Director Identification Number (DIN)

Director Identification Number or DIN is a registration required for any person who wishes to register a company or become a Director of an existing company in India.

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Procedure for Obtaining DIN

Obtain DIN for a person who wishes to become a Director by filing form DIN-1 on the MCA website. Only a natural living person can act as the Director of a company. Hence, obtaining DIN is possible only for natural persons and cannot obtain it for any artificial legal entities like company, LLP, OPC, etc., The following documents need to be submitted for obtaining DIN:

Photograph of the Applicant
Proof of identity of the applicant
- PAN is mandatory in case of Indian Nationals
- Passport is mandatory in case of Foreign Nationals
Proof of address of the applicant

In addition to the above documents, in case of filing of form DIN-1 for obtaining Director Identification Number for a person, then the document must be signed with a Digital Signature of the applicant. Hence, the digital signature certificate is a requirement for obtaining Director Identification Number.

Provisional DIN Number

DIN number is usually auto-generated on submission of the DIN application. However, in some cases, there is an allocation of provisional DIN in case of any defect in the application or as a part of the regular process. In case of a provisional DIN, it provides a letter to the applicant detailing the defect and re-submission of the DIN application. In such cases, the application can be re-filed with corrections or with a Chartered Accountant or Company Secretary signature within fifteen days from the time of notification for resubmission.

Common Reasons for DIN Rejection

Applicant’s name and father’s name mentioned in abbreviated form. - Expand the Name even if the ID proof contains the name in abbreviated form.
Mismatch in the Name and Father’s Name in DIN form with the ID (Identity) proof enclosed. - Any mismatch in Name, including spelling mistake, may lead to rejection of the application. It accepts the minor spelling deviations in the father’s name if such deviations do not materially impact the name.
Prefixes like Mr. / Ms. / Kumari / Shri etc. used in the applicant’s name.
Residence proofs like Bank Statements, Electricity Bill, Telephone Bill, Utility bills etc. submitted are older than 2 months of submitting the application for verification OR such documents are in the name of some other person, for example, father or spouse.
The supporting documents are not duly attested i.e. Name, Designation, Membership/ Practicing certificate number etc. are not clearly indicated. – If the seal/ stamp does not contain membership/practising certificate number, the same may be recorded by hand.
Do not attach expired Passport / Driving License / Identity proofs etc. – Only attach documents which are currently valid.

DIN Validity

DIN is valid for the lifetime of the applicant. Also, after obtaining DIN, an applicant should not reapply for DIN, i.e. not hold more than one DIN at any point in time. You can do a Company or DIN search through IndiaFilings.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Director Identification Number (DIN) Registration India.

A Director Identification Number (DIN) is a unique identification number required for any individual who wishes to become a director of a company in India. It is a mandatory registration process governed by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA).

Only natural living persons are eligible to obtain a DIN. Legal entities like companies, LLPs, or OPCs cannot obtain a DIN as it is meant for individuals who intend to become directors of companies.

The documents required to obtain a DIN include a photograph of the applicant, proof of identity (PAN card for Indians or passport for foreign nationals), and proof of address. Additionally, the application must be signed with the applicant's digital signature.

No, an individual cannot hold more than one DIN at any given time. DIN is a unique identification number valid for the lifetime of the applicant, and they should not reapply for a new DIN if they already have one.

In some cases, the MCA may allocate a provisional DIN to an applicant if there are any defects or issues with the application. The applicant is then required to resubmit the application with corrections within a specified timeframe.

Common reasons for DIN rejection include using abbreviated names, mismatches in names or spellings with the provided identity proof, using prefixes like Mr./Ms. in the name, submitting outdated or invalid proof of residence, and providing inadequately attested supporting documents.

You can check the validity of a DIN by performing a DIN search on the Ministry of Corporate Affairs website or through authorized service providers like IndiaFilings.

Yes, it is mandatory for any individual to obtain a DIN before becoming a director of a company in India. Without a valid DIN, a person cannot be appointed as a director.

Yes, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs can deactivate or cancel a DIN in certain circumstances, such as if the director fails to comply with applicable laws or provides false information during the application process.

A Director Identification Number (DIN) is valid for the lifetime of the individual to whom it is issued. There is no expiration date or renewal requirement for a DIN.