RTA Liaison Services: Getting Shareholder Requests Resolved

What a registrar and transfer agent does

Listed companies appoint an RTA to maintain the register of members and handle investor requests on their behalf. For physical shareholders, the RTA is the main point of contact for almost everything:

• KYC updates: PAN, address, bank account, mobile number and email.
• Signature updates and nomination.
• Dividend payments and reissue of unpaid dividends.
• Duplicate certificates, transmission after death, and demat requests.
• Entitlement letters needed for IEPF claims.

For shares held in demat form, most KYC and bank details are updated through your depository participant instead.

Where shareholders get stuck with RTAs

SEBI's no-freeze rule and why KYC still matters

In November 2023, SEBI stopped the practice of freezing folios that lacked PAN or KYC. Your shares are not frozen simply because KYC is missing. However, KYC is still required before the RTA provides any service or makes any payment. In practice, dividends stay withheld and requests stay pending until KYC is complete.

The ISR forms in brief

• ISR-1: KYC details such as PAN, address, bank and contact details.
• ISR-2: banker attestation of the holder's signature.
• ISR-3: opting out of nomination.
• ISR-4: requests such as duplicate certificates and transmission.
• SH-13 / SH-14: registering or changing a nomination.

SEBI made nomination or opt-out mandatory for single-holder demat accounts and mutual fund folios opened on or after 1 September 2026, so nomination questions now come up more often.

Unpaid dividend from RTA: when it moves to IEPF

Companies publish lists of unpaid and unclaimed dividends on their websites. If a dividend stays unpaid for seven years, it is transferred to IEPF, and if dividends on a share are unpaid for seven consecutive years, the shares move too (Companies Act, sections 124 and 125). After that, the RTA's role is limited to issuing the entitlement letter, and the claim goes through Form IEPF-5. See unclaimed dividend claims and IEPF claim services.

Do you need help with this?

Yes. RTA services such as KYC updates carry no official charge, the ISR forms are available on RTA and company websites, and most RTAs accept requests by post and many online. If you have one or two folios with a single, clear request, doing it yourself is usually straightforward.

Keep a copy of every form, send documents by tracked post, and quote the folio number and company name in every letter. If an RTA does not respond, the company's investor grievance contact is the next step.

RTA liaison services from Expertvuw

1. Case review: we read the RTA's letters, identify what is actually missing, and check the folio records against your documents.
2. Documents: we help prepare consistent ISR forms and supporting proof, so one submission covers all the gaps.
3. Filing and follow-up: you remain the applicant; we track submissions and follow up with the RTA and, where needed, the company.
4. Completion: dividends are paid only into your own bank account and shares credited only to your own demat account.

For companies: shareholder compliance and IEPF

Companies also carry obligations linked to unclaimed amounts: transferring dividends and shares to IEPF (Forms IEPF-1 and IEPF-4), filing the statement of unclaimed amounts (Form IEPF-2), appointing a Nodal Officer, and e-verifying IEPF-5 claims from shareholders. The IEPFA also required remediation data on Form IEPF-1A in 2025. Our IEPF compliance for companies page covers this work in detail.

Why Expertvuw

• A registered private limited company with offices in Delhi and Gurugram.
• Shareholders across India and NRIs, supported by phone, email and video calls.
• Documentation discipline and plain-language updates.
• Not affiliated with or authorised by SEBI, IEPFA or any RTA.

Related services

• Name mismatch correction
• Signature mismatch in share certificate
• Physical shares to demat
• Unclaimed shares recovery overview

Frequently asked questions

What is an RTA in shares?

An RTA, or registrar and transfer agent, is the agency a company appoints to maintain its shareholder records and process investor requests. For physical shareholders, the RTA handles KYC updates, dividend payments, duplicate certificates, transmission and demat requests. You can find a company's RTA in its annual report or on its website.

How do I update KYC with an RTA?

Submit SEBI's Form ISR-1 to the company's RTA with your PAN, address, bank details and contact information, plus supporting proof. If your signature has changed, add a banker-attested Form ISR-2. For demat shares, update KYC with your depository participant instead of the RTA.

Why is my dividend not credited even after updating my bank account?

Common reasons include incomplete KYC, a bank account in a name that differs from the folio, or a request that has not yet been processed. If the dividend is more than seven years old, it may already have moved to IEPF, and you will need to claim it through Form IEPF-5.

Are my shares frozen if KYC is not updated?

No. SEBI stopped freezing folios for missing PAN or KYC in November 2023. However, KYC is still required before the RTA provides any service or pays dividends. Until KYC is complete, payments and requests remain on hold even though the shares are not frozen.

What should I do if the RTA does not respond?

First confirm you wrote to the current RTA, since registrars change over time. Resend the request by tracked post, quoting the folio number and company name. If there is still no response, contact the company's investor grievance officer, whose details appear in the annual report and on the company website.

Do companies use RTA liaison services too?

Companies manage their RTA directly, but may need support with shareholder-related compliance such as IEPF transfers, the statement of unclaimed amounts and e-verification of IEPF-5 claims. Our IEPF compliance for companies page explains the company-side work, including the Nodal Officer role.