DIN at a glance
A DIN is the one number the MCA uses to identify you as a director, in every company you ever join. You get it once, keep it for life, and use it to sign company filings.
| Point | What applies |
|---|---|
| Law | Section 152(3) and sections 153-159, Companies Act, 2013; Rules 9-12A, Companies (Appointment and Qualification of Directors) Rules, 2014 |
| Who needs it | Anyone to be appointed as a director of a company, and designated partners of an LLP |
| How many | One per person, for life. A duplicate can be cancelled by the Central Government under Rule 11 |
| Route for a new company | SPICe+ (INC-32), up to three DINs, no separate fee |
| Route for an existing company or LLP | Form DIR-3, ₹500 per DIN |
| After allotment | DIR-3 KYC once every three financial years, by 30 June |
Which route gets you a DIN
If the company does not exist yet, your DIN comes through SPICe+. If it already exists, you apply in DIR-3 before the company appoints you. Foreign nationals use the same two routes with extra documents.
| Your situation | Route | Who signs | Government fee | What follows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| You are a first director of a company being incorporated, and you have no DIN | SPICe+ Part B (up to three proposed directors) | You, with your DSC, on the incorporation form | Nil for the DIN | DIN allotted with the incorporation |
| More than three first directors have no DIN | Three get DINs through SPICe+; the others are appointed after incorporation using DIR-3 | As below | ₹500 each for DIR-3 | DIR-12 for each later appointment |
| You are joining the board of an existing company | DIR-3 | You with your DSC, verified by a director, manager, CEO, CFO or full-time company secretary of that company | ₹500 | Company files DIR-12 within 30 days of your appointment |
| You are to be a designated partner of an existing LLP | DIR-3 | You, verified by the LLP's authorised representative | ₹500 | LLP files Form 4 within 30 days |
| You are a foreign national or NRI | SPICe+ or DIR-3, as above | As above | As above | Passport mandatory; foreign documents notarised and apostilled or consularised |
A DIR-3 cannot be filed in the abstract. The rule allows it only for someone who intends to be appointed in an existing company or LLP, which is why the company's verification is part of the form.
How we file DIR-3
We collect your documents, prepare DIR-3, get it signed by you and verified by the company, pay the ₹500 fee and track it to allotment. Then we file your appointment so the DIN is put to use.
| Step | What happens | Form or document | Who acts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Route check | We confirm SPICe+ or DIR-3 and check you do not already hold a DIN | MCA DIN search | Regikart |
| 2. DSC | We confirm your Class 3 DSC is valid, or arrange a new one | Digital signature | You and Regikart |
| 3. Documents | PAN, identity proof, proof of residence and photograph checked against each other | See the documents list | You |
| 4. Board decision | The company's board resolves to appoint you, subject to DIN allotment | Board resolution | Company |
| 5. DIR-3 prepared and signed | Prepared for your DSC and the company's verification, then filed with the ₹500 fee | DIR-3 | You, the company and Regikart |
| 6. Allotment | Processed automatically unless a possible duplicate is flagged. We send you the allotment confirmation | MCA approval | MCA |
| 7. Appointment filed | The company records your appointment | DIR-12 within 30 days | Regikart |
Share scans on WhatsApp or email. We check each document against your PAN before filing.
Documents you need
- PAN, which is mandatory and against which the DIN is validated
- One identity proof: Aadhaar, passport, voter ID or driving licence
- Proof of current address: a recent utility bill or bank statement
- Passport-size photograph
- Your own mobile number and personal email, for OTP now and for future KYC
- Passport and visa for NRI and foreign applicants
- A valid Class 3 DSC
DIN for foreign nationals and NRIs
Foreign nationals and NRIs can hold a DIN through the same routes as residents. The difference is in the documents.
- Passport is mandatory for foreign nationals and is the identity proof.
- Proof of residence from the country of residence, such as a bank statement or utility bill.
- Notarisation and apostille, or consular attestation, of documents issued outside India, depending on whether the country is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention.
- DSC issued to the foreign national, which usually needs the same attested documents.
One more rule matters for the board as a whole. Every company must have at least one director who stayed in India for a total of 182 days or more during the financial year (section 149(3)). A board made up only of foreign directors cannot meet this.
DIN registration fees
Our professional fee for a DIN application is ₹999. The MCA fee is ₹500 for DIR-3, or nil when the DIN is allotted through SPICe+.
Professional fee
| Service | Regikart fee |
|---|---|
| DIN through DIR-3 for appointment in an existing company or LLP | ₹999 per director |
| Director appointment after the DIN (DIR-2, DIR-8, DIR-12) | ₹999 (see director addition) |
| DIN reactivation, if an old DIN is deactivated | ₹999 plus ₹5,000 MCA fee (see DIN reactivation) |
Government fee
| Filing | MCA fee |
|---|---|
| DIR-3 (DIN application) | ₹500 per DIN |
| DIN through SPICe+ at incorporation | Nil (no separate DIN fee) |
| DIR-12 (appointment filing by the company) | ₹200 to ₹600 by authorised capital |
Professional fees exclude GST at 18%. Government fees, where they apply, are paid at actuals to the department and are shown separately. Fees verified on 22 September 2026.
DSC cost is separate and depends on the issuer.
After you get your DIN
A DIN comes with one continuing duty: DIR-3 KYC once every three financial years, by 30 June. Miss it and the DIN is deactivated until you file with a ₹5,000 fee.
From 31 March 2026, KYC moved from every year to once in three financial years (G.S.R. 943(E)). Practitioner guidance places the first KYC for a DIN allotted in FY 2025-26 at 30 June 2029; the portal shows the status against each DIN, so confirm it there. For DINs allotted from FY 2026-27 onwards, we confirm your first due date on the portal.
If your mobile number, email or residential address changes, report it within 30 days on DIR-3 KYC Web (₹500). Read the full rules on our DIR-3 KYC page. If a DIN you already hold has been deactivated, do not apply for a new one: reactivate the existing DIN instead.
Mistakes to avoid
Most DIN problems come from applying twice or from mismatched names.
- Applying for a second DIN. If you once held a DIN, even decades ago, use it. A second DIN will be cancelled under Rule 11.
- Name that does not match PAN. The DIN is validated against PAN; use your name exactly as it appears there.
- Using a company phone or shared email. Future KYC OTPs go to these contacts. Use your own.
- Forgetting the appointment filing. A DIN alone does not make you a director. The company must file DIR-12 within 30 days of appointing you.
Not sure which route applies? Send us your details and a CS will tell you.