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June 13, 2026
How to Claim Share From IEPF Have you recently discovered that your shares or dividends are no longer in your portfolio and found that they have been transferred to the government? If so, you are not alone. Every year, thousands of investors across India lose track of their investments, leading to shares and unclaimed dividends being transferred to the Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF).
The good news is that this process is reversible. This comprehensive guide explains exactly how to claim shares from IEPF, walking you through every step of the IEPF claim process from checking whether your shares have been transferred, to submitting your refund application and finally getting your shares back in your depository account.
IEPF stands for Investor Education and Protection Fund. It is a statutory fund established by the Government of India under Section 125 of the Companies Act, 2013.
The IEPF is administered by the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority, a body set up under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA). Its primary responsibilities are:
The IEPF Authority operates under the IEPF Authority (Accounting, Audit, Transfer and Refund) Rules, 2016, which govern the entire claim and transfer mechanism.
IEPF was created to consolidate unclaimed financial assets including unpaid dividends, matured deposits, and shares corresponding to those dividends in a central, government managed fund. Rather than letting these assets lie dormant with companies indefinitely, the government transfers them to IEPF and provides a structured mechanism for the rightful owner to reclaim them.
Understanding why your shares end up with the IEPF Authority is the first step in the IEPF recovery process. The most common reasons include:
Before initiating a claim, verify whether your shares are actually held by IEPF. The MCA provides a free search tool on its portal.
Once you have confirmed that your shares are with IEPF, here is the complete IEPF refund application step-by-step process:
Step 1: Obtain a Valid Demat Account
You must have an active depository account (Demat account) to receive shares after a successful claim. A depository in India is an organisation that holds securities (shares, bonds, mutual fund units) in electronic form on behalf of investors. The two main depositories in India are NSDL (National Securities Depository Limited) and CDSL (Central Depository Services Limited). Your Demat account, linked to one of these depositories, is where your claimed shares will be credited.
If you do not have a depository account, open one with a registered Depository Participant (DP) such as a bank or broker before proceeding.
Step 2: File IEPF-5 Form Online
claimed, bank details, Aadhaar, and PAN
Step 3: Send Physical Documents to the Nodal OfficerAfter online filing, print the duly filled IEPF-5 form and send a physical copy along with all supporting documents to the Nodal Officer / IEPF Nodal Officer of the concerned company (not to the IEPF Authority directly).
Step 4: Company Verification
The company’s Nodal Officer will verify your documents and submit their verification report (Form IEPF-5A) to the IEPF Authority within 15 days of receiving your application.
Step 5: IEPF Authority Approval
The IEPF Authority reviews both your application and the company’s verification report. If everything is in order, it issues a sanction order and transfers the shares and/or dividends to your depository account and bank account respectively.
The IEPF indemnity bond is a key legal document that must be submitted alongside your IEPF-5 application. It is a declaration signed by the claimant stating that they are the rightful owner of the shares and that they indemnify the IEPF Authority and the company against any future claims from third parties. The bond must be printed on non-judicial stamp paper of appropriate value as prescribed by state law and witnessed and notarised where required.
Recovering shares of a deceased investor requires additional legal documentation beyond the standard IEPF claim. This process is often more complex, but it is entirely possible with the correct paperwork.
The legal heir must file Form IEPF-5 in their own name, clearly noting the relationship to the deceased, and submit all additional documents to the Nodal Officer along with the indemnity bond executed by the legal heir.
Understanding why claims fail is just as important as knowing how to submit them. Here are the most frequently observed rejection reasons:
Officer’s address before dispatch
If you are only claiming unclaimed dividends (without shares), the process is largely the same you still file Form IEPF-5. The key difference is that dividend amounts are refunded directly to your bank account rather than credited to a depository account. The unclaimed dividends recovery process in India follows the same verification path through the company’s Nodal Officer and the IEPF Authority.
Pro Tip: Even if you are unsure whether dividends or shares have been transferred to IEPF, it is worth conducting an IEPF search by name on the MCA portal. Many investors are unaware that their dormant folios have triggered an automatic transfer.
IEPF (Investor Education and Protection Fund) is a government fund managed by the IEPF Authority under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. Shares are transferred to IEPF when a shareholder has not claimed dividends on those shares for 7 or more consecutive years. The transfer is mandated by the Companies Act, 2013.
Visit the MCA portal (www.mca.gov.in) or iepf.gov.in, navigate to the IEPF section, and use the ‘Search Unclaimed & Unpaid Amounts’ feature. Enter your name, PAN, company name, or Folio number to check whether shares or dividends are held under IEPF against your investor profile.
Form IEPF-5 is the official application form for claiming refund of shares and/or dividends from the IEPF. It is filed online on the MCA21 portal (www.mca.gov.in). After online submission, a printed copy with supporting documents must be sent to the Nodal Officer of the concerned company.
The IEPF indemnity bond is a legal declaration executed by the claimant on non-judicial stamp paper. It affirms that the claimant is the rightful owner and indemnifies the IEPF Authority and the company against any third-party claims. It is a mandatory document for all IEPF refund applications.
The complete IEPF claim process from online filing to receiving shares in your Demat account typically takes 60 to 90 days, provided all documents are complete and accurate.
The company has 15 days to submit its verification report, after which the IEPF Authority takes 30–60 days to process the sanction.
Yes. Legal heirs can file Form IEPF-5 to claim shares of a deceased investor from IEPF. They must submit additional documents including the death certificate, legal heir certificate or succession certificate, NOC from co-heirs, and a notarised affidavit of claim. The shares/dividends will be refunded in the name of the legal heir.
7. What is a depository account and why is it needed for IEPF claims?
A depository account (also called a Demat account) is an electronic account used to hold securities such as shares. It is maintained by a Depository Participant linked to NSDL or CDSL the two main depositories in India. An active Demat account is mandatory for IEPF share claims, as the recovered shares are credited electronically to this account.
If your IEPF claim is rejected, you will typically receive a deficiency notice specifying the reason.
You can rectify the issue and resubmit your application by refiling Form IEPF-5 with corrected information or additional documents. Common reasons for rejection include document mismatch, defective indemnity bond, and incomplete forms.
Yes. If your shares were in physical form before being transferred to IEPF, you can still claim them. You must submit the original physical share certificate(s) as part of your documentation.
Once the claim is approved, the shares will be dematerialised and credited to your Demat account.
There is no specific deadline for filing an IEPF claim you can initiate the process at any time after your shares have been transferred. However, it is advisable to file your claim as early as possible to avoid further complications and to receive any future dividends declared on those shares.
Learning how to claim shares from IEPF can seem daunting at first, but the process is entirely manageable with the right preparation. Thousands of crores in unclaimed shares and dividends sit with the IEPF Authority each year money and securities that legally belong to investors and their families. Whether you are an individual investor who has been inactive for years, a family managing the estate of a deceased loved one, or someone who simply lost track of old investments, the IEPF recovery mechanism is your legitimate pathway to reclaiming what is rightfully yours.
The key steps are straightforward: verify your holdings using the IEPF search by name tool, file Form IEPF-5 on the MCA portal, assemble your documents carefully (paying special attention to the IEPF indemnity bond), dispatch your physical dossier to the correct Nodal Officer, and track your application status online. Avoid the common pitfalls mismatched names, inactive Demat accounts, and incomplete documents and your claim stands an excellent chance of approval. Don’t let your hard-earned investments remain unclaimed. Begin your IEPF claim processtoday, and take back what belongs to you.
Do not hesitate to contact us. We’re a team of experts ready to talk to you.
