AOC-4 and MGT-7: Annual Filing Forms for Companies

AOC-4 is the form a company uses to file its financial statements with the Registrar of Companies. MGT-7 is the annual return, which records shareholders, directors, meetings and other governance details. Both are filed every year after the Annual General Meeting (AGM), whether or not the company did any business.

Why they matter

These two forms are the core of your yearly annual compliance filing. They keep the public record on the MCA portal current. Late filing brings a per-day additional fee, and long default can lead to director disqualification and the company being marked non-compliant. A dormant company with zero turnover still files.

What goes in each form

• AOC-4: balance sheet, profit and loss account, notes, auditor’s report and the board’s report, along with attachments.
• MGT-7: shareholding pattern, list of directors and key personnel, board and general meeting details, and certain disclosures.
• MGT-7A: a shorter version used by One Person Companies and small companies.

Key points

As a rule, AOC-4 is due within 30 days of the AGM and MGT-7 within 60 days of the AGM. Check the dates for the particular year on the MCA portal, because the ministry has sometimes extended them by circular. OPCs and small companies file the shorter MGT-7A, covered under OPC annual compliance. Public companies have extra requirements, covered under public company annual compliance.

The financials in AOC-4 must be audited and approved by the board first. If your accounts aren’t ready, start with the statutory audit. Companies that fall under the prescribed class also file the financials in XBRL format, so ask whether you need XBRL filing.

Common mistakes

• Holding the AGM late and then missing both due dates together.
• Filing MGT-7 with a shareholding list that doesn’t match the registers.
• Thinking a nil-activity company can skip filing.
• Treating the AOC-4 and MGT-7 dates as the same date.
• Uploading unsigned or draft financials.

Related guides: MCA and ROC, CIN (Corporate Identification Number), Board resolution

FAQs

What is the due date for AOC-4 and MGT-7?

Normally 30 days from the AGM for AOC-4 and 60 days from the AGM for MGT-7. Confirm the current year’s dates on the MCA portal.

Does a company with no business have to file?

Yes. Every company files its financial statements and annual return each year, even with no turnover.

What is MGT-7A?

It is the simplified annual return for OPCs and small companies.

Missed a date or unsure which form applies? Talk to a Taxhint expert and we will sort out the filing.