IEC Code (Import Export Code): How to Apply, Fee and Annual Update

An Import Export Code (IEC) is a 10-digit registration issued by India's Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), linked to your PAN. It is the foundational registration that makes commercial import or export legally possible in India — without it, customs will not clear an export or import shipment in your business's name.

It is not shipment-specific and does not expire in the way a licence might, but it is not a one-time, set-and-forget registration either — DGFT has periodically required exporters to confirm or update IEC details electronically to keep the code active, so treat it as something to check periodically, not just apply for once and forget.

Any business or individual importing or exporting goods commercially needs an IEC. The exemptions are narrow: goods for personal use, and some government departments and notified bodies. Service exporters need one only if they claim benefits under the Foreign Trade Policy. Confirm whether an exemption applies to you rather than assuming it does.

Applications are filed online through the DGFT portal using your business PAN, address proof, and bank account details, typically with Aadhaar-based or digital-signature authentication. Processing is usually fast once documents are in order, but exact steps, fees, and required proofs are set by DGFT and do change — apply directly through the official DGFT portal, not a third-party intermediary claiming to expedite it.

The application is entirely online on the DGFT portal (dgft.gov.in). There is no physical form and no office visit.

• Register on the DGFT portal with a mobile number and email, then log in.
• Choose the option to apply for an IEC and fill in the business details: entity type, PAN, address, branch offices and the proprietor, partners or directors.
• Add bank account details for the account you'll use for export receipts.
• Upload the supporting documents (see below).
• Sign the application with Aadhaar-based e-sign or a digital signature certificate.
• Pay the government fee online. Once approved, the IEC certificate can be downloaded from your dashboard.

The list is short. What matters is that names and addresses match across all of them and your PAN record.

A fresh IEC costs a government fee of ₹500, paid online during the application. There's no renewal fee.

Every IEC holder must confirm or update their IEC details on the DGFT portal once a year, between 1 April and 30 June, even if nothing has changed. If you miss it, DGFT deactivates the IEC and customs won't clear shipments under it until you complete the pending update, after which it is reactivated. Put the window in your compliance calendar alongside the LUT renewal.

Log in to the DGFT portal with the IEC holder's account and open the IEC section of the dashboard to view or print the current IEC certificate. Download a fresh copy after every modification so the copy you share with banks and your CHA shows current details.

To check any IEC, your own or a supplier's, use 'View Any IEC' on the DGFT website. Enter the 10-character IEC and at least the first three characters of the firm name. It shows the firm's basic details, whether the IEC is active, and whether it's on DGFT's Denied Entity List (DEL).

An individual or sole proprietor applies with their personal PAN, and the IEC is issued in their name, with the trade name added if there is one. Individuals importing or exporting goods purely for personal use, not linked to trade or business, are exempt. Anyone doing it commercially, even occasionally, needs the code.

Letting business name, address, or bank details drift out of sync between your IEC and your GST registration — banks and customs cross-check these. Assuming an IEC alone is sufficient without also registering for GST, RCMC (if claiming export incentives), or other category-specific licences your product needs.

Another frequent gap: not completing DGFT's periodic online confirmation/updation requirement, which can lead to the code being deactivated even though nothing about the business actually changed.

Your IEC number appears on the shipping bill, bill of entry, and often bank realisation paperwork tied to a shipment. The business name and PAN behind it should match your GST registration and commercial invoice details exactly — a mismatch here is a compliance flag, not just a formatting inconsistency.

Bilexor keeps your business profile — name, address, tax details — in one place, so the identity details that need to match across your IEC, GST registration, and trade documents come from a single source instead of being re-entered per document.

Informational only — not legal, tax, or DGFT compliance advice. Confirm current application steps, fees, and renewal/updation requirements directly on the DGFT portal or with your CA before relying on anything here.