Corporate Filings: MCA’s One-Time Late Fee Relief

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has introduced a one-time, three-month compliance window to enable companies to complete delayed statutory filings at significantly reduced additional fees.

Notified through General Circular No. 01/2026 dated February 24, 2026, the “Companies Compliance Facilitation Scheme, 2026 (CCFS-2026)” will be in force from April 15, 2026, to July 15, 2026.

Reduced Additional Fees for Delayed Filings

Under the Scheme, companies may file pending annual returns, financial statements and other specified forms by paying the prescribed filing fees along with only 10% of the additional fees.

The relief applies to the following e-forms under the Companies Act, 2013:

• MGT-7 – Annual return for companies other than OPCs and small companies
• MGT-7A – Abridged annual return for OPCs and small companies
• AOC-4 – Form for filing financial statement and other documents with the Registrar
• AOC-4 CFS – Consolidated financial statements
• AOC-4 NBFC (Ind AS) – Financial statements for NBFCs
• AOC-4 CFS NBFC (Ind AS) – Consolidated financial statements for NBFCs
• AOC-4 (XBRL) – Financial statement in XBRL format
• ADT-1 – Appointment of auditor
• FC-3 – Annual accounts along with the list of all principal places of business in India established by foreign company
• FC-4 – Annual return of a foreign company

Certain forms under the erstwhile Companies Act, 1956, are also covered:  Form 20B, Form 21A, Form 23AC, Form 23ACA, Form 23AC-XBRL, Form 23ACA-XBRL, Form 66 and Form 23B.

Filing for Dormancy or Closure

The Scheme also provides reduced filing fees for companies seeking dormancy or closure, with 50% of the normal filing fees payable on an application for dormant status in e-form MSC-1 and 25% of the applicable filing fees payable on an application for striking off in e-form STK-2.

Ineligible Companies

The Scheme does not apply to:

• Companies against which action of final notice for striking off under Section 248 has already been initiated by the Registrar
• Companies that have applied for striking off
• Companies that have applied for dormant status before commencement of the Scheme
• Companies that have been dissolved pursuant to a scheme of amalgamation under the Act
• Vanishing companies

Key Takeaways

• Pending filings can be completed by paying only 10% of the additional fees.
• No penalty will be levied on defaulting companies if the annual returns and financial statements are filed under the Scheme before, or within 30 days of, issuance of notice by the adjudicating officer.
• The Scheme enables inactive or defunct entities to opt for dormancy or closure at reduced filing fees.
• Upon conclusion of the Scheme, Registrars of Companies will take necessary action under the Act against defaulting companies that fail to avail the three-month compliance window under CCFS-2026.