Annual Compliance Checklist for Private Limited Companies in India

Running a Private Limited Company in India comes with a significant compliance calendar. Missing a filing or deadline does not just attract penalties — it can result in director disqualification, company strike-off, and reputational damage that is difficult to recover from.

This checklist covers every major compliance requirement for a Private Limited Company under the Companies Act, 2013, the Income Tax Act, and GST law. Use it as your annual compliance roadmap.

Every Private Limited Company must hold a minimum of 4 board meetings per year, with a maximum gap of 120 days between any two consecutive meetings.

For newly incorporated companies, the first board meeting must be held within 30 days of incorporation.

Board meeting notices must be sent to all directors at least 7 days in advance (shorter notice is permissible with consent of majority directors).

Minutes of every board meeting must be prepared and signed within 30 days of the meeting and maintained in the Minutes Book.

Checklist:

• 4 board meetings held during the year
• No gap exceeding 120 days between meetings
• Proper notices issued 7 days in advance
• Minutes prepared and signed within 30 days
• Minutes Book maintained at registered office

Every Private Limited Company must hold an AGM within 6 months from the end of the financial year — i.e., by 30th September for companies with a March 31 year-end.

At the AGM, the following business is typically transacted:

• Adoption of financial statements
• Declaration of dividend (if any)
• Appointment/re-appointment of directors
• Appointment of auditors and fixing their remuneration

Checklist:

• AGM held by 30th September
• 21 days' notice given to shareholders
• Financial statements adopted
• Auditor appointment/ratification completed
• Minutes of AGM prepared and maintained

Every Private Limited Company must get its accounts audited by a Chartered Accountant, regardless of turnover or size. The auditor must be appointed within 30 days of incorporation at the first board meeting.

Checklist:

• Auditor appointed/ratified at AGM
• Audit completed before AGM
• Auditor's report obtained
• Auditor's appointment filed in Form ADT-1 within 15 days of AGM

These are the two most critical annual filings with the Registrar of Companies:

• What: Filing of audited financial statements (Balance Sheet, P&L, Cash Flow, Notes)
• Due date: Within 30 days of AGM (i.e., by 29th October for companies with September AGM)
• Late fee: ₹100 per day of delay (no cap)

• What: Annual return containing details of shareholders, directors, charges, and other company information
• Due date: Within 60 days of AGM (i.e., by 28th November)
• MGT-7A applies to small companies and OPCs (simplified form)
• Late fee: ₹100 per day of delay

Checklist:

• AOC-4 filed within 30 days of AGM
• MGT-7/MGT-7A filed within 60 days of AGM
• All attachments complete and accurate

Every director who has been allotted a DIN (Director Identification Number) must file DIR-3 KYC annually by 30th September.

• Directors with a DIN but no change in details: File DIR-3 KYC Web (e-verification only)
• Directors with changed details: File DIR-3 KYC (full form with documents)

Failure to file results in DIN deactivation — the director cannot sign any company documents until KYC is completed.

Checklist:

• DIR-3 KYC filed for all directors by 30th September
• DIN status verified as active

Directors must disclose their interest in other entities at the first board meeting of every financial year (and whenever there is a change) by filing Form MBP-1.

Checklist:

• MBP-1 received from all directors at first board meeting of the year

Companies with turnover exceeding ₹1 crore (₹10 crore if cash transactions are less than 5% of total) must get a tax audit done by a CA. The tax audit report (Form 3CA/3CB + 3CD) must be filed by 30th September.

All companies must file their income tax return in Form ITR-6 by:

• 31st October (if tax audit is applicable)
• 31st July (if tax audit is not applicable)

Companies must pay advance tax in four instalments:

• 15% by 15th June
• 45% by 15th September
• 75% by 15th December
• 100% by 15th March

Checklist:

• Tax audit completed and filed by 30th September (if applicable)
• ITR-6 filed by due date
• Advance tax paid in all four instalments
• TDS deducted and deposited monthly
• TDS returns (24Q, 26Q) filed quarterly

For GST-registered companies:

Checklist:

• GSTR-1 filed monthly/quarterly
• GSTR-3B filed monthly
• ITC reconciled with GSTR-2B monthly
• GSTR-9 (annual return) filed by 31st December
• GSTR-9C (reconciliation statement, if turnover > ₹5 crore) filed by 31st December
• E-invoicing complied with (if turnover > ₹5 crore)

Beyond the annual calendar, certain events trigger specific filings:

The Companies Act, 2013 imposes significant penalties for non-compliance:

• Late filing of AOC-4 / MGT-7: ₹100 per day (no cap — can accumulate to lakhs)
• Non-holding of AGM: Up to ₹1 lakh on the company and ₹1 lakh on every officer in default
• Director disqualification: Under Section 164(2), directors of companies that fail to file annual returns for 3 consecutive years are disqualified for 5 years
• Company strike-off: The ROC can strike off companies that fail to file returns for 2 consecutive years

The volume of compliance requirements can feel overwhelming, but with the right systems in place, it becomes a routine process:

1. Maintain a compliance calendar with all due dates mapped at the start of the year
2. Use a compliance management platform that sends automated reminders
3. Engage a professional firm to handle filings — the cost is far lower than the penalties for non-compliance
4. Conduct a mid-year compliance review to catch any gaps before year-end

AccentTax's compliance team manages the full annual compliance calendar for Private Limited Companies across India. If you would like us to take this off your plate, get in touch for a free consultation.