Star Export House: New 2026 Rules and 5 Easy Steps

Star export house is the recognition DGFT gives exporters who hit a prescribed export performance, running from One Star up to Five Star. The formal name is the Status Holder Certificate. It costs nothing to apply for, it is issued electronically, and on 21 August 2026 the entry rule got easier. 

DGFT Notification No. 33/2026-27 dated 21 August 2026 amended Para 1.25 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2023. One Star Export House status can now be granted on export performance in any two of the three preceding financial years, instead of all three. Exporters with one weak year, and there are a great many of them, are back in scope. 

This page sets out the five categories and their turnover thresholds, what changed in August 2026, the double weightage rule that gets smaller exporters over the line, how to check and download the certificate DGFT may already have issued you, and what the status is actually worth at customs and at the bank.

Who This Page Applies To 

• Exporters who suspect they already qualify and have never checked the DGFT dashboard 

• MSME and manufacturer exporters who fall short of USD 3 million and do not know about double weightage 

• Exporters previously refused because one of the three years fell short, who are now eligible under the August 2026 rule 

• Exporters whose system generated certificate came through at a lower category than expected 

• Service exporters and deemed export suppliers, whose data does not reach DGFT automatically 

• Existing status holders approaching the end of a five year validity, or crossing into the next category 

If you export goods, services or technology and hold a valid IEC, you are eligible to be considered. Nothing else gates it apart from performance. 

What a Star Export House Is 

A star export house is an exporter that DGFT has formally recognised as a Status Holder under the Foreign Trade Policy. The recognition sits in Chapter 1 of the Policy and of the Handbook of Procedures, and it is graded from One Star to Five Star according to export performance measured in FOB or FOR value in US dollars. 

Three names circulate for the same thing. Status Holder Certificate is the formal term. Export House Certificate is the older one. Star export house is what most exporters actually say. They are one certificate. 

It is a recognition, not a subsidy. There is no cash benefit and no duty saving attached to it. What it gives you is procedural: self declaration at customs, relief from bank guarantees under Policy schemes, and standing with overseas buyers, banks and insurers. For many exporters the credibility is worth more than the procedure. 

Key Related Terms 

Term	Meaning
Status Holder	The formal Policy term for a recognised star export house
SHC	Status Holder Certificate, the document itself
e-SHC	The system generated electronic certificate issued from DGFT export data
FOB or FOR value	The export value basis on which performance is measured
DGCI&S	The directorate whose export data feeds the automatic issue
Double weightage	A one time uplift that counts eligible exports twice, for One Star only
ANF 1B	The application form for status recognition under HBP 2023
RCMC	Registration Cum Membership Certificate from the relevant Export Promotion Council

What Changed on 21 August 2026 

DGFT has relaxed the eligibility criteria for One Star Export House status. Under Notification No. 33/2026-27 dated 21 August 2026, which amends Para 1.25 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2023, an applicant can now qualify on the required export performance in any two out of the three preceding financial years, instead of in all three. 

The relaxation does not apply to the gems and jewellery sector, which continues to be assessed on its own two preceding financial year rule. If you were told you were ineligible because a single year fell short, that assessment is now out of date and worth redoing. 

Note also Notification No. 30/2026-27 dated 20 August 2026, which amends Para 2.52 (Denomination of Export Contracts) and Para 2.53 (Applicability of FTP Schemes for Export Realisations in Indian Rupees) of the Policy. If part of your realisation comes in Indian Rupees through a Special Rupee Vostro Account, these changes bear on which earnings can be counted towards the thresholds in Para 1.26. Para 2.53 receipts have their own prescribed format in the ANF 1B annexure. 

The Five Star Export House Categories and Turnover Thresholds 

Para 1.26 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2023 sets the table. Export performance is measured in FOB or FOR value in US dollars. Under Para 1.25(d) the window is the three preceding financial years, and for the gems and jewellery sector the two preceding financial years.

The current financial year is not part of the eligibility test, although the automatic issue run does add April to June data of the current year when the system computes your category. Two provisions are doing separate jobs here and almost every competitor page runs them together. Para 1.25(b) sets the window over which the threshold value has to be reached. Para 1.25(d) sets how many of those years must each show export performance in their own right. The August 2026 amendment relaxes the second test, not the first. 

Category	Export performance threshold
One Star Export House	USD 3 million
Two Star Export House	USD 15 million
Three Star Export House	USD 50 million
Four Star Export House	USD 200 million
Five Star Export House	USD 800 million

The Foreign Trade Policy 2023 cut the thresholds for every category above One Star. Four Star and Five Star fell furthest, both by 60 percent. The stated intent, in the PIB release of 9 October 2023, was to widen recognition from 12,518 exporters to about 20,000, and it is why a lot of mid sized exporters who assumed the status was out of reach now qualify without doing anything differently. 

Category	FTP 2015-20	FTP 2023	Reduction
One Star	USD 3 million	USD 3 million	No change
Two Star	USD 25 million	USD 15 million	40 percent
Three Star	USD 100 million	USD 50 million	50 percent
Four Star	USD 500 million	USD 200 million	60 percent
Five Star	USD 2,000 million	USD 800 million	60 percent

One Star Export House Turnover 

USD 3 million of export performance across the qualifying years, and from 21 August 2026 that performance is needed in only two of the three preceding financial years. One Star is the only category where double weightage can be claimed, which in practice brings a genuine exporter at around USD 1.5 million into range. 

Two Star Export House Turnover 

USD 15 million, down from USD 25 million under the previous Policy. Two Star is the first category that unlocks the export warehouse facility, and the first at which the Para 1.30 training and mentorship expectation begins. 

Three Star Export House Turnover 

USD 50 million, down from USD 100 million. Three Star is the threshold that matters most commercially, because manufacturer exporters at Three Star and above can self certify their goods as originating in India for preferential treatment under trade agreements, instead of obtaining a Certificate of Origin for every consignment. 

Four Star and Five Star Export House Turnover 

USD 200 million and USD 800 million respectively, down from USD 500 million and USD 2,000 million. These are the two categories the 2023 recalibration was aimed at, and any page still quoting USD 2,000 million for a Five Star Export House is working from the 2015-20 Policy. 

Double Weightage, and Who Qualifies for It 

Double weightage counts your eligible exports twice for the purpose of reaching a threshold. Two constraints on it, both in Para 1.27. It applies to the One Star category only, and a given shipment or service can be counted for it only once, in one category. 

The categories in the Policy are narrower than most guidance suggests. They are: 

• Micro and Small Enterprises as defined in the MSMED Act 2006. Note that this is Micro and Small only. Medium enterprises are not covered 

• Manufacturing units holding ISO or BIS certification 

• Units located in the North Eastern States including Sikkim, and the Union Territories of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh 

• Export of fruits and vegetables falling under Chapters 7 and 8 of ITC HS. This is not agriculture generally, it is those two chapters 

It is the most commonly missed provision on this subject, because the automatic issue route does not apply it for you. If you are entitled to it, you have to ask. 

Worked Example: Taking a USD 1.6 Million Exporter to One Star 

A Udyam registered small manufacturer exports USD 1.6 million in FY 2023-24, USD 0.9 million in FY 2024-25 and USD 1.7 million in FY 2025-26. On raw numbers no year touches USD 3 million, so the automatic system issues nothing. 

Apply double weightage as a Micro or Small Enterprise and the two strong years become USD 3.2 million and USD 3.4 million. Both clear the One Star bar. Before 21 August 2026 the weak middle year would still have sunk the application, because performance was needed in all three preceding years. Under the amended Para 1.25 two qualifying years out of three are enough. The same exporter is now a One Star Export House, on numbers that have not changed at all. 

Automatic Issue Against Manual Application 

DGFT issues star export house status recognition two ways, and knowing which applies to you saves a wasted application. 

Automatic. DGFT automated the issue of status recognition through Public Notice No. 32/2023 and Trade Notice No. 28/2023-24, both dated 9 October 2023. The system generates an electronic Status Holder Certificate, the e-SHC, from the merchandise export data DGCI&S already holds, and delivers it to your registered email address and your DGFT dashboard by 15 August each year. The assessment runs on the three preceding financial years, two for gems and jewellery, plus April to June data of the current year. If your goods exports are clean and reported, the certificate may already be sitting in your dashboard. A large number of exporters have never looked. 

Manual. You have to apply yourself if any of these apply: 

• You are a service exporter, whose foreign exchange earnings do not reach the automatic system 

• You are a deemed export supplier 

• You are claiming double weightage 

• You received no e-SHC despite qualifying on the numbers 

• The system has assigned you a lower category than your actual performance supports 

That last case is a request for modification with supporting data, not a fresh application. 

How to Get Star Export House Status in 5 Easy Steps 

Step 1: Check Your Dashboard Before You Apply 

Log in at the DGFT portal and go to Services, then Certificate Management, then Status Holder Certificate. If an e-SHC has already been issued, there is nothing to apply for and the job becomes checking that the category is right. 

Step 2: Update the IEC Profile 

Export, import and turnover details must be current in the IEC profile for the selected financial year and the preceding years. If they are not, the application errors out and stops. Fix the profile first. A valid and live IEC is the base requirement. 

Step 3: Assemble the Performance Evidence 

You need a Chartered Accountant certified export performance statement carrying a UDIN, filed in the prescribed formats as an annexure to ANF 1B, covering as applicable your service export earnings, exports claimed for double weightage, the FOR value of deemed exports, receipts under Para 2.53 and exports from SEZ, EOU, EHTP, STP or BTP units. Add a copy of any earlier status certificate. Where double weightage is claimed, add the proof: Udyam registration, the ISO or BIS certificate, or evidence of location. 

Keep your RCMC current alongside this. It is not a listed document for the status application itself, but a lapsed Export Promotion Council membership will block most of the Policy benefits the status is meant to unlock. 

Step 4: File Online With a Registered DSC 

The application is filed through the DGFT dashboard under Services, then Certificate Management, then Status Holder Certificate. A valid Digital Signature Certificate must be registered against the profile and the declaration is digitally signed. The process is paperless and DGFT states there is no application fee, though DGFT’s own user help file references an online fee payment, so do not be surprised by a nominal charge at the payment screen. 

Step 5: Track, and Contest a Low Category 

Submitted applications sit under My Dashboard. If the category granted is lower than your performance supports, file for modification with the supporting data rather than accepting it. Waiting for the next annual run to correct itself wastes a year of privileges. 

How to Check and Download Your Status Holder Certificate From DGFT 

This is the question star export house applicants ask most often after the annual run, and it has a short answer. The e-SHC is not posted to you and it is not sent by the Regional Authority. It arrives in two places. 

• Your registered email address, as an attachment sent when the annual run completes, usually by 15 August 

• Your DGFT dashboard, under Services, then Certificate Management, then Status Holder Certificate, where it can be downloaded at any time 

If nothing is there and you believe you qualify on the numbers, do not simply wait for the next run. Check the IEC profile first, because incomplete profile data is the usual reason a qualifying exporter is skipped, then file manually. If the certificate is there but the category is understated, the fix is a modification request with the CA certified statement attached, not a fresh application. 

The Star Export House List, and What DGFT Actually Publishes 

Exporters look for a public register of star export houses, and it is worth being exact about this because most guidance on the subject is wrong. There is no public List of Active Status Holders on the DGFT portal. The Status Holder Certificate area is where you retrieve your own certificate. It is not a searchable roster of anyone else’s. Verification therefore works in two ways, and neither of them is a public list. 

First, your own status is confirmed from your DGFT dashboard, under Services, then Certificate Management, then Status Holder Certificate. The e-SHC downloaded there carries the issuing details and the file reference, and that document, not a directory entry, is what an overseas buyer, a bank or a credit insurer is asking for. Second, where a counterparty tells you they hold Three Star status, ask them for the certificate rather than expecting to look them up, because DGFT does not expose a public search. Any page that tells you to check a DGFT list of active status holders is describing something that is not there. 

What Star Export House Status Actually Gets You 

The privileges sit in Para 1.29 of the Policy. They are procedural and operational, not financial. 

• Authorisations and customs clearances for both imports and exports on a self declaration basis 

• Exemption from furnishing a bank guarantee for schemes under the Foreign Trade Policy, which is the single largest working capital effect 

• Priority fixation of input output norms, targeted within 60 days 

• Exemption from compulsory negotiation of export documents through banks 

• Permission to establish export warehouses, for Two Star and above 

• Preferential treatment and priority in the handling of consignments by the concerned agencies 

• Self certification of Indian origin for preferential treatment under trade agreements, for manufacturer exporters at Three Star and above 

• Export of freely exportable items free of cost for export promotion, capped at Rupees one crore or 2 percent of average annual export realisation over the preceding three licensing years, whichever is lower, and excluding gems and jewellery, articles of gold and precious metals. For pharmaceutical products the limit is 2 percent, and it rises to up to 8 percent for supplies to United Nations agencies, WHO-PAHO and government sponsored health programmes 

Beyond the Policy, the status carries weight with overseas buyers, banks and credit insurers. What it does not provide is duty concessions, refunds or cash incentives. Any page that tells you otherwise is selling something. 

Star Export House Against AEO 

Exporters weighing star export house against AEO ask which one to pursue. They are different instruments and they are not alternatives. 

	Star Export House	AEO
Issued by	DGFT	Customs, CBIC
Basis	Export performance in US dollars	Compliance systems, solvency and security
Main effect	Policy scheme privileges and standing	Faster clearance, lower examination, deferred duty at higher tiers
Effort to obtain	Low if the performance exists	Substantial, with a documented compliance regime

A high volume exporter with weak compliance systems can hold Five Star status. An immaculate small importer can hold AEO and never qualify for One Star. Most serious exporters end up wanting both, and the sequencing usually runs star export house first, because it needs nothing more than evidence you already have. 

Validity, Renewal and Upgrade 

There is a discrepancy in how long a star export house certificate stays valid, worth knowing before you rely on a date. Para 1.09(b) of the Handbook of Procedures 2023 states that status certificates issued under this Policy are valid for five years from the date on which the application for recognition was filed. The DGFT portal FAQ describes the validity as five years from the date of issuance, or until the validity of the Foreign Trade Policy, whichever is earlier. 

Those are not the same start date, and on a slow application the gap is real. Work to the Handbook wording, which runs from the filing date and is the earlier of the two. The Policy limb is theoretical at present, because the Foreign Trade Policy 2023 came into force on 1 April 2023 and continues in operation unless amended or superseded, with no end date to run out. 

The status holds for its full term even if exports fall away during it. There is no automatic cancellation for a lean year. What is reassessed is renewal, where DGFT looks again at performance against the thresholds then in force. You also do not have to wait for expiry to move up. If performance crosses the next threshold during the validity period, apply for an upgrade. 

Obligations of a Star Export House 

Training and mentorship. Para 1.30 makes status holders partners in building trade skills and says they will endeavour to provide skill upgradation and training in international trade. The verb is permissive rather than mandatory, and One Star carries no obligation at all. The indicative annual scale runs 5 trainees for Two Star, 10 for Three Star, 20 for Four Star and 50 for Five Star, on programmes of roughly six weeks. Skilling and mentorship details are a required part of the ANF 1B application itself wherever you apply at Two Star or above, so plan them before you file rather than treating them as an afterthought. 

Records and reporting. Maintain accurate import and export records and file the prescribed statements. 

How performance is counted, under Para 1.28. 

• Export performance cannot be transferred between IEC holders, so a claim on a disclaimer basis is not allowed 

• Exports made on a re-export basis are excluded from the calculation 

• Exports of items under Authorisation, including SCOMET items, are included 

Common Star Export House Problems 

Problem	Why it happens	What to do
Application errors out at the turnover screen	IEC profile not updated for the selected and preceding years	Update Manage IEC Profile before filing anything
Category granted is lower than expected	The automatic route used DGCI&S merchandise data only	File for modification with the full performance statement
Service exports not counted	Service export data does not reach the automatic system	Apply manually with a CA certified foreign exchange earnings statement
Just short of USD 3 million	Double weightage not claimed	Check Micro or Small status, ISO or BIS, location and the fruit and vegetable chapters
Assumed ineligible on a patchy record	Judged against the pre August 2026 all three years rule	Re-check under the two out of three rule in Notification 33/2026-27
No certificate received at all	Profile data incomplete, so the annual run skipped the IEC	Fix the profile, then file manually rather than waiting a year
Certificate expired earlier than expected	The Handbook runs five years from the filing date, the FAQ from issuance	Diarise from the filing date, which is the earlier of the two
Merchant exporter counting a supplier’s exports	Performance cannot be transferred between IECs	Build the claim on your own IEC only. Disclaimer basis is not permitted
Re-exports included in the performance figure	Para 1.28 excludes exports made on a re-export basis	Strip them out before computing, or the CA statement will not reconcile
Expecting to self certify origin at One Star	Para 1.29 limits self certification to manufacturers at Three Star and above	Continue with a Certificate of Origin until you reach Three Star
Medium enterprise assumed double weightage applies	Para 1.27 covers Micro and Small only	Recheck the Udyam classification before claiming
RCMC lapsed	Council membership not renewed	Renew before you rely on Policy scheme benefits the status unlocks

How JPARKS INDIA Helps

At JPARKS INDIA, we help exporters obtain the right Star Export House recognition with accurate eligibility assessment, compliant documentation, and end-to-end DGFT filing support.

Our services include:

• Assessing eligibility under DGFT Para 1.25, including the two-out-of-three-year rule.
• Calculating export performance as per DGFT norms, including applicable weightage.
• Verifying e-SHC status and resolving IEC profile issues.
• Preparing ANF 1B with a UDIN-backed CA-certified export performance statement.
• Filing, tracking, renewing, upgrading, or modifying Star Export House applications.

What you receive: A detailed eligibility assessment, professionally managed application filing, your Status Holder Certificate, and continued support for renewals and category upgrades.

Explore our EXIM Compliance Services, visit the JPARKS INDIA, or connect with our Import Export Consultants for expert guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Q1. What is a star export house? 

A star export house is an exporter recognised by DGFT as a Status Holder under the Foreign Trade Policy, graded from One Star to Five Star according to export performance in FOB or FOR value. The document is the Status Holder Certificate, also called the Export House Certificate. 

Q2. What is the minimum export turnover for One Star Export House? 

USD 3 million of export performance. Micro and Small Enterprises under the MSMED Act 2006, ISO or BIS certified manufacturing units, units in the North Eastern States including Sikkim and the Union Territories of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, and exporters of fruits and vegetables under ITC HS Chapters 7 and 8 can claim double weightage towards that figure, once, and for One Star only. 

Q3. What changed for star export house status in August 2026? 

DGFT Notification No. 33/2026-27 dated 21 August 2026 amended Para 1.25 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2023 so that One Star Export House status can be granted on export performance in any two out of the three preceding financial years, rather than in all three. The change does not apply to the gems and jewellery sector, and that is not a penalty: that sector is already assessed on its own two preceding financial year rule. 

Q4. Which financial years are counted for star export house status? 

Para 1.25(d) of the Foreign Trade Policy 2023 measures the three preceding financial years, and the two preceding financial years for the gems and jewellery sector. The current financial year is not part of the eligibility test, although the automatic issue run adds April to June data of the current year when the system computes a category. 

Q5. Is there a fee for the Status Holder Certificate? 

DGFT’s Status Holder Certificate FAQ states that there is no application fee, and the application is filed online and paperless. One inconsistency in DGFT’s own material is worth noting: the Status Holder Certificate user help file lists a bank account for online payment of the application fee among the prerequisites. Expect no fee, and be prepared for a nominal one. 

Q6. How do I download my Status Holder Certificate from DGFT? 

The e-SHC is sent to your registered email address when the annual run completes, usually by 15 August, and is available from your DGFT dashboard under Services, then Certificate Management, then Status Holder Certificate. If nothing is there, check that the IEC profile is complete before assuming you do not qualify. 

Q7. How long is a star export house certificate valid? 

The Handbook of Procedures 2023 states five years from the date on which the application for recognition was filed. The DGFT portal FAQ describes it as five years from issuance or until the validity of the Foreign Trade Policy, whichever is earlier. Work to the earlier of those dates, which is the filing date. 

Q8. Do I lose the status if exports drop? 

No. The status runs for its full term regardless of performance during the period. Performance is reassessed at renewal, against the thresholds in force at that time. 

Q9. Do I have to apply, or is it issued automatically? 

Both routes exist. DGFT issues a system generated electronic certificate from the merchandise export data it already holds, under Public Notice 32/2023 and Trade Notice 28/2023-24. You must apply manually if you are a service exporter, a deemed export supplier, claiming double weightage, or contesting a category granted below your performance. 

Q10. What are the main star export house benefits? 

Self declaration for customs clearance on imports and exports, exemption from bank guarantee under Foreign Trade Policy schemes, priority fixation of input output norms within 60 days, exemption from compulsory negotiation of documents through banks, export warehouses for Two Star and above, self certification of origin for manufacturers at Three Star and above, and free of cost exports for export promotion within a prescribed cap.