A short time ago, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs has released a separate form for Small Companies and One Person Company. To ease the compliance burden to smaller company, the MCA introduced MGT-7A in 2021. It is a streamlined version of mgt-7, specifically introduced for small companies and one-person companies. MGT- 7A is simplified and less detailed, making the compliance process easier for businesses with less complex structures.
Applicability of form MGT-7A
- Small Companies
- One Person Companies( OPCs)
As per section 92 read with the sub-rule (1) of rule 11 of the companies management and the administration rules. The objective of the aforesaid move is to reduce the compliance burden on small companies and (One Person Company) OPC, and thus to correct some applied difficulties while filling the aforesaid form. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) notified the Companies (Specification of Definitions Details) Amendment Rules, 2022, to amend the old definition of a Small company. So, the amended definition is as follows:
The Small Company can be defined as a company other than a public company that satisfies the following conditions:
- Paid-up share capital does not exceed 4 crore or such higher amount as prescribed, not exceeding 10 crore.
- Turnover does not exceed 40 crore or such a higher amount as prescribed, not exceeding 100 crore.
Given the condition that this clause shall not be applicable to
- Subsidiary company or a holding company
- Under section 8 registered company
- Body Corporate or company governed by any of the special acts.
Except for a few changes, the Entire format of the following form MGT-7A has been the same. The key differences between the MGT-7 form and MGT 7A form is as follows:
- The make-up of the board of directors, the details of the directors, and KMP have not been mentioned in the form.
- Worth mentioning here that as provisions related to the KMP are not applicable in the case of small and one-person companies, there is no requirement to mention those details in the form.
Purpose of the MGT-7A e-Form
Annual return in form MGT-7A by every small company and the OPC shall be prepared with particulars of the financial year related wherever applicable:
- Its principal business activities, registered office, and particulars of its associate companies.
- Its Shares, Debentures and other securities, along with the shareholding pattern
- Along with the changes, its debenture-holders, members and the promoters since the previous financial year closing.
- Meetings of the members, the Board and its various committees, in addition to details of attendance.
- The salary of the directors
- Punishment or Penalty in any other form that is imposed on the company or other officials, along with the particulars of compounding of the offences and the appeals that have been made against such punishment or penalty
- Those matters that are related to certifying compliance and disclosures, as might be prescribed
- The shareholding pattern of the company and such other matters as are required in the form.
Due Dates of MGT 7A Form
S.No | Purpose of the form | Time Limit | Due Date |
1 | In case of OPC Company | 60 days from the date of AGM, or if the AGM isn’t held, within 60 days from the date it should have been held | 29th November 2025 |
MGT 7A Form Fee
Given the relationship to an individual company and a small company, the yearly return will be signed through the company secretary, where there is no company secretary, then by the director of the company.
Rule 11: Every company will furnish its yearly return in Form No.MGT-7 excluding One Person Company (OPC) and Small Company. One Person Company and Small Company will furnish the yearly return from the FY 2020-2021 onwards in Form No.MGT-7A.
Fee for MGT-7A Filing (in case of a company having a share capital)
Nominal Share Capital | Fee |
Less than 1,00,000 | Rupees 200 |
1,00,000 to 4,99,999 | Rupees 300 |
5,00,000 to 24,99,999 | Rupees 400 |
25,00,000 to 99,99,999 | Rupees 500 |
1,00,00,000 or more | Rupees 600 |
Fee for filing (in case of a company does not having a share capital) is Rupees 200
Other Fees
Mentioned is the table of additional fees, which is suitable for late filings of yearly returns or balance sheets or financial statements under the Companies Act 1956 or the Companies Act 2013 beyond 30th June 2018:
Sl. No | Period of delay | Additional fee payable (in Rs.) |
01 | Delay beyond the period provided under Section 92(4) of the Act | 100 per day |
02 | Delay beyond period provided under Section 137(1) of the Act | 100 per day |
Moreover to the mentioned the following table of Additional Fees in case of delay in filing of belated annual returns or balance sheet/financial statement under the Companies Act, 1956 or the Companies Act, 2013 up to 30/06/2018:
Sl. No. | Period of delay | Additional fee payable (in Rs.) |
1 | Up to 30 days | 2 times normal filing fees |
2 | More than 30 days and up to 60 days | 4 times normal filing fees |
3 | More than 60 days and up to 90 days | 6 times normal filing fees |
4 | More than 90 days and up to 180 days | 10 times normal filing fees |
5 | Beyond 180 days | 12 times normal filing fees |
Steps to File MGT-7A Form for Stakeholders
Step-1: Log in to the MCA V3 portal Navigate to MCA Services Company e-Filing, then select form MGT-7A Abridged Annual Return for OPCs and Small Companies under the annual filing category. Now the V3 portal provides two options to file the form:
- Directly fill in the form MGT-7A online through the portal
- An offline utility in which you download the Excel template, fill in the data and upload it back to the form.
Step 2: In case of a web form, provide the basic details of the company, such as:
- CIN number of the company
- Financial year for which the annual return is being filed (From date) (DD/MM/YYYY)
- Financial year for which the annual return is being filed (To date) (DD/MM/YYYY)
- Type of Annual filing
- Original
- Revised
- Furnish latitude and longitude details as on the filing date and as on the financial year-end date.
- Attach a Photograph of the registered office of the Company showing the external building and the name prominently visible
- Furnish details on whether the Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held
- If yes, date of AGM
- Due date of AGM
- Whether any extension for AGM is granted
- If yes, provide the Service Request Number (SRN) of the GNL-1 application form filed for extension
- Extended due date of AGM after grant of extension (DD/MM/YYYY)
- Specify the reasons for not holding the same
Step 3: Enter Principal Business Activities of the Company
- S.No
- Main Activity Group Code
- Description of Main Activity Group Code
- Business Activity Code
- Description Business Activity
- Company Turnover in Percentage
- Furnish Particulars of associate companies (including joint venture) through the Excel template provided in the form. The prescribed Excel template will be downloaded, all required information will be filled in accurately, and the completed Excel file will be uploaded accordingly.
Step 4: Enter details of Share Capital, Debentures, and Other Securities of the Company
- i Share Capital
- A. Equity share capital
- B. Preference share capital
- C. Unclassified share capital
- D. Break-up of paid-up share capital
- Equity shares
- Preference share
- (ii) Details of shares/Debentures Transfers since the closure date of the last financial year (or in the case of the first return, at any time since the incorporation of the company) have been furnished using the prescribed Excel template. The template has been downloaded and all relevant information has been accurately filled in, and the completed Excel file has been uploaded as an attachment in the form.
- (iii) Debentures (Outstanding as at the end of the financial year)
- (iv) Securities (other than shares and debentures)
Step 5: Enter the turnover and net worth of the company. Next, mention the shareholding pattern, whether the shares are held by promoter shareholders or the public other than promoter shareholders. Enter the details separately for Equity and Preference shareholders. Provide a breakup of shareholders by category, Promoters and others than promoters, including male, female, individual-transgender, and other than individuals.
Mention details of the total Number of Promoters, Members, and Debenture Holders at the beginning of the year and at the end of the year.
Step 6: The User needs to report details of meetings of members/class of members/ board/ committees of the board of directors via an Excel template that accompanies the form. Also provide details of each director’s attendance in board and committee meetings, including DIN, meetings entitled, attended, and attendance percentage.
Step 7: Enter details regarding the remuneration of the director and Key Managerial Personnel. Furnish details of penalties /punishment imposed on the company/directors/officers, if any otherwise, select the NIL option if there is no penalties /punishment imposed on the company/directors/officers. Next, enter the details of the shareholder/debenture holder.
Step 8: Attachment
- The list of shareholders, debenture holders has been prepared using the prescribed Excel template. The template was downloaded, relevant details were filled in, and the completed file is attached as required.
- Optional attachment: Any additional information that the user wants to provide can be provided through an optional attachment.
Step 9: Web form shall be digitally signed by the director, Liquidator, Interim Resolution Professional (IRP), or Resolution Professional (RP), as applicable. After completing all the required steps successfully, submit the form