Guide · Form ISR-4
Form ISR-4: how to fill it, and why it gets returnedISR 4 form · Duplicate shares · Documents required
Form ISR-4 is how you get duplicate shares, claim shares from a suspense account or exchange old certificates. Here's how it works, and the mismatches that get it sent back.
- Updated for SEBI's December 2025 rules
- Section-by-section filling guide
- Free review if your request was returned
What is Form ISR-4?
Form ISR-4 is the SEBI form titled “Request for issue of Duplicate Certificate and other Service Requests”. Anyone holding shares on paper uses it to ask the company's registrar (RTA) for a service on those shares. It was introduced under SEBI's circular of 25 January 2022.
The result is no longer a new paper certificate. The registrar issues a Letter of Confirmation, and you use it to get the shares credited to your demat account.
When do you need Form ISR-4?
| Your situation | Request to tick on ISR-4 |
|---|---|
| Certificates lost, stolen, torn or damaged | Issue of duplicate certificate |
| Shares or bonus shares lying in the company's suspense account | Claim from Unclaimed Suspense Account |
| Old certificates from before a split, merger or name change | Replacement / renewal / exchange |
| Certificate needs a change recorded on it | Endorsement |
| One certificate to be split into smaller lots | Sub-division / splitting |
| Several folios or certificates in the same names | Consolidation of folios / certificates |
| Change in the order of joint holders' names | Transposition |
Transfer to a nominee or legal heir after a death is usually done with Form ISR-5. See transmission of shares.
Forms to file before (or with) ISR-4
- Form ISR-1 registers or updates PAN, address, mobile, email and bank details.
- Form ISR-2 is your bank's confirmation of your signature, needed when your signature doesn't match the company's records.
- Nomination (SH-13) or opt-out (ISR-3). ISR-4 asks for one or the other.
How to fill Form ISR-4, section by section
- Section A, mandatory details: demat account number and client master list (CML), PAN, specimen signature, and nomination or opt-out. You also undertake to demat the shares within 120 days of the Letter of Confirmation.
- Section B, request type: tick every service you need.
- Section C, certificate details: company name, folio number, holder names, certificate numbers, distinctive numbers, number of shares and face value, exactly as on the certificates or the company's records.
- Section D, request details: fill only the part for the service you ticked. For example, for a suspense account claim, write the number of shares in figures and words.
- Signatures: every joint holder signs, with full name and address with PIN.
Documents required for Form ISR-4
For every request: client master list, self-attested PAN, nomination or opt-out, and ISR-1 and ISR-2 if your KYC or signature needs updating. For exchange, endorsement, sub-division, consolidation and transposition, add the original certificates.
For duplicate shares, the paperwork depends on the value of the shares, under SEBI's circular of 24 December 2025:
| Value of the shares | What you need |
|---|---|
| Up to ₹10,000 | An undertaking in SEBI's standard format, on plain paper. No notarisation. |
| Up to ₹10 lakh | SEBI's standard affidavit-cum-indemnity bond on non-judicial stamp paper, as per your state's Stamp Act. |
| Above ₹10 lakh | All of the above, plus a copy of an FIR (e-FIR works), police complaint or court order listing the folio, certificate and distinctive numbers. The company publishes a loss advertisement in a newspaper. |
Why ISR-4 requests get returned: what we see in our cases
1. Name doesn't match between the demat account and company records
What goes wrong: the certificate says “R. K. Shah”, the demat account says “Ramesh Kumar Shah”, or a married name differs from the maiden name on the shares.
Fix: submit a name affidavit with proof such as PAN, passport, marriage certificate or gazette notification, so the registrar can link both names.
2. Signature mismatch
What goes wrong: the signature on file is decades old and today's signature looks different, so the registrar rejects it.
Fix: get Form ISR-2 signed and stamped by your bank manager, with an original cancelled cheque bearing your name.
3. Address differs across bank, CML and company
What goes wrong: the bank has one address, the demat client master list another, and the company still has the address from 30 years ago.
Fix: make the bank and demat addresses the same first, then update the company with Form ISR-1 and address proof.
4. Face value on the certificate doesn't match today's face value
What goes wrong: the certificate shows ₹10 face value, but the company has since split its shares (Tata Power, for example, went from ₹10 to ₹1 in 2011), so the share count and face value don't match the company's current records.
Fix: ask for an exchange or sub-division on ISR-4, so the Letter of Confirmation shows the current face value and the correct number of shares.
5. Letter of Confirmation lapses
What goes wrong: the Letter of Confirmation arrives, but the demat request isn't made within 120 days, often because the demat account isn't ready.
Fix: open or update the demat account before filing ISR-4, and send the demat request to your DP as soon as the letter arrives.
After ISR-4: the Letter of Confirmation
Once the registrar approves your request, it issues a Letter of Confirmation. It is valid for 120 days. Within that time, submit it to your depository participant (DP) with a demat request form. The shares are then credited to your demat account. If the letter lapses, the shares move to the company's suspense escrow demat account and you have to claim them again.
How long does ISR-4 take?
| Stage | Typical time in our cases |
|---|---|
| KYC and signature update (ISR-1, ISR-2) | 45 days to 6 months |
| ISR-4 processing and Letter of Confirmation | 45 days to 6 months |
| Demat request and credit to your account | 45 days to 6 months |
Download Form ISR-4
The official format is on SEBI's website, and most companies and registrars publish it in the investor section of their websites. Use the version your company's registrar asks for, and check whether it wants any extra annexures.
Sources: SEBI circulars of 25 January 2022 and 24 December 2025, and the SEBI Master Circular for RTAs. Requirements vary by company and registrar; we confirm the exact checklist for your folio during the free check.
FAQ
Form ISR-4 Questions
What is Form ISR-4 used for?
Form ISR-4 is SEBI's form for physical shares to request a duplicate certificate and other services: claims from a company's unclaimed suspense account, replacement or exchange of old certificates, endorsement, sub-division, consolidation and transposition.
Will I get a new paper certificate after ISR-4?
No. The registrar issues a Letter of Confirmation, and the shares are then credited to your demat account. Duplicate and replacement securities are now issued only in demat form.
How long is the Letter of Confirmation valid?
120 days. You must give it to your depository participant (DP) with a demat request within that time. If you don't, the shares go to the company's suspense escrow demat account and you have to claim them back.
Do I need an FIR to get duplicate shares?
Only for holdings above ₹10 lakh. Under SEBI's December 2025 rules, you also need an FIR or police complaint copy, and the company publishes a newspaper advertisement. Up to ₹10 lakh, a standard affidavit-cum-indemnity is enough.
Is Form ISR-4 used for transmission after a death?
Transmission to a nominee or legal heir is usually done with Form ISR-5 and its annexures. See our transmission of shares page.
Can NRIs file Form ISR-4?
Yes. Documents signed abroad usually need notarisation and an apostille, or attestation by the Indian embassy or consulate, and the overseas address and bank details must match the demat account.
How long does ISR-4 take?
In our cases, each stage (KYC update, ISR-4 processing and Letter of Confirmation, and demat credit) takes anywhere from 45 days to 6 months, depending on the company and its registrar.
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ISR-4 request returned?
Send us the registrar's letter. We'll tell you what to fix, for free, and call you within 24 hours.