Every company registered in India — private limited, public limited, or a one-person company — must tell the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) about its outstanding loans, deposits, and borrowings each year. That disclosure happens through eForm DPT-3, the Return of Deposits.
Most directors assume DPT-3 only applies if their company has taken deposits from the public. It doesn't work that way. Director loans, inter-corporate borrowings, unsecured loans from shareholders, and even certain customer advances often need to be reported. Miss the filing, and the company and its officers face a fine — one that grows by the day it stays unfiled.
LegalDev's compliance team handles DPT-3 filing for private limited companies, OPCs, and public companies across India — from working out whether your company needs to file at all, to preparing the auditor's certificate, to submitting the form on the MCA V3 portal correctly the first time.
This page covers everything you need: who must file, what counts as a deposit, the current due date (including the July 2026 extension), documents, fees, penalties, and the exact filing process — plus how our team can take the entire job off your plate.
eForm DPT-3 is an annual e-form filed with the Registrar of Companies (RoC) under Rule 16 of the Companies (Acceptance of Deposits) Rules, 2014, read with Section 73 of the Companies Act, 2013. It requires every company — other than a government company — to report deposits accepted, outstanding loans, and other receipts of money that aren't legally classified as "deposits," as they stood on 31st March of the financial year.
In simple terms: DPT-3 is how the MCA keeps track of money a company owes or holds that isn't share capital — director loans, inter-corporate deposits, unsecured borrowings, and similar receipts — so that creditors and depositors are protected under the law.
The requirement was introduced through the Companies (Acceptance of Deposits) Amendment Rules, 2019, following an MCA notification dated 22nd January 2019, after a sub-rule (3) was inserted into Rule 16A.
DPT-3 applies to nearly every registered company in India, regardless of whether it has ever accepted a public deposit. It must be filed by:
A company must file DPT-3 even if it holds a NIL balance of deposits or outstanding loans — filing a NIL return is standard compliance practice and protects the company from being flagged during an MCA inspection.
The following categories are excluded under Rule 1(3) of the Companies (Acceptance of Deposits) Rules, 2014:
If your company doesn't fall into one of these categories, DPT-3 filing is mandatory — even at NIL.
This is where most companies go wrong. DPT-3 doesn't only cover formal public deposits; it also covers "exempted deposits" — receipts that aren't deposits by definition but must still be reported.
Amounts That Must Be Reported (Exempted Deposits)
What Does NOT Count as a Deposit
In practice: if your company has any outstanding director loan, shareholder loan, or inter-corporate borrowing as of 31st March, it almost certainly needs a DPT-3 filing.
The standard due date for filing Form DPT-3 is 30th June every year, covering the financial year that ended on 31st March, filed within 90 days of the year-end.
Important 2026 update: For FY 2025–26, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, via General Circular No. 02/2026 dated 19th June 2026, extended the due date to 31st July 2026 without any additional fee. This relaxation followed disruption to MCA systems caused by a fire incident at the MCA Data Centre on 5th June 2026, which required capacity enhancement and restoration work.
This is a one-time fee relaxation only — the underlying legal obligation to file DPT-3 has not changed, and filings submitted after 31st July 2026 will attract the normal additional fee. Companies are still advised to complete filing well before the extended date rather than waiting till the last moment, since portal traffic tends to spike close to any deadline.
Step 1: Gather Financial DataPull your balance sheet, loan ledgers, and director/shareholder loan records as on 31st March. Identify every outstanding amount that qualifies as a deposit or exempted deposit.
Step 2: Get the Auditor's CertificateYour statutory auditor verifies the reported figures and issues a certificate confirming their accuracy — required for most DPT-3 filings involving deposits.
Step 3: Log in to the MCA V3 PortalVisit the MCA website and log in with your registered business user credentials. If you don't have an account, register first.
Step 4: Access the DPT-3 WebformNavigate to MCA Services → E-Filing Services → Deposit Related Filings → DPT-3 Webform.
Step 5: Fill in the Company & Financial DetailsEnter the CIN, company email ID, objects of the company, net worth, particulars of any charge on assets, total amount outstanding as of 31st March, and credit rating details (if applicable).
Step 6: Attach Supporting DocumentsUpload the auditor's certificate and any conditional documents (trust deed, charge instrument, depositor list, liquid asset details).
Step 7: Submit to Generate the SRNOnce submitted, the portal generates a Service Request Number (SRN) — use this to track your filing status.
Step 8: Affix DSC and Pay the FeeAn authorised director, CFO, CEO, manager, or company secretary digitally signs the form using a valid DSC, and the applicable fee is paid online based on the company's share capital slab.
Step 9: Receive AcknowledgementOnce the RoC processes the filing, an acknowledgement email confirms that your Return of Deposits has been received.
DPT-3 filing fees are charged as per the Companies (Registration Offices and Fees) Rules, 2014, based on the company's nominal/authorised share capital — the same slab used for AOC-4, MGT-7, and similar e-forms.
Additional Fee for Delayed Filing
If DPT-3 is filed after the due date, an escalating additional fee applies (roughly 2x to 12x of the normal fee, depending on the length of delay), on top of the normal filing fee — separate from the statutory penalty under the Companies Act.
Note: Exact additional-fee multipliers can change with MCA notifications — our team confirms the applicable slab at the time of your filing.
These penalties make it far cheaper to file a NIL or accurate DPT-3 on time than to risk scrutiny later.
eForm DPT-3 is the annual Return of Deposits that companies file with the MCA to report outstanding deposits, loans, and exempted receipts as on 31st March.
Every company registered under the Companies Act, 2013 — private limited, public limited, or OPC — except government companies, banking companies, NBFCs, and housing finance companies.
Yes. A NIL return should still be filed if the company holds outstanding director loans, inter-corporate loans, or other exempted receipts, or as a general compliance best practice.
The standard due date is 30th June. For FY 2025-26, the MCA extended this to 31st July 2026 without additional fees, via General Circular No. 02/2026.
Due to disruption at the MCA Data Centre following a fire incident on 5th June 2026, which required system restoration and capacity work.
No. DPT-3 applies only to companies under the Companies Act, 2013. LLPs are governed separately under the LLP Act, 2008.
The filing attracts an escalating additional fee based on the delay period, along with possible penalties under Section 73 of the Companies Act.
The company and officers in default can each face a fine of up to ₹5,000, plus ₹500 per day for continuing default.
No. DPT-3 can only be filed online through the MCA portal as a web-based e-form.
Primarily an auditor's certificate and the latest financial statements; conditionally, a trust deed, charge instrument, depositor list, or liquid asset details.
It's required in most filings involving deposits; whether it's needed depends on the nature of the amounts being reported.
Any amount received by a company that is not share capital, a specifically exempted receipt, or an advance for goods/services in the ordinary course of business.
Yes, loans from directors (or their relatives, for private companies) are typically reportable as exempted deposits.
Yes, OPCs must file DPT-3 unless they fall under a specific exemption.
It ranges from ₹200 to ₹600 depending on the company's nominal share capital.
Yes, if the Section 8 company has outstanding loans or deposits reportable under the rules.
It's the provision requiring companies to file the one-time and annual return of outstanding receipts not considered deposits.
An authorised director, manager, CEO, CFO, or company secretary holding a valid Digital Signature Certificate (DSC).
The Service Request Number generated after form submission, used to track the filing's processing status.
Yes, companies can file a rectified or revised DPT-3 to correct genuine errors, subject to MCA process.
Yes, loans between holding, subsidiary, and associate companies are generally reportable.
It's strongly recommended, since an unfiled return can be indistinguishable from non-compliance during an MCA review.
A fine ranging from ₹1 crore (or twice the deposit amount, whichever is lower) up to ₹10 crore for the company, and imprisonment up to 7 years plus a fine for officers in default.
Advances received in the ordinary course of business for goods/services are generally excluded, provided they meet the conditions under Rule 2(1)(c).
The company's net worth as of the most recent financial year-end — total assets minus total liabilities.
Only where applicable — companies with a credit rating must disclose the rating agency and rating assigned.
No, DSC-based digital signing is mandatory for submission.
DPT-3 covers both — companies that accepted deposits file the former; companies reporting exempted receipts file the latter, often within the same form.
It's an annual filing requirement, in addition to the one-time return that was applicable for the period April 2014–March 2019.
The DPT-3 filing may be rejected or flagged; the company should get the certificate corrected before resubmission.
Yes, if there is any outstanding loan or advance from directors/promoters, it typically needs to be reported.
No general exemption exists for startups, though certain receipts like convertible notes have specific reporting treatment.
It's the current version of the MCA's e-filing system where DPT-3 and other company e-forms are submitted online.
Once submitted with correct documents and DSC, acknowledgement is typically issued within a few working days, subject to portal processing times.
Yes — our team can help assess the applicable additional fee, prepare the correct filing, and get your company back into compliance as quickly as possible.
DPT-3 isn't a formality you can skip because your company "doesn't take deposits" — the moment there's an outstanding director loan, inter-corporate borrowing, or exempted receipt on your books as of 31st March, the MCA expects a filing. With the FY 2025-26 due date now extended to 31st July 2026, companies have a little more breathing room — but the smarter move is to get the data reconciled and filed well before the deadline, not at the last minute.
LegalDev's compliance team handles the entire process — identifying what needs to be reported, coordinating with your auditor, and submitting an accurate DPT-3 on the MCA portal — so you're not left guessing whether your filing is complete or correct.