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Registers & forms
The registers, forms and returns Indian labour legislation requires, grouped by Act — with the provision that mandates each one, what it must capture, and the retention period commonly applied.
How to use this list
Start from the Acts that cover your establishment, then confirm the form number in the notifying state's rules — states frequently renumber forms and some now permit a single combined electronic register under the OSH Code. Templates for several of these are in the downloads library.
Code on Wages, 2019 / Payment of Wages & Minimum Wages Acts
| Register / form | Provision | What it captures | Retention |
|---|---|---|---|
| Register of wages | Sec. 50 read with Rule 24 (Central Rules) — Form IV | Wage period, rate, gross wages, deductions and net paid for each employee. | Commonly 3 years from the last entry (confirm state rule). |
| Register of overtime | Sec. 50; Minimum Wages (Central) Rules, Form IV | Overtime hours worked and overtime wages paid at twice the ordinary rate. | Commonly 3 years. |
| Register of fines and deductions for damage or loss | Sec. 8 & 10 read with Rule 3 — Form I / Form II | Each fine or damage deduction with the cause, amount and show-cause reference. | Commonly 3 years. |
| Wage slip | Rule 25 (Central Rules) | Issued to each employee before disbursement, electronically or in print. | Copy retained with the wage register. |
Factories Act, 1948 / OSH Code, 2020
| Register / form | Provision | What it captures | Retention |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muster roll / attendance register | Sec. 62 read with Rule 94 — Form 25 | Daily attendance of every worker, including contract workers where engaged. | Commonly 3 years from the last entry. |
| Register of adult workers | Sec. 62 — Form 12 (state rules vary) | Name, nature of work, shift/group and relay of each adult worker. | Commonly 3 years. |
| Register of leave with wages | Sec. 79 read with Rule 94 — Form 15 | Leave earned, availed and carried forward for each worker. | Commonly 3 years. |
| Accident and dangerous occurrence register | Sec. 88 — Form 18 / notification to the Inspector | Reportable accidents and dangerous occurrences with investigation notes. | Commonly 5 years; longer for hazardous processes. |
| Combined register under the OSH Code | Sec. 20 / Sec. 122 — single electronic register and return | Consolidated register replacing multiple registers where the Code's rules are notified. | As prescribed in the notifying state's OSH Rules. |
EPF & MP Act, 1952
| Register / form | Provision | What it captures | Retention |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form 5 — new joiners return | Para 36(2)(a) | Employees qualifying for membership during the month (now largely via ECR/UAN). | Commonly 5 years of filed returns. |
| Form 10 — exits return | Para 36(2)(b) | Members who left service during the month with the date and reason of exit. | Commonly 5 years. |
| Form 5A — return of ownership | Para 36A | Owner, occupier and branch particulars; refiled on any change. | Retain current version permanently. |
| Form 11 — declaration on joining | Para 34 | Prior membership declaration and international-worker status for each new joiner. | Retain for the employment period plus statutory limitation. |
| Contribution card / ECR acknowledgements | Para 35 / ECR filing | Monthly contribution and TRRN payment evidence. | Commonly 5 years. |
ESI Act, 1948
| Register / form | Provision | What it captures | Retention |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form 1 — declaration form | Reg. 11 & 12 | Insured person's declaration on first employment, generating the IP number. | Retain for the employment period plus statutory limitation. |
| Register of employees | Reg. 32 — Form 6 | Wages, contributions and days worked for each insured person by contribution period. | Commonly 5 years. |
| Accident register | Reg. 66 — Form 11 | Employment injuries reported to the Branch Office / ESIC. | Commonly 5 years. |
| Contribution challans / monthly return | Sec. 39 read with Reg. 26 | Monthly contribution paid by the 15th of the following month. | Commonly 5 years. |
Contract Labour (R&A) Act, 1970
| Register / form | Provision | What it captures | Retention |
|---|---|---|---|
| Register of contractors (principal employer) | Rule 74 — Form XII | Every contractor engaged, work nature, licence and workmen deployed. | Commonly 3 years. |
| Register of workmen employed by contractor | Rule 75 — Form XIII | Contract workmen particulars, employment dates and nature of work. | Commonly 3 years. |
| Employment card & service certificate | Rules 76 & 77 — Forms XIV & XV | Issued to each contract workman on engagement and on completion. | Copy retained by the contractor. |
| Half-yearly / annual returns | Rules 82 — Forms XXIV (contractor) & XXV (principal employer) | Periodic return of contract labour engaged. | Commonly 3 years of filed returns. |
POSH Act, 2013 & Maternity Benefit Act, 1961
| Register / form | Provision | What it captures | Retention |
|---|---|---|---|
| IC complaint register and annual report | Sec. 21 & 22 read with Rule 14 | Complaints received, disposed and pending; annual report to the District Officer. | Retain permanently in confidential custody. |
| Muster roll of women employees | Sec. 20 read with Rule 15 — Form A / Form B | Maternity leave, benefit paid and dates of notice and confinement. | Commonly 2 years from the date of the last entry. |
Verify before you rely on this
Form numbers and retention periods are set by the rules of the relevant state or by central rules, and several are being consolidated under the four Labour Codes. Treat this as an orientation map and confirm the current form and period in the applicable rules.
Check the regulatory update feedTurn this reference into a live compliance calendar
Complyuva maps the applicable Acts to each company and state, tracks every register, return and contribution due date, and escalates before a deadline slips.