The Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF) is established under Section 125 of the Companies Act, 2013 to protect investors’ interests by refunding unclaimed dividends, matured deposits, matured debentures, application money, and shares transferred to it.
If dividends on shares remain unclaimed for 7 consecutive years, the underlying shares are transferred to the IEPF Authority’s account as per legal provisions.
Yes. Shareholders or their legal heirs can claim their shares/dividends back by filing an application with the IEPF Authority through the prescribed Form IEPF-5.
Documents generally include PAN, Aadhaar, client master report (CMR), indemnity bond, advance receipt, original share certificates, death certificate (if heir claim), and bank details.
The process may take 6–9 months, depending on company verification and IEPF Authority approvals.
The original shareholder, nominee, or legal heir (in case of death of shareholder) can file a claim.
Form IEPF-5 is the application form prescribed by the MCA (Ministry of Corporate Affairs) for claiming shares, dividends, or other amounts transferred to IEPF.
The form is filed online at the MCA portal with required details. After filing, a printout is submitted along with documents to the company’s Nodal Officer and later forwarded to the IEPF Authority.
Each company appoints a Nodal Officer to verify IEPF claims. The claim is forwarded to IEPF Authority only after company verification.
Yes, dividends alone can be claimed if shares are still held by the shareholder and not transferred to IEPF.
Legal heirs or nominees must submit proof such as death certificate, succession certificate, or legal heir certificate along with Form IEPF-5.
Yes, NRIs can claim their shares/dividends by filing Form IEPF-5 with relevant KYC documents, passport, and proof of residence.
Yes, if documentation is incomplete or incorrect. Claims may also be rejected if claimant fails to prove legal entitlement.
Yes, claim status can be tracked on the MCA portal using the SRN (Service Request Number) generated after filing Form IEPF-5.
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs administers IEPF and ensures investor protection by managing claims and investor education.
No, claims can be made at any time as per the rules of IEPF Authority.
While individuals can file claims themselves, due to complex procedures, many prefer to take professional help for faster and error-free recovery.
Original certificates must be submitted with the claim. On approval, shares are credited in demat form.
Yes, once claimed through IEPF, even old unclaimed dividends are refunded after due verification.
Claims on behalf of minors must be filed through a natural guardian/legal guardian with necessary proof.
Yes, all legal heirs may jointly file claims. Alternatively, a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from other heirs may be submitted.
Yes, PAN is mandatory for all claimants, including NRIs and foreign nationals.
No, Form IEPF-5 is mandatory to be filed online on the MCA portal. However, physical documents must be couriered to the company after online filing.
Yes, transmission of shares and IEPF claim can be filed simultaneously if the shareholder has expired and shares are in IEPF.
An advance receipt signed by claimant and witness, with bank details, is mandatory for processing the refund.
An indemnity bond is a legal document signed by the claimant taking responsibility for any dispute arising later. It is a mandatory document in IEPF claims.
Transmission occurs when shares are transferred to legal heirs after death of a shareholder. IEPF transfer happens when dividends remain unclaimed for 7 years, and shares move to IEPF Authority.
