Director Identification Number

By Manu Rao | Updated March 2026

What Is a Director Identification Number?

A Director Identification Number (DIN) is a unique 8-digit identification number allotted by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs to any person who is, or intends to become, a director of a company incorporated in India. Section 153 of the Companies Act 2013 mandates that every person appointed as a director must hold a DIN.

The DIN is permanent. Once allotted, it remains the same regardless of how many companies the person serves as a director for. One person, one DIN — this principle prevents multiple identities in the corporate registry.

Legal Framework

• Section 153 — Every individual intending to be a director must apply for DIN
• Section 154 — Application for DIN and allotment
• Section 155 — A person cannot hold more than one DIN
• Section 159 — Penalty for contravention (Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 500/day for continuing default)
• Rule 9 of Companies (Appointment and Qualification of Directors) Rules 2014 — Application and allotment procedure

How to Obtain DIN

Since the introduction of SPICe+ in February 2020, DIN is allotted through the incorporation form itself for new companies. For existing companies appointing new directors, the process differs.

For New Companies (During Incorporation)

DIN for up to 3 directors is allotted through SPICe+ Part B. The applicant provides:

• Name, date of birth, nationality
• PAN (for Indian residents) or passport number (for foreign nationals)
• Address proof — not older than 2 months
• Photograph
• DSC of the applicant

The Registrar allots DIN along with the Certificate of Incorporation. No separate application is needed.

For Existing Companies (New Director Appointment)

If a company wants to appoint a new director who does not already have a DIN, the director must apply through Form DIR-3. This form requires:

• Board resolution proposing the appointment
• Identity proof — PAN for Indians, passport for foreigners
• Address proof — not older than 2 months
• Photograph
• DSC of the applicant and a director/CS/CEO of the existing company who attests the application

MCA allots DIN within 2-5 working days of processing Form DIR-3.

DIN for Foreign Nationals

Foreign nationals who want to become directors of Indian companies must obtain a DIN. The requirements are stricter:

The foreign national does not need a PAN at the DIN application stage. The passport number serves as the identifier. However, once appointed as a director and receiving income (sitting fees, salary) from an Indian company, the director must obtain a PAN under Section 139AA of the Income Tax Act.

Resident Director Requirement

Section 149(3) requires at least one director on every company's board to have stayed in India for at least 182 days in the previous calendar year. This person must hold a DIN and satisfy the residency test. A foreign national who relocates to India and stays 182+ days qualifies as a resident director.

DIR-3 KYC — Annual DIN Maintenance

Every person holding a DIN must file DIR-3 KYC by September 30 each year. This is a mandatory annual filing — not doing it leads to DIN deactivation.

Key details about DIR-3 KYC:

• Deadline — September 30 of every financial year
• First-time filing — Form DIR-3 KYC (web-based) with OTP verification on mobile and email
• Subsequent years — DIR-3 KYC-WEB (simplified web form) if no details have changed
• Late filing fee — Rs. 5,000 if filed after September 30
• DIN deactivation — If not filed, DIN status changes to "Deactivated" on MCA records

Reactivation of Deactivated DIN

A deactivated DIN can be reactivated by filing DIR-3 KYC with the late fee of Rs. 5,000. Reactivation takes 2-5 working days after filing. During the deactivation period, the director cannot sign any MCA forms or authorize any filings.

DIN Surrender and Cancellation

A person can surrender their DIN by filing Form DIR-5 if they have never been appointed as a director in any company, or if they hold duplicate DINs. The Central Government (through the Regional Director) can cancel a DIN under Section 158 if it was obtained by furnishing false information or if the person holds multiple DINs.

Common Mistakes

• Not filing DIR-3 KYC — The most common DIN-related problem. Foreign directors who leave India and become less involved with the company often forget this annual filing. DIN deactivation prevents the company from filing its own annual returns (since the director's DSC becomes unusable on MCA).
• Applying for a second DIN — Section 155 prohibits holding more than one DIN. Some foreign nationals, unaware they already have a DIN from a previous Indian company, apply again. MCA detects duplicates and rejects the application — plus it can trigger a penalty.
• Name mismatch between DIN and DSC — The name on the DIN application must match the name on the DSC exactly. Even a difference in middle name initials or name order (as commonly happens with East Asian and South Asian name formats) causes mismatches on MCA.
• Not converting DIN to DPIN when joining an LLP — If a person holding a DIN becomes a designated partner in an LLP, they need a DPIN. Since 2015, DIN and DPIN have been merged — the same number works for both. But the person must ensure their details are updated on the LLP registry.
• Ignoring the 182-day residency rule — Companies sometimes appoint all foreign directors and assume they have satisfied Section 149(3). At least one director must be an Indian resident. Not having one is a continuing violation.

Practical Example

A German industrial group wants to set up a wholly owned subsidiary in India. They propose 3 directors: 2 German nationals based in Frankfurt and 1 Indian national based in Mumbai.

The Indian director already holds DIN 07654321 from a previous directorship. He does not need a new DIN.

The 2 German directors do not have DINs. Since this is a new company, their DINs are applied for through SPICe+ Part B. They submit notarized German passport copies (apostilled — Germany is a Hague member), Frankfurt utility bills dated within 2 months, and passport photos. Their DSCs are obtained from eMudhra.

SPICe+ is filed. The ROC allots DINs to both German directors — say, DIN 09876543 and DIN 09876544 — and issues the Certificate of Incorporation simultaneously.

Every September, all 3 directors must file DIR-3 KYC. The German directors, being foreign nationals, file DIR-3 KYC-WEB (since their details remain unchanged). The Indian director files the same. If any of them misses the September 30 deadline, their DIN gets deactivated, and the company pays Rs. 5,000 per director to reactivate.

For help with DIN applications for foreign directors, visit Beacon Filing.