Director KYC (DIR-3 KYC) 2026: The Three-Year Cycle, DIN Deactivation and What to Check

ROC Compliance | RegisCorp Team

Checked on 24 October 2026. Every person who holds a Director Identification Number (DIN) has to keep their KYC with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs up to date. That includes directors of private companies, designated partners of LLPs, and people who resigned years ago but never gave up their DIN. Until this year the rule was simple and annoying: file Form DIR-3 KYC every year by 30 September. From 31 March 2026, the pages we read say, the rule changed to once every three financial years, with a deadline of 30 June. The change matters now because a few pages still describe the old 30 September date, and because a deactivated DIN can block the company filings that fall due this month. This post explains the new cycle, who has to file, what a deactivated DIN costs you, how to check your own DIN, and where the sources disagree.

RegisCorp Consultancy LLP is a digital-first legal and compliance firm in Kota, Rajasthan, working with businesses across India. We write these guides so you can check the rules before you pay anyone, including us.

Key takeaways

• The cycle is reported to be three years, not one. Pages we read say a notification numbered G.S.R. 943(E), dated 31 December 2025, amended Rule 12A of the Companies (Appointment and Qualification of Directors) Rules, 2014. It took effect on 31 March 2026 and moved DIR-3 KYC from every year to once in every third financial year.
• The deadline moved from 30 September to 30 June. The 30 June in question falls after the third financial year ends. A page that still says "30 September 2026" is describing the old rule.
• Directors who are already up to date have nothing due on 30 September 2026. One page says the next date for them is 30 June 2028. We could not read the notification, so check the date for your own DIN on the portal.
• Everyone with a DIN is covered, not just sitting directors. Resigned directors, independent directors, foreign nationals with an Indian DIN and LLP designated partners are all in scope until the DIN is surrendered.
• A change in your details cannot wait three years. A new mobile number, email address or residential address has to be reported within 30 days, whatever stage of the cycle you are in.
• A missed filing deactivates the DIN, and reactivation is reported to cost Rs 5,000. A deactivated director cannot sign MCA forms. That can block the company's own annual filings, and the company then pays late fees.
• The two old routes have been merged. Pages say the DIR-3 KYC e-form and DIR-3 KYC Web became one form, DIR-3 KYC Web, from 31 March 2026. Drafts pending on that date were cancelled and had to be refiled.
• Pages disagree on the first due year for a new DIN. One page gives 2028 in its summary and 2029 in its example for a DIN allotted in FY 2025-26. Treat any single date as provisional until you check the portal.

The key numbers and dates in one place

What DIR-3 KYC is

DIR-3 KYC is the periodic verification of a DIN holder's identity and contact details. It checks the PAN against the income tax database, confirms the mobile number and email by one-time password, and records the permanent and present addresses. Its purpose is to keep the MCA's director data accurate, so that a notice or a verification request reaches a real person.

Note the scope. The duty attaches to the DIN, not to the directorship. A person who was a director of a company that has since closed still holds a DIN. A person who took a DIN "just in case" and never joined a board holds one too. The pages we read say the obligation ends only when the DIN is surrendered on Form DIR-5.

What changed from 31 March 2026

The pages we read agree on the main points.

• The annual filing was replaced by a filing once in every third consecutive financial year.
• The due date is 30 June of the year after that third financial year ends.
• The cycle is counted from the financial year in which the DIN was allotted, according to one page.
• If your details do not change, you do not need to file in the two years in between.
• A filing made in the middle of the cycle to update details does not reset the cycle.
• The two earlier routes, the DIR-3 KYC e-form and DIR-3 KYC Web, became a single Form DIR-3 KYC Web.

The dates the pages give

These dates all come from commentary. Another page says the 30 September deadline is gone and that directors already compliant are next due on 30 June 2028, but it does not map the cycle to individual years. A third page, written in April 2026 and updated in June, describes the annual 30 September rule and mentions the three-year shift only as a proposal to watch. So the evidence is not unanimous, and it is wise to confirm your own date on the portal.

Why one page still shows the old date

A calendar we read on 24 October 2026 lists "DIR-3 KYC, 30 September 2026, passed, DIN deactivated" next to the AOC-4 and MSME-1 dates. Other pages say plainly that 30 September no longer applies. We cannot tell which is right from the notification, because we could not read it. The practical answer is the same either way. Check the status of your DIN today. If it shows active, nothing is overdue on your side. If it shows deactivated, you need to reactivate it before you sign anything.

Who has to file

The pages agree on the list. The duty applies to anyone who holds a DIN on 31 March of the relevant financial year.

• Directors of private companies, public companies, One Person Companies and Section 8 companies. Small company directors are not exempt.
• Independent directors.
• Directors who have resigned but still hold a DIN.
• Foreign nationals who hold an Indian DIN.
• LLP designated partners who hold a DIN or DPIN.
• People who took a DIN and never joined a board.

If you no longer want to be on the register at all, the route is to surrender the DIN on Form DIR-5, once you are no longer a director anywhere. Do not surrender a DIN while you still hold a directorship.

What a deactivated DIN costs

When the filing is missed, the DIN is marked as deactivated for non-filing of DIR-3 KYC. The pages we read describe three consequences.

1. The director cannot sign. A director with a deactivated DIN cannot act as a director on the MCA system and cannot be newly appointed.
2. Company filings that need that signature are rejected. One page says annual returns, financial statements and resolutions that require the director's DIN will be rejected. That page flags the risk especially for two-director private companies, where there may be no other signatory.
3. The company then pays for it. If the company's own annual forms are filed late because a director was blocked, the late fee of Rs 100 a day per form applies. For example, see our post on AOC-4 and MGT-7, where both forms are due within weeks.

Reactivation requires filing DIR-3 KYC Web with a fee. Several pages put it at Rs 5,000 per DIN. One page calls this a government fee, and another calls it a penalty. We could not confirm the amount.

A further consequence is mentioned by two pages. Persistent non-filing by a company can contribute to director disqualification under Section 164(2) of the Companies Act. That section is about the company's filings, not about KYC, but a blocked director often means blocked company filings.

Changes that cannot wait three years

The three-year cycle is for routine verification. Your details can change in between. The pages we read say the following must be reported within 30 days of the change:

• A new mobile number.
• A new email address.
• A change of permanent or present residential address.

One page also lists nationality and PAN-related changes. The update is filed on the same form. It needs the prescribed fee, the DIN holder's digital signature and certification by a chartered accountant, company secretary or cost accountant, according to one page. A report after 30 days carries a higher fee. A filing to update details does not move the three-year clock.

This is the trap for people who think the new rule means they can forget about it for three years. If you change your phone number and the old number is still on the MCA record, the one-time passwords go to a number you no longer have. You then cannot verify yourself on the portal, which is how a small problem turns into a blocked filing.

On the version 3 portal, one page says an address change goes through DIR-3 KYC instead of the earlier address-change form. We could not verify this.

Documents and what the form asks for

The pages agree on the working list.

• PAN, which is checked against the income tax database.
• Aadhaar for Indian nationals, or a passport for foreign nationals.
• Proof of the present address, such as an Aadhaar, passport, voter ID, driving licence, bank statement or utility bill. Proof of a change is limited to 2 MB per file, according to one page.
• A personal mobile number and email address. Both must be verified by a one-time password on every filing.
• A digital signature certificate and professional certification are needed only for an update or a reactivation, not for a routine filing with no changes.

Use the director's own mobile number and email. Many companies register a staff member's or a consultant's number, and that causes trouble when the person leaves or the consultant changes.

Step by step

The steps below follow one page's description of the portal. Menus may differ on the day.

1. Log in at the MCA portal. A first-time user registers with the DIN.
2. Go to the e-filing section and choose the director forms, then DIR-3 KYC Web.
3. Select the purpose: periodic KYC, DIN reactivation, or an update of mobile number, email or address.
4. Enter the DIN. The system fills in the details it already holds.
5. Verify the registered mobile number and email with the one-time passwords.
6. Complete or confirm the personal details. The PAN is verified automatically.
7. If you are updating, enter the new details and verify them by one-time password.
8. For an update, upload the proof and apply the digital signature and the professional's certification.
9. Submit. The fee for a timely periodic filing is nil. Pay the fee if you are late or reactivating.
10. Download the receipt with the SRN and check that the DIN shows as active.

Routine verification with no change should take minutes. A reactivation or update takes longer, because it needs a signature and certification.

How to check your own DIN

You do not have to guess. The simplest check is on the MCA portal, which shows the status of a DIN. One page makes a useful point: the portal does not show the next due date, so keep your own tracker.

A DIN tracker is a one-page spreadsheet with these columns:

• Name of the person, and the DIN.
• Companies and LLPs where they are a director or partner.
• Financial year of allotment.
• Date of the last DIR-3 KYC and the next window.
• Registered mobile number and email, and who controls them.
• Status (active or deactivated) and the date you checked.

Check every DIN in the group at least once a quarter. For a firm that serves clients, the tracker is part of the service.

A worked example: two directors and one blocked filing

Take a private company in Kota with two directors, Asha and Vikram. The numbers are illustrative.

• The AGM was held on 30 September 2026, so AOC-4 is due on 30 October.
• Asha filed her KYC on time. Vikram's DIN was deactivated earlier in the year after a missed filing, and nobody noticed.
• On 28 October, the accountant tries to file AOC-4. Vikram's signature is rejected because the DIN is deactivated.

What does it cost?

• Reactivation. About Rs 5,000 for Vikram's DIN, as reported, plus a day or two to file the form, sign it and get certification.
• Late fee. If the reactivation and the AOC-4 filing take until 3 November, that is 4 days late (30 October to 3 November). At Rs 100 a day, the additional fee is Rs 400, plus the normal fee of Rs 400 or so for the slab.
• MGT-7. It is due 29 November, so it can still be filed on time.

Total: roughly Rs 5,800 and a stressful week for something that could have been checked in two minutes. If the company had waited for February to file, the late fee on AOC-4 would have been over Rs 10,000.

A second worked example: a resigned director

Meera was a director of a small trading company until 2021, when she resigned. She has not been involved since. She still holds her DIN.

• She holds a DIN, so she is within the rule. Resigned directors are in scope until the DIN is surrendered.
• If she completed her KYC in the last cycle and nothing has changed, the sources say nothing is due until her next window.
• If her mobile number changed in 2024 and she never updated it, she has been out of compliance for the 30-day update rule, and she will not receive the one-time password on her next filing.
• If she plans to start another company, she should keep the DIN. If she never will, she may consider surrendering it after checking that she holds no directorship anywhere.

The point is that "I am no longer a director" does not end the duty.

Common mistakes

• Trusting an old calendar. A page that says 30 September is describing the old annual rule, or it may be right if the rule is not as reported. Check the portal.
• Forgetting resigned directors. The duty follows the DIN, not the directorship.
• Using someone else's mobile number or email. The one-time password goes to them.
• Not reporting a change within 30 days. The three-year cycle does not cover it.
• Assuming a company filing can proceed with a blocked director. It cannot.
• Discovering the problem on the due date of AOC-4 or MGT-7. Check DIN status before the week the forms are due.
• Surrendering a DIN while still a director. Surrender only when you hold no directorship.
• Relying on a reminder from the portal. One page says the portal does not display the next due date.
• Leaving the tracker to one person. If the person who knows the dates leaves, the dates leave with them.

Frequently asked questions

What is DIR-3 KYC?

The periodic verification of a DIN holder's identity and contact details with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

Is DIR-3 KYC still annual?

Several pages say it moved from annual to once in every third financial year with effect from 31 March 2026. Some pages still describe the annual rule. Check your DIN on the portal.

What is the deadline?

30 June of the year after the third financial year, according to the pages that describe the new rule. The old date was 30 September.

When is my next DIR-3 KYC due?

If you completed it in FY 2025-26, two pages say the window is 1 April to 30 June 2028. If your DIN was allotted in FY 2025-26, the pages give 2028 or 2029. Confirm on the portal.

Do I need to file if I resigned as a director?

Yes, while you hold the DIN. The duty ends only when the DIN is surrendered on Form DIR-5.

Do LLP partners file?

Yes. Designated partners who hold a DIN or DPIN are covered.

What is the fee?

Nil for a timely periodic filing. Rs 5,000 for a late filing or a reactivation, as reported. Updates carry the prescribed fee under the registration fee rules, which the pages do not quantify.

What happens if I miss it?

The DIN is deactivated. The director cannot sign MCA forms, and company filings that need that signature can be rejected.

How do I reactivate a DIN?

By filing DIR-3 KYC Web with the fee, with a digital signature and professional certification, according to the pages we read.

Do I need a digital signature or a professional to file?

Not for a routine filing with no changes, which takes only one-time passwords. For an update or a reactivation, yes, according to the pages.

I changed my phone number. Do I wait for the next cycle?

No. Report a change of mobile number, email or address within 30 days.

Does a change filing reset my three-year cycle?

One page says no. The cycle is not reset by a mid-cycle update.

Can a company file its annual forms if one director is blocked?

Not where that director's signature is needed. Reactivate the DIN first.

Where can I see my next due date?

One page says the MCA portal does not display it. Keep your own tracker.

How do I stop having a DIN?

Surrender it on Form DIR-5, once you hold no directorship in any company or LLP.

What to do next

1. Make a list of every DIN in your company, your group and your family businesses. Include resigned directors.
2. Check the status of each DIN on the MCA portal today.
3. Confirm that each person's mobile number and email on record are theirs and are working.
4. Reactivate any deactivated DIN before the week your annual forms are due.
5. Add each person's next KYC window to a tracker. Use the date the portal or your professional confirms, not a blog post.
6. Report any change of mobile, email or address within 30 days.

If you want help with DIN checks, reactivation, director changes or the other filings that follow, contact RegisCorp. You can also read our guide to ROC compliance for a private limited company.

This post is general information, not legal advice. Rules change, so check your facts with a qualified professional before you act.

Sources and what we could not verify

Sources used

• TaxGuru, Director KYC reset: what changed, when you file next and traps to avoid: the notification, the cycle and the examples. Published 5 June 2026.
• Tax Update India, DIR-3 KYC 2026 three-year cycle: why 30 September no longer applies. Published 25 August 2026, modified 29 September 2026.
• CorpLawUpdates, DIR-3 KYC Web 2026 complete guide: the form merger, documents, fees, process and the inconsistency between its examples. Published 3 May 2026.
• Patron Accounting, DIR-3 KYC filing 2026: the annual-rule description, who is in scope and the effect on company filings. Published 8 April 2026, updated 16 June 2026.
• QwikFilings, DIR-3 KYC update 2026: the notification number and the effective date.
• Kanakkupillai, DIR-3 KYC due date: the Rs 5,000 reactivation and the next due date for FY 2025-26 filers. Modified 7 July 2026.
• TaxGST, annual filing checklist: a calendar that still shows 30 September. Dated 24 October 2026.

All of these are secondary or commercial sources, and several promote the publisher's own services. We did not open the MCA portal, the Gazette or the notification itself.

What we could not verify

• The text of G.S.R. 943(E), its date, and whether it works as these pages describe.
• The exact mapping of the three-year cycle to financial years, including the first due year for a DIN allotted in FY 2025-26.
• Whether any DIR-3 KYC date fell on 30 September 2026 for anyone, as one calendar says.
• The Rs 5,000 reactivation amount, and whether it is a fee or a penalty.
• The fees for updates within and after 30 days.
• Whether an address change now goes through DIR-3 KYC instead of the earlier form on the version 3 portal.
• Whether the portal displays the status and the next due date.
• Whether resigned directors and people who never joined a board are in scope in the way the pages say.
• Any change after 24 October 2026.