Import Export Code
/ (IEC) Registration

IEC is a 10-digit code issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Ministry of Commerce. It is mandatory for any person or business involved in importing or exporting goods and services from India. The IEC must be quoted while clearing customs, sending shipments, and during bank transactions involving foreign currency.

Any business or individual engaged in import or export of goods requires an IEC. Importers need it to clear customs and send money abroad. Exporters need it to send shipments and receive foreign currency payments. For services, IEC is required only for specified services or technologies restricted by the Government of India.

IEC has lifetime validity. Once issued, it does not require any renewal. The same IEC is valid for all divisions, units, factories, and branches of the applicant. There is also no return filing requirement for IEC holders.

Yes, even individuals who are proprietors can obtain an IEC in their own name. It is not necessary to set up a company or formal business entity. The IEC can be obtained in the name of an individual, proprietorship, partnership firm, LLP, or company.

The IEC application is filed online through the DGFT website (dgft.gov.in). You enter your PAN, fill the application form with business and branch details, pay the government fee online, upload required documents, and submit to the Regional Authority. The system-generated certificate is issued on the same day, with the final certificate delivered within 3-5 days.

Operating without an IEC when required can result in customs authorities blocking your shipments, banks refusing to process foreign currency transactions, and penalties under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act. You also cannot avail export benefits from DGFT, customs, or Export Promotion Council without a valid IEC.