PLEXCONCIL Membership and RCMC for Plastic Exporters
PLEXCONCIL membership means joining the Plastics Export Promotion Council and getting the RCMC that proves it. Plastic manufacturers and traders who export need it for policy benefits. We prepare the application and file it on the DGFT portal.
What it is
PLEXCONCIL is the export promotion council for the plastics sector. A council is a trade body recognised by the Government of India. When you join, it issues a Registration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC), the document that shows you are registered with an authorised agency.
Foreign Trade Policy 2023 para 2.56(b) lets export promotion councils act as registering authorities, and para 2.57(a) says an RCMC is needed when you apply for an export authorisation or any policy benefit, unless you are exempt. The application is made as an e-RCMC on the DGFT portal, with an active IEC.
Who it applies to
Plastic product manufacturers
You make films, moulded goods, pipes, packaging or similar items and ship them abroad under your own IEC. You join the council that matches your main line of business.
Merchant exporters and traders
You buy plastic goods from manufacturers and export them. Merchants are eligible members too, and we match your product range to the council before filing.
Exporters with mixed products
You deal in plastics and something else. You declare a main line of business and apply to the body for that line. We help you pick, so you are not stuck in the wrong council.
Why it matters
You can claim policy benefits
Without an RCMC, para 2.57(a) of FTP 2023 puts authorisations and policy benefits out of reach. The council certificate is the key.
You get the council’s member services
PLEXCONCIL’s own site lists discounted fees at trade fairs and exhibitions, trade leads, export awards, a monthly e-magazine and representation on trade matters.
It saves a scramble later
The council also issues the Certificate of Origin and Export Turnover Certificate to members, per its website. Having the membership in place saves a scramble when a buyer asks.
Documents required
From the business
- PAN of the firm, company or proprietor
- Certificate of incorporation, partnership deed or LLP agreement
- GST registration certificate
- Bank account details
For the DGFT portal
- Active IEC with an updated profile
- DSC token or Aadhaar e-sign of the signatory
- Authorised signatory’s identity and address proof
About your products
- Description of the plastic goods you export
- Proof of manufacturing for manufacturer exporters, where it applies
- Any other document the council asks for on the application
How it works
Check the council fits your products
We read your product list and check that plastics is your main line of business. If it is not, we tell you which body to approach instead.
Check the IEC and profile
The IEC has to be active and the profile updated before the e-RCMC is filed. We fix gaps first, or apply for a new IEC through import export registration.
File the e-RCMC
We prepare the application, upload the documents, sign with your DSC or Aadhaar e-sign and submit it on the DGFT portal. The council reviews it and may raise a query, which we help you answer.
Receive the RCMC and diarise it
After approval you get the RCMC. We record its validity in your compliance calendar. For the general rules, read our page on RCMC registration.
Which council issues which RCMC?
| Your main line of business | Where you apply |
|---|---|
| Plastic products | Plastics Export Promotion Council (PLEXCONCIL) |
| Chemicals and allied products | See our page on CAPEXIL registration |
| Scheduled agri and food products | APEDA, see APEDA registration |
Take a plastics converter in Faridabad that also trades industrial chemicals. Which line is the main one? That choice decides the council, so settle it before filing.
Timelines
Before you seek benefits
Hold the RCMC before you apply for any authorisation or benefit that needs it under FTP 2023.
RCMC validity
Deemed valid from 1 April of the licensing year of issue, for five financial years ending 31 March, as the DGFT e-RCMC page states.
When the IEC changes
If your IEC details change, update the IEC profile first. A mismatch is a common reason an e-RCMC application is held.
What happens if you stay without an RCMC
Policy benefits are out of reach
FTP 2023 para 2.57(a) links authorisations and benefits to the RCMC. Skipping the membership means skipping those.
Council services pass you by
Trade fair discounts, trade leads and certificates issued to members are not available to a non-member.
A wrong-council filing costs time
Benefits you were counting on slip by months. Here is the catch: the fix is cheap if you check council, IEC and documents before filing.
Frequently asked questions
Who can take PLEXCONCIL membership?
Manufacturers, merchant exporters and traders whose main line of business is plastics can apply. The council lists Ordinary and Associate member categories on its website, so we confirm which one suits your business before filing. If your main line is something else, a different body issues your RCMC. We check this first, so you do not file in the wrong place.
Is PLEXCONCIL membership compulsory for plastic exporters?
Not by itself, but an RCMC is required when you apply for an export authorisation or any benefit under Foreign Trade Policy 2023, unless you are specifically exempted. That requirement is in para 2.57(a). If you want policy benefits, you need it. We check whether your plan needs one and tell you plainly.
Where is the application made?
The council’s website directs applicants to the DGFT portal, where the e-RCMC is filed. You need an active IEC, an updated IEC profile and a linked DSC token or Aadhaar e-sign. We prepare the application, upload the documents and submit it for you, then follow up with the council until it is issued.
How long is the RCMC valid?
The RCMC is deemed valid from 1 April of the licensing year in which it is issued and stays valid for five financial years ending 31 March. DGFT’s e-RCMC page states this. So the actual period depends on when it was issued. We put the expiry in your calendar, so renewal never surprises you.
What benefits does a member get?
PLEXCONCIL’s site lists discounted fees at trade fairs and exhibitions, trade leads, export awards, a monthly e-magazine, trade representation, and Certificate of Origin and Export Turnover Certificate issuance. Which of these you use depends on your business. We tell you how to make the most of your membership once it is in place.
Do I need an IEC first?
Yes. The e-RCMC works on your IEC, and the IEC profile must be updated before you apply. If you have no IEC yet, we apply for it first. The IEC is a one-time registration, and the rest follows once it is in place.
What does PLEXCONCIL membership cost?
The council sets its own membership fees, and we could not confirm a current figure from its official pages, so we do not quote one here. We check the amount before filing and show you the council fee and our fee separately and in writing. You approve the total before we submit anything.
What does Taxhint do and what does the council do?
We check your eligibility and IEC, prepare the documents, file the e-RCMC on the DGFT portal and answer the council’s queries. The council decides on membership and issues the certificate. We hold no panel status with the council. You always know where your file stands.
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.
Membership fees are set by the council. We confirm the current amount from its official channels before filing and show it separately from our fee.
Ready to begin?
Send us your product list and IEC details, and we will tell you whether PLEXCONCIL is the right council and what the filing needs.