Pharmexcil Registration (RCMC for Pharma Exporters)
Pharmexcil is the export promotion council for pharmaceutical products, and its Registration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC) is what a pharma exporter needs to claim any benefit under the Foreign Trade Policy. We check your category, prepare the documents and file the e-RCMC application on the DGFT portal.
What it is
Pharmexcil, the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India, was set up in 2004 by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Its head office is in Hyderabad. It promotes exports of bulk drugs (APIs), finished formulations, herbal and AYUSH products (Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and homoeopathy), biologics, diagnostics and surgicals, nutraceuticals, and pharma services such as contract research and clinical trials.
Pharmexcil registration means becoming a member and getting its RCMC. Under the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023, paragraph 2.57(a), an exporter needs an RCMC to apply for an import or export authorisation, or for any other benefit or concession under the FTP. You apply to the council for your main line of business. For pharma, that is Pharmexcil. The whole application runs online, as an e-RCMC on the DGFT portal.
In practice, the need shows up at a specific moment. Picture a Faridabad formulation unit that has shipped tablets to Africa for two years on its IEC alone. It now wants to import an API duty-free against an export order under Advance Authorisation. The DGFT application asks for an RCMC, and that is when the Pharmexcil membership has to be in place.
Who it applies to
Pharma manufacturers who export
API makers, formulation units and AYUSH manufacturers shipping their own products abroad. Pharmexcil sorts manufacturers into large-scale and small-scale categories for its fees.
Merchant exporters of medicines
Traders who buy from manufacturers and export under their own IEC. Here is the catch: a merchant exporter still needs a valid drug licence to deal in the products.
Pharma service providers
Contract research, clinical trial and regulatory consultancy firms with overseas clients also come under the council.
Why it matters
You can claim FTP benefits
Duty exemption schemes such as Advance Authorisation (Chapter 4 of the Handbook of Procedures) and the EPCG scheme (Chapter 5) need an RCMC. So does almost every other concession under the FTP.
You get the council’s support
Members can join the council’s trade fairs and buyer-seller meets, get regulatory updates for export markets, and apply for market access support when a scheme is open.
Buyers and banks take you seriously
An RCMC shows you are registered with the council the government recognises for your sector. Overseas importers and lenders often ask for it.
Documents required
Basic registrations
- PAN of the business
- Active Import Export Code (IEC) with an updated profile
- GST registration certificate
- Certificate of incorporation, LLP or partnership deed, as applicable
Pharma-specific
- Drug licence (manufacturing or wholesale, as the case may be)
- Manufacturers: industrial licence or registration, such as Udyam
- Company profile with the product range
For signing and fees
- DSC linked to the DGFT login, or Aadhaar e-sign
- Details of the authorised signatory
- Previous year’s export turnover, if any
- Bank account to pay the membership fee online
Pharmexcil membership categories and fees
Pharmexcil charges a one-time entrance fee and an annual subscription. The entrance fee is half the annual subscription. This is the structure the council has applied since 1 April 2014:
| Category | Annual subscription | Entrance fee (one-time) |
|---|---|---|
| Large-scale manufacturer | ₹36,000 | ₹18,000 |
| Small-scale manufacturer | ₹10,000 | ₹5,000 |
| Merchant exporter | ₹12,000 | ₹6,000 |
GST at 18% comes on top. Work it through for a small-scale manufacturer joining fresh: ₹10,000 plus ₹5,000 is ₹15,000, and with ₹2,700 GST the first-year bill is ₹17,700. You pay online while filing the e-RCMC, and the portal shows the amount for your category before you confirm.
The category decides the bill: the small-scale rate is less than a third of the large-scale one. We match your claim to the council’s criteria and your Udyam registration before filing.
How it works
Check that your IEC is active and updated
The e-RCMC needs an active IEC with an updated profile. Missed this year’s April–June update? We do that first.
Settle the council and your fee category
We confirm pharma is your main line of business and settle the category: large-scale, small-scale or merchant. A Gurugram nutraceutical brand that only markets products made by a contract manufacturer, for example, would usually sit in the merchant category.
Gather the licences and profile
We collect the drug licence, registrations and company profile in the formats the portal accepts.
File the e-RCMC on the DGFT portal
We fill the application, select Pharmexcil as the registering authority, pay the fee and get it signed with your DSC or Aadhaar e-sign.
Answer queries and keep the RCMC live
If the council raises a query, we answer it. Once the RCMC is issued we download it, then diarise the annual subscription and export returns so nothing lapses quietly.
Timelines
IEC first, then RCMC
The IEC must be in place before the e-RCMC can be filed. The IEC itself must be updated on the DGFT portal every year between April and June.
RCMC valid for 5 financial years
An e-RCMC is valid from 1 April of the licensing year in which it is issued, for five financial years ending 31 March.
Subscription and returns every year
Pharmexcil bills members for the annual subscription, and members file periodic export returns with the council in its prescribed proforma.
What happens if you export without it
No FTP benefits
Without an RCMC you cannot apply for Advance Authorisation, EPCG or the other FTP concessions that paragraph 2.57(a) ties to it.
No council support
Trade fair participation, buyer meets and market access assistance routed through Pharmexcil are open to members only.
Benefit claims get stuck
An application under the FTP that needs an RCMC cannot go through without a valid one. Getting the RCMC after the shipment does not help the claims you missed in between.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pharmexcil registration mandatory for pharma exporters?
It is mandatory if you want any benefit under the Foreign Trade Policy. Paragraph 2.57(a) of FTP 2023 requires an RCMC for import or export authorisations and other FTP concessions, and pharma exporters get it from Pharmexcil. A one-off shipment can leave on an IEC alone, but Advance Authorisation, EPCG and council support all need the RCMC. Register before your first regular shipment and the benefits are open from day one.
What is the Pharmexcil membership fee?
It depends on your category. Since 1 April 2014, the annual subscription is ₹36,000 for a large-scale manufacturer, ₹10,000 for a small-scale manufacturer and ₹12,000 for a merchant exporter. A one-time entrance fee of half that amount is added in the first year, and 18% GST applies on top. A new small-scale manufacturer therefore pays ₹17,700 in year one. The DGFT portal shows the exact amount before you pay.
Do I need an IEC before applying to Pharmexcil?
Yes, an active IEC with an updated profile is a prerequisite for any e-RCMC on the DGFT portal. The IEC costs ₹500 and is usually issued within a few working days. You also need a DSC linked to your DGFT login, or Aadhaar e-sign, to sign the application. If you are starting from scratch, we file the IEC and the RCMC one after the other, so there is no gap.
How long is a Pharmexcil RCMC valid?
The e-RCMC is valid for five financial years. It counts from 1 April of the licensing year in which it was issued and ends on 31 March of the fifth year. Separately, Pharmexcil bills an annual subscription that keeps your membership current. Pay the subscription each year and file the export returns, and the RCMC stays usable throughout its validity.
Can a merchant exporter get a Pharmexcil RCMC?
Yes. Merchant exporters are a separate category with an annual subscription of ₹12,000 and an entrance fee of ₹6,000, plus GST. You need a PAN, IEC and a drug licence covering the products you trade, along with a company profile. Manufacturers also show an industrial licence or registration. With the right drug licence in hand, a merchant exporter’s application is quite straightforward.
Which products come under Pharmexcil?
Pharmexcil covers bulk drugs (APIs), finished dosage forms, herbal and AYUSH products, biologics, diagnostics and surgicals, and nutraceuticals. It also covers pharma services such as contract research, clinical trials and regulatory consultancy. If your products straddle two councils, for example chemicals and drug intermediates, you register with the council for your main line of business. We help you pick the right one before you pay anything.
Does a Pharmexcil RCMC replace the drug licence or CDSCO approvals?
No. The RCMC is a trade registration, not a drug regulatory approval. You still need a valid drug licence from the State Licensing Authority, and some exports, such as unapproved or new drugs, need a separate no-objection certificate from CDSCO. The RCMC sits alongside these approvals and is what opens up FTP benefits. Keep both sets of papers current and your shipments clear without trouble.
Can I change my category or details after the RCMC is issued?
Yes, changes are made by filing an amendment request through the e-RCMC module on the DGFT portal. Typical changes are a new address, a change in directors or partners, or a move from small-scale to large-scale as the business grows. Update the IEC first, since the RCMC draws on the IEC profile. Tell us about the change when it happens and we will keep the record in line.
What does Taxhint do in the Pharmexcil registration?
We handle the whole filing: checking your IEC, choosing the council and category, preparing documents, filing the e-RCMC on the DGFT portal and answering queries. The council issues the RCMC, not us. We can also handle the IEC, GST and LUT filings that go with exporting, so you deal with one point of contact throughout.
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.
Pharmexcil’s own charges for the first year, before 18% GST: ₹54,000 for a large-scale manufacturer, ₹15,000 for a small-scale manufacturer and ₹18,000 for a merchant exporter (annual subscription plus entrance fee). An IEC, if you do not have one, costs ₹500.
Ready to begin?
Send us your IEC and drug licence, and we will file your Pharmexcil e-RCMC in the right category.