Form DIR-12: filing director appointments, resignations and changes
Whenever a director or key managerial person joins, leaves or changes designation, the company tells the Registrar of Companies in Form DIR-12. It is a short web form on the MCA portal with a 30-day deadline, and most problems come from missing attachments rather than the form itself.
Reviewed by Vijay Dhawan, Managing Partner, LexVerge LLP, on · Published
Quick answer
DIR-12 is filed by the company within 30 days of the appointment, resignation, removal or change in designation of a director, managing director, whole-time director, CEO, CFO or company secretary, under rule 18 of the Companies (Appointment and Qualification of Directors) Rules. The normal fee is ₹200 to ₹600 depending on authorised capital, and a late filing costs 2 to 12 times that.
Want the forms filed for you? See our ROC filing service.
When DIR-12 is filed
| Event | Usual approval | DIR-12 within |
|---|---|---|
| New director, including an additional, alternate or nominee director | Board resolution; members’ approval at the next general meeting for an additional director | 30 days of the appointment |
| Additional director regularised at the AGM | Ordinary resolution of members | 30 days of the AGM (change in designation) |
| Director resigns | Board takes note of the resignation | 30 days of the resignation taking effect |
| Director removed | Ordinary resolution with special notice, section 169 | 30 days of the removal |
| Managing or whole-time director, CEO, CFO or company secretary appointed or leaving | Board resolution, and members’ approval where the Act requires it | 30 days of the event |
| Death or disqualification of a director | Board takes note | 30 days of the vacancy |
The person must already hold a DIN with a current DIR-3 KYC before they can be appointed as a director. A company secretary or CFO needs a PAN rather than a DIN.
What to attach
- Appointment: the director’s written consent in Form DIR-2, the board or members’ resolution, and the letter of appointment for a key managerial person.
- Resignation: the resignation letter and the board resolution taking note of it. The resignation takes effect from the date the company receives the notice or the date stated in it, whichever is later.
- Removal: the members’ resolution and the special notice.
The form is signed with the DSC of a director. A wrong DIN, an expired DSC or a resolution date that does not match the event date are the usual reasons the Registrar sends the form back.
Fees and late fees
The normal fee depends on the company’s nominal share capital:
| Nominal (authorised) share capital | Normal filing fee |
|---|---|
| Below ₹1 lakh | ₹200 |
| ₹1 lakh to ₹4,99,999 | ₹300 |
| ₹5 lakh to ₹24,99,999 | ₹400 |
| ₹25 lakh to ₹99,99,999 | ₹500 |
| ₹1 crore or more | ₹600 |
| Company without share capital | ₹200 |
Filed after 30 days, the form carries an additional fee:
| Delay | Additional fee |
|---|---|
| Up to 30 days | 2 times the normal fee |
| More than 30 and up to 60 days | 4 times |
| More than 60 and up to 90 days | 6 times |
| More than 90 and up to 180 days | 10 times |
| More than 180 days | 12 times |
In some cases the rules apply a higher scale of 3, 6, 9, 15 and 18 times instead. The MCA portal works out the fee when the form is submitted.
DIR-12 and DIR-11
A director who resigns may also send a copy of the resignation, with reasons, to the Registrar in Form DIR-11 within 30 days. Since the 2017 amendment to section 168 this is optional; the company’s DIR-12 is what removes the name from the MCA records. A director worried that the company will not file can file DIR-11 to put the resignation on record. See our guide to appointing and removing directors.
Frequently asked questions
What is the time limit for filing DIR-12?
Thirty days from the appointment, resignation, removal or change in designation, under rule 18 of the Companies (Appointment and Qualification of Directors) Rules.
Is DIR-12 required for the resignation of a director?
Yes. The company files DIR-12 within 30 days of the resignation taking effect. The director may also file DIR-11, but that is optional.
What is the fee for DIR-12?
The normal fee is ₹200 to ₹600 depending on nominal share capital, or ₹200 for a company without share capital. After 30 days an additional fee of 2 to 12 times the normal fee applies.
Is DIR-12 filed for a CFO or company secretary?
Yes. DIR-12 covers key managerial personnel as well as directors: the managing director, whole-time director, CEO, CFO and company secretary.
Can a person without a DIN be appointed as a director?
No. A DIN with a current DIR-3 KYC is needed before the appointment. A first director gets the DIN through the incorporation form; anyone else applies in DIR-3.
Add or Remove a Director from ₹1,499, by a CA.
DIR-12 with resolutions and consents, filed by a company secretary.
Professional fee shown; government charges at actuals, quoted in writing before you pay. GST at 18% extra.
See what is included and the full priceAdding or removing a director?
We draft the resolutions and consents and file DIR-12, from ₹1,499, so the MCA record matches the board’s decision.
Keep reading.
Form INC-20A: the commencement of business declaration
A new company with share capital cannot do business or borrow until it files INC-20A: the 180-day rule, what to attach, the ₹50,000 penalty and the strike-off risk.
Read guide→GuideDIR-3 KYC 2026: the annual deadline is gone. Here is the three-year rule.
The 30 September deadline is gone. What the once-in-three-years rule, the merged form and the 30-day change intimation mean for every DIN holder.
Read guide→Official references
The statutory sources behind this page. We keep our guidance aligned to them: verify anything time-sensitive directly.
- Ministry of Corporate AffairsCompanies Act filings, forms and fee schedules
- Income Tax DepartmentReturns, forms, rates and e-filing utilities
- GST PortalRegistration, returns and rate notifications
Facts on this page are checked against these sources; the date of the last check is shown at the top of the page. It is general guidance, not advice on your specific facts. How we write and check our guides.