How-to Zerodha demat account Account opening eKYC Aadhaar PAN how to invest India stock market beginner

How to open a Zerodha account online

From WebNotes, a public knowledge base. Last updated 20 June 2026. Reading time ~7 min. Level: Beginner.

Procedure

Visit zerodha.com and click Sign upGo to zerodha.com in a browser or download the Zerodha app. Click the Sign up button on the homepage.
Enter your mobile number and request OTPEnter your mobile number. An OTP is sent via SMS. Enter the OTP to proceed.
Enter your PAN and date of birthType your 10-character PAN number and your date of birth as it appears on your PAN card.
Confirm there is no opening feeResident individual account opening is free, in effect since 29 June 2024, so there is no payment step. Proceed straight to eKYC. An NRI or offline non-individual account is the only route that still carries a Rs 500 fee.
Complete Aadhaar-based eKYCEnter your 12-digit Aadhaar number. An OTP is sent to the mobile number registered with UIDAI. Enter the OTP to authenticate. Your name, address, and photograph are fetched automatically.
Complete in-person verification (IPV) via videoA short video verification session confirms your identity. Hold your PAN card to the camera and follow on-screen instructions. This takes under two minutes.
Link your bank accountEnter your bank account number and IFSC code. A penny-drop verification (Rs 1 credit) confirms the account. Alternatively, upload a cancelled cheque or a bank statement.
Set up your login passwordChoose a trading password and a PIN for the Zerodha Kite app.
Activate additional segments (optional)To trade futures and options, currency, or commodities, select the relevant segments and submit an income proof declaration. Segment activation may take one to two additional business days.

This guide walks through the complete process of opening a Zerodha demat and trading account online. The entire process is digital, takes approximately 15 minutes for most applicants, and requires no physical paperwork or branch visit. To begin, open a Zerodha account online and keep your PAN, Aadhaar, and bank details handy for the steps below.

Open zerodha.com in a web browser on your computer or smartphone. Click the Sign up button on the homepage. You can also download the Zerodha Kite app from the App Store or Google Play and begin from the app; the process is identical.

Step 2: Enter your mobile number

Enter your 10-digit Indian mobile number. Zerodha sends a one-time password (OTP) to this number via SMS. Enter the OTP in the field provided and click Continue.

This mobile number becomes the primary contact number linked to your Zerodha account. Ensure it is a number you have reliable access to, as future OTP verifications for login and transactions will be sent to it.

Step 3: Enter your PAN and date of birth

Enter your 10-character PAN number in the format ABCDE1234F. Enter your date of birth in DD/MM/YYYY format, matching exactly what is printed on your PAN card. Zerodha validates the combination against the Income Tax Department database. A mismatch will result in an error; verify the PAN card carefully if validation fails.

Step 4: No opening fee for a resident individual

Resident individual account opening is free, in effect since 29 June 2024, so there is no payment step. The annual maintenance charge (AMC of Rs 300 per year) is separate, is waived for the first year, and falls due from the second year of holding the demat account. A Rs 500 opening fee survives only for an NRI account and for a non-individual account (HUF opened offline, partnership, LLP, corporate) opened through the offline route; those applicants pay it via UPI, net banking, or debit card after document verification.

With no fee to clear, a resident individual proceeds straight to the KYC steps.

Step 5: Complete Aadhaar-based eKYC

This is the core identity verification step. Enter your 12-digit Aadhaar number. Zerodha’s system sends a request to the UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India) portal. UIDAI sends an OTP to the mobile number registered with your Aadhaar (this may be different from the mobile number you entered in Step 2 if you have not linked your current number to Aadhaar).

Enter the OTP within the validity window (typically 10 minutes). Upon successful authentication, UIDAI shares your name, date of birth, address, and photograph with Zerodha’s KYC system. These details are pre-filled in your application form; review them for accuracy.

Step 6: Complete in-person verification (IPV) via video

SEBI regulations require in-person verification (IPV) before a demat account can be activated. Zerodha performs IPV digitally via a brief video call or automated video capture session. You will be prompted to:

Hold your original PAN card clearly visible to the camera.
Read out a randomly generated code displayed on the screen.
Follow any additional instructions (such as turning your head slightly) to confirm liveness.

The IPV session typically takes less than two minutes. If the automated system cannot verify the image (due to poor lighting, blur, or glare on the PAN card), a Zerodha representative may conduct a live video IPV at a scheduled time.

Step 7: Link your bank account

Enter your bank account number and the branch’s IFSC code. Zerodha performs a penny-drop verification: a credit of Re 1 is sent to the account to confirm it exists and is active. The credit is typically received within a few seconds for accounts at major banks.

Alternatively, you may upload a scanned copy or photograph of a cancelled cheque (a cheque leaf from your chequebook with the word CANCELLED written across it) or the first page of your bank passbook showing your name, account number, and IFSC code.

Ensure the bank account is in your own name; third-party bank accounts cannot be linked for trading fund transfers.

Choose a trading password for the Zerodha Kite platform (minimum 8 characters, with at least one uppercase letter, one numeral, and one special character). You will also set a 6-digit PIN used for the Kite mobile app. A separate TOTP (time-based one-time password) authenticator can be configured for enhanced login security; Zerodha recommends setting up TOTP via an authenticator app such as Google Authenticator or Authy.

Step 9: Activate additional trading segments (optional)

By default, your account is activated for the equity cash segment (buying and selling listed equity shares on NSE and NSE). If you wish to trade in additional segments, you must activate them separately:

Futures and Options (F&O): Submit an income proof declaration (ITR, pay slip, or bank statement). Segment activation takes one to two business days.
Currency derivatives: Similar income proof required.
Commodity derivatives (MCX): Requires a separate MCX registration; income proof required.

Mutual fund investments through Zerodha Coin are accessible from the day the basic account is activated, without any additional segment approval.

What can go wrong

PAN-Aadhaar mismatch: If the name or date of birth on the PAN does not match the Aadhaar database, the application will fail at validation. Resolve the mismatch at the issuing authority before retrying.
Aadhaar mobile OTP not received: The OTP goes to the UIDAI-registered number, not your Zerodha registration number. If you no longer have access to the Aadhaar-registered number, visit a UIDAI Aadhaar Seva Kendra to update the mobile number (a biometric-based in-person process).
IPV failure due to poor lighting or camera quality: Conduct IPV in a well-lit environment, with the PAN card held flat (not at an angle) to avoid glare. If the automatic system fails twice, request a live IPV session with a Zerodha representative.
Penny-drop failure: Penny-drop can fail for accounts at small cooperative banks that are not on the IMPS/NACH network. In such cases, upload a cancelled cheque manually.
Payment gateway timeout (NRI and offline non-individual only): A resident individual pays no opening fee. If you are opening an NRI or offline non-individual account and the Rs 500 payment is deducted but the confirmation page does not load, check your registered email for a payment confirmation from Zerodha before retrying; double payment does occur and requires a support ticket to resolve.
Account activation delay: In most cases, account activation is completed within one business day of completing all steps. If activation takes longer, check the status at zerodha.com/dashboard or contact Zerodha support at support.zerodha.com.

After account activation

Once Zerodha sends your account activation confirmation (via email and SMS), you can:

Log in to Kite: Access kite.zerodha.com or the Kite mobile app using your client ID (starting with ZE or TA, visible in the welcome email) and trading password.
Add funds: Transfer money from your linked bank account via UPI (instant, up to Rs 1 lakh per day), net banking, or NEFT/RTGS (for larger amounts). Funds are available for trading immediately after a UPI transfer.
View holdings: Any securities in your linked demat account (for example, from a previous CDSL account, if transferred) will appear in the Holdings section.
Start investing: Place equity delivery orders during NSE/BSE trading hours (09:15 to 15:30, Monday to Friday, excluding market holidays).

Demat account in India – How demat accounts work, fees, depositories, and reforms.
Indian retail brokers comparison – Side-by-side comparison of Zerodha, Groww, Upstox, ICICI Direct, and other major brokers.

References

Zerodha Account Opening Guide, zerodha.com/open-account, accessed May 2024.
SEBI Circular on eKYC and Video-based In-Person Verification: SEBI/HO/MIRSD/DOP/CIR/P/2020/108, 16 June 2020.
UIDAI Aadhaar Authentication Framework, uidai.gov.in, accessed May 2024.
SEBI (Depositories and Participants) Regulations, 2018, Schedule I (KYC requirements).
Zerodha Support: Account Opening FAQ, support.zerodha.com, accessed May 2024.

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

Time required	~15 minutes
Documents needed	PAN, Aadhaar, bank account
Cost	Free (resident individual, since 29 June 2024)

Step 1: Visit zerodha.com and click Sign up