How-to How-to Zerodha visually impaired accessibility Account opening

How to open a Zerodha account for a visually impaired or illiterate person

From WebNotes, a public knowledge base. Last updated 20 June 2026. Reading time ~10 min. Level: Intermediate.

Key facts

Signature substitute	Thumb impression: left thumb for a male, right thumb for a female (CDSL DP Operating Instructions, clause 2.5.1)
Witness	A witness attests, and the DP reads out the form and Rights and Obligations document, where the holder is illiterate or blind (clause 2.5.3)
Route	Offline, with the account holder present in person as far as possible
Legal basis	SEBI accessibility circular dated 23 May 2025; CDSL DP Operating Instructions clause 2.5

Procedure

Confirm the right to open and gather documentsSEBI’s 23 May 2025 circular bars denial on disability grounds. Gather PAN, one address proof, a bank proof, a passport-size photograph, and a medical certificate of the disability as required by CDSL clause 2.5.2.
Contact the Zerodha new-account desk for the offline routeCall 080 4719 2020 or 080 7117 5337 and state the holder is visually impaired or illiterate, so Zerodha sends the offline form and explains the witness and read-out arrangement.
Have the holder attend in person where possibleUnder CDSL clause 2.5.1 the holder should, as far as possible, come in person, so the authorised officer can certify the thumb impression and the witness can confirm the read-out.
Affix the thumb impression and certify itThe holder affixes the left-hand thumb (male) or right-hand thumb (female) on the account opening form and the Rights and Obligations acknowledgement, and the authorised officer certifies it was affixed in their presence.
Read out the forms before a witnessThe depository participant reads out and explains the account opening form and Rights and Obligations document to the holder before a witness, who signs both as a witness; the official writes ‘Details explained to the BO’.
Verify identity by photograph and submitThe depository participant identifies the holder against the submitted photograph, completes in-person verification, and submits the file. The account opens within 72 working hours of a correct submission.

This guide walks a family member, helper, or the holder through opening a Zerodha demat and trading account for a visually impaired, blind, or illiterate person. The account is the same one any resident opens, under the same SEBI KYC rules, but the collection method follows specific depository provisions: a thumb impression in place of a signature, a witness, and a read-out of the binding documents. Those provisions are written in the CDSL DP Operating Instructions and reinforced by a 2025 SEBI accessibility circular, and this guide quotes the clause numbers so a helper can hold the depository participant to them.

The starting point is a right, not a request. SEBI’s circular dated 23 May 2025 on the accessibility and inclusiveness of digital KYC to persons with disabilities, issued after the Supreme Court judgment of 30 April 2025, bars a regulated entity from denying an account on grounds of disability and requires human review to override any automated rejection. A depository participant that refuses to open the account is in breach, and the grievance route exists for exactly that.

Conflict-of-interest disclosure. This guide is published by the WebNotes Editorial Team for informational purposes and is written independently. WebNotes operates a Zerodha account-opening referral programme, disclosed on the pages that carry the referral link; this guide does not carry it and earns no referral commission from the procedure described here.

Step-by-step procedure

The numbered Procedure infobox near the top of this page is the canonical sequence. The H3 sections below set out each step with the exact CDSL clause text and the practical handling.

1. Confirm the right to open and gather documents

Disability is not a ground for refusal. SEBI’s circular of 23 May 2025 directs regulated entities to make KYC accessible and to permit human review so that a person with a disability is not turned away by an automated system. Gather the standard set, the holder’s PAN , one address proof, a bank proof , and a passport-size photograph, plus the medical certificate that CDSL requires for a disabled holder. The wider offline document checklist applies; the accessibility provisions add to it rather than replace it.

2. Contact the Zerodha new-account desk for the offline route

The accessibility provisions are built around in-person, paper handling, so this is an offline opening , not the standard online flow. Call the new-account desk on 080 4719 2020 or 080 7117 5337 (Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Saturday 9:00 am to 2:00 pm IST), state that the holder is visually impaired or illiterate, and ask for the offline form and the witness arrangement. The contact guide covers reaching a representative, and a branch or partner office is where the read-out and thumb impression are most easily handled in person.

3. Have the holder attend in person where possible

CDSL DP Operating Instructions clause 2.5.1 opens: “The BO shall, as far as possible, come in person to open the demat account.” Presence is what lets the authorised officer certify the thumb impression and lets the witness confirm the read-out. Where the holder genuinely cannot attend, the depository participant should be asked in writing what accommodation it will make, since the 23 May 2025 SEBI circular requires reasonable alternatives.

4. Affix the thumb impression and certify it

Clause 2.5.1 continues that such persons “shall, at the time of opening an account with a DP, affix the thumb impression (left hand thumb in case of a male and right hand thumb in case of a female), on the account opening form as well as on the acknowledgement of Rights and Obligations document in the presence of an authorised officer of the DP, who shall certify that the thumb impression was affixed in his presence.” The thumb is the binding mark in place of a signature, and the officer’s certification is what makes it valid. The hand is fixed by clause: left thumb for a male holder, right thumb for a female holder.

5. Read out the forms before a witness

This is the safeguard that the holder understands what they are agreeing to. Clause 2.5.3 provides: “if the BO is illiterate/blind, the DP shall read out/explain the contents of the account opening form and Rights and Obligations document to such BOs, in the presence of a witness at the time of opening the account. The said witness shall sign the account opening form and acknowledgement of Rights and Obligations document, as a witness. The official of the DP shall then put his signature and remarks ‘Details explained to the BO’ on the account opening form.” The Rights and Obligations document is the binding statement of what the broker and holder owe each other, so reading it out is the core of the protection.

6. Verify identity by photograph and submit

Clause 2.5.3 also requires that “the DP shall identify the BO by verifying the photograph submitted by the BO.” The depository participant matches the holder to the affixed photograph, completes the in-person verification , and submits the file. A correct submission opens the account within 72 working hours, and the credentials follow by email or another accessible format. The offline processing time reference sets out the full timeline including courier transit where the file is posted rather than handed over.

The CDSL provisions in one place

The accessibility procedure sits in clause 2.5 of the CDSL DP Operating Instructions (March 2025), under “Procedure for opening a BO account of an Illiterate / Disabled Person / Blind person / Person with mental disability.”

Clause	What it requires
2.5.1	Holder attends in person as far as possible; thumb impression (left for male, right for female) on the form and Rights and Obligations acknowledgement, certified by an authorised DP officer
2.5.2	A medical certificate about the disability, for a disabled holder
2.5.3	DP reads out and explains the form and Rights and Obligations document before a witness, who signs both; identity verified by photograph; official writes “Details explained to the BO”

Statements and ongoing operation

Accessibility does not end at opening. SEBI’s 23 May 2025 circular extends to ongoing service, so a visually impaired holder can ask the depository participant for statements in an accessible format and for helpdesk callback assistance. Where the holder later needs to submit a delivery instruction but cannot attend, CDSL clause 6.6.1 allows the thumb impression on the instruction to be attested by a Magistrate, a Notary Public, or the manager of the holder’s bank, with a medical certificate for a temporarily disabled holder under clause 6.6.2. The day-to-day mechanics of delivery instructions and TPIN authorisation otherwise follow the standard process.

External references

References

CDSL, DP Operating Instructions, March 2025, Chapter 2 Account Opening, clause 2.5 (Illiterate / Disabled Person / Blind person), sub-clauses 2.5.1 to 2.5.3 (thumb impression, medical certificate, read-out before a witness, photograph identity), and clause 6.6 (delivery instruction attestation), cdslindia.com (accessed 20 June 2026).
SEBI, circular on Accessibility and Inclusiveness of Digital KYC to Persons with Disabilities, dated 23 May 2025, following the Supreme Court judgment dated 30 April 2025.
SEBI (KYC Registration Agency) Regulations 2011, in-person verification requirement.
Zerodha Support, “How do I open an account offline?” individual-accounts offline-opening article, support.zerodha.com (accessed 20 June 2026).
SEBI Master Circular for Stock Brokers, SEBI/HO/MIRSD/MIRSD-PoD-1/P/CIR/2023/72.

Frequently asked questions

Can a visually impaired person open a Zerodha demat account?

Yes. SEBI’s circular of 23 May 2025 bars denial of an account on grounds of disability, and CDSL clause 2.5 sets the procedure: the holder affixes a thumb impression, the depository participant reads out the forms in a witness’s presence, and identity is verified by photograph.

Does an illiterate person use a signature or a thumb impression?

A thumb impression. Under CDSL DP Operating Instructions clause 2.5.1, a male affixes the left-hand thumb and a female the right-hand thumb on the account opening form and the Rights and Obligations acknowledgement, in the presence of an authorised officer who certifies it.

Who witnesses a blind or illiterate person's demat account opening?

Under CDSL clause 2.5.3, where the holder is illiterate or blind, the depository participant reads out and explains the account opening form and Rights and Obligations document to the holder in the presence of a witness, who signs both as a witness.

Is a medical certificate needed for a visually impaired demat account?

For a disabled person, CDSL clause 2.5.2 requires a medical certificate about the disability. A visually impaired holder should carry one. The depository participant also verifies identity against the submitted photograph under clause 2.5.3.

Can a visually impaired person open the account online at Zerodha?

SEBI’s 23 May 2025 circular requires accessible digital KYC, but the thumb-impression and read-out provisions are built for the offline route. The practical path is offline, with the holder present, so the forms can be read out and the thumb impression certified in person.

Why must the holder be present in person to open the account?

CDSL clause 2.5.1 directs that such a holder should, as far as possible, come in person, so the authorised officer can certify the thumb impression was affixed in their presence and the witness can confirm the forms were read out and explained.

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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: 20 June 2026
Conflicts of interest: WebNotes is independent. No relationship with any broker, registrar or bank named in this article.