Dematerialisation of Shares for Indian Companies | EquityList

Dematerialise your physical shares with EquityList

EquityList is a cap table and equity management platform that can manage your company’s dematerialisation and post-demat compliances.

ISINs created: 65+ (since Mar, 2025)

Approval time: 10-15 days

Should you dematerialise now?

Find out if you should dematerialise shares before Sept. 30, 2024 (or later)

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What is your company's paid-up capital?

The total amount of money your company has received from issuing shares to investors.

Enter your details to get the result

You may not need to dematerialise your shares immediately

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Managing equity for 600+ companies

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What is dematerialisation?

Dematerialisation is the conversion of physical share certificates into electronic form.

Previously, only public companies were mandated to digitize their shares. However, to enhance transparency and convenience, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA, India) has extended this requirement to private companies.

Why should private companies dematerialise physical shares?

Let EquityList run your dematerialisation end-to-end

EquityList simplifies equity management and makes dematerialisation seamless, helping you stay compliant with MCA regulations.

Dematerialisation process on EquityList

EquityList simplifies the entire process by centralizing your data, stakeholder approvals, and status tracking.

Centralize your data

Consolidate all your company's documents related to:

Document handling and data sharing with RTA

EquityList will handle all necessary documentation and share data with RTAs and depository. Once you give the go-ahead we get the process started with our partner RTAs.

ISIN issuance

We work with the RTAs to get ISINs issued for all your share classes by the depository (NSDL/CDSL). ISINs are used to track and trade securities in electronic format. Furthermore, you can see the progress of all the steps inside the EquityList platform.

Courier physical share certificates and Dematerialisation Request Forms (DRF)

Next, courier the physical share certificates and DRFs to the depository. After this, the shares are dematerialised, meaning they are digitally stored in shareholders' demat accounts.

Why EquityList?

The end-to-end process of dematerialisation hinges on extensive coordination, approvals and follow ups, between you and your shareholders. But it’s easier if you have a single control center.

Before dematerialisation

During dematerialisation

After dematerialisation

Best-in-class compliance for your data

Beyond dematerialisation

Dematerialisation is more than a one-off task; it's a shift towards exclusively issuing shares digitally, eliminating the cumbersome process of manual paperwork and compliances. Streamline this transition with EquityList. Digitize your shares once, then use our platform to manage and issue future securities. Get a centralized, user-friendly dashboard that integrates all your equity-related data on a cap table and equity management platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

I do not qualify currently, should I still dematerialise my physical shares?

If your paid-up capital exceeds ₹4 crore and your annual turnover is over ₹40 crore, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs mandates you to dematerialise by September 30th, 2024. Note: As of December 1, 2025, these limits have been revised to a paid-up capital of up to ₹10 crore and a turnover of up to ₹100 crore).

However, even if you don't fall into this range right now, it is advisable to proactively dematerialise your physical shares as the mandate will apply to you, as your business grows.

Furthermore, you also have to dematerialise if:

How much time does the entire dematerialisation process take?

The timeline depends on the number of shareholders, cap table complexity and the availability of all the necessary documents. However, on average, it could take anywhere between 2-5 weeks.

Do I need cap table software after dematerialisation?

Yes, dematerialisation merely converts physical securities (shares) into a digital copy and stores these electronic securities into the shareholder’s demat accounts. However, post dematerialisation, you’ll still need to manage your cap table to track ownership, issue equity grants as part of your ESOP/SAR/RSU pools, store investment documents, model fundraising simulations, and provide dashboards to your shareholders.

Why is it mandatory for a private limited company to dematerialise its shares?

The Indian government made it mandatory for private limited companies to dematerialise their shares in October 2023 with the aim to improve transparency, efficiency, and investor protection in the corporate sector. This move is expected to create a more streamlined and secure business environment for both private companies and investors in India.

(General note: There are also penalties, outlined in section 450 of the Companies Act, which can be enforced. The company may be liable for monetary penalties of INR 10,000 plus INR 1,000 for each day the violation continues, with a maximum of INR 2,00,000. Every defaulting officer also faces the same penalties, with a maximum of INR 50,000.)

What are RTAs, depository participants and depositories?

What is ISIN?

An ISIN, or International Securities Identification Number, is a globally recognized code used to uniquely identify securities such as stocks, bonds, and other financial instruments. It serves as a standardized identifier assigned to each security, facilitating efficient trading, settlement, and regulatory compliance across different markets and jurisdictions.

How to calculate paid up capital?

The paid up capital can be calculated by multiplying the face value of your shares with the total shares issued by the company.