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Biz Advisory

IEC — Import Export Code Registration

Import Export Code (IEC) registration — mandatory for any import or export transaction — DGFT portal online application, annual update, IEC modification, and export incentive linkage. Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act 1992, DGFT portal, IEC application, annual updation between 1 April and 30 June every year on the DGFT portal (FTP 2023 Para 2.05(e)); non-updation deactivates the IEC until re-activation on successful update, IEC modification for address/business change, IEC surrender.

Reviewed by CA Harun Raaj, ICAI Reg. No. 238303·Last reviewed:
Discuss with usTypical timelineIEC Registration

Import Export Code (IEC) registration — mandatory for any import or export transaction — DGFT portal online application, annual update, IEC modification, and export incentive linkage. Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act 1992, DGFT portal, IEC application, annual updation between 1 April and 30 June every year on the DGFT portal (FTP 2023 Para 2.05(e)); non-updation deactivates the IEC until re-activation on successful update, IEC modification for address/business change, IEC surrender. We keep the work founder-friendly and evidence-led so the company can move without unnecessary back-and-forth.

What is included
  • • IEC Registration scope review and action plan
  • • Document checklist and evidence review
  • • Drafting, computation, or filing support
  • • Submission support and acknowledgement tracking
  • • Follow-up on queries, corrections, or notices
  • • Closure notes and next-step reminders
Documents required
  • • Core records relevant to the transaction
  • • Any notice or approval already on file
  • • Financial or ownership evidence
  • • A contact person who can answer follow-up questions
Government fees

See the fee table below for the statutory filing charge and common delay logic.

Legal basis
  • • Section 128 of the Companies Act 2013
  • • Section 143 of the Companies Act 2013
  • • Section 44AA of the Income-tax Act 1961
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Process

How the service works

The workflow is built to be predictable: document collection, legal review, filing, and post-filing follow-through.

Step 1Scope

Confirm the scope

We map the exact service route to the trigger, form set, and documentary evidence so the work starts on the right footing.

Step 2Docs

Collect the records

We gather the company records, notices, or transaction documents needed for iec registration and check them for gaps.

Step 3Draft

Prepare the filing or memo

We draft the computations, filings, or advisory memo so the next person in the chain can review it quickly and confidently.

Step 4Close

Submit and track follow-up

We move the file through submission, keep the acknowledgement trail tidy, and handle any follow-up questions that come back.

AEO summary

IEC Registration is the CA-led workflow that helps a Private Limited company stay compliant, file the right forms, and keep the record trail clean.

IEC — Import Export Code Registration workflow

We start by checking the exact trigger, the legal route, and the documents that make iec registration executable for a Private Limited company. That keeps the filing or advisory work tied to the actual statutory path instead of a generic checklist.

Once the scope is locked, we prepare the working papers, filings, and follow-up notes so the matter can move without unnecessary back-and-forth. The goal is to make the process understandable for the founder, the finance team, and the reviewer.

  • • Scope mapping for iec registration
  • • CA-led document review and drafting
  • • Submission support and acknowledgement tracking

What this protects for the company

For a Private Limited company, the value is not just speed. It is also about keeping the record trail clean enough for banks, investors, regulators, and future diligence work.

A founder-friendly process lowers the chance of avoidable notices, rework, or missed deadlines while keeping the company aligned with the right section, rule, or circular in Biz Advisory.

  • • Cleaner compliance evidence for Biz Advisory
  • • Better preparation for diligence or audit
  • • Less last-minute chasing inside the finance team

Government fees

Fee breakdown

ItemFeeNotes
Professional engagementDiscuss with usThis work is scoped around the facts, documents, and the relevant filing or advisory route.
Connected filing or applicationAs per applicable scheduleAny statutory filing follows the relevant portal or authority fee table.

Timeline

Typical turnaround

Typical timeline usually means a annual turnaround, assuming documents are complete and any board or shareholder approvals are already in place.

Pricing note

Government fees depend on the exact filing route and any connected statutory filings.

Export compliance reference

The FTP 2023 & RBI anchors that bind before the first shipment

These four anchors are the export pre-flight checklist — each one is a statutory prerequisite that quietly blocks refunds, drawback, or the shipment itself when it is missing. IEC updation keeps the exporter live on the DGFT portal; the AD code link makes Customs credit IGST refunds and drawback automatically; the LUT removes the cash-out on zero-rated supplies; and realisation through the AD bank is what closes the export transaction with the RBI framework.

ObligationWindow / triggerStatutory basisFiled via
IEC annual updation1 April – 30 June every year — the annual updation window; non-updation deactivates the IECFTP 2023, Para 2.05(e)DGFT portal (dgft.gov.in)
AD code linkingBefore the first shipment — the AD code must be live on the ICEGATE profile for IGST refund and duty-drawback credit to flowFEMA 1999 s.10(1); Customs Act 1962 ss.50-51; CBIC/ICEGATE Circular 15/2018; FTP 2023 Para 2.04 (RoDTEP prerequisite)ICEGATE (Customs) — the 14-digit AD code issued by the AD bank
LUT (Letter of Undertaking)Before the first zero-rated export — valid till the end of the financial year of filing, renewed annuallyIGST Act 2017 s.16(1)(a)/(3); Rule 96A CGST Rules 2017GST portal — Form GST RFD-11
Export-proceeds realisationUnder current regulation — 9-month baseline; verify the operative window with your AD bank before relying on itFEM (Export of Goods and Services) Regulations 2015, Reg 9; RBI Master Direction on Export of Goods and ServicesAD bank — BRC/eBRC as the standard evidence of realisation

Verify before you rely on a date. The export-proceeds realisation window oscillated in 2025-26 (extended to 15 months in November 2025, reverted to 9 months in June 2026) and is under current regulation — confirm the operative window with your AD bank. Similarly, RBI is transitioning the software-export SOFTEX declaration into the unified EDF — confirm the operative form with your AD bank rather than assuming either form. Portal mechanics on DGFT, GST, and ICEGATE can change and should be re-checked at filing time; the statutory anchors above are the stable part.

Related services

Keep the company moving

Export GST LUT Refund

File a Letter of Undertaking annually and claim zero-rated GST refund under Rule 89.

RoDTEP Advisory

Claim RoDTEP scrips for embedded taxes on exported goods — remission, not refund.

Advance Authorisation

Import inputs duty-free against Standard Input-Output Norms with a 24-month export obligation.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Does every Private Limited company that imports or exports need an IEC?
Yes, unless a specific DGFT exemption applies, because Section 7 of the FT(D&R) Act 1992 makes IEC the basic import-export identifier. The policy framework uses IEC as the gateway code for trade.
Is there a turnover threshold below which IEC is not required?
No. Section 7 does not create a turnover threshold, so the real question is whether the company is exempt under DGFT policy rather than how much turnover it has.
How is IEC linked to PAN and what happens after amalgamation?
IEC is PAN-based under DGFT policy, so a change in legal identity usually requires IEC amendment or replacement handling. After a merger or amalgamation, the surviving entity should not keep using the old code blindly.
What is the timeline for getting an IEC after application?
Once the PAN and e-KYC checks pass, IEC is usually issued electronically very quickly, often the same day or within a short processing window. The Act does not prescribe a long statutory wait.
Does an IEC expire or need renewal?
IEC does not expire in the usual sense, but DGFT requires an annual update or confirmation. If the update is missed, the IEC can be marked inactive until it is refreshed.

Canonical reference: https://www.pvtltd.co/services/iec-import-export-code

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