How to Surrender a Director Identification Number (DIN)

Preface: This post was originally published in 2022 and has been updated on October 09, 2025, to provide you with the most current and accurate information.

Director Identification Number, abbreviated as DIN, is a unique number assigned to individuals who intend to become or are currently company directors. Every director in India must possess a valid DIN as the same is a mandatory requirement. This number is essential for corporate governance as it increases accountability and boosts transparency within the business sector. 

If an individual does not intend to use their DIN or is required to cancel it as per legal provisions, they must surrender their DIN. In this blog post, we shall explain how to surrender DIN. 

Reason for Surrendering or Cancelling a DIN

The following are some common reasons for cancellation or surrender of DIN:

• If the individual possesses more than one DIN (Note: it is important to note that only one DIN per individual is allowed) 

• If the DIN was acquired through fraudulent or wrongful means

• In the event of the individual’s death

• If a competent court declares the individual to be of unsound mind

• If the individual has been adjudged insolvent

• When the individual fails to update their details in e-Form DIR-3 KYC or DIR-3 WEB within the time limit prescribed under Rule 12A.

• Voluntary surrender (if the individual has never been appointed as a director)

Process for DIN Surrender

There are two ways through which DIN gets surrendered i.e., Voluntary surrender of DIN by DIN holder or on the order of the Central Government.:

1. Voluntary Surrender of DIN

For voluntary surrender of the DIN by the holder, here’s what needs to be done:

• An application must be made to the Central Government/Regional Director for Cancellation/Surrender of Director Identification Number (DIN). Form DIR-5 for surrender of DIN must be used for making the application. 

• Along with this form, a declaration must be submitted that mentions that the holder has never been appointed as a director in any company and the said DIN has never been utilized for the purpose of filing any document with any authority.

• Along with the application, the prescribed fees must be paid. Also, certain documents must be attached, including the following:

• Proof of Identity such as Voter ID, Passport, Driving Licence, Aadhaar Card, or PAN Card.

• Proof of Residence such as Passport, Voter ID, Ration Card, Driving Licence, Electricity or Telephone Bill or Aadhaar Card. For Indian nationals, this must be dated within 2 months of filing the e-form; for foreign nationals, within 1 year.

• Affidavit for Surrender of DIN

• Court Order is required if the surrender is due to the person being declared insolvent or of unsound mind by a competent court.

• Death Certificate is mandatory if the reason for surrender is the death of the DIN holder.

• Any other documents deemed necessary.

• The application must be digitally signed by the concerned person and certified by practicing CA or CS, in case of voluntary surrender.

Note: It is important to note that if the supporting documents are in a language other than Hindi or English, then they must be translated into Hindi or English by a professional translator. Such a translator’s details like their name, signature, address and seal must be mentioned in the supporting documents. For the foreign nationals, a translation done by the notary of the home country is acceptable.

• DIN Cancellation: After the form has been submitted, the Central Government will verify the details in e-form DIR-5 as well as the documents attached to it. If satisfied with the application, the Central Government will deactivate the DIN of the holder. 

2. Surrender of DIN on Central Government’s Order

The Central Government is empowered to order the surrender of the DIN if multiple DINs are held by the director, or if the director obtains DIN by fraud or misrepresentation, or due to death or director, or if the director has been declared insolvent or where the director has been adjudged as an insolvent. The government may give an opportunity of being heard before passing the order.

Conclusion

Director Identification Number (DIN) must be possessed by every director in India. DIR-3 needs to be filed to obtain the DIN. After finally obtaining the DIN, there are instances when the director may want to or need to surrender or cancel their DIN. Some common reasons include: multiple DIN held by the director, demise of the director, if DIN was acquired through fraudulent means, voluntary surrender, etc. To surrender the Director Identification Number, e-Form DIR-5 must be filed. It can be filed online via the official MCA portal.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. Which form needs to be filed for surrendering DIN?

A. DIR-5 needs to be filed to make an application for surrender of DIN. 

Q2. What is DIN surrender fees?

A. The fees for DIN surrender is Rs. 1,000 as per the Companies (Registration Offices and Fees) Rules, 2014. The fees must be paid while filing DIR-5 form. If you seek assistance from a professional for this process, then they’ll charge you additional fees for their services. 

Q3. What is the difference between DIR-3 form and DIR-5 form?

A. The difference between DIR-3 form and DIR-5 form is that, DIR-3 form is used to make an application for obtaining DIN while DIR-5 form is used to make an application for surrendering or cancelling the existing DIN of the holder. 

Q4. What happens when a director holds a duplicate DIN?

A. Holding more than one DIN is a violation of the Companies Act 2013. A director must only hold one DIN. A person holding more than one DIN must immediately apply for surrender of the duplicate DIN with the Central Government. For this, DIR-5 must be filed. 

Q5. What happens when a director fails to file DIR-3 KYC?

A. Failure to file DIR-3 KYC leads to cancellation of the Director Identification Number (DIN) of the DIN holder or director. Therefore, it is essential to file this form in a timely manner. 

Author: Dushyant Sharma

Hey there, I'm Dushyant Sharma. With the extensive knowledge I've gained in past 8 years, I have been creating content on various subjects such as banking, insurance, telecom, and all the important registration and licensing processes for various companies. I'm here to help everyone with my expertise in these areas through my articles.