AS | Ankit Sarawagi|Founder, CFOmatrix·July 2026·9 min read | Written from real filing experience |
- Do two things first: hold a valid Udyam registration and send a formal demand notice. Both make your filing far stronger.
- The core bundle is the Format-1 application, a Format-3 CA certificate, and a Format-4 notarized affidavit, plus Udyam certificate, order, invoices and proof of delivery.
- You file at samadhaan.msme.gov.in using your Udyam number; the case goes to your state MSEFC and increasingly runs on the MSME ODR portal.
- There is no court fee. Filing is free; your only costs are the CA certificate, the e-stamp affidavit, and any help you choose.
- A lawyer is optional, not mandatory. Many micro and small enterprises file on their own for well-documented claims.
| ₹0 Court fee to file the complaint on MSME Samadhaan | 3 forms The Format-1, Format-3 and Format-4 set at the core of the bundle | 90 days Target for an award (the real timeline runs longer) |
Before You File: Two Prerequisites
Before you go anywhere near the portal to file on MSME Samadhaan, get two things in place. Skipping either weakens your case, and one of them can even decide whether you are eligible to file at all.
If you have not registered on Udyam yet, start there. → Read our step-by-step Udyam registration guide. For the wider picture of your rights, the interest clock and the whole remedy, see the MSME delayed-payment recovery pillar guide.
The complaint is filed with the facilitation council of your state, based on your Udyam registration, no matter where the buyer sits. A buyer in another state does not stop you from filing.
The Document Bundle
Your case is only as strong as the paperwork behind it. The exact forms are set by each state council, so the names and numbering vary; Karnataka, for example, uses a numbered Format-1 to Format-4 set, which is a useful model. Keep this bundle ready before you open the portal.
→ Download the MSME Samadhaan document checklist so you can tick off the bundle before you file, and keep a scanned copy of every item in a single folder.
Do not assume the Karnataka forms apply everywhere. Always check your own state council’s current format set and file size limits before you scan and upload, because a wrong or missing form is the most common reason an application is sent back.
Step-by-Step on the Portal
With the bundle ready, the online part is quick. Everything happens on samadhaan.msme.gov.in. Here is the sequence from login to submission.
The Format-1 Field Map
The Format-1 application is the heart of the filing, whether you fill it on-screen or attach it as a signed form. Get these fields right and the council can act; get them vague and you invite delay. Here is what each block asks for.
| Field block | What to enter |
| Supplier (you) | Name, Udyam number, address and contact of your micro or small enterprise. |
| Buyer (respondent) | Name, address and contact of the buyer you are filing against. |
| Order and invoices | Purchase-order or agreement reference, invoice numbers and dates, and the date of delivery or acceptance. |
| Amount due | The unpaid principal, matched to the specific invoices listed. |
| Interest under Section 16 | The interest claimed, computed from the appointed day at three times the RBI bank rate, compounded with monthly rests. |
| Affidavit enclosed | Confirmation that the Format-4 affidavit and supporting documents are enclosed. |
Getting the Section 16 interest figure right matters, because it is what makes the buyer take notice. → See how the MSEFC hearing and arbitration actually run once your application is admitted.
List each invoice on its own line with its date, amount and delivery date. A council can grant relief invoice by invoice, so a clean, itemised claim moves faster than a single lump-sum figure.
Fees: What It Costs
This is the part founders are pleasantly surprised by. There is no court fee and no portal fee to file a delayed-payment application on MSME Samadhaan. Filing itself is nil-cost. Your only real out-of-pocket items are:
- The chartered accountant certificate (Format-3), if your CA charges for issuing it.
- The ₹100 non-judicial e-stamp for the Format-4 affidavit, plus a small notarisation charge.
- Optional professional help, if you engage a lawyer or consultant to draft the application. This is a choice, not a requirement.
Compared with the interest at stake, roughly 19.5% a year compounding on the unpaid amount, these costs are trivial. The economics of filing are strongly in your favour.
Do You Need a Lawyer?
Short answer: no, not to file. The Samadhaan portal is built for the supplier to lodge the complaint directly, and plenty of micro and small enterprises do exactly that. A professional is helpful, not mandatory.
What Happens After You Submit
Filing is the start, not the finish. Once your application is admitted, it goes to the Micro and Small Enterprises Facilitation Council (MSEFC) of your state, which first tries conciliation and, if that fails, moves to arbitration. The law targets an award within 90 days, but be realistic about the pace.
In practice, expect roughly a month just for the first hearing notice, then four to six hearing notices to each party. If the buyer keeps skipping, the case moves to arbitration, which needs fees deposited to proceed. The single biggest win usually comes before any hearing: a formal notice quoting the interest clock and the tax cost of paying you late. Treat the filing as leverage, and be ready to see it through.
For the full walkthrough of what happens once the council takes over, from conciliation to the appeal bar, see the MSEFC process guide. And to understand exactly when the 45-day clock started and how far your interest has run, read the 45-day payment rule explained.
Filing well is a documentation habit, not a one-off scramble. If your team keeps written terms, clean purchase orders, delivery proof and a valid Udyam registration as standard, you can assemble a filing-ready bundle for any overdue invoice in an afternoon. The strength of every case you might ever file is decided long before the dispute begins.
“Filing on Samadhaan is free and can be done in an afternoon. What decides the outcome is the bundle you attach and the interest figure you claim, not how loudly you complain.”
Ankit Sarawagi, CFOmatrixFrequently Asked Questions
What is the MSME Samadhaan portal URL?
The official portal is samadhaan.msme.gov.in, run by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. You log in with your Udyam registration number and file the delayed-payment application there. Hearings increasingly run on the separate MSME Online Dispute Resolution portal at odr.msme.gov.in, but the complaint itself starts on Samadhaan.
Is there a court fee to file on MSME Samadhaan?
No. Filing a delayed-payment application on MSME Samadhaan is free of cost. There is no court fee or portal fee to lodge the complaint. Your own costs are limited to preparing the documents, such as the chartered accountant certificate and the notarized affidavit on a ₹100 non-judicial e-stamp, and any professional help you choose to use.
What documents do I need to file on MSME Samadhaan?
The core bundle is the Format-1 application (your and the buyer’s details, order, invoices, amount due and interest), a Format-3 chartered accountant certificate of investment in plant & machinery proving you are micro or small, and a Format-4 notarized affidavit on a ₹100 non-judicial e-stamp. Add your Udyam certificate, the purchase order or agreement, all invoices, proof of delivery or acceptance, and a copy of the demand notice you already sent. Form names and the exact set vary by state council; the Karnataka Format-1 to Format-4 set is a common example.
How long does the MSME Samadhaan process take?
The law targets an award within 90 days, but the practical timeline is longer. In practice it often takes around a month just for the council to issue the first hearing notice, followed by several hearings (four to six notices to each party) across conciliation and, if needed, arbitration. If a party keeps skipping hearings, the case moves to arbitration, which requires fees to be deposited. Budget several months and expect to follow up.
Can I file against a buyer located in another state?
Yes. The complaint is filed with the Micro and Small Enterprises Facilitation Council of the state where you, the supplier, are located, based on your Udyam registration, regardless of where the buyer is. The buyer being in a different state does not stop you from filing, and the portal and hearings, increasingly online through the MSME ODR portal, are designed to work across states.
Do I need a lawyer to file on MSME Samadhaan?
No, a lawyer is not mandatory. The portal is designed for the supplier to file directly, and many micro and small enterprises file on their own. A lawyer or a chartered accountant can help you draft a strong Format-1, compute the Section 16 interest correctly and prepare the affidavit, which is useful for larger claims or contested cases. For a straightforward, well-documented claim, you can file yourself.
Sources: Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (MSMED) Act, 2006, Sections 15, 16, 18 and 19; MSME Samadhaan portal (samadhaan.msme.gov.in); MSME Online Dispute Resolution portal (odr.msme.gov.in); MSEFC application formats (state-specific, Karnataka Format-1 to Format-4 set shown as an example). Interest figures are indicative and move with the RBI bank rate. Practitioner timelines reflect the author’s own filing experience and will vary by state council.
This is general educational information, current to mid-2026, and not legal or tax advice. Rates, forms and procedures change; verify the current position or consult a professional before acting on a specific matter.
AS | Founder, CFOmatrix | Finance Strategy & Equity Compliance CFOmatrix is a knowledge platform focused on how finance actually works inside growing companies. This guide draws on first-hand experience filing MSME delayed-payment cases on the Samadhaan portal, alongside the current statutory position. |