Nidhi Company Annual Compliance and Returns: NDH-3, AOC-4, MGT-7, Audit and Deadlines
A Nidhi company files NDH-3 every half-year within 30 days of each half-year end, certified by a practising CS, CA or CMA. As a public company it also holds an AGM, files AOC-4 within 30 days and MGT-7 within 60 days of the AGM, and gets an audit with a Nidhi Rules certificate. See Nidhi company registration for the start.
What annual compliance does a Nidhi company have to do?
A Nidhi company has two layers of compliance: the Nidhi-specific returns under the Nidhi Rules, and the ordinary Companies Act filings every public company makes. Missing either layer can put your Nidhi standing at risk, not just attract a late fee.
Say Farida runs a Nidhi with about 250 members and a financial year of April to March. Her calendar has a half-yearly return in October and April, an audit after year-end, an AGM within six months of the year-end, and two MCA forms after the AGM. Lose track of one and the others begin to slip.
The table below is the calendar as of September 2026, from the Nidhi Rules and standard public-company deadlines. Dates marked derived are calculated by us from the rule text and are not printed as calendar dates in the rules.
| Filing or task | Deadline | Who certifies or signs |
|---|---|---|
| NDH-3 half-yearly return | Within 30 days of each half-year end (derived: 30 October and 30 April for an April-March year) | Practising CS, CA or CMA |
| Statutory audit and auditor's Nidhi Rules certificate | Annually, with the audit report | Statutory auditor |
| Board meetings | Minimum 4 a year, gap of at most 120 days | Board |
| AGM | Within 6 months of year-end (first AGM within 9 months) | Members |
| AOC-4 (financial statements) | Within 30 days of the AGM | Director, with a professional |
| MGT-7 (annual return) | Within 60 days of the AGM | Director, with a professional |
| NDH-1 statutory compliance return | See the NDH-1 section below | Confirm with your CA |
What is the NDH-3 half-yearly return and when is it due?
NDH-3 is the half-yearly return a Nidhi company files with the Registrar, within 30 days of the end of each half-year, certified by a practising Company Secretary, Chartered Accountant or Cost Accountant. The form was substituted by an MCA notification dated 20 January 2023, and the 2022 amendment added a Net Owned Funds field to it.
For a company on an April to March year, the two half-years end on 30 September and 31 March. Working from the 30-day rule, that puts the returns at around 30 October and 30 April. Some sources, including one blog summary, say the 2022 rules changed NDH-3 from annual to half-yearly. Our reading of the rule text is that half-yearly filing dates from the original 2014 rules, so do not treat it as new.
What goes into NDH-3, in practical terms: membership and deposit details, loans outstanding, and the NOF position. This is why clean books matter. If your bookkeeping is monthly and reconciled, NDH-3 is a routine task; if it is not, the returns become a scramble. Late filing draws additional fees. The amount depends on the default and the form, so your CA will quote the current figure rather than us guessing.
Which Companies Act filings does a Nidhi still have to make?
Because a Nidhi is a public company, it holds an AGM, files AOC-4 and MGT-7, and keeps a board and audit calendar like any other public company. These are separate from the Nidhi Rules returns and apply from the first financial year.
- AGM: within six months of the financial year-end; the first AGM within nine months of the first year-end.
- AOC-4: filed within 30 days of the AGM to lodge the financial statements.
- MGT-7: the annual return, within 60 days of the AGM.
- Board meetings: at least four a year, with no more than 120 days between two meetings.
- Statutory audit: every year, by a chartered accountant appointed as auditor.
Companies Act late fees run per day of delay, and they add up quickly; the current rates are set by the MCA and can change, so ask your CA for the exact figure. The Private Limited post-incorporation compliance guide explains the shared basics, and a public company such as a Nidhi has the same core cycle with a few extras.
One extra to note: within 180 days of incorporation, a new company also files INC-20A (declaration of commencement). For a Nidhi, that sits alongside the NDH-4 route, covered in the NDH-4 declaration guide.
A CA can map your NDH-3, audit and MCA deadlines when you register.
Start Nidhi registration →What does the auditor's Nidhi Rules certificate involve?
Under Rule 22, the auditor must give an annual certificate that the company has complied with the Nidhi Rules, or list the non-compliances, and annex it to the audit report. It is the main independent check on your operating conditions.
Before the audit, run your own check against the operating conditions in force as of September 2026:
- Membership: at least 200 members on the register.
- Net Owned Funds: ₹20 lakh or more, excluding preference share proceeds.
- Deposit ratio: deposits not more than 20 times NOF, measured on the last audited financials.
- Unencumbered deposits: at least 10% of outstanding deposits held in unencumbered term deposits with a scheduled commercial bank or post office.
- Dividend: no more than 25% per financial year.
- Members-only dealing: no deposits or loans with non-members, and no advertising to solicit deposits.
If you fall short, tell your auditor before the report is signed, not after. The requirements guide covers each threshold in detail.
What are NDH-1 and NDH-2, and do they apply to you?
NDH-2 is an event-based form and NDH-1 is a statutory compliance return whose current applicability we could not confirm. We give what is verified and leave the rest to your CA.
NDH-2 is used to apply to the Regional Director or intimate the Registrar for specific events: an extension of time, permission to open or close a branch, or temporary withdrawal of the unencumbered deposits. A branch means any place other than the registered office, and closing one needs board approval and prior Regional Director approval through NDH-2, along with a newspaper notice. Since the MCA's ROC restructuring effective 16 February 2026, it is worth confirming which Regional Directorate covers your registered office.
NDH-1 is the return of statutory compliances. Blogs describe it as filed within 90 days of the financial year-end, and the original Rule 5 tied it to the first year after incorporation. Rule 5 is stated not to apply to Nidhis incorporated on or after 19 April 2022, so whether NDH-1 is still annual for them is unclear from what we could read. Shunya's live Nidhi page also names NDH-1 and NDH-3 as returns. Do not assume either way: ask your CA to check the current MCA forms list and confirm.
What happens if a Nidhi company falls behind on compliance?
A Nidhi that falls behind on the Nidhi Rules risks penalties, regulatory action, and ultimately the ability to keep accepting deposits and making loans. The exact penalty amounts for each default are not something we could verify: one secondary source quotes a general monetary penalty plus a daily amount for continuing default, but we have not confirmed it, so we do not print it.
What the rules do let the Regional Director do, after giving a hearing, is appoint a special officer for a non-compliant Nidhi. And if the NDH-4 route was not completed, or a Nidhi application is rejected, the company cannot raise deposits or lend to members under the Nidhi Rules, and deposits raised afterwards fall under the ordinary public-deposit provisions.
The MCA has also publicly warned about non-compliant Nidhi companies, in an advisory reported on 24 September 2026. Compliance is no longer a formality the regulator overlooks. Keeping a written calendar, a named person for each filing and a reconciled ledger is cheap insurance.
How can Shunya help after your Nidhi is incorporated?
Shunya's page describes incorporation, and says your CA can guide you through the compliance calendar afterwards. Shunya's professional fee for Nidhi company registration is ₹1,999. It does not include the DSC issuer's charge, government fees or other third-party costs, which are billed separately; your CA walks you through them on your callback.
The page does not list recurring NDH-3, AOC-4, MGT-7 or audit work as included in that fee, so ask on the free callback how you would like those handled and what it costs. A practising Chartered Accountant reviews every filing Shunya handles. You can request a callback on the Nidhi company registration page or WhatsApp +91 80809 18797. If you are still choosing the structure, the Nidhi vs NBFC vs cooperative society comparison helps.
How often does a Nidhi company file NDH-3?
Twice a year. NDH-3 is due within 30 days of the end of each half-year and is certified by a practising Company Secretary, Chartered Accountant or Cost Accountant. For an April to March year, that works out to around 30 October and 30 April. Confirm the dates with your CA.
Does a Nidhi company need a statutory audit?
Yes. As a public company it must have an annual statutory audit, and the auditor must certify compliance with the Nidhi Rules, or list non-compliances, and annex the certificate to the audit report under Rule 22. Ask your CA to prepare a pre-audit checklist.
When do a Nidhi company's AOC-4 and MGT-7 fall due?
AOC-4 is due within 30 days of the AGM and MGT-7 within 60 days of the AGM. The AGM itself is due within six months of the financial year-end, or nine months for the first AGM. These are standard Companies Act deadlines that also apply to a Nidhi.
Is NDH-1 still required for Nidhi companies?
We could not confirm this. Blogs describe NDH-1 as an annual return filed within 90 days of year-end, but Rule 5, which contained the original requirement, is stated not to apply to Nidhis incorporated on or after 19 April 2022. Ask your CA to check the current MCA forms.
What is the penalty for late Nidhi filings?
We could not verify exact penalty amounts for each Nidhi Rules default, so we do not quote one. Companies Act late fees for forms such as AOC-4 and MGT-7 run per day of delay. Ask your CA for the current figures before you decide to delay any filing.
Does Shunya's fee include annual compliance filings?
Shunya's professional fee of ₹1,999 is for Nidhi company registration. The live page does not list recurring returns as included, but says a CA can guide you through the compliance calendar. Ask on the free callback what ongoing support costs. DSC and government fees are billed separately.
This article is for general information only. For your specific situation, consult a practicing CA.
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Professional fee ₹1,999. Government fees, statutory costs and any third-party charges are billed separately; your CA walks you through them on your callback.