As a result, as of July 9, 2011, DIN and DPIN stand integrated. Learn more about this stance by MCA directly from experts.
MCA had been issuing two different identification numbers namely DIN and DPIN, one for becoming a Director under the Companies Act, 1956, and another for becoming a Designated Partner under the Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008. (LLP Act).
However, as of July 9, 2011, DIN and DPIN were integrated. The following is the current situation: –
- A person desiring to become a designated partner will not be awarded a new DPIN; instead, such a person must obtain a DIN by filing e-Form DIN 1
- If a DIN has already been assigned, it will be utilised as a DPIN for the purposes of the LLP Act. If a person has been assigned a DPIN, that number will be utilised as a DIN under the Companies Act. Ads by
- If a person has both a DIN and a DPIN, the DPIN will be cancelled and the DIN will be used as both a DIN and a DPIN for the purposes of the Companies Act : https://www.mca.gov.in/Ministry/pdf/CompaniesAct2013.pdf and the LLP Act
- According to Ministry of Corporate Affairs Circular No. 32/2011 dated May 31, 2011, Income Tax’s Permanent Account Number (PAN) is required for Indian nationals to obtain DIN. Furthermore, all existing DIN holders who did not provide their PAN at the time of getting their DIN must do so by filing the e-form DIN-4 with the Ministry by September 30, 2011
- Similarly, all DPIN holders who did not provide their PAN when receiving their DPIN are expected to provide their PAN to the Ministry by filing e-form DIN-4 by September 30, 2011, failing which their DPIN/DIN would be disabled and they will be subject to grave penalties.
| Any person who wishes to become a director of an established company must submit an application for DIN allotment using eForm DIR-3. Similarly to get a DPIN, all individuals who wish to become designated partners of an LLP must complete eForm DIR-3. |
Who Needs to Apply for DIN/DPIN
According to Section 153 of the Companies Act and Rule 9(1) of the Companies (Appointment of Directors) Rules 2014, any individual who wishes to be appointed as a Director of an existing company must apply for a DIN (Director Identity Number) in Form DIR-3.
Likewise, every individual who wishes to be Appointment of Designated Partner in LLP of an existing Limited Liability Partnership must apply for a DPIN (Designated Partner Identification Number) in Form DIR-3, as per Rule 10(1)(a) of the Limited Liability Partnership Rules, 2009.
Documents and Information Fields Necessary for Obtaining DIN/DPIN
- Self-certified copy of Identity Proof displaying the applicant’s Date of Birth
- Self-certified copy of Address Proof such as a passport, election (voter identity) card, ration card, driving licence, electricity bill, telephone bill (not older than 2 months), or Aadhaar of the applicant
- Photograph of the Applicant in JPEG Format
- PAN if the applicant is an Indian citizen.
- In the case of foreign nationals, all documents must be apostilled.
- Digital Signature of the Applicant
- Digital signature of any one of the following >
- Director of existing company authorized for the said purpose
- Designated Partner of the existing Limited Liability Partnership
- CEO, CFO or manager of the company
- Company Secretary
The Bottom Line
DIN stands for Director Identification Number, which is issued by the Central Government to anyone who wishes to become a director or who is already a director of a company. It’s an 8-digit unique identification number that’s good for life. The directors’ information is stored in a database using DIN.
A DIN is unique to a person, therefore even if he is a director in two or more firms, he only needs one. And if he leaves one firm and joins another, the same DIN will apply.
The terms DIN and DPIN are now interchangeable. If a person has both a DIN and a DPIN, the DPIN will be cancelled, and the DIN will be used to appoint the person as a Designated Partner of a Limited Liability Partnership. If a person is given a DPIN, it must be used as a DIN under the Companies Act.
The Takeaway
Every month, Vakilsearch completes legal work for over 1000 firms and LLPs by combining our technological capabilities with the legal experience of our team. Obtaining a DIN/DPIN is a time-consuming process that requires the assistance of legal professionals. To prevent the difficulty of doing this yourself while running a business, the best alternative for you is to entrust this critical update to your LLP to the Vakilsearch team.
Contact Vakilsearch and get your interchangeable DIN/DPIN today! Come aboard and enjoy the comfort and convenience.
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