What is DIN and How to Obtain it?

A unique number that is allotted by the Central Government to anyone who intends to be a director or someone who is already a director of a company is known as DIN or Director Identification Number. This answers your question, ‘What is DIN or Director Identification Number?’ In this blog we will go through some of the dilemmas that people have like ‘What is DIN?’ and What are the processes to obtain a DIN or Director Identification Number.

A DIN or Director Identification Number is simply a unique identification code of 8-digits and it never expires i.e. a DIN or Director Identification Number has lifetime validity and does not need to be renewed. With the help of DIN or Director Identification Number, all the details of the directors are maintained in a database and are monitored when necessary.

If a person is the director of one or more companies, that will not impact his DIN or Director Identification Number. This is because a DIN or Director Identification Number is specific to a specific individual i.e. the director will have to acquire only one DIN or Director Identification Number. And, in case he decides to leave his existing company and starts to work in a new company, even then the DIN or Director Identification Number will remain same.

Uses of a DIN or Director Identification Number

A DIN or Director Identification Number is required when a director signs any returns, applications or information that are related to the company. FOr all mentioned documents, a DIN or Director Identification Number will be needed right below his signature.

Application process of a DIN or Director Identification Number

The following forms need to be filed electronically before you proceed to apply for a DIN or Director Identification Number. It needs to be signed digitally and then it will need to be uploaded on the MCA21 portal.

SPICe Form: In the SPICe form, all the applications should be made in order to allot DIN or Director Identification Number to the decided first director for the new companies.

DIR-3 Form: If someone wants to become the director of a pre-existing company, then he/ she needs to file an application in DIR-3 eform in order to acquire a DIN or Director Identification Number.

DIR-6 Form: Any sort of changes in the details of the director need to be filed in form DIR-6.

Documents Required for a DIN or Director Identification Number

For a SPICe Form: 

In order to file a SPICe form, you will need to attach an identity proof and a proof of address. A DIN or Director Identification Number will be provided to the applicant only when the SPICe form has been fully approved.

For DIR-3 Form:

Attachments:

1. A Photograph
2. An Identity Proof
3. A Proof of Address
4. All sorts of verifications like name, address, date of birth, father’s name, signature of the applicant and so on.
5. If the applicant is a foreigner, then he will have to submit his passport as a proof of his identity.

Documents that will need to be attested by a CS or CMA or CA:

If the applicant is a Chartered Accountant (CA) or a Cost Accountant or a Company Secretary (CS), then he needs to submit a photograph, address proof and an identity proof in order to complete the filing of DIR-3 form.

If the applicant is a foreigner, then the consulate of the Indian Embassy and Foreign Public Notary will attest the documents that are provided by them.

Once you have finished the upload of the DIR-3 Form and all the supporting documents, you will have to pay the required amount of fee. This fee will be paid by net banking or credit card or NEFT. The payment can only be made online and not offline or manually.

The Generation of Director Identification Number or DIN:

After you have made the payment and submitted the application form, your application number will be generated by the system. Then, the approval or rejection of your application will be processed by the Central Government.

The Central government will contact you within one month if your DIN or Director Identification Number will get approved.

However, if your DIN or Director Identification Number gets rejected, you will be informed via an email of the reason due to which your application was rejected and this reason will also be put on their website. The applicant will be allowed a time period of 15 days to get rid of the reason for rejection. If he succeeds in getting rid of the reason and satisfies the central government, then he will be provided a DIN or Director Identification Number otherwise his application will be labelled as invalid. 

Intimating the companies of the received DIN or Director Identification Number:

After receiving the DIN or Director Identification Number, the director will have to intimate all the companies of the received DIN or Director Identification Number within one month. Then, the RoC will get notified by the companies about the DIN or Director Identification Number within 15 days starting from the the day the companies get  intimated by the Director of his DIN or Director Identification Number. Penalties will be levied on the Director if he fails to intimate the company within the specified time period and on the company if it fails to intimate the RoC within the specified time limit.

For DIR-6 Form

In order to change any of the details that are mentioned in DIR-3 Form or in the SPICe Form related to the Director, DIR-6 Form is submitted online along with the supporting documents.   

Reasons to cancel or surrender a DIN or Director Identification Number

The reasons which may be responsible for the cancellation of your DIN or Director Identification Number may be one of the following listed below:

• If the presence of a Duplicate DIN or Director Identification Number has been by the Central Government
• If the DIN or Director Identification Number has been obtained by some fraudulent means
• If the person who filed for the DIN or Director Identification Number has died
• If the court has declared the person unfit or of unsound mind
• If the person has been declared insolvent

In order to surrender a DIN or Director Identification Number, the director will have to file a DIR-5 Form. Along with this, he has to submit a declaration that states that he has never been a director and no documents have been filed by making use of the concerned DIN or Director Identification Number. The central government will de-activate the concerned DIN once the e-records have been verified.

One should always remember that a DIN remains the same even if a director wants to quit his position in the existing company and decides to work in another company. Also, if the same person works as a director in one or more companies even then he will be allotted only one DIN or Director Identification Number.