LMPC Importer Registration under Rule 27
If you import goods that are sold in India in pre-packed form, you need a Rule 27 registration under the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011. Customs officers may ask for this LMPC certificate when you file the bill of entry. We prepare the application and file it on the Department of Consumer Affairs portal.
What it is
Picture a Faridabad trader who orders boxed kitchen tools from abroad and sells them through local shops. Every box that reaches a shelf is a pre-packaged commodity, and the trader is its importer. LMPC importer registration is the certificate that records a business like this as an importer of pre-packaged commodities with the Legal Metrology department. Rule 27 of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 says every person, firm, company or society that imports any commodity for sale, distribution or delivery must register with the Director or the Controller of Legal Metrology.
The application is made online on the Department of Consumer Affairs’ packaged-commodities registration (PCR) portal at lm.doca.gov.in, with sign-up through the National Single Window System. The parent law is the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, where Section 18 bars the sale of pre-packaged goods without the declarations the Rules require.
This page is for importers. If you also pack or manufacture in India, our page on LMPC registration for packers and manufacturers covers that side.
Who it applies to
You import sealed retail packs
This covers anyone whose imported goods reach Indian buyers in sealed retail packages, such as packaged food, toys or kitchenware.
You repack bulk imports here
Think of a Faridabad cosmetics trader who imports lotion in drums and fills 100 ml bottles in a rented unit. That business is both an importer and a packer. Rule 27 covers both activities, and the labels on your retail packs must carry the full declarations.
You sell imported goods online
A Gurugram seller who imports phone cases and ships them to marketplace buyers is the importer on record, so the registration is theirs to get. From 1 July 2027 the platforms must also show a searchable country-of-origin filter for imported products.
Why it matters
Clear customs without a hold
Customs checks retail packs for Legal Metrology compliance. Without the certificate, cargo can be held and fined.
Get listed with retailers
Retailers and marketplaces may ask for the LMPC certificate before they list an imported product.
Register once, update yearly
Since the 2026 amendment, the certificate stays valid until it is cancelled. You keep it alive with an annual online update instead of a renewal.
Documents required
About the business
- Import Export Code (IEC)
- GST registration certificate and PAN
- Certificate of incorporation, LLP or partnership deed, as relevant
- Name of the director responsible for compliance (companies)
About the premises
- Complete address of the office and warehouse
- Rent agreement or ownership proof
- Recent electricity bill or similar address proof
About the products
- List of commodities you import
- Country of origin of each
- Draft label or photographs showing the declarations
- ID and address proof of the signatory
What an imported retail pack must say
Rule 6 of the Rules lists the declarations every retail package must carry. For imported goods, the Indian label carries the importer’s name and address and the country of origin.
| Declaration | What we check |
|---|---|
| Name and address of the importer | Matches your Rule 27 registration |
| Country of origin | Shown for every imported product |
| Common or generic name of the commodity | Clear, not just a brand name |
| Net quantity | In standard units of weight, measure or number |
| Month and year of manufacture | Correct for the batch |
| Retail sale price (MRP) | Inclusive of all taxes |
| Consumer care details | Name, address, phone and email |
Packages of more than 25 kg fall outside the retail-label rules, as the Bombay High Court noted while reading Rule 3(a) in July 2026. Packs sold only to industrial or institutional buyers are also outside Chapter II.
How it works
Check what you import
We review your product list, pack sizes and buyers. Then we confirm whether Rule 27 applies and flag any item that needs other approvals too.
Fix the label before you ship
We match your draft labels against Rule 6, so the declarations are on the pack before goods reach the Indian port.
File on the PCR portal
We sign you up through the National Single Window System, fill the Rule 27 application, upload documents and pay the ₹500 fee online.
Answer queries and download the certificate
If the authority finds the application incomplete, it is returned within 7 working days. We reply, and you download the certificate once it is issued.
Update your record every year
Under the 2026 amendment, registered entities update their address, products and country of origin online each year. We track and file this for you.
Timelines
Within 90 days of starting
Rule 27 allows 90 days from the date you begin importing. Here is the catch: customs may ask for the certificate at clearance, well before day 90. Apply before the first shipment.
7 working days for defects
An incomplete application goes back to you within 7 working days, so you can correct it and refile.
Every year after that
Annual online update of address, products and country of origin, as inserted in Rule 27 by G.S.R. 418(E) of 29 May 2026.
What happens if you import without it
Goods held at the port
In one February 2022 import, the bill of entry was filed without the LMPC certificate and a steel import (SIMS) certificate. When the case reached CESTAT in April 2026, the importer was still left with a ₹1 lakh redemption fine and a ₹50,000 penalty.
Legal Metrology action
Selling pre-packaged goods without the required declarations breaches Section 18 and attracts penalties under Section 36 of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009. Offences may be compounded under Section 48.
Directors named in the record
Section 49 makes the company and the persons in charge liable. The 2026 amendment now asks you to name the director responsible in the Rule 27 application.
Frequently asked questions
Is LMPC registration mandatory for importers?
Yes, if the goods are sold in India as pre-packaged commodities. Rule 27 of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 requires every person who imports any commodity for sale, distribution or delivery to register with the Director or the Controller. Goods imported in packs of more than 25 kg, or only for industrial or institutional buyers, fall outside the retail rules. If you are unsure about your products, we check the list and tell you before you file.
Who issues the importer registration?
Rule 27 names the Director or the Controller of Legal Metrology as the registering authority. Applications are filed online on the Department of Consumer Affairs’ PCR portal at lm.doca.gov.in, which you reach through the National Single Window System. Keep your IEC, GST and premises details ready before you start. We create the login, file the application and follow it up.
What is the government fee?
The fee for a new Rule 27 registration is ₹500, paid online with the application. Changing any registered particular, such as your address or product list, costs ₹100 per alteration. There is no renewal fee now, because certificates remain valid until cancelled. Our professional fee is quoted separately and agreed before we start.
How long is the LMPC certificate valid?
It stays valid until it is cancelled. The Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Third Amendment Rules, 2026 (G.S.R. 418(E), 29 May 2026) inserted this in Rule 27(5). In place of renewal, you update your address, products and country of origin on the online portal every year. We set a reminder and file the update for you each year.
Can I import first and register later?
Rule 27 gives 90 days from the start of imports, but we advise against relying on it. Customs may ask for the LMPC certificate when you file the bill of entry, and goods without it can be held. In an April 2026 CESTAT case, the importer still faced a ₹1 lakh redemption fine. Registering before the first shipment avoids that.
Do I need a separate registration for each product?
No. One Rule 27 registration covers your premises and lists all the commodities you import. When you add a new product line or change the premises, you file an alteration with a ₹100 fee. The annual online update also captures products imported in the previous year. We keep your list current.
Can labels be fixed after the goods land in India?
Yes, within limits. The 2026 amendment added an explanation to Rule 4 allowing importers to put the mandatory declarations on packs at bonded warehouses run by AEO Tier-2 and Tier-3 operators. Every declaration must be on the retail pack before it leaves the bonded warehouse. Otherwise, plan to label before shipping. We review your label artwork before it is printed.
Is this the same as registration for importing weighing scales?
No. Importing weights and measures, such as weighing scales or meters, needs a separate registration with the Director under Section 19 of the Legal Metrology Act, 2009. That instrument also needs model approval under Section 22. Rule 27 is about pre-packaged commodities in general. If you import both kinds of goods, we file both applications.
What new details does the 2026 amendment ask for?
Companies must name the director responsible for violations under the Act in the Rule 27 application. Registered entities must also update their address, products imported in the previous year and country of origin online every year. Certificates now remain valid until cancelled. If you registered before May 2026, we check whether your record needs these details added.
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.
Government fees under Rule 27: ₹500 for a new registration and ₹100 for an alteration in the registered particulars. There is no renewal fee, because the certificate stays valid until it is cancelled.
Ready to begin?
Send us your product list and a draft label. We will tell you what the pack needs and file your Rule 27 registration.