Most people who register a Nidhi company are focused on getting the incorporation done — the 200 members, the deposit business, the community lending model. Compliance tends to get pushed to the back of the mind, right up until a due date is missed and a penalty notice shows up. That's unfortunate, because a Nidhi company actually carries more recurring filings than a standard private limited company, precisely because it deals with public deposits from its members.
Below is a straight rundown of what a Nidhi company is required to file, the numbers you need to keep an eye on, and what happens if a filing slips.
A Nidhi company is registered as a public limited company under Section 406 of the Companies Act, 2013, and runs on money its own members deposit with it. Because it's taking deposits — even if only from members — the Ministry of Corporate Affairs keeps a closer eye on it than it does on an ordinary company. That's why, on top of the usual annual filings every registered company handles, a Nidhi has to file two forms that are specific to its business model: NDH-1 and NDH-3.
Skip the technical explanations for a second and think of it this way — every private limited company reports what it did in the year. A Nidhi company has to additionally prove, twice a year, that it's still lending and borrowing within the ratio limits the government has set. That extra layer is where most Nidhi companies fall behind, either because they don't know it exists or because they assume their CA will remember without a reminder.
Form NDH-4 — this is how a company gets formally declared as a Nidhi under Section 406; incorporation alone doesn't do it. It must be filed within 120 days of the expiry of one year from incorporation, so in practice you have roughly 14 months from incorporation to get your membership and NOF numbers in order and file it. If the government doesn't respond within 45 days of filing, the approval is treated as granted. Until it's approved, the company can't use "Nidhi Limited" in its name or hold itself out as a declared Nidhi.
Form NDH-1 — the annual return of statutory compliance, due within 90 days of the close of the financial year. It reports total membership, Net Owned Funds, total deposits and loans, and the NOF-to-deposit ratio, and must be certified by a practising Chartered Accountant, Company Secretary, or Cost Accountant — it can't be self-certified.
Form NDH-2 — for a Nidhi that hasn't hit the 200-member mark or the required NOF ratio in its first year, this is the application to the Regional Director for an extension, due within 30 days of the close of that first financial year.
Form NDH-3 — the half-yearly return, due within 30 days of the end of each half-year. It covers deposits, loans, NPAs, branch details, and the same ratio checks as NDH-1, but on a shorter cycle, and a nil or near-nil half-year still needs to be filed.
Statutory audit — mandatory for every Nidhi company, carried out by a practising Chartered Accountant, alongside the regular annual filings every registered company handles.
Income tax return — due by 30th September for companies whose accounts are subject to audit, and entirely separate from the ROC and NDH filings.
Before getting into forms, it helps to know the four thresholds that decide whether a Nidhi is even compliant: a minimum of 200 members within one year of incorporation; Net Owned Funds (NOF) of at least ₹20 lakh, raised from ₹10 lakh under the Nidhi (Amendment) Rules, 2022; an NOF-to-deposit ratio not exceeding 1:20, meaning total deposits can be at most 20 times the NOF; and at least 10% of outstanding deposits kept as unencumbered term deposits with a scheduled bank.
If a Nidhi company can't hit the 200-member mark or the NOF ratio within the first year, it isn't automatically in default — Form NDH-2 exists precisely to ask for more time. But ignoring the shortfall instead of reporting it is where companies get into real trouble.
NDH-1 and MGT-7 often get treated as the same thing, but they're not. MGT-7 is the general annual return every company files, regardless of type. NDH-1 is separate and specific to Nidhi companies — it exists purely to report membership numbers, deposits, loans, and the NOF-to-deposit ratio, and has to be certified by a practising professional rather than self-filed. Filing one doesn't excuse you from the other; a Nidhi company files both.
Being a Nidhi doesn't exempt a company from the standard compliance calendar every registered company follows: Form AOC-4 for financial statements, generally within 30 days of the AGM; Form MGT-7, the annual return, within 60 days of the AGM; the AGM itself, held within the prescribed time each year; statutory audit of the company's books; board meetings at the required frequency, with minutes properly recorded; and statutory registers — member, deposit, and loan registers — kept current and matched against what's reported in NDH-1 and NDH-3. If the figures in NDH-1 or NDH-3 don't tally with AOC-4 or the books, that mismatch is one of the first things that draws attention during scrutiny.
A few restrictions shape what a Nidhi can and can't do, and they show up indirectly in compliance filings. Deposits and lending are restricted to members only, with no dealing with the general public. Branches beyond the registered office need Regional Director approval, and even then only up to three branches within the same district. A Nidhi cannot deal in chit funds, hire purchase, leasing, insurance, or the acquisition of securities, and it cannot issue preference shares or debentures. Interest on loans is capped at generally no more than 7.5% above the highest interest rate the company offers on its own deposits, and income from locker rent, where offered, is capped at 20% of the Nidhi's gross income for the year.
Late filing doesn't mean the form disappears — it means you pay more to file it late, and the fee scales up with the number of days you're behind. NDH-3, for instance, attracts a late fee of ₹100 per day, and it adds up faster than people expect. Beyond the money, sustained non-compliance can invite the Registrar's direct attention, and in serious cases, a Nidhi's status can be questioned altogether. Since a Nidhi holds public (member) deposits, the MCA doesn't treat repeated defaults lightly — the risk isn't just a fine, it's the company's ability to keep operating as a Nidhi.
It's the full set of filings a Nidhi has to make under the Companies Act, 2013 and the Nidhi Rules, 2014 — the Nidhi-specific forms (NDH-1, NDH-2, NDH-3, NDH-4) as well as the standard company filings like AOC-4, MGT-7, and the income tax return.
No. MGT-7 is the general annual return every company files. NDH-1 is separate and specific to Nidhi companies — it reports membership numbers, deposits, loans, and the NOF-to-deposit ratio.
You can apply for an extension by filing NDH-2 with the Regional Director within 30 days of the close of that financial year, instead of simply missing the requirement.
Twice a year — within 30 days of the close of each half-year — regardless of how much deposit or loan activity took place during that period.
Fees increase the longer a filing is delayed; NDH-3, for instance, attracts a late fee of ₹100 per day. Beyond the direct cost, repeated defaults can bring closer scrutiny from the Registrar.
Yes. We work with both newly incorporated Nidhi companies still working toward their membership and NOF targets, and established ones that need ongoing half-yearly and annual compliance support.