How to activate F&O segment on Zerodha

From WebNotes, a public knowledge base. Last updated 12 May 2026. Reading time ~7 min. Level: Intermediate.

Key facts

Time required	1-3 business days after submission
Documents needed	Income proof: latest ITR acknowledgement or 3-month bank statement or salary slips
Cost	Free to activate; F&O brokerage applies per trade

This guide explains how to activate the equity futures and options (F&O) segment on an existing Zerodha trading account, covering the income proof documents accepted, the online activation flow, and the timeline for segment enablement.

Step-by-step procedure

Step 1: Log in to Console

Go to console.zerodha.com and log in with the Zerodha user ID and password. Console is the back-office portal where account-level settings, statements, and segment management are handled. The segment activation feature is not available directly from the Kite trading platform.

Step 2: Navigate to account settings and segments

After logging in to Console:

Click on the Account menu in the top navigation.
Select Profile from the dropdown.
Scroll down to the Segments section. This section shows all currently active segments and available segments that can be activated.

Currently active segments are shown with a green tick or “Active” label. Inactive segments, including F&O, appear with an “Activate” button.

Step 3: Click Activate for Equity F&O

Click the Activate button next to “Equity F&O” (or “NSE F&O”). A screen explaining the requirement for income proof and the associated risks is displayed. This screen is a SEBI-mandated risk disclosure specific to equity derivatives. Read it before proceeding.

The Zerodha F&O segment overview describes the types of instruments available (index futures, stock futures, index options, and stock options) and the applicable brokerage structure.

Step 4: Prepare and upload income proof

SEBI requires brokers to collect income proof before activating derivatives segments for retail investors. The following documents are accepted by Zerodha:

Document	Requirements
ITR acknowledgement (ITR-V)	Latest financial year; must show taxable income or total income above zero
Form 16	Issued by the employer for the latest financial year
Salary slips	Last 3 consecutive months; employer letterhead or payroll system printout
Bank statement	Last 6 months; must show regular credits (salary or business income)
Net worth certificate	Issued by a Chartered Accountant; not more than 3 months old
Demat account holding statement	Showing equity holdings above Rs 1 lakh

Upload the chosen document in JPEG, PNG, or PDF format. Files above 5 MB should be compressed before uploading. The document must clearly show the name matching the Zerodha account, the relevant financial figures, and the date.

SEBI does not prescribe a minimum income threshold for F&O activation; income proof is required as a suitability measure under SEBI’s intermediary regulations, not as a gatekeeping criterion based on income level.

Step 5: Declare trading experience (if prompted)

Some applicants are shown a trading experience declaration during F&O activation, particularly if the Console system flags the account as newly opened (within 3 months). The declaration asks:

Years of experience in equity cash market.
Previous experience with derivatives (futures and options).

Fill these fields accurately. The declaration is retained by Zerodha for suitability assessment purposes under SEBI regulations.

Step 6: Review risk disclosure and sign via Aadhaar e-sign

Zerodha displays an F&O segment risk disclosure document. This document describes the risk profile of derivatives instruments, including the possibility of unlimited losses on futures positions, the leverage involved, and the margin call mechanism. Review the full document.

After reviewing, proceed to the e-sign step:

Enter the 12-digit Aadhaar number.
Click Request OTP.
Enter the OTP sent to the Aadhaar-registered mobile number.
The e-sign is applied to the risk disclosure and activation form.

This Aadhaar-based e-sign is the same mechanism described in how to verify PAN and Aadhaar e-sign with Zerodha.

Step 7: Confirmation and activation timeline

After the e-sign is submitted, Console displays a confirmation message stating that the F&O segment activation request has been received. The processing timeline is typically:

Same-day activation: If the request is submitted before 12:00 PM on a trading day, activation sometimes completes on the same evening after market hours.
Next business day activation: Requests submitted after 12:00 PM or on weekends or market holidays are activated on the next business day, effective from market open.

Zerodha sends an email confirmation to the registered email address once the segment is live. The Segments section on Console will change from “Activate” to “Active” for Equity F&O.

After activation, F&O instruments appear in the Kite search results and can be added to the watchlist and traded. The Zerodha futures brokerage and Zerodha options brokerage pages describe the applicable transaction charges.

What can go wrong

Income proof document name does not match account name: The name on the uploaded document must match the Zerodha account name exactly (or very closely). A salary slip or bank statement in a different name, or a document with a maiden name if the account uses a married name, will be rejected.
ITR-V shows zero income: An ITR showing nil income or only exempt income (e.g., only agricultural income) is accepted by some brokers but may be queried by Zerodha. Use a bank statement or salary slip in such cases.
Re-KYC pending blocks segment activation: If the account has a re-KYC prompt on Console, segment activation requests are typically held until the re-KYC is complete. Complete re-KYC first.
NRI attempting F&O activation: FEMA 20(R) prohibits NRI investors from trading in derivatives on Indian exchanges. Zerodha will not process an F&O activation request for an NRI account.
Segment activation confirmed but F&O not visible in Kite: Allow one full trading session for the activation to propagate. If F&O is still not visible the following morning, log out of Kite and log back in, or clear the browser cache. If the issue persists, contact Zerodha support.

Zerodha F&O segment overview - Instruments, margins, and brokerage for futures and options
How to activate commodity segment on Zerodha - Enabling MCX commodity trading
How to activate currency segment on Zerodha - Enabling NSE/BSE currency derivatives
How to open a Zerodha account online - Initial account opening with segment selection
How to re-KYC an existing Zerodha account - Completing KYC renewal before activating new segments
Zerodha futures brokerage - Brokerage rates and charges for futures trades

References

SEBI Circular on income proof requirement for derivatives trading (SEBI/HO/MIRSD/DPIEA/CIR/P/2020/215, 3 November 2020).
SEBI (Stock Brokers) Regulations, 1992, Regulation 15 (conduct of business, suitability obligations).
Zerodha Console segment activation page: console.zerodha.com (accessed May 2026).
NSE Derivatives segment eligibility criteria: nseindia.com (accessed May 2026).
FEMA Notification 20(R), Schedule 2 (restrictions on NRI derivatives trading), Reserve Bank of India.

Reviewed and published by

WebNotes Editorial Team

The WebNotes Editorial Team covers Indian capital markets, payments infrastructure and retail investor procedures. Every article is fact-checked against primary sources, principally SEBI circulars and master directions, NPCI specifications and the official support documentation published by the intermediary in question. Drafts go through a second-pair-of-eyes review and a separate compliance read before publication, and revisions are tracked against the SEBI and NPCI rule changes referenced in the methodology section.

Last reviewed: 12 May 2026
Conflicts of interest: WebNotes is independent. No relationship with any broker, registrar or bank named in this article.