Import Export Code (IEC) Registration
No goods leave or enter India in your name without an Import Export Code. We file your IEC application on the DGFT portal, pay the ₹500 government fee from your account and keep the code active with the annual April–June update.
What it is
The Import Export Code, or IEC, is a 10-character code that identifies you to the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and to customs. It is the same as your PAN, but DGFT issues it separately after an online application. Your shipping bills and bills of entry carry it.
Section 7 of the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992 says no person shall import or export except under an IEC granted by the Director General. Paragraph 2.05 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2023 repeats the rule, and paragraph 2.08 of the Handbook of Procedures 2023 says the application is filed online in form ANF-2A on the DGFT portal.
Once issued, the IEC does not expire. It stays valid unless it is suspended, cancelled or deactivated.
Who it applies to
Proprietors and individuals
A proprietor gets the IEC on his or her own PAN. Say a Faridabad hardware trader wants to import tools from China: the IEC is issued on the owner’s PAN and covers that business.
Companies, LLPs and firms
A private limited company, LLP or partnership firm applies on the entity’s PAN. Directors or partners are listed as members in the application.
Trusts, societies and other entities
Any entity with its own PAN that imports or exports for trade, including a trust or society, applies in the same way.
Anyone seeking export benefits
An active IEC is the starting point for RCMC membership with an export promotion council, APEDA registration and duty schemes under the Foreign Trade Policy.
Who is exempt
Paragraph 2.07 of the Handbook exempts government ministries and departments, imports and exports for personal use not connected with trade, and some border trade with Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and China within value limits.
Non-commercial bodies
Certain government bodies and notified organisations use permanent IEC numbers listed in paragraph 2.07(b) instead of their own.
Why it matters
Clear goods at customs
Customs needs your IEC on every import or export document. Without it, goods sit at the port and demurrage keeps running.
Receive and send foreign payments
Banks handling export proceeds and import payments usually ask for the IEC, and the account you register with DGFT should be the one you use.
Claim export benefits
RCMC, duty-exemption schemes and other Foreign Trade Policy benefits are linked to the IEC, so an inactive code blocks them.
Documents required
Identity and entity
- PAN of the applicant (individual or entity)
- Registration proof: certificate of incorporation, LLP certificate, partnership deed or trust deed, as applicable
- Details of directors, partners or proprietor
Address
- Sale deed, rent agreement, lease deed or electricity bill for the business premises
- No-objection letter from the owner if the proof is not in the applicant’s name
Bank and signing
- Cancelled cheque or bank certificate for the business account
- A Class 3 DSC or Aadhaar OTP of the applicant for signing
How it works
Check the PAN and the applicant
Here is the catch: the IEC follows the PAN. So we first confirm whose PAN it should sit on, then match names and addresses across PAN, bank and premises proof. A proprietorship that later becomes a company needs an IEC on the company’s own PAN.
Register on the DGFT portal
We create your login on the DGFT portal, linked to the applicant’s mobile and email.
Fill ANF-2A and upload documents
We enter business details, members, bank account and the branch of activity, and attach the scanned documents.
Sign and pay ₹500
You sign with DSC or Aadhaar OTP, and the ₹500 fee is paid online on the portal.
Download the e-IEC
DGFT issues the IEC electronically. You download the certificate from the portal and share it with your customs broker and bank.
Timelines
Update every year, 1 April to 30 June
Paragraph 2.06 of the Foreign Trade Policy requires every IEC holder to update details online each year in April–June. If nothing has changed, you still confirm that online.
Report changes within 30 days
Paragraph 2.14(b) of the Handbook asks for any change in constitution, address or bank details to be updated online within 30 days.
Expect the code in a few working days
A complete application is normally approved in a few working days. In practice, delays come from mismatched names or unreadable proofs.
The annual IEC update in practice
The code is issued for life, yet a missed yearly confirmation switches it off. Check these points before you confirm.
| What to check | Why |
|---|---|
| Address of the business and branches | Must match GST and customs records |
| Bank account details | Export proceeds and refunds are tied to it |
| Directors, partners or proprietor | Changes since last year must be shown |
| Contact mobile and email | DGFT alerts and OTPs go here |
| Flags raised by the system | Unresolved risk flags also lead to deactivation |
If an IEC is deactivated, it can be activated again once the update goes through successfully.
What happens if you trade without an active IEC
Your shipments stop
Section 7 of the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act bars any import or export without an IEC. Customs will not process shipments for a missing or inactive code.
The code switches off after June
Under paragraph 2.06 of the Foreign Trade Policy, an IEC not updated in April–June is deactivated. Picture a Faridabad garment exporter that forgets the update in a busy season: a consignment booked for July waits at the port until the IEC is active again.
Unanswered flags cost the code
The DGFT system can flag an IEC for scrutiny. If the flagged risks are not addressed in time, the IEC is deactivated.
Frequently asked questions
What is the government fee for an IEC?
The government fee for a new IEC is ₹500, paid online on the DGFT portal when you submit form ANF-2A. Paragraph 2.06 of the Handbook of Procedures points to Appendix 2K for the fee scale. That one payment covers the life of the code, because an IEC does not need renewal. You only keep it active through the yearly April–June update.
Is the IEC number different from PAN?
No, the IEC number is the same as your PAN. Paragraph 2.05 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2023 says the IEC shall be the same as PAN but must be issued separately by DGFT on an online application. So having a PAN alone does not let you import or export. Once DGFT issues the IEC, quote that number on every customs and bank document.
How long is an IEC valid?
An IEC is valid for life unless it is suspended, cancelled or deactivated. There is no renewal date. The one recurring duty is the online update or confirmation every year between April and June, even if nothing has changed. Miss it and DGFT deactivates the code, though it can be reactivated once you complete the update successfully.
What must be done in the April–June annual update?
You log in to the DGFT portal between 1 April and 30 June and either update your IEC details or confirm that they are unchanged. This comes from paragraph 2.06 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2023. Check the address, bank account, members and contact details before confirming. It takes a few minutes, and we can handle it each year for you.
How can you verify whether an IEC is active?
Log in to the DGFT portal with the account linked to the IEC and open your IEC profile, where you can review the details and download the e-IEC certificate. Since the IEC number equals the PAN, check it against the PAN on your records. If the profile shows the code as deactivated, finish the annual update and it can be activated again.
Do service exporters or online sellers need an IEC?
Anyone who imports or exports goods needs an IEC, and that includes sellers shipping abroad through online marketplaces. Paragraph 2.05 of the Foreign Trade Policy makes it mandatory for export and import activity unless specifically exempted. Service exporters applying for RCMC need one too, because an active IEC is a precondition for e-RCMC. Tell us how you sell and we will confirm.
Who is exempt from getting an IEC?
Paragraph 2.07 of the Handbook of Procedures exempts a short list of cases. These include government ministries and departments, imports or exports for personal use not connected with trade, and some border trade with Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and China within value limits. Notified bodies use permanent IEC numbers instead. A business trading for profit is not exempt, so it should apply.
What if your address or bank account changes?
Update it on the DGFT portal within 30 days of the change, as paragraph 2.14(b) of the Handbook requires. This applies to a change in constitution, address or bank details. Leaving old details in place causes mismatches at customs and with banks. We file the modification and match it with your GST and other registrations, so records line up everywhere.
Can an IEC be surrendered when you stop trading?
Yes, paragraph 2.13 of the Handbook lets an IEC holder surrender the code online. Before that, any authorisations taken under the Foreign Trade Policy must be closed and their obligations met. If you have only paused trade, keeping the IEC and doing the yearly update is simpler. We help you pick the route.
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 DGFT fee for a new IEC is ₹500, paid online with the application.
Ready to begin?
Share your PAN, address proof and bank details, and we will file your IEC on the DGFT portal and remind you before every April–June update.