Every term you will meet while recovering old shares, unclaimed dividends or a deceased relative's holdings — explained in plain English, each linked to a full step-by-step guide.
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Share recovery is full of abbreviations — IEPF, RTA, ISR-4, DRN, SRN. If you are trying to trace an old shareholding or claim shares after a death, this glossary defines the words that appear on the forms and letters, so you know exactly what each one means. If any of it applies to your case, ClaimMyFunds can handle the whole process for you.
A fund set up by the Government of India where a company must transfer shares and dividends that have stayed unclaimed for seven consecutive years. Money and shares moved to the IEPF are not lost — the rightful owner or their legal heir can reclaim them at any time by filing Form IEPF-5.
IEPF claim serviceThe online application form filed on the MCA/IEPF portal to reclaim shares and dividends that were transferred to the IEPF Authority. After filing, you receive an SRN and must courier the signed form with supporting documents to the company's Nodal Officer.
How to fill Form IEPF-5A unique acknowledgement number generated by the MCA portal the moment you submit Form IEPF-5. It is used to track the status of your IEPF claim through every stage until the shares are credited.
The company official responsible for verifying IEPF claims and forwarding them to the IEPF Authority with a verification report. Your physical IEPF-5 document set must reach this officer within the prescribed window after online filing.
A SEBI-registered agency (such as KFin Technologies or MUFG Intime, formerly Link Intime) that maintains a company's shareholder records on its behalf. Most share-recovery paperwork — KYC, transmission, duplicate certificates — is processed through the RTA, not the company directly.
A unique identification number assigned to a shareholder's account for physical (paper) shareholding of a company. It is the key reference used to trace old holdings, and each company issues its own separate folio number.
Folio number explainedThe process of converting physical paper share certificates into electronic form held in a demat account. IEPF and most companies now release shares only in demat form, so an active demat account is mandatory before recovery.
Physical shares to dematThe two identifiers that together locate your demat account: the DP ID identifies your Depository Participant (broker/bank), and the Client ID identifies your specific account with them. Both are needed on claim forms so shares can be credited to the correct account.
A unique 12-character code that identifies a specific security, such as the equity shares of one company. It ensures shares are dematerialised and credited against the correct company and class of security.
The two central depositories in India that hold shares in electronic form — National Securities Depository Limited and Central Depository Services Limited. Every demat account is maintained through a Depository Participant linked to one of these two.
The facility that lets a shareholder name the person who will receive the shares on their death, filed using Form SH-13. A valid nomination greatly simplifies transmission, as the nominee usually needs only the death certificate and their own KYC.
SH-13 nomination formA certificate issued by a civil court that authorises the holder to receive the debts and securities of a deceased person who died without a will. It is often required to claim shares when there is no registered nominee and the amount involved is significant.
Succession certificate guideA document issued by a revenue or municipal authority identifying the legal heirs of a deceased person. It is used to establish entitlement in transmission claims, particularly for lower-value holdings where a succession certificate is not insisted upon.
A court order confirming the validity of a will (probate) or appointing an administrator where there is no will (letter of administration). Registrars may require it for high-value estates before releasing shares to heirs.
A legal undertaking on stamp paper in which the claimant promises to compensate the company or IEPF Authority against any future loss arising from the claim. It is a standard requirement in IEPF-5, duplicate-certificate and transmission cases.
A signed acknowledgement, submitted with an IEPF-5 claim, confirming receipt of the dividend amount being reclaimed. It is one of the mandatory documents couriered to the Nodal Officer.
The SEBI-mandated KYC registration form used to update PAN, contact details, bank details and nomination for physical shareholders. Folios without a valid ISR-1 on record are frozen until KYC is completed.
ISR-1 form guideThe form used for bank verification of a physical shareholder's signature, attested by the bank manager. It is required when the signature on record is old, missing or does not match.
ISR-2 signature verificationThe declaration form through which a physical shareholder formally opts out of nomination. It is filed when the holder chooses not to nominate anyone for their shares.
ISR-3 opt-out of nominationThe request form used by physical shareholders for actions such as issue of duplicate certificates, transmission, transposition and dematerialisation. It consolidates several service requests into one SEBI-prescribed format.
ISR-4 form guideThe form used to lodge a transmission claim for the shares of a deceased holder with the RTA. It captures the claimant's details and the securities being claimed.
ISR-5 transmission formA dividend declared by a company but never encashed by the shareholder. If it stays unclaimed for seven consecutive years, both the dividend and the underlying shares are transferred to the IEPF.
Unclaimed dividend recoveryA physical shareholding that has been blocked from further transactions, usually because the KYC (PAN, nomination, bank details) is incomplete. A frozen folio cannot receive dividends or process requests until the KYC is regularised.
Unfreeze a frozen folioA difference between the shareholder's name on the certificate and on PAN, Aadhaar or bank records — for example initials versus full name, or a maiden name. It is one of the most common reasons a claim is marked deficient and must be corrected before recovery.
Fix a name mismatchA discrepancy between the shareholder's current signature and the specimen signature on the company's records, often because the certificate is decades old. It is resolved through bank attestation (Form ISR-2) before the claim can proceed.
Fix a signature mismatchRemoving the name of a deceased joint holder from a share certificate so the surviving holder(s) can continue as owners. It requires the death certificate and prescribed forms, and is simpler than a full transmission.
Deletion of joint holder nameWhether it is a frozen folio, a name mismatch or an IEPF-5 claim, we deal with these every day. Send us the name on the certificate for a free check — no advance fee.