DIN verification has two parts: the lookup above checks that a Director Identification Number has the right 8-digit format, and MCA's director master data shows whose number it is and which companies and LLPs it is linked to. This guide explains the law behind the DIN, what a DIN status such as "deactivated" means, the three-yearly DIR-3 KYC that applies from 31 March 2026, and how to run a DIN number search on MCA. A DIN whose holder skips DIR-3 KYC is deactivated, and re-activating it costs ₹5,000.
What is DIN under the Companies Act?
No one can be appointed a director without a DIN (section 152(3) of the Companies Act 2013). Sections 153 to 159 set the rest: how you apply, how fast MCA allots it, the ban on a second DIN, and penalties. For LLPs, section 7(6) of the LLP Act 2008 applies the same sections to the designated partner number, and designated partners use their DIN as the DPIN.
| Section | What it requires | If it is not followed |
|---|---|---|
| 153 and 154 | Apply to the Central Government, which allots a DIN within one month | Appointment cannot go ahead (section 152(3)) |
| 155 | No one may apply for, obtain or hold a second DIN | Penalty under section 159 |
| 156 | An existing director tells each company their DIN within one month of receiving it | Penalty under section 159 |
| 157 | The company files its directors' DINs with the Registrar within 15 days of that intimation | ₹25,000 plus ₹100 a day, up to ₹1 lakh, for the company and each officer in default |
| 159 | Penalty for breaking section 152, 155 or 156 | Up to ₹50,000, plus up to ₹500 a day while it continues |
Section 158 also requires the DIN in every return or filing that relates to a director. Rule 10(6) of the Companies (Appointment and Qualification of Directors) Rules 2014 adds that a DIN is valid for the holder's lifetime and is never allotted to anyone else.
DIN verification on MCA, step by step
The lookup checks the number's shape only. The live record is in MCA's director master data, which shows the director's name and the companies and LLPs linked to the DIN. You may be asked to log in to the MCA portal before you can search it.
- Run the DIN through the lookup above. Fix any length error before you search, since a 7-digit or 9-digit number cannot be a DIN.
- Open mca.gov.in and go to MCA Services, then Master Data, then View Director Master Data. Log in if the portal asks you to.
- Enter the 8-digit DIN, including any leading zeros.
- Check that the name matches the person, and read the list of companies and LLPs linked to the DIN. The CIN and LLPIN lookup helps you check each of those companies next.
- MCA's online help also lists an Enquire DIN Status service among its DIN services, for checking whether a DIN is active.
What does a DIN status such as deactivated mean?
A deactivated DIN is usually one whose holder did not file DIR-3 KYC on time. Rule 11(2) requires MCA to deactivate the DIN of anyone who does not file Form DIR-3-KYC-Web as rule 12A requires, and rule 11(3) allows re-activation only after that form is filed with the fee, now ₹5,000.
Rule 11(1) covers other ways a DIN ends. MCA can cancel or deactivate a DIN that is a duplicate (the records are merged into the retained number), was obtained wrongfully or by fraud, or belongs to someone who has died, been declared of unsound mind by a court or been adjudicated insolvent. A holder who was never appointed a director and never used the DIN for any filing can surrender it in Form DIR-5.
"Disqualified" is different. Under section 164(2), a person who is or was a director of a company that has not filed financial statements or annual returns for three continuous financial years cannot be appointed or re-appointed for five years. The ROC compliance calendar helps keep those filings current. MCA's instruction kit for the earlier yearly KYC listed DIN statuses such as "Approved", "Disqualified" and "Deactivated".
DIR-3 KYC from 31 March 2026: what changed
G.S.R. 943(E), dated 31 December 2025 and in force from 31 March 2026, replaced rule 12A. Every individual who holds a DIN as on 31 March of a financial year now files Form DIR-3 KYC Web by 30 June following every third consecutive financial year, instead of every year. For directors who have already completed KYC, the next periodic due date is 30 June 2028.
- Changes in between. A new personal mobile number, email address or residential address must be reported in DIR-3 KYC Web within 30 days of the change.
- One form. The separate DIR-3-KYC and DIR-3-KYC-WEB forms were replaced by a single Form DIR-3-KYC-Web.
- Fees. G.S.R. 300(E) of 21 April 2026 sets nil for a filing on time, ₹5,000 for a late filing or a re-activation, and ₹500 for every change filing.
The DIR-3 KYC due date tool shows the next deadline for a given DIN holder.
Worked example: a change of mobile number and a late KYC
Two dates drive the cost: 30 days from any change in contact details, and 30 June of the KYC year.
Example. A made-up director, Asha, changes her personal mobile number on 10 August 2026. She must file DIR-3 KYC Web within 30 days, so by 9 September 2026, with a fee of ₹500. Having completed KYC before, she is next due by 30 June 2028, at no fee. If she misses that date and files on 15 July 2028 instead, the fee is ₹5,000, and until she files, rule 11(2) requires MCA to deactivate her DIN.
The ₹5,000 is the same whether the delay is one day or one year, so the cheap fix is a calendar reminder well before 30 June 2028.
Who needs a DIN, and how do you get one?
Every individual who intends to be appointed a director needs a DIN, and designated partners of an LLP use the same number. For a new company, up to three proposed directors without a DIN can get one through the incorporation form SPICe+ (INC-32). Anyone joining an existing company applies in Form DIR-3.
The duty to file KYC follows the number, not the job. Rule 12A applies to "every individual who holds" a DIN, so resigning from every board does not end it. If you were never appointed and never used the DIN, surrendering it in Form DIR-5 is the cleaner route.
Common DIN mistakes
Most DIN problems are avoidable.
- Losing the leading zero. Spreadsheets often store a DIN as a number, turning 8 digits into 7, and the lookup will then flag the length.
- Applying for a fresh DIN after deactivation. Section 155 bars a second DIN; re-activate the existing one instead.
- Forgetting the 30-day window after changing a mobile number, email or address.
- Assuming a company's filing mistakes cannot affect you personally. Section 164(2) disqualification attaches to the director.
- Not checking a new co-director's record before appointing them. The DIN search shows their other boards.
How Ofin can help
Ofin files DIR-3 KYC Web for directors, tracks the 30-day change window and re-activates deactivated DINs. DIR-3 KYC filing starts from ₹1,899 and DIN re-activation from ₹999. For a new director, DIN registration starts from ₹1,499.
