Form IEPF-5 is the web form used by an investor to apply to the IEPF Authority for claiming unpaid amounts and/or shares transferred to the Investor Education and Protection Fund. It is governed by Section 125(3) of the Companies Act, 2013 read with Rule 7 of the IEPFA Rules, 2016.

The person in respect of whom an amount was transferred to the IEPF may file IEPF-5, as may the legal representative of a deceased claimant. The IEPF Authority may seek clarifications from the concerned company/bank while processing the claim.

Who Should File IEPF-5 / When is it Filed

Any investor (or shareholder) whose unpaid dividend, matured deposit/debenture amount, or shares were transferred to the IEPF may apply for a refund via IEPF-5. A legal representative may file on behalf of a deceased claimant.

Important Checkpoints Before Filing

  • Applicant must be registered as a Business User/Registered User on the MCA portal before filing
  • The applicant must have a valid PAN
  • No other IEPF-5 (pending or approved) should exist for the same source folio number or demat account number
  • The CIN/BCIN entered must be valid
  • A single name is permitted for the applicant’s name/father’s name only if the PAN database itself reflects a single name
  • ‘Shares’ has been added as a claim type, alongside amount-based claims
  • For ‘Shares’ or ‘Amount and Shares’ claim types, an active demat account number (16-digit DPID + Client ID) must be entered
  • The bank name entered must correctly correspond to the prefilled IFSC code, MICR code, and account number
  • Clicking ‘Validate’ auto-prefills bank details where the claim type is ‘Shares’ or ‘Amount and Shares’
  • The correct Depository (NSDL/CDSL) must be selected, matching the demat account number provided
  • If field space is insufficient, additional details may be furnished as an optional attachment

Step-by-Step Filing Process

  1. Login to MCA portal → MCA Services → IEPF Related Services
  2. Access “IEPF-5 Web Form – Claiming unpaid amounts & shares”
  3. Fill up the application with claim details
  4. Optionally save as draft
  5. Submit the webform and note the SRN
  6. The acknowledgement and indemnity bond are generated
  7. The concerned company/bank is intimated of the claim
  8. Dispatch the required physical documents (including the signed indemnity bond) to the IEPF Authority
  9. Submit the postal receipt as proof of dispatch
  10. The claim moves to pending for E-Verification report — see the related IEPF-5 E-Verification Report article for this next stage

Mandatory Attachments

  • Indemnity Bond and surety (as prescribed)
  • Supporting ownership/identity documents in PDF or JPG format
  • Optional attachments for any additional supporting information, also in PDF or JPG format

Fee Structure

The Instruction Kit marks the fee-rules section as not applicable — no filing fee is prescribed for IEPF-5.

Processing Mode

Form IEPF-5 is processed in Conditional-STP mode.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. Who can file IEPF-5? The investor in respect of whom the amount/shares were transferred to the IEPF, or their legal representative if deceased.

Q2. Is there a fee to claim amounts via IEPF-5? No — the fee-rules section is marked not applicable.

Q3. What happens after IEPF-5 is submitted online? An acknowledgement and indemnity bond are generated, the company/bank is intimated, and the claimant must physically dispatch supporting documents and submit the postal receipt before the claim proceeds to e-verification.

Q4. What claim types does IEPF-5 support? Amount only, Shares only, or Amount and Shares combined.

Q5. Is IEPF-5 processed automatically? It is processed in Conditional-STP mode, meaning some elements are automated but the claim still requires document verification before completion.

Disclaimer

This article is based on the official Instruction Kit for Form IEPF-5 published by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), Government of India. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, the content is intended for general guidance purposes only. MCA forms, rules, and fee structures are subject to change through amendments to the Companies Act, 2013 or notifications issued thereunder.

In case of any inconsistency or doubt, readers are advised to refer to the official MCA access page for IEPF-5 and resources available on the MCA website.