing to file in 2026 if your DIN was KYC-compliant before 31 March 2026. Do update the MCA within 30 days if your mobile number, email or residential address changes, because that is now a separate obligation.
What is DIN?
A Director Identification Number (DIN) is a unique 8-digit ID issued by the MCA to every director of an Indian company. It is a lifetime ID — once issued, valid until the director's death.
Who Needs a DIN?
- Every director of a Pvt Ltd / Public Ltd / Section 8 company
- Every designated partner of an LLP (the DIN doubles as the designated partner identification number), so the KYC cycle applies to them too — see our LLP annual compliance guide
- Foreign nationals can also get DIN (with apostilled documents)
- Even a sole director of an OPC must have DIN
How to Get a DIN
DIN is applied via Form DIR-3 on the MCA portal. Required documents:
- PAN of the director (mandatory)
- Aadhaar (mandatory for Indian residents)
- Passport (for foreign nationals, apostilled)
- Address proof (Aadhaar / voter ID / passport / utility bill)
- Photo (jpg)
- Mobile + email (for OTP verification)
- DSC (Digital Signature Certificate) — get one through our DSC service
DIN Application Process
Option 1: DIN through SPICe+ (recommended)
When you register a company via SPICe+, DIN is allotted automatically for the first 3 directors. No separate DIN application needed.
Option 2: DIN through Form DIR-3 (later)
If you are appointed as a director after the company is registered, you must apply for DIN via Form DIR-3 separately. Approval: 3-7 days.
DIR-3 KYC: Now Once Every Three Years
Under Rule 12A as amended with effect from 31 March 2026, every individual holding a DIN files Form DIR-3 KYC Web once every third consecutive financial year, on or before 30 June of the following year. The earlier annual filing by 30 September has gone, and the separate e-form DIR-3 KYC and web form DIR-3 KYC-Web were merged into one form.
DIR-3 KYC due dates under the new cycle
| Your situation | What to file | By when |
|---|---|---|
| KYC already completed before 31 March 2026, no change in details | Next periodic KYC | 30 June 2028 |
| DIN allotted during FY 2025-26 (for example, on 1 January 2026) | First periodic KYC; the cycle is counted from the year of allotment | Between April and June 2029 |
| Mobile number, email or residential address changes | DIR-3 KYC Web with the prescribed fee | Within 30 days of the change |
| DIN deactivated for non-filing of KYC | DIR-3 KYC Web with the late fee | As soon as possible; the DIN stays deactivated until then |
| Every later cycle | Periodic KYC | 30 June after every third consecutive financial year |
These dates follow the illustrations the MCA published with the amendment: the filing window is April to June of the due year, and an in-between update of mobile, email or address does not restart the three-year cycle. A periodic KYC filed on time carries no government fee; the ₹5,000 fee applies when a deactivated DIN is brought back.
What is Required in DIR-3 KYC?
- PAN + Aadhaar verification (OTP-based)
- Mobile + email verification (OTP-based)
- Updated personal details (name, address, father's name, nationality)
- DSC (Digital Signature Certificate), where the form calls for a signed attachment, such as a deactivated DIN
- Passport (for foreign nationals)
What Happens If DIR-3 KYC Is Not Filed
If the KYC is not filed by its due date:
- DIN is marked as "Deactivated due to non-filing of KYC"
- The DIN cannot be used to sign MCA forms or to be appointed to a new board until it is reactivated
- Reactivation means filing the KYC with the late fee under the Companies (Registration Offices and Fees) Rules, 2014 — ₹5,000 under the fee schedule used for annual KYC; we confirm the current figure on the MCA portal before filing
- Deactivation is not the same as disqualification under Section 164, which arises from company defaults such as not filing financial statements or annual returns
Common mistakes after the 2026 change
- Filing an "annual" KYC in 2026 out of habit when the next due date is 30 June 2028.
- Changing a mobile number or email and not updating the MCA within 30 days.
- Letting the registered mobile or email lapse, so the OTPs needed for the next KYC never arrive.
- Assuming designated partners of an LLP are outside the rule. Every DIN holder is covered.
Cost
| Service | Cost |
|---|---|
| DIN application (Form DIR-3) or DIR-3 KYC | From ₹449 per director |
| MCA fee, and any late fee for a deactivated DIN | Paid at actuals |
Our fees exclude GST. Adding someone to the board? See director appointment. Our annual compliance plan for Pvt Ltd companies tracks every director's KYC due date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is DIN lifetime?
A: Yes. DIN is allotted once and is valid for the lifetime of the holder. It must still be kept KYC-compliant: since 31 March 2026 that means a DIR-3 KYC once every three financial years, plus an update within 30 days whenever your mobile number, email or residential address changes.
Q: What is the DIR-3 KYC due date in 2026?
A: There is no periodic DIR-3 KYC due in 2026 for directors who were already compliant. The amendment notified on 31 December 2025 (G.S.R. 943(E)), effective 31 March 2026, moved KYC to once every three financial years, due by 30 June. Directors who had completed KYC next file by 30 June 2028.
Q: Is DIR-3 KYC still required every year?
A: No. The annual filing by 30 September ended on 31 March 2026. KYC is now filed once every third consecutive financial year, by 30 June of the following year. The only in-between filing is an update within 30 days if your mobile number, email or residential address changes.
Q: What if my mobile number or email changes?
A: Update it on Form DIR-3 KYC Web within 30 days of the change, with the prescribed fee. Under the new rule this is a standalone obligation, not something you can leave for the next three-yearly KYC. Keeping these current also matters because the KYC is verified by OTP to the registered mobile and email.
Q: I got my DIN in 2025-26. When is my first DIR-3 KYC due?
A: Between April and June 2029. The MCA's illustrations count the three-year cycle from the financial year in which the DIN was allotted, so a DIN allotted at any point in FY 2025-26 first files in the April–June 2029 window. Updating your mobile, email or address in between does not change that date.
Q: Is there a government fee for DIR-3 KYC?
A: A periodic DIR-3 KYC filed within its April–June window carries no government fee. Reactivating a DIN that was deactivated for non-filing costs ₹5,000, and an update of mobile, email or address within 30 days carries the fee prescribed in the MCA fee rules, which the portal shows at filing. Our fee is separate.
Q: Can I have multiple DINs?
A: No. A person can have only one DIN. If you accidentally have two DINs (because of duplicate applications), the extra DIN must be surrendered. Holding more than one breaches Section 155, and Section 159 provides a penalty of up to ₹50,000, plus up to ₹500 a day while the default continues.
Q: Is DIN required for foreign directors?
A: Yes. Foreign directors can apply for DIN via Form DIR-3 with apostilled passport + address proof + photo. Approval may take longer (15-30 days) for foreign nationals.
Q: What happens if my DIN is deactivated?
A: You cannot sign MCA forms with it or be appointed to a new board. To reactivate it, file Form DIR-3 KYC Web with the late fee prescribed under the Companies (Registration Offices and Fees) Rules, 2014. We check the current fee on the MCA portal and handle the reactivation end-to-end.
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