Using a DSC on the DGFT Portal: Complete Class 3 Guide

A Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) is the electronic equivalent of a signature and stamp, and the DGFT portal requires one to authenticate filings by companies, LLPs, partnerships and trusts. Since Class 1 and Class 2 certificates were phased out, Class 3 is the only DSC class issued for business and regulatory use in India.

The DSC is what turns a saved DGFT draft into a submitted application. Almost every “my IEC update didn’t go through” case traces back to a DSC that failed silently.

What you actually need a DSC for on DGFT

• Applying for a new IEC as a company, LLP, partnership or trust.
• Completing the annual IEC updation between April and June. You can also check your IEC renewal status at any time.
• Modifying IEC details – address, bank account, directors or partners, branch offices.
• Filing licence applications including Advance Authorisation, EPCG and SCOMET.
• Applying for RoDTEP and duty credit scrips, and for a Certificate of Origin under the eCoO platform.
• Linking DGFT with ICEGATE registration for customs filing.

Proprietors are the exception. A sole proprietor can authenticate DGFT filings with Aadhaar e-Sign or OTP and does not strictly need a DSC token.

Class 3 DSC vs “DGFT DSC”: is there a difference?

This is the most misunderstood point on the topic, and it costs people money.

There is no separate certificate class called a “DGFT DSC”. What people mean is a Class 3 Digital Signature Certificate whose details match the entity registered on DGFT. The certificate itself is standard Class 3, issued by a CCA-licensed Certifying Authority. What makes it work on DGFT is:

• It is an organisation-based certificate, not an individual one, where the applicant is a company or LLP.
• The PAN embedded in the certificate matches the PAN of the IEC.
• The certificate is held by an authorised signatory named on the DGFT profile.
• It is registered on the DGFT portal under your profile before you attempt to sign anything.

Buying a generic individual Class 3 DSC and expecting it to sign a company’s DGFT filing is the classic and expensive mistake.

How to register a DSC on the DGFT portal

Need one issued and registered for you instead? See our DGFT digital signature service. Otherwise, here’s the process, based on the DGFT’s official DSC registration guidance PDF:

1. Install the token drivers. Plug in the USB token and install the drivers supplied by the Certifying Authority.
2. Install the signing utility. DGFT signing runs through the eMBridge utility, which must be installed and running on the same machine.
3. Log in to dgft.gov.in with your registered credentials.
4. Open My Dashboard > View and Register Digital Signature Token.
5. Insert the token, enter the token password, and select the certificate from the list presented.
6. Register it. The portal maps the certificate to your IEC profile. Only after this will signing work.

Register the DSC once per certificate. If you renew or replace the token, you must register the new certificate again – the old registration does not carry over.

The errors that stop DGFT signing, and how to fix them

Token requirements and what is changing in 2026

• Class 3 only. Class 1 and Class 2 certificates are no longer issued for regulatory filing.
• Approved tokens only. DGFT accepts specific token types; a certificate on an unsupported token may not be readable by the portal.
• FIPS 140-3 certification applies to newly issued tokens from September 2026. Existing FIPS 140-2 tokens continue to work until the certificate expires.
• Cloud DSC is now supported on the DGFT, GST and MCA portals, removing the physical token for many users – though some high-security tender portals still require one.
• Validity is 1, 2 or 3 years. Renew before expiry: an expired DSC locks you out of the portal at exactly the moment you need it, typically during the June IEC update rush.

Do you need a DSC for ICEGATE too?

Yes, in practice. ICEGATE registration requires a Class 3 DSC to authenticate the registration and to file Bills of Entry and Shipping Bills electronically. The same organisation Class 3 certificate generally serves both DGFT and ICEGATE, provided the PAN and authorised-signatory details align.

Some limited ICEGATE functions can be accessed without a DSC, but electronic filing is not one of them. If you intend to clear cargo in your own name, budget for the certificate.

How JPARKS INDIA Helps

JPARKS INDIA Pvt. Ltd. supplies and registers Class 3 DSCs for importers and exporters from our Vashi, Navi Mumbai office, and fixes the ones that will not sign.

• Class 3 organisation DSC issuance mapped correctly to your entity PAN and authorised signatory from the outset.
• DGFT and ICEGATE registration of the token, done for you rather than talked through over the phone.
• Emergency troubleshooting where a filing deadline is live and the signature is failing.
• Renewal management so a certificate does not expire in the middle of the April-June IEC window.
• Bundled trade-readiness – DSC issued alongside IEC, AD Code registration and ICEGATE registration in one engagement.

Call or WhatsApp +91 9167379073 if your DSC is not signing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What DSC is required for the DGFT portal?

A Class 3 Digital Signature Certificate issued by a CCA-licensed Certifying Authority. For companies and LLPs it must be an organisation certificate whose PAN matches the IEC, held by an authorised signatory named on the DGFT profile.

Q2. Is there a separate DGFT DSC?

No. There is no distinct DGFT certificate class. The requirement is a standard Class 3 DSC that is organisation-based, matches your IEC PAN, and has been registered on your DGFT profile.

Q3. Do proprietors need a DSC for DGFT?

No. Sole proprietors can authenticate DGFT filings using Aadhaar e-Sign or OTP, which avoids the cost of a token entirely. Companies, LLPs, partnerships and trusts do need a Class 3 DSC.

Q4. Why is my DSC not showing on the DGFT portal?

The usual causes are that the eMBridge utility is not running, the token drivers are not installed, or the certificate was never registered under My Dashboard > View and Register Digital Signature Token. Check those three before assuming the certificate is faulty.

Q5. Can I use the same DSC for DGFT and ICEGATE?

Generally yes, provided it is an organisation Class 3 certificate and the PAN and authorised-signatory details align on both portals. It must be registered separately on each.

Q6. How long is a Class 3 DSC valid?

One, two or three years depending on the plan purchased. It must be renewed with the Certifying Authority before expiry and then re-registered on the DGFT portal.

Related guides

• Start here: Digital Signature Certificate (DSC): Class 3 Explained (2026)
• Digital Signature Certificate (DSC): Class 3 Explained (2026)

Would you rather not handle this yourself? We offer Class 3 digital signature certificates.