IEC Registration Online: Import Export Code at Rs 2,860

IEC registration is done online only, on the DGFT portal at dgft.gov.in, in form ANF-2A. You register on the portal as an Importer/Exporter, click Apply for IEC, fill in the firm, owner and bank details, upload an address proof and a cancelled cheque or bank certificate as PDFs, sign with Aadhaar e-Sign or a DSC, and pay the Rs 500 DGFT fee. The portal checks your PAN with the Income Tax database and your bank account through NPCI, then generates the Importer Exporter Code (IEC) and emails it to you. There is no paper form and no office visit.

If you would rather hand it over, JPARKS INDIA files your IEC application for Rs 2,860 all inclusive (our Rs 2,000 fee, Rs 360 GST and the Rs 500 DGFT fee). We file within 24 hours of a complete document set, and you pay after you get your IEC.

What an IEC is, and why it is called an import export license

The IEC is a 10-character code issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). Para 2.05 of the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023 says it is the same as the entity’s PAN, but DGFT still issues it separately, on an online application. Customs, banks and DGFT use it to identify you as an importer or exporter.

Under FTP para 2.05(a), no one may import or export goods without an IEC unless specifically exempted, which is why most people call it an import export license. It works more like a registration than a product license:

Free goods. Imports and exports are free unless ITC(HS) prohibits or restricts them or reserves them for state trading enterprises (FTP para 2.01). For free goods, the IEC is the DGFT registration you need.
Restricted goods also need a DGFT Authorisation or permission, or must follow the procedure notified for them (FTP para 2.08). Check your product’s policy in ITC(HS) before you ship.
Other laws. Some free goods still carry conditions under other Acts (FTP para 2.01(b)). The IEC does not replace those approvals.
Services and technology need an IEC only to claim benefits under the FTP, and it must exist on the date you render the services (FTP para 2.05(a)).

Three rules from DGFT’s Handbook of Procedures (HBP) shape every application:

One PAN, one IEC. Only one IEC is issued against a single PAN (para 2.12), and the portal will not let you continue if your PAN already has one. If you had an IEC years ago, retrieve your old IEC instead of applying again.
One IEC for the whole business. It covers all your branches, divisions, units and factories (para 2.10), so you add branches inside the same application.
Permanent validity, with a yearly update. The IEC stays valid unless suspended or cancelled (para 2.10), but its details must be updated or confirmed online every April to June.

A few categories, such as government departments and goods for personal use not connected with trade, are exempt and use the permanent IEC numbers in HBP para 2.07. See whether you can import without an IEC.

Who can apply for an IEC, and what you need first

Proprietorships (an individual trading in their own name applies as one), partnership firms, LLPs, companies, registered societies, trusts and HUFs can all apply, each on its own PAN. The IEC stays valid whether the business is a domestic unit or an SEZ, EOU, EHTP, STP or BTP unit (HBP para 2.11). For edge cases, see who is eligible for an IEC code.

You can file it yourself: HBP para 2.08 says the application is filed online in ANF-2A at dgft.gov.in. DGFT’s IEC FAQ and help file list what you need before you start:

a valid PAN for the entity, with the name and date of birth or incorporation exactly as in the PAN database;
a mobile number and email that can receive OTPs;
the address of the business and of any branches;
an active bank account in the entity’s name, for the bank details and the online fee payment;
for signing, an active DSC, or the Aadhaar of the firm’s member who signs.

Filing it yourself costs only the Rs 500 DGFT fee. Handing it over makes sense when your case has a complication: a name that differs between PAN, bank and address proof, premises in someone else’s name, out-of-date MCA records, or a DSC the portal will not read.

How to apply for IEC online: the steps on the DGFT portal

These steps follow DGFT’s IEC user help file (version 4.1) and IEC FAQ. Screen labels can change slightly when DGFT updates the portal.

IEC registration on the DGFT portal in six steps: register, start the application, firm details, members and bank account, sign, pay the Rs 500 fee

1. Register on the DGFT portal

On dgft.gov.in, click Login, then Register, and register as “Importer/Exporter”. Enter the basic details and the OTPs sent to your mobile and email; each OTP expires in 15 minutes. A temporary password arrives by email, and your email becomes your user name. Log in and change the password.

2. Start a fresh application

Click Apply for IEC on the dashboard, then Start Fresh Application. To continue a draft, choose Proceed with Existing Application; a draft is saved once the Basic Details and Firm Address sections are complete.

3. General information and firm address

Select the nature of concern and enter the firm name, PAN, name as per the PAN database (first, middle and last name) and date of birth or incorporation, all checked in real time with CBDT. Say whether the firm is in an SEZ or under the EOU, EHTP, STP or BTP schemes; this decides the DGFT office your IEC is mapped to. Companies enter the CIN, which MCA verifies. Add the GSTIN if applicable, the firm’s mobile and email, the address and PIN (which sets your DGFT Regional Authority), the address proof, and any branches.

4. Proprietor, partner, director, karta or managing trustee details

Enter each member’s PAN, name as per PAN and date of birth (verified with CBDT), father’s name, address and mobile. For companies, the directors and their DINs come from MCA and cannot be deleted. For a director who is not an Indian national, tick “Is the Director a Foreign National?”; PAN is then not mandatory for that director.

5. Bank account details

Enter the account number, account holder name, IFSC, bank and branch, and upload the cancelled cheque or bank certificate. The account holder name must be the same as the firm name. DGFT validates the account through NPCI; the help file says the time varies from bank to bank, can be up to 2 weeks, and the IEC is created only after the validation succeeds. If the result is Failed, you cannot proceed. If it is In Progress, you can submit, and the application stays Under Automatic Review until the validation succeeds.

6. Other details and the declaration

Select your preferred export sectors and the reason for applying, then accept the declaration. In it you confirm, among other things, that no proprietor, partner or director is in a firm on DGFT’s Denied Entity List and that the entity has not applied for another IEC.

7. Sign the application and pay the Rs 500 fee

Check the Application Summary and click Sign, with Aadhaar e-Sign (an OTP goes to the mobile registered with Aadhaar) or a DSC; DGFT’s help file accepts a valid Class 2 or Class 3 DSC. Proprietorships and HUFs can use an individual or an organisation DSC; other entities signing with a DSC need an organisation DSC whose name matches the PAN database. A DSC also needs its USB token driver and the eMBridge utility running.

After signing, the portal sends you to the Bharatkosh payment gateway for the Rs 500 fee, payable by net banking, card or UPI, and then shows the receipt. Our guide on how to pay the IEC application fee covers failed and pending payments.

8. Download your IEC

The IEC certificate is emailed to the address you applied with, and you can download it any time from Manage IEC using Print Certificate. DGFT transmits the IEC to CBIC (My IEC shows the CBIC Transmission Status), and DGFT’s FAQ says a new IEC reflects on ICEGATE in real time. To print a fresh copy later, see how to print an updated IEC certificate.

Documents required for IEC registration, by entity type

HBP para 2.08(c) asks every applicant for two uploads: a cancelled cheque bearing the entity’s pre-printed name or a bank certificate in the prescribed format, and an address proof of the entity. DGFT’s IEC help file adds a proof of establishment for partnership firms, registered societies, trusts, HUFs and other entities. Companies and LLPs are identified by their CIN or LLPIN instead.

Entity type	Proof of establishment	Address proof (any one)	Bank proof	Who signs
Proprietorship	None: you apply on the proprietor’s PAN	Sale deed, rent agreement, lease deed, electricity bill, landline or post-paid mobile bill, MoU, or (proprietorships only) the proprietor’s Aadhaar, passport or voter ID	Cancelled cheque with the pre-printed name, or bank certificate	Proprietor
Partnership firm	Partnership deed	Any document in the list; the partnership deed is also accepted	Same, in the firm’s name	Managing partner
LLP	Not in the help file’s upload list; the form asks for the LLPIN. Keep the certificate of incorporation ready	Sale deed, rent agreement, lease deed, utility bill or MoU	Same, in the LLP’s name	Designated partner
Company (private, public, Section 8, government undertaking)	Not in the help file’s upload list; the CIN is verified with MCA, which also fetches the directors. Keep the certificate of incorporation ready	Sale deed, rent agreement, lease deed, utility bill or MoU	Same, in the company’s name	Director
Registered society or trust	Registration certificate or trust deed	Sale deed, rent agreement, lease deed, utility bill or MoU	Same, in the society’s or trust’s name	Secretary or chief executive, or managing trustee
HUF	Proof of establishment of the HUF	Sale deed, rent agreement, lease deed, utility bill or MoU	Same, in the HUF’s name	Karta

File format. Every upload is a PDF of up to 5 MB, per DGFT’s help file and IEC FAQ. An unreadable scan is treated like a missing page.
Premises in someone else’s name. Upload a no objection certificate (NOC) from the premises owner in favour of the firm, with the owner’s address proof, combined in one PDF.
Bank proof. The account holder name must be the firm name. If your cheque leaf has no printed name, ask the bank for a certificate in the ANF-2A(I) format, on its letterhead, signed by an officer not below the rank of Manager, with the bank’s stamp and IFSC.
PAN. No PAN card upload: the PAN, name and date are verified in real time with the Income Tax (CBDT) database, so every name you type must match it.
GST. A GST certificate is not on the list, and the form asks for a GSTIN only “if applicable”. See getting an IEC without GST.
Not needed. DGFT’s list has no shop and establishment license, no import or export contracts, and no minimum turnover or capital.

Documents required for IEC registration by entity type: proof of establishment, address proof, bank proof and signatory for proprietorship, partnership, LLP, company, society, trust and HUF

How to apply for IEC as a proprietorship

A sole proprietorship applies on the proprietor’s personal PAN and uploads no registration certificate, which makes it the simplest IEC application. What to watch:

select Proprietorship as the nature of concern and enter the proprietor’s PAN, name as per PAN and date of birth;
keep the firm name and the bank account holder name identical, character for character;
the proprietor signs, usually with Aadhaar e-Sign, which needs the mobile number linked to the proprietor’s Aadhaar; an individual DSC is also accepted.

If the business later becomes a partnership, LLP or company with a new PAN, the new entity must take its own IEC against the new PAN within 30 days of the change (HBP para 2.14(e)).

IEC for a partnership firm, LLP or company

A firm or company applies in its own name, on its own PAN, not a partner’s or director’s PAN. What differs from a proprietorship:

Partnership firm. Upload the partnership deed and enter the PAN, name, date of birth and address of every partner. The managing partner signs.
LLP or company. Enter the LLPIN or CIN. Directors fetched from MCA cannot be removed in the form, so bring MCA records up to date before you apply. A designated partner or director signs.
Signing with a DSC. It must be an organisation DSC in the entity’s name, matching the PAN database; an individual DSC in a partner’s or director’s own name will not validate. DGFT’s help file names Aadhaar e-Sign by the signing member as the other way to sign.

If the signatory needs a DSC, our DGFT digital signature service issues one in 1 to 2 days.

IEC registration fees and the total cost

The DGFT fee for a new IEC is Rs 500, the same for every type of entity, paid online through Bharatkosh. These are the government charges across the life of an IEC:

What you file	DGFT fee	Source
New IEC application	Rs 500	Appendix 2K, row 1
Annual update or confirmation, 1 April to 30 June	Nil	Appendix 2K, row 7(A)
Annual update after 30 June	Rs 200	Appendix 2K, row 7(B)
Modification of IEC details	Rs 200	DGFT IEC help file v4.1

Aadhaar e-Sign needs only the OTP on the mobile linked to the signatory’s Aadhaar. If you sign with a DSC and do not have one, our DGFT DSC costs Rs 3,700 + GST and takes 1 to 2 days.

With JPARKS INDIA, a new IEC costs one fixed amount:

Item	Amount
JPARKS professional fee	Rs 2,000
GST on our fee (18%)	Rs 360
DGFT application fee	Rs 500
Total, all inclusive, paid after you get your IEC	Rs 2,860

So the cost of an import export license in India is Rs 500 if you file it yourself, or Rs 2,860 all inclusive if we file it, and there is no yearly government charge as long as you update it between April and June.

How long IEC registration takes, and your e-IEC

There is no separate approval to request. HBP para 2.08(b) says the IEC is auto-generated and you are told by email and SMS, and DGFT’s IEC FAQ gives the average time as immediate from successful submission.

The usual exception is the bank check. DGFT’s help file says NPCI validation is near real time, but for some banks it can take up to 2 weeks. Until the result arrives, the application shows Under Automatic Review; it then moves to Auto Approved, or to Rejected if the validation fails. After payment you get an acknowledgement with a File Number, and Track Status shows where the application stands. See how many days it takes to get an IEC code for what affects the wait.

The e-IEC is a computer generated certificate, and no paper copy is posted to you. Keep the PDF: banks, Customs and other registrations will ask for it. Anyone can check an IEC on dgft.gov.in under Services, View IEC Related Details (HBP para 2.09); see how to check if your IEC is active. JPARKS files your application within 24 hours of a complete document set and follows it until the IEC is issued.

After you get your IEC: annual update, changes and deactivation

An IEC has permanent validity unless it is suspended or cancelled (HBP para 2.10), but it stays active only if you keep it up to date:

Annual update, every April to June. FTP para 2.05(d) requires every IEC holder to update the IEC details online each year between April and June, and to confirm them online even if nothing has changed. The update is free in the window and costs Rs 200 after 30 June (Appendix 2K, rows 7(A) and 7(B)). Our IEC renewal service does it for Rs 1,970 all inclusive in 24 hours, and you pay after.
Changes within 30 days. A change in constitution, address, bank details or other primary details must be updated online within 30 days (HBP para 2.14(b)). A modification costs Rs 200, per DGFT’s help file, and a changed bank account is validated again through NPCI.
Deactivation and reactivation. An IEC not updated within the prescribed period is deactivated, and a successful update activates it again (FTP para 2.05(e)). DGFT can also flag an IEC for scrutiny; if the flagged risks are not addressed in time, the IEC is deactivated (FTP para 2.05(f)).
A new PAN means a new IEC. After a merger, acquisition, conversion or business transfer that creates an entity with a different PAN, that entity takes an IEC against its new PAN within 30 days, and the earlier IEC can be operationally linked to it (HBP para 2.14(e)).
Surrender. An IEC you no longer use can be surrendered online, but only when all its authorisations and obligations are closed, or have moved to a new entity after a merger or acquisition (HBP para 2.13).

IEC lifecycle: apply once, update or confirm every April to June, modify within 30 days of a change, deactivation if not updated, reactivation on update

What comes after the IEC: DSC, ICEGATE and AD Code

The IEC lets you import and export, but filing with Customs needs a few more registrations. For a first export, the usual order is:

Step	What it is for	JPARKS fee and time
1. IEC from DGFT	Required to import or export goods	Rs 2,860 all inclusive, pay after; filed within 24 hours of a complete document set
2. Class 3 DSC	ICEGATE registration is DSC based; also signs on DGFT if you do not use Aadhaar e-Sign	Rs 3,700 + GST, 1 to 2 days
3. ICEGATE registration	Your customs login; asks for a valid GSTIN as well as your IEC	Rs 3,500 + GST (Rs 4,130), 2 to 3 working days
4. AD Code registration	Links your bank’s AD Code and account to your IEC before the first shipping bill; one registration at one port works at every customs location	Rs 4,500 + GST (Rs 5,310), about 4 working days, Export Promotion included
5. Export Promotion account	Where duty drawback and IGST refunds are paid	Included with the AD Code registration
6. First shipping bill	Filed by you or your licensed customs broker	Not a JPARKS service

What comes after the IEC for a first export: Class 3 DSC, ICEGATE registration, AD Code registration, Export Promotion account, then the first shipping bill

Why IEC applications are rejected or held up

The portal validates PAN, MCA and bank data online, so most problems are mismatches. These are the ones we see most:

Name not as per PAN. Firm and member names must match the PAN database exactly, middle names included.
Bank name mismatch or failed validation. DGFT’s FAQ suggests removing extra spaces and uploading supporting proof; a Failed NPCI result stops the application.
Cheque without a printed name. Use a bank certificate in the ANF-2A(I) format.
Address proof in someone else’s name without the owner’s NOC in the same PDF.
Wrong files: not a PDF, larger than 5 MB, or unreadable.
Outdated MCA records. A former director still shown on MCA comes through to the form and cannot be deleted there.
Signing problems. An individual DSC used for a firm or company, an organisation name that differs from the PAN name, an expired DSC, the eMBridge utility not running, or, for Aadhaar e-Sign, a mobile number not linked to Aadhaar.
PAN already used for an IEC. Retrieve the existing IEC instead of applying again.

HBP para 2.05 says an incomplete application is liable to be rejected with a specific reason, can be reopened once the deficiencies are fixed, and is treated as withdrawn if they are not fixed within 90 days. You reply to a deficiency from your DGFT dashboard. The Rs 500 fee is not refunded on a rejection: Appendix 2K allows refunds only for excess payments, payments with no application behind them, and exempt applicants who paid in error.

What JPARKS INDIA does for your IEC registration

JPARKS INDIA is an EXIM compliance consultancy in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, with 500+ clients and a 5.0 rating from 123 Google reviews, from a family that has worked in EXIM since 1990. We file IEC applications for proprietorships, partnership firms, LLPs, companies, trusts and societies across India:

before filing, we check the names on the PAN, bank proof and address proof against each other, the NOC where the premises are not in your name, and the MCA records of companies and LLPs;
we file within 24 hours of a complete document set and follow the application until the IEC is issued;
the price is Rs 2,860 all inclusive, and you pay after you get your IEC;
we arrange the DSC, ICEGATE and AD Code registrations when you need them, and the annual IEC update each April to June.

JPARKS INDIA is not a customs broker: once your IEC is live, Bills of Entry and Shipping Bills are filed by you or your licensed customs broker. To start, email [email protected] or call +91 91673 79073.

Official references

DGFT, Foreign Trade Policy 2023, Chapter 2: paras 2.01, 2.05 and 2.08
DGFT, Handbook of Procedures, Chapter 2: paras 2.05 and 2.07 to 2.14
DGFT, Appendix 2K to FTP 2023: scale of application fees, rows 1, 7(A) and 7(B)
DGFT, IEC Module User Help File, version 4.1
DGFT, Import Export Code certificate FAQs, new application
DGFT, Form ANF-2A, with the ANF-2A(I) bank certificate format
ICEGATE, ICEGATE 2.0 Registration User Manual
Bengaluru City Customs, Public Notice 16/2022, on ICES Advisory 10/2022 (one AD Code registration for all ports)

Related guides

Frequently asked questions

Straight answers, before you even ask

Is GST mandatory for IEC registration?

No. IEC is issued against your PAN, and the form asks for a GSTIN only if applicable. You only need a GSTIN if your business is otherwise required to register under GST, though ICEGATE registration later asks for one.

What documents are required for IEC?

An address proof of the business, such as a sale deed, rent or lease agreement, electricity bill or landline bill, and a cancelled cheque with the firm's pre-printed name or a bank certificate, each as a PDF of up to 5 MB. Partnership firms, societies, trusts and HUFs also upload a proof of establishment, such as the partnership deed. Your PAN is verified online with the Income Tax database, so no PAN card upload is needed.

How long does IEC registration take?

DGFT generates the IEC automatically, and its FAQ gives the average time as immediate after successful submission. The bank account check through NPCI can take up to 2 weeks for some banks. JPARKS files your application within 24 hours of a complete document set.

Do IEC certificates expire?

No. The IEC has permanent validity, but DGFT requires an annual update between April and June every year, even if nothing has changed. Miss it and the IEC is deactivated until you update it. The update is free from April to June and costs Rs 200 after 30 June.

What is the government fee for IEC?

DGFT charges a flat Rs 500 application fee for a new IEC, the same for every type of entity. With JPARKS the total is Rs 2,860 all inclusive: our Rs 2,000 fee, Rs 360 GST and the Rs 500 DGFT fee, paid only after you get your IEC.

Is the IEC number the same as PAN?

Yes. Para 2.05 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2023 says the 10-character IEC is the same as the entity's PAN. DGFT still issues it separately, so you have to apply for it on the DGFT portal before you import or export.

Is a digital signature (DSC) required for IEC registration?

No. You can sign the application with Aadhaar e-Sign, using an OTP sent to the mobile linked to the signatory's Aadhaar, or with a DSC. If a partnership, LLP, company or other non-proprietor entity signs with a DSC, it must be an organisation DSC in the entity's name.

Can an individual apply for an IEC?

Yes. An individual who trades in their own name applies as a proprietorship, on their personal PAN, and uploads no registration certificate. Only one IEC is issued against one PAN.

Is IEC required for export of services?

For goods, yes, unless you fall in an exempt category. For services or technology, para 2.05(a) of the Foreign Trade Policy 2023 requires an IEC only when you want to claim benefits under the policy, and it must exist on the date you render the services.

Do I need a separate IEC for each branch or state?

No. One IEC covers all branches, divisions, units and factories of the business, and you add branch addresses within the same IEC. Only one IEC is issued against one PAN.

Is the IEC the same as an import export license?

In everyday use, yes: the IEC is what most people mean by an import export license, and it is enough for goods that are free to import or export. Restricted goods also need a separate DGFT authorisation or permission, and some goods need approvals under other laws.

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