Coffee Board Registration (RCMC for Coffee Exporters)
Anyone who wants to export coffee from India must first register with the Coffee Board and hold its Registration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC). Only then can you get an export permit and an ICO Certificate of Origin for each shipment. We prepare your papers and file the application online through the National Single Window System.
What it is
Coffee Board registration is the exporter registration that the Coffee Board of India, Bengaluru, gives to businesses that ship coffee abroad. The Board issues it as a Registration-cum-Membership Certificate, or RCMC. It shows that you are an exporter registered with the authority for your product.
The law behind it is the Coffee Act, 1942 and the Coffee Rules, 1955. Section 20 of the Act says coffee cannot be exported except by the Board or under an authorisation the Board grants. Rule 44(2) of the Coffee Rules deals with export permits and ICO certificates. Today the Board takes RCMC applications online through the National Single Window System (NSWS) portal, and export permits through its own e-permit system on coffeeboard.gov.in.
Coffee has its own commodity board, so a coffee exporter takes the RCMC from the Coffee Board rather than from an export promotion council. Under para 2.57(a) of the Foreign Trade Policy 2023, an RCMC is needed before you can claim benefits or concessions under the policy.
Who it applies to
You trade coffee overseas
Merchant exporters who buy green beans, roasted beans or instant coffee in India and sell abroad. Even one shipment needs a permit. A permit needs registration.
You roast or brand coffee and a foreign buyer calls
Say a small roaster in Delhi gets its first bulk enquiry from a café chain in Dubai. Before that order ships, the roaster needs the RCMC and a permit. The same goes for curing works and online brands.
You grow coffee and want to ship it yourself
Plantation owners who want to skip the middleman and ship their own coffee. Estate registration with the Board is a separate matter under Section 14 of the Act; export needs the exporter RCMC.
Why it matters
No permit, no shipment
Each consignment needs a Coffee Board export permit (Form-C). The Board issues permits only to registered exporters. So the RCMC comes first, and everything else waits on it.
Buyers ask for the ICO certificate
The Board issues the ICO Certificate of Origin with the permit. Importers in many markets expect to see it with your shipping documents.
Opens Foreign Trade Policy benefits
Para 2.57(a) of the Foreign Trade Policy 2023 makes an RCMC a precondition for benefits and concessions under the policy.
Documents required
About your business
- Importer-Exporter Code (IEC) from DGFT
- PAN of the business
- GST registration certificate
- Partnership deed, LLP agreement, or certificate of incorporation with MOA and AOA
Financial standing
- Audited balance sheets for recent years, where available
- Banker’s certificate or report on your account
- Cancelled cheque of the business account
People and signatures
- Details of the proprietor, partners or directors
- Authorised signatory’s ID, photo and specimen signature
- A working email ID and mobile number for the NSWS login
How it works
Get your IEC and business registrations in place
If you do not have an Importer-Exporter Code yet, we apply for it first through our IEC registration service. We also check that your GST and bank details match across documents, and set up a letter of undertaking for zero-rated exports if you plan to ship without paying IGST.
Create your NSWS account and pick the Coffee Board approval
We register you on the National Single Window System portal and choose the Coffee Board RCMC application from the list of approvals.
Fill the form and upload documents
We enter your business details, the type of coffee you will export, and upload the documents. The fee is paid online with the application.
Answer the Board’s queries
If the Coffee Board asks for clarification or a missing paper, we reply on the portal so the file does not stall.
Receive the RCMC and set up permits
Once the Board approves, you receive the RCMC. We then help you apply for export permits and ICO certificates on the Board’s e-permit system for each shipment.
Coffee Board registration vs RCMC from an EPC
| Coffee Board RCMC | RCMC from an export promotion council | |
|---|---|---|
| Who needs it | Exporters whose main line is coffee | Exporters of products covered by that council |
| Issued by | Coffee Board of India, Bengaluru | The council for that product line |
| Where you apply | NSWS portal | DGFT e-RCMC system |
| Per-shipment approval | Export permit (Form-C) and ICO Certificate of Origin from the Board | Depends on the product and its export policy |
Here is the catch for mixed exporters. Picture a Faridabad trading firm that already ships spices and now wants to add instant coffee to the same container. The coffee still needs a Coffee Board permit, so the firm ends up holding more than one RCMC. We look at your product mix once and tell you which ones you actually need. Our RCMC registration page explains the council route in more detail.
Timelines
Renew the RCMC every 3 years
The Coffee Board’s exporter page states that the RCMC is valid for 3 years from the date of registration. In practice, renewal is easy to forget when shipments are seasonal. Apply before it lapses.
Take a permit before each shipment
Apply on the Board’s e-permit system before shipment. The permit and the ICO Certificate of Origin are issued for that consignment.
Send post-shipment papers within 45 days
The Board asks for post-shipment documents within 45 days from the date of issue of the export permit.
What happens if you export without it
Your shipment gets stuck
Section 20 of the Coffee Act bars export of coffee except by the Board or under its authorisation. Without a Board permit, the consignment cannot clear customs.
You lose policy benefits
Without an RCMC you cannot claim benefits or concessions under the Foreign Trade Policy 2023.
Registration can be cancelled
The Board can cancel registration for false information or breach of its conditions, after giving you a show-cause notice and a chance to reply.
Frequently asked questions
Is Coffee Board registration compulsory for exporting coffee?
Yes. Section 20 of the Coffee Act, 1942 says coffee can be exported only by the Coffee Board or under an authorisation granted by it. In practice that authorisation is the export permit, and the Board issues permits only to exporters registered with it. So you need the RCMC before your first shipment. Once registered, each further consignment only needs its own permit.
Where do I apply for a Coffee Board RCMC?
You apply online through the National Single Window System (NSWS) portal. The Coffee Board’s website links its exporter registration to NSWS. Export permits and ICO Certificates of Origin are then applied for on the Board’s own e-permit system at coffeeboard.gov.in. We create the NSWS login, file the application and track it until the certificate is issued.
Do I need an IEC before applying to the Coffee Board?
Yes. The Importer-Exporter Code from DGFT is a basic document for any RCMC, and the Coffee Board asks for a copy with the registration. The IEC is issued online on the DGFT portal against your PAN. If you are starting from scratch, we file the IEC first and then the Coffee Board application, so both move in sequence.
How long is the Coffee Board RCMC valid?
The Coffee Board’s exporter page states that the RCMC is valid for 3 years from the date of registration. Renewal is an application with your current documents and the fee. We note the expiry date when the certificate is issued and start the renewal ahead of time, so there is no gap when you need an export permit.
What is an ICO Certificate of Origin?
It is a certificate of origin in the format of the International Coffee Organization, issued by the Coffee Board for each export consignment along with the export permit (Form-C). It records where the coffee comes from and is checked by customs and by buyers. You apply for both on the Board’s e-permit system after you hold the RCMC. We can prepare these applications shipment by shipment.
What documents do I submit after the shipment?
The Board asks for post-shipment documents within 45 days from the date of issue of the export permit. These usually include the customs-endorsed export permit and ICO certificate copies, the bill of lading and the invoice. Keep a file for each shipment from day one and this step is quick.
Can a proprietorship or a startup register with the Coffee Board?
Yes. Proprietorships, partnership firms, LLPs and companies can all apply. What matters is a valid IEC, PAN, GST registration, a bank account and proof of the business’s constitution. A new business may not have audited balance sheets yet; we explain the position to the Board with whatever financial papers you do have.
Do I need APEDA registration as well for coffee?
Not for coffee itself. Coffee has its own commodity board, so the Coffee Board issues the RCMC. If you also export products on the APEDA schedule, such as processed foods, you would take APEDA registration for those. We check your full product list once and tell you which registrations fit.
What it costs
Our fee plus the government fee that applies to your case, quoted before you commit. Tell us the situation and we will price it exactly.
The Coffee Board’s registration fee is paid online at the time of application. We confirm the current amount on the portal before you pay.
Ready to begin?
Send us your IEC and business details, and we will get your Coffee Board RCMC filed so your first shipment can move.