IEPF Claim Services: Recover Shares and Dividends from IEPF

What IEPF is and how shares end up there

The Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF) is managed by the IEPF Authority (IEPFA) under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. Under Sections 124 and 125 of the Companies Act, 2013, a dividend that stays unpaid for seven years is transferred to IEPF. If dividends on a share stay unpaid for seven consecutive years, the shares themselves also move to IEPF.

This usually happens quietly. The holder moved house, the bank mandate was old, or the holder passed away and nobody told the company. Companies publish lists of unpaid and unclaimed dividends on their websites, but few families ever check them.

A transfer to IEPF is not a loss of ownership. The shares keep their value in IEPF's demat account, and the rightful owner or legal heir can claim them back. There is no time limit to make an IEPF claim.

Do you need help with this?

Yes. The official route is free and open to every shareholder and legal heir. For a simple case, where the holder is alive, KYC is up to date and the name matches the company's records, many people complete it on their own. The route has five broad steps:

1. Get an entitlement letter from the company or its registrar and transfer agent (RTA) confirming what was moved to IEPF.
2. File the online Form IEPF-5 through the IEPFA claims portal (iepf.gov.in).
3. The company e-verifies the claim.
4. IEPFA reviews the claim and decides.
5. Approved shares are credited to your demat account and dividends to your bank account.

IEPFA also runs free Niveshak Shivir investor camps in several cities and a helpline, 14453, for questions on the claim process.

When families look for IEPF claim help

The route is the same for everyone, but the paperwork behind it is not. People usually reach out to us when:

• The shareholder has died, and there was no nominee or the heirs disagree on who should claim.
• The shares are in physical certificates that are lost, damaged or never received.
• The name, address or signature on the folio does not match current KYC documents.
• The company has merged or changed its name, so it is unclear which company holds the entitlement.
• Several companies and folios are involved and the family does not know where to begin.
• The claimant lives abroad and cannot easily deal with Indian offices.
• A claim was already returned by the company or IEPFA and needs to be put right.

What changed in 2025–26 for IEPF claims

The IEPF claim process 2026 looks different from a few years ago. The main updates:

• New Form IEPF-5 (October 2025): a revised form took effect on 6 October 2025 under notification G.S.R. 733(E).
• IEPF integrated claims portal (announced August 2025, live October 2025): it offers pre-filled forms, PAN and OTP verification, and lets you include several folios in one claim.
• Authorised representative (October 2025): the new form recognises filing through an authorised representative who holds an authority letter from the claimant. The claimant stays the applicant.
• Awareness drives (2025–26): IEPFA held Niveshak Shivir camps in several cities, and the government ran the "Aapki Poonji, Aapka Adhikar" campaign from 4 October 2025. A common landing portal for unclaimed assets followed in May 2026.
• Heirs' claims made simpler (SEBI, December 2025 and July 2026): simplified documentation now applies to duplicate certificates up to ₹10 lakh and to transmission of shares up to set value limits. This matters when an IEPF claim first needs a duplicate certificate or transmission.
• Special window for old transfer deeds (February 2026): SEBI's special window for transfer deeds executed before 1 April 2019 is open from 5 February 2026 to 4 February 2027; it does not cover shares already transferred to IEPF.

Where your holding may be now

How our IEPF claim services work

We help you prepare and track the claim. You remain the applicant, and every share and rupee goes only into your own demat and bank account. Our work runs in four broad stages:

1. Case review: we look at what you have, check whether the holding is with the company, a suspense account or IEPF, and tell you plainly whether you can do it yourself.
2. Tracing and documents: we trace the folios and companies involved, and help you put KYC and heirship papers in order.
3. Filing and follow-up: we help you file Form IEPF-5 correctly and follow up with the company and RTA through verification and any IEPFA queries.
4. Credit: we track the claim until the shares reach your demat account and dividends reach your bank.

Where a court document such as a succession certificate is needed, the petition is filed by an advocate; we coordinate the paperwork around it.

Why Expertvuw

• A registered company, Expertvuw Management Pvt Ltd, with offices in Delhi (Dwarka) and Gurugram (Udyog Vihar).
• Pan-India and NRI clients, with remote coordination for families abroad. We handle IEPF claims remotely for families outside Delhi NCR; see our pages for an IEPF consultant in Mumbai, Kolkata and Ahmedabad.
• One team for shares, dividends and other unclaimed assets of the same family.
• Plain-language updates at each stage, so you always know what is pending and with whom.
• Documentation discipline: every paper checked against company and RTA records before it is sent.

Expertvuw is a private firm and is not affiliated with IEPFA, MCA or SEBI.

Related services

• Claim the investments of a deceased parent
• Claim shares and deposits when there is no nominee
• Recover shares from an unclaimed suspense account
• Succession certificate and legal heir support
• Unclaimed asset recovery for NRIs

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if my shares are with IEPF?

Check the company's website, where companies publish lists of unpaid and unclaimed dividends, or search the IEPF records on iepf.gov.in using the holder's details. You can also ask the company's RTA. If dividends on your shares went unpaid for seven consecutive years, the shares have probably moved to IEPF.

Is there a time limit to claim shares from IEPF?

No. There is no time limit to claim shares or dividends from IEPF. The right to claim does not lapse, and legal heirs can claim years after the original holder's death. Acting sooner still helps, because records, documents and family members are easier to trace while memories are fresh.

Is there any fee for filing Form IEPF-5?

No. IEPFA charges no filing fee for Form IEPF-5. The official route is free, and many shareholders file simple claims themselves. You may still spend on things such as notarisation or stamp paper for supporting documents, depending on your case.

What is new in Form IEPF-5 from October 2025?

A revised Form IEPF-5 took effect on 6 October 2025. It is filed on IEPFA's integrated claims portal, which offers pre-filled forms, PAN and OTP verification, and several folios in one claim. The form also recognises filing through an authorised representative holding an authority letter from the claimant.

Can a legal heir claim a deceased parent's shares from IEPF?

Yes. A legal heir or nominee can claim after proving their right to the shares. Where there is no nominee, heirship documents are needed, and SEBI's July 2026 transmission rules now allow simplified documents within set value limits. See our page on how to claim a deceased parent's investments.

Can NRIs claim shares from IEPF?

Yes. NRIs can claim shares and dividends from IEPF in the same way as residents, with KYC and bank details that suit their residential status. Documents signed abroad may need apostille or consular attestation. Our NRI unclaimed asset recovery page explains the practical steps.

Does Expertvuw file the IEPF claim in its own name?

No. The claimant always stays the applicant, and shares are credited only to the claimant's own demat account and dividends only to the claimant's own bank account. We help prepare and track the claim. Expertvuw is a private firm and is not affiliated with IEPFA, MCA or SEBI.

What if the company has merged or changed its name?

Your entitlement follows the merger scheme's swap ratio. The shares usually sit with the successor company, in its suspense account, or with IEPF. Tracing the successor and its RTA is the first step, after which the normal claim route applies.