← All guidesAnnual filings

Secretarial Audit (S.204)

Mandatory for listed + prescribed companies: CS in practice appointed by Board, MR-3 report. Secretarial Audit (S.204) takes 4 steps over about 95 days and is filed with the ROC on MR-3.

4 steps~95 days start to finishfiles MR-3

Last updated: 10 August 2026

What if it’s filed late?

MCA charges additional fees that rise with the delay, up to 12 times the normal filing fee. OnCompliance tracks the date and warns you before it costs anything.

See this deadline for your clients →

What is the timeline for Secretarial Audit (S.204)?

4 steps over about 95 days, filing MR-3 with the ROC. Each deadline below runs from the step before it.

#StepForm filedDeadline
1Appoint Practising CS for AuditNonewithin 14 days
2Conduct Secretarial AuditNonewithin 60 days
3Receive MR-3 ReportMR-3within 14 days
4Annex to Board ReportNonewithin 7 days

What are the steps, in order?

The 4 steps below run in order; the day counts show how long each one allows.

1

Appoint Practising CS for Audit

Board appoints a Company Secretary in practice to conduct secretarial audit.

within 14 days
2

Conduct Secretarial Audit

Practising CS conducts secretarial audit and reviews compliance.

within 60 days
  • Secretarial audit in progress
  • Compliance reviewed
3

Receive MR-3 Report

Receive secretarial audit report in Form MR-3.

within 14 days · files MR-3
4

Annex to Board Report

within 7 days
  • MR-3 annexed to Board Report
app.oncompliance.ai

Every guide runs like this in OnCompliance: steps in order, dates in view, paperwork made for you at each step.

Run these steps in OnCompliance →

Common questions

How long does Secretarial Audit (S.204) take?

About 95 days across 4 steps. The first step is: Appoint Practising CS for Audit.

Which MCA form is filed for Secretarial Audit (S.204)?

MR-3.

What does it cost if MR-3 is filed late?

MCA charges additional fees that rise with the delay, up to 12 times the normal filing fee.

Can OnCompliance run Secretarial Audit (S.204) for me?

Yes. OnCompliance runs the same steps in order, dates in view, with the paperwork made for you at each step.