DIR-3 KYC season is here — what directors must file before September 30
Every DIN holder has to complete KYC by September 30, or the DIN is deactivated and reactivation costs ₹5,000. Ten minutes now, or paperwork and penalty later.
Of all the filings we chase clients for, DIR-3 KYC is the one with the least excuse for a miss. It applies to individuals, not companies; it takes minutes when done on time; and the consequence of missing it — a deactivated Director Identification Number — quietly blocks every other filing that director must sign. Here is the season in one page.
Who must file
Every individual who holds a DIN as on March 31, 2026 — whether or not they are currently a director anywhere, and whether or not the DIN has ever been used. Disqualified directors are not exempt. If you have a DIN, you file. The deadline is September 30, 2026.
Form or web — which one applies to you
| Your situation | What you file |
|---|---|
| First KYC after DIN allotment | eForm DIR-3 KYC — full form, with professional certification |
| KYC done before, no changes to mobile or email | DIR-3 KYC-WEB — OTP verification on the portal, done in minutes |
| KYC done before, but mobile or email changed | eForm DIR-3 KYC with the updated details |
The eForm route needs a current digital signature (check the DSC expiry before the last week of September), PAN, proof of address, and certification by a practising professional. The web route needs only access to the registered mobile and email — which is exactly why outdated contact details are the most common last-minute failure.
For company secretarial teams
- List every DIN across the group — directors, and promoters who hold unused DINs.
- Verify registered mobile and email for each; update via eForm where stale.
- Check DSC validity for everyone on the eForm route.
- File in July or August — the portal slows measurably in the final fortnight.
- Archive the SRN and challan for each filing in the statutory register file.
Common questions, short answers
I resigned from all boards years ago — do I still file? Yes, as long as you hold the DIN. If you genuinely never intend to use it, surrender is a separate process; until then, KYC applies.
I am an NRI director. You file with your overseas address and foreign mobile number; the OTP flow works on international numbers. Passport becomes the operative identity document.
Can the company file for me? The filing is personal to the DIN holder, though in practice the secretarial team or your CA prepares it and you verify the OTPs. Ten minutes of a director's attention is the entire ask — spend it in July.
Facing this in your own business? A first consultation with a partner costs nothing but thirty minutes.
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