DIN
What DIN means, how it works, a worked example, the mistakes we see and the questions founders ask.
DefinitionA Director Identification Number (DIN) is the permanent 8-digit number every director of an Indian company must hold, allotted by the MCA and used in all company filings.
No one can be appointed a director without a DIN. For a new company, up to three directors get their DINs allotted through the SPICe+ form itself, so no separate application is needed. An existing person joining a board later applies through Form DIR-3 with identity and address proof, signed with a DSC. A DIN is issued once for life and stays the same across every company you direct. What it means for you: keep it active. Each DIN holder must complete DIR-3 KYC by 30 September every year, or the DIN is deactivated and a ₹5,000 fee applies to restore it. A deactivated DIN blocks every filing that needs your signature, including AOC-4 and MGT-7A, so the penalty compounds quickly.
How DIN works
The Director Identification Number is a lifetime number allotted by the Central Government to anyone who intends to be a director of a company. It is personal, not tied to any company, and one person may hold only one. A first-time director gets it through SPICe+ at incorporation (up to three directors per form) or, to join an existing company, through Form DIR-3 with identity proof, address proof, a photograph and the director's own digital signature, certified by a practising professional.
Once allotted, the number is used on every form the director signs or is named in, from DIR-12 to the annual accounts. It must be kept active with the annual DIR-3 KYC by 30 September; a missed KYC deactivates it until the ₹5,000 fee is paid. Changes in the director's name, address or contact are reported on DIR-6.
A person disqualified under Section 164, for example as a director of a company that failed to file accounts for three years, keeps the number but cannot be appointed anywhere for five years. The DIN also attaches to designated partners of LLPs, who use the same number as their DPIN.
A Kolkata founder joins the board of her friend's existing company. She has no DIN, so she applies on DIR-3 with her PAN, Aadhaar, a passport photograph and her new digital signature; the number is allotted in two days. The company then files DIR-12 with her DIN, her DIR-2 consent and the board resolution. Each September she completes DIR-3 KYC so the number stays active.
Mistakes we see with DIN
- Applying for a second DIN after forgetting the first, which is an offence and results in the later number being cancelled.
- Letting the number deactivate through a missed KYC, so the company's own annual filings cannot be signed in the busiest month.
- Giving the DIN application a different name spelling from the PAN, which the portal rejects.
Last updated 19 October 2026. Checked against the MCA, GST, Income-tax and Trade Marks rules in force for October 2026.
Where you will meet this term
Questions founders ask about DIN
How long does it take to get a DIN?
Through SPICe+ it comes with the incorporation; through DIR-3 usually one to three working days after filing, once the professional's certification and the director's DSC are in place.
Does a DIN expire?
No, it is for life, but it must be kept active by filing DIR-3 KYC every year by 30 September. A deactivated DIN is restored on payment of ₹5,000 and completion of the KYC.
Can a foreign national get a DIN?
Yes, on DIR-3 with a passport (and apostilled or consularised proofs where required) and a digital signature. At least one director of every Indian company must stay in India for 182 days or more during the financial year.