Registrations, Licences & IP / MSME & Trade Registrations

Import Export Code (IEC)

Obtain your Importer-Exporter Code from the DGFT so you can clear customs, receive foreign payments and apply for export schemes, with help on yearly profile updates.

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Overview

The Importer-Exporter Code (IEC) is a 10-digit identification number issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992. It is tied to the PAN of the person or entity, and customs, banks and the DGFT use it to identify every import and export transaction. Zenith prepares the application, files it on the DGFT portal and hands over the IEC certificate together with the annual update steps.

Who needs it

Any business or individual importing goods into India or exporting goods out of India for commerce.
Merchant exporters, manufacturer exporters and e-commerce sellers shipping abroad.
Service exporters who want benefits under the Foreign Trade Policy, or whose bank asks for it; otherwise services exports generally do not need an IEC.
Anyone who plans to apply for RCMC, advance authorisation or EPCG, all of which depend on an IEC.

Not required for: imports or exports for personal use, government departments, certain notified charitable institutions, and (per a circular described in the sources) the PAN of a GST-registered trader may stand in for the IEC for some transactions. Zenith confirms which applies to you.

What Zenith does

Checks whether your transactions need an IEC at all.
Collects the documents, prepares the application and files it on the DGFT portal with the right signing method.
Resolves portal queries and downloads the certificate.
Handles later modifications and the yearly profile update.

Professional fees are customised; government fees are shown separately in the quotation.

Eligibility and key rules

The applicant needs a valid PAN, a bank account (a current account for businesses) and a business address in India.
Proprietorships, partnerships, LLPs, companies, HUFs, trusts and societies can apply, each under their own PAN.
An IEC does not expire, and it needs no return filing, but the profile must be updated every year on the DGFT portal; an IEC that is not updated can be deactivated and reactivated on update, subject to no action pending under the Foreign Trade Policy.
The application can be signed with Aadhaar authentication or a Digital Signature Certificate; the DSC is not compulsory for the application.
One IEC per PAN.

Documents required

PAN of the individual, firm or company.
Identity proof of the proprietor, partners or directors (Aadhaar, voter ID or passport).
Proof of establishment: incorporation certificate, partnership deed or registration proof.
Address proof of the business premises: sale deed, rent agreement or a recent utility bill.
Cancelled cheque or bank certificate of the current account, in the name of the applicant.
Passport-size photograph and a signing method (Aadhaar OTP or DSC).

Process and timeline

Zenith confirms the entity and the persons whose details the portal asks for.
A DGFT account is registered with email and mobile OTP.
The IEC application is filled in with general, promoter, bank and other details.
Documents are uploaded and the application is signed.
The government fee is paid online and the receipt is downloaded.
The IEC certificate is issued electronically and can be printed from the IEC profile section of the portal.

Timelines depend on completeness, complexity and authority processing; sources describe the certificate as generated online once the fee and documents are in order.

Government fees, penalties and due dates

Application fee on the DGFT portal: Rs 500.
Modification of IEC details: Rs 200 (as stated in the sources read).
Annual update: the IEC profile must be confirmed on the portal every year, even with no trade during the year.
Trading without a valid IEC can lead to customs action, seizure of goods and penalties under the Foreign Trade Act.
Amounts and dates above reflect public sources read in October 2026 and change with notifications, so Zenith confirms the current figures in your quotation.

Common mistakes

Applying under an individual PAN when the shipments will be made by a company or LLP.
Using a bank account that is not in the name of the applicant.
Forgetting the yearly update and finding the IEC deactivated at the time of a shipment.
Not changing IEC details after an address, partner or director change.
Assuming an IEC alone gives export incentives; schemes and RCMC are separate.

FAQs

Is IEC valid for life?

Yes, it does not expire. The yearly profile update is what keeps it active.

Do I need an IEC to export services?

Generally not, unless you want Foreign Trade Policy benefits or your bank requires it.

Can a proprietor apply in their own name?

Yes, an individual running a business can apply, using their PAN.

Is a DSC required?

No. The application can be signed with Aadhaar authentication; a DSC may also be used.

Is GST needed for an IEC?

Not to apply. Many exporters hold both because refunds and customs processes link the two.

What if my details change?

File a modification on the DGFT portal; the sources read mention a separate modification fee.

What happens if I do not update it?

The IEC can be deactivated and then reactivated on a successful update, subject to no pending FTP action.