Import Export Code (IEC) Registration

The Import Export Code (IEC) is the single ten-digit identifier issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) that lets a person, firm or company legally undertake any commercial import into or export out of India. Without an IEC, a shipping bill cannot be filed, a Bill of Entry cannot be cleared, an export remittance cannot be received through an authorised dealer (AD) bank, and no DGFT scheme — RoDTEP, EPCG, Advance Authorization, RCMC, MEIS legacy claims — can be applied for. The IEC is the gate.

By 2026, the DGFT has fully migrated IEC issuance to dgft.gov.in, with Aadhaar OTP-based authentication for individual proprietors and PAN + Class-3 DSC authentication for partnerships, LLPs, companies, HUFs, trusts and societies. The IEC is PAN-linked — one PAN, one IEC across India — and integrates downstream with ICEGATE (the Customs single window for shipping bills and Bills of Entry), with the AD bank for foreign exchange remittance, and with GST for IGST refund on exports. A mandatory annual update between April and June each year keeps the IEC active; missing the update deactivates the IEC and freezes all import-export operations until reactivation.

We obtain the IEC end-to-end — DGFT application, Aadhaar / DSC authentication, AD bank linking, RCMC where applicable, ICEGATE registration, and the annual update workflow — so a client's first export or import shipment is never delayed by a missing or inactive ten-digit code.

Why an IEC Is Mandatory

For Importers: No Bill of Entry can be filed without an IEC; customs will not assess the consignment.
For Exporters: No shipping bill is generated without IEC; AD bank cannot credit export remittance, and IGST refund / drawback / RoDTEP are blocked.
For DGFT Schemes: EPCG, Advance Authorization, DFIA, RCMC, RoDTEP — every scheme application requires a valid, updated IEC.
For Service Exports: Even where physical goods are not involved (software, consultancy, royalty receipts in foreign currency), IEC is mandatory if availing DGFT scheme benefits or where the AD bank classifies the receipt as export of services under FEMA.

Categories of Applicants — and What Authenticates Each

Proprietorship / Individual: Aadhaar OTP-based authentication on dgft.gov.in — the fastest route. PAN must be linked with Aadhaar.
Partnership / LLP / Company / HUF / Trust / Society: Class-3 DSC of authorised signatory on the entity's behalf; PAN of the entity is the primary identifier.
Branch / Liaison Office of Foreign Entity: RBI approval letter, FRRO / FEMA documentation, plus standard IEC fields.
Government Department / PSU: Specific exemption / dedicated workflow; we verify applicability before applying.

What the IEC Connects Downstream

ICEGATE Registration: Once the IEC is issued, the entity registers on ICEGATE so that shipping bills and Bills of Entry can be filed; without ICEGATE registration, the IEC is technically valid but operationally inert.
AD Bank Linkage: The IEC is linked to one or more AD bank accounts; export proceeds and import remittances flow through these accounts and are tracked by the bank for FEMA reporting (eBRC, BRC, Form A1 / A2).
RCMC (Registration cum Membership Certificate): Issued by the relevant Export Promotion Council (EPC); required to claim DGFT scheme benefits and many sector-specific incentives.
GST Linkage: The IEC is referenced in the shipping bill so that IGST paid on export goods is refunded automatically by ICEGATE to the GST registered bank account.

Modification, Annual Update and Surrender

IEC modification — change in name, address, partners, directors, AD bank, branch addition — is now done online on dgft.gov.in with the original authentication route (Aadhaar OTP or DSC). The annual IEC update between April and June each year is mandatory regardless of whether anything has actually changed; non-update deactivates the IEC. Surrender is online when the entity ceases trading or is dissolved.

Where IEC Applications Stumble

PAN-Aadhaar mismatch on name; mobile number not OTP-active or not linked to Aadhaar; bank account not in entity name; cancelled cheque illegible; corporate authorisation letter unsigned; address proof older than DGFT's window; DSC not in the name of the authorised signatory. We close all of these at pre-validation — not after the application is rejected.