How to transfer shares from Zerodha to another broker

From WebNotes, a public knowledge base. Last updated 12 May 2026. Reading time ~9 min. Level: Intermediate.

Key facts

Time required	1–2 business days after instruction submission
Cost	Rs 25 + 18% GST per ISIN per instruction (CDSL off-market charges); Zerodha passes through CDSL charges
Platform	CDSL Easiest (easiest.cdsl.com) or physical DIS
Authorisation	TPIN + OTP on Easiest; no DDPI required for off-market outbound transfers

This guide explains how to transfer equity shares out of your Zerodha demat account to another broker’s demat account. The transfer is executed as an off-market transaction through CDSL’s Easiest platform. Zerodha holds all client demat accounts at CDSL; the target broker may be another CDSL participant or an NSDL participant (which requires an inter-depository transfer).

Before you begin

Confirm that the shares you want to transfer are not pledged for margin at Zerodha. Pledged shares must be unpledged first. Go to Console > Portfolio > Holdings and check the pledge status.
Confirm that the shares are not under a lock-in (IPO allotment lock-in, ESOP vesting lock-in, or bonus lock-in). Locked-in securities cannot be transferred until the lock-in expires.
Ensure you have your Zerodha 16-digit BO ID (available at Console > Profile > Demat account).
Ensure you have the target broker’s 16-digit BO ID. For CDSL targets, the BO ID starts with the DP’s 8-digit DP ID. For NSDL targets, the format differs; request the target’s DP ID + client ID combination.
Off-market transfers do not require DDPI (Demat Debit and Pledge Instruction) authorisation at Zerodha; they are self-initiated through CDSL Easiest.

Step 1: Find your Zerodha BO ID

Log in to Zerodha Console and go to Profile > Demat account. Your 16-digit CDSL BO ID is displayed there. You can also find it on the CMR (Client Master Report); see How to request a CMR / CML from Zerodha.

Your Zerodha BO ID begins with 12081600 (Zerodha’s CDSL DP ID) followed by eight digits unique to your account.

Step 2: Register on CDSL Easiest (first-time only)

If you have not previously registered on CDSL Easiest, complete the one-time registration:

Visit easiest.cdsl.com and click Registration.
Enter your Zerodha BO ID (16 digits) and the details from your Delivery Instruction Booklet (DIB): DIB serial number and issue date. Zerodha sends a DIB to clients at the time of account opening. If you cannot locate the DIB, raise a ticket at support.zerodha.com to request your DIB details or to initiate Easiest registration.
Set a password and a TPIN (Transaction PIN).
Verify the registered mobile via OTP.

Returning users: log in with your BO ID and password directly.

Step 3: Find the target broker’s BO ID

To add the target account as a trusted destination, you need the exact target BO ID.

For a CDSL target: The target broker’s client BO ID is 16 digits beginning with the target DP’s DP ID. Ask the target broker to confirm your BO ID there (it appears on the target broker’s Console/platform, on the CAS statement, or on any CMR they issue). You can also retrieve it via the CDSL CAS at mycas.cdslindia.com.

For an NSDL target: The NSDL format is a combination of DP ID (8 characters, starting with IN) and Client ID (8 digits). Inter-depository transfers require a physical DIS (Delivery Instruction Slip) submitted to Zerodha’s DP desk, or can be initiated via CDSL Easiest if the target is reachable via inter-depository settlement. In most practical cases, an NSDL target requires a physical DIS; contact Zerodha support for the DIS form.

Step 4: Add the target account on CDSL Easiest

Log in to easiest.cdsl.com.
Navigate to Setup > Add Target Account.
Enter the target BO ID, account holder name, and target DP name.
Submit the addition request.
CDSL sends a physical PIN mailer to the registered postal address of the source account (your Zerodha registered address). This mailer takes 3–5 business days to arrive.
Once the mailer arrives, log in to Easiest, go to Setup > Activate Target Account, and enter the PIN from the mailer.

After activation, the target BO ID is listed as a trusted target and can be used in transfer instructions.

Step 5: Submit the off-market transfer instruction

Log in to easiest.cdsl.com.
Navigate to Transactions > Off Market Transfer.
Click Add Instruction and fill in:

Field	What to enter
ISIN	12-character ISIN of the scrip. Find it in Console > Holdings or on BSEIndia.
Quantity	Number of shares to transfer
Execution date	The business day on which shares should be debited from Zerodha. Must be today (before cut-off) or a future business day.
Consideration	Enter 0 for a transfer without payment (standard broker-switch transfer)
Target BO ID	Select the target broker’s BO ID from your trusted account list

Review the instruction and click Submit.
Authenticate with your TPIN and the OTP sent to the mobile number registered for Easiest.
Note the CDSL reference number displayed on confirmation.

Repeat for each ISIN you wish to transfer. There is no bulk instruction facility on standard Easiest; each ISIN requires a separate instruction.

Step 6: Confirm debit at Zerodha and credit at target

Zerodha Console: Log in to Console and navigate to Portfolio > Holdings. On the business day following execution, the transferred shares will no longer appear (or the quantity will be reduced if only a partial quantity was transferred).

Target broker: Log in to the target broker’s platform and check the holdings or demat account section. Credits typically reflect by the end of the execution day or on T+1.

If the credit does not appear at the target within two business days of the execution date, contact the target broker’s support with the CDSL reference number. The issue is almost always with the target DP’s internal posting; CDSL has already settled the transfer.

Charges

Charge	Amount
CDSL off-market transfer fee	Rs 25 + 18% GST per ISIN per instruction (charged by Zerodha as the source DP)
Target DP credit fee	Nil at most brokers; some charge a nominal demat credit fee (check with target)
NSDL inter-depository (physical DIS route)	Rs 25–50 per ISIN + service charge as applicable; varies by DP

Zerodha does not levy any additional fee above the CDSL pass-through charge. Full Zerodha off-market transfer charges are published on the Zerodha website.

What can go wrong

Pledged shares cannot be transferred: If shares are pledged (for margin at Zerodha), the debit instruction will be rejected by CDSL. Unpledge the shares in Console before submitting the transfer.
PIN mailer delay or non-delivery: If the physical PIN mailer for target account activation does not arrive within 7 business days, contact CDSL at 1800-200-5533 to request a reprint mailer. Delivery failures are common if the registered address at Zerodha is outdated; update the address first.
Instruction rejected due to wrong ISIN: Double-check the ISIN against the BSE or NSE scrip page. Some scrips (especially ETFs and preference shares) have different ISINs than the common equity share.
Partial transfer: If you transfer only part of your holding in a scrip, the remaining quantity stays in Zerodha. Ensure the target quantity does not exceed your free (unpledged, unlocked) holding.
Tax implication of transferring at nil consideration: A transfer at nil consideration to an unrelated party may attract gift tax provisions under the Income Tax Act, 1961. Transfers between family members or as part of a broker switch (where you are the holder at both ends) do not attract gift tax. Consult a tax adviser if the transfer is between different beneficial owners.

References

SEBI, Depositories and Participants Regulations, 2018, Regulation 38–40.
CDSL Operating Instructions, OI-00-031, Off-Market Transfers and Easiest Platform.
SEBI Circular SEBI/HO/MIRSD/MIRSD_RTAMB/P/CIR/2021/622, 13 October 2021.
Zerodha Support, “Off-market transfer charges”, support.zerodha.com (accessed May 2026).
CDSL, “EASIEST User Manual”, cdsl.com (accessed May 2026).

WebNotes Editorial Team prepares factual how-to guides based on publicly available regulatory documents and broker disclosures. WebNotes is not affiliated with Zerodha Broking Limited or CDSL. Procedures and charges are subject to change; verify current requirements at easiest.cdsl.com and support.zerodha.com before acting.

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.