What a DIN is and why it exists
A Director Identification Number (DIN) is an 8-digit unique identifier assigned to every person who wishes to be appointed as a director of an Indian company under the Companies Act 2013. The DIN system was introduced to create a single, persistent identifier for directors that survives across companies — so the same individual can be tracked as a director regardless of how many companies they sit on.
Before the DIN system was introduced, it was nearly impossible to accurately reconstruct a person's complete directorship history from MCA records because names could match across unrelated individuals. The DIN solved that by giving each person a stable identifier that is used in every filing where they appear.
How to get a DIN
An individual who wants to become a director must apply for a DIN by filing Form DIR-3 with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. The application requires identity proof (PAN card), address proof, a recent photograph, and digital signature. DIN applications are typically processed within a few working days.
Once issued, the DIN is valid for life. You do not need to re-apply for a new DIN when joining a new company — the same DIN is used for all your current and future directorships. The only requirement is an annual KYC filing to keep the DIN active.
Annual DIN KYC
Every DIN holder is required to file an annual KYC update using Form DIR-3 KYC by the statutory deadline (typically 30 September each year). This form confirms that the director is still active, their contact details are current, and they remain eligible to hold directorships.
Failing to file the annual KYC causes the DIN to be marked 'Deactivated due to non-filing of DIR-3 KYC'. A deactivated DIN cannot be used for any filings until the KYC is brought up to date, along with payment of the applicable late fees.
The Section 165 directorship cap
Section 165 of the Companies Act 2013 limits the number of companies in which an individual can simultaneously hold a directorship. The cap is 20 companies in total, of which no more than 10 can be public limited companies. Private companies, One Person Companies, and Section 8 non-profits are counted within the overall 20-company limit but do not individually count toward the 10-public cap.
This cap applies only to active directorships. Past directorships — where the person has been removed, resigned, or ceased — do not count. That's why on CorpIntel you'll sometimes see directors with 30+ companies in their history: most of those are historical, not currently active.
Crossing the Section 165 cap is a serious compliance breach and can result in both the director and the new appointing company facing penalties. Professional directors who sit on multiple boards actively monitor this cap and usually resign from an older directorship before taking on a new one that would push them over.
Reading a DIN on CorpIntel
On every director profile page on CorpIntel, the DIN is displayed prominently and used as the canonical identifier. Click through to a director and you'll see every company associated with their DIN, along with designation, begin date, cessation date, and active status.
The DIN is the most reliable way to disambiguate common Indian names. Two directors with identical names are extremely likely — searching by name may produce multiple results — but each has a unique DIN, and using the DIN ensures you are looking at the correct individual.