Received an ROC or MCA notice? What it means and how to respond
Common notices from the Registrar of Companies, including late filing, strike-off and adjudication, and the steps to fix each one.
First steps
- Read the notice closely: the section, the form or period involved and the reply date. Notices reach the company's registered email, the registered office by post, or appear on the MCA portal.
- Check the company's master data on the MCA portal: status (Active, Active non-compliant, Under process of striking off) and the last filing dates.
- Check every director's DIN status.
- Act before the deadline. Most of these notices get much costlier once the date passes.
Common notices
| Notice | Why it came | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Show cause for not filing AOC-4 or MGT-7 (sections 137 and 92) | Financial statements or annual return not filed | File the pending forms with additional fees, then reply to the adjudicating officer |
| Strike-off notice STK-1 (section 248) | The company seems inactive or has not filed for years | Reply within 30 days with proof of business, and file all pending returns. Otherwise a public notice (STK-5) follows and the name is struck off |
| Letter under section 206 | The ROC wants information or documents | Reply in full by the date given |
| Adjudication order (section 454) | Penalty imposed for a default | Pay within 90 days, or appeal to the Regional Director within 60 days |
| DIN deactivated | Director's DIR-3 KYC was missed | File DIR-3 KYC with the ₹5,000 fee |
| Director disqualified (section 164(2)) | Company did not file for 3 continuous years | Bring filings up to date; get professional advice on removing the disqualification |
Penalty for not filing AOC-4 or MGT-7: ₹10,000 plus ₹100 per day of continued default, up to ₹2 lakh for the company and ₹50,000 for each officer in default, on top of additional filing fees.
LLPs: late Form 8 or Form 11 attracts ₹100 per day per form. File as soon as possible.
Watch for relief schemes
MCA runs relief schemes from time to time with lower additional fees and immunity from penalty. The latest, CCFS-2026, was open from 15 April to 15 July 2026. If a new scheme opens, file pending forms under it.
If the company is already struck off
The company, a member or a creditor can apply to the NCLT for restoration. It is slow and costly, so respond to STK-1 rather than let it reach this stage.
Prevent the next notice
- Keep a compliance calendar: AGM by 30 September, AOC-4 within 30 days of the AGM, MGT-7 within 60 days.
- Keep the registered email working and the registered office address current.
- Make sure each director completes DIR-3 KYC on time.
Related
Sources
- Companies Act, 2013 (as amended)