TAX-03 · Tax & licences
Import Export Code
The ten-digit IEC you cannot legally import or export without.
- Professional fee from
- ₹2,499
- Timeline
- 2–5 working days
- Governed by
- Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992
Professional fee. DGFT government fee of ₹500 billed at cost.
Best suited to
Traders, manufacturers and service exporters receiving foreign remittance
Overview
IEC is issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade and is mandatory for anyone importing goods into or exporting goods out of India. Banks also ask for it before processing inward remittance under an export contract.
It is a one-time registration with no return filing, but it must be updated on the DGFT portal every year between April and June, even if nothing has changed, or it is deactivated.
What is included
- DGFT portal registration
- IEC application and fee payment
- IEC certificate
- First-year annual update reminder
Documents you need
- 01PAN of the business
- 02Certificate of Incorporation, partnership deed or proprietor KYC
- 03Cancelled cheque and bank certificate
- 04Address proof of the business premises
How the filing runs
- Day 1
Documents collected
PAN, bank and address proof verified.
- Day 2
Application filed
Filed on the DGFT portal with digital signature or Aadhaar OTP.
- Day 3–5
IEC issued
Certificate generated and shared.
Questions about import export code
01Do service exporters need an IEC?
Not strictly for the export itself, but most banks insist on it before crediting foreign remittance, and it is required to claim benefits under SEIS or RoDTEP.
02What if I forget the annual update?
The IEC is deactivated and your shipments stop clearing. It can be reactivated by filing the update, but that takes days you usually do not have.
Tell us what the business does. We will tell you what it needs.
A 15-minute call with a Chartered Accountant or Company Secretary, at no cost, before you commit to anything.