oneGet Your Import Export Code (IEC) Online in India
You cannot legally import goods into India or export goods out of it without an Import Export Code. Also called the IE code or import export licence, it is what customs, banks and freight forwarders will ask for before your first consignment moves.
Our team files your IEC application on the DGFT portal, gets the PAN, Aadhaar, bank and address details to match exactly, and sets up the annual update that most exporters forget until their code is deactivated.
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one-startup is a private consultancy, not a government body. IEC applications can be filed directly on the DGFT portal; our fee is for expert assistance and filing support, separate from the government application fee.
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Updated for FY 2025-26
What is an IEC & do you actually need one?
The essentials in under a minute — including the annual update almost everyone misses.
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What an IEC really is
The Import Export Code is a ten-digit business identification number issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade. Since it is now generated from your PAN, your IEC is effectively your PAN, and it is mandatory for anyone importing or exporting goods commercially from India.
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Who needs one
Anyone importing goods into India for commercial purposes. Anyone exporting goods out of India, including through courier or postal channels. Service exporters claiming benefits under foreign trade policy schemes. Not required for personal-use imports, or for goods traded by government departments and certain notified categories.
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How long it takes
IEC issuance is largely automated. With Aadhaar-based e-signature and correct details, the certificate is often generated within about 1 to 5 working days of a complete application on the DGFT portal.
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What it costs
The government application fee is ₹500, payable online to DGFT. Professional fees at one-startup start from ₹2,499 for the Basic plan, with Standard and Complete support options available.
Pricing
Our Professional Fee for IEC Registration
Choose the level of support you need. Government charges are payable separately, as applicable.
Proprietorship
₹1999 / professional fee
- Eligibility check & DGFT profile creation
- PAN, business and bank document review
- Application preparation and submission assistance
- Routine application clarification support
- IEC download after issuance
Company/LLP/Partnership
₹2999 / professional fee
- Eligibility check & DGFT profile creation
- PAN, business and bank document review
- Application preparation and submission assistance
- Routine application clarification support
- IEC download after issuance
Government fees are extra. Annual IEC confirmation or updates, RCMC, GST registration, LUT, customs services and export incentive applications are not included.
Why It Matters
Why getting your IEC right actually matters?
It is the single document that makes cross-border trade legal, unlocks export incentives, and lets your bank process foreign currency remittances against shipments.
An IEC is the licence plate for cross-border trade. Done right, it lets you:
With a valid IEC correctly linked to your PAN and bank details, your business can move shipments, receive foreign payments and access export benefits with fewer avoidable interruptions.
Documents Required
What you'll need to apply?
The IEC document list is short — but every detail has to match your PAN and bank records exactly.
Your IEC Registration fileChecked, organised and ready to submit
PAN of the applicant
PAN of the individual or business entity, since the IEC is generated against it.
Identity proof
Aadhaar of the proprietor, partner or director, linked to a mobile number for e-signature.
Business registration proof
Certificate of Incorporation, partnership deed or Udyam registration, as applicable.
Bank details
A cancelled cheque or a bank certificate for the account to be linked to the IEC.
Address proof
Rent agreement, electricity bill or sale deed for the registered business address.
DSC or Aadhaar e-sign
Companies and LLPs generally sign with a DSC; proprietors typically use Aadhaar OTP.
Process
From Application to IEC Certificate in 6 Steps
From your first message to a code you can quote on a shipping bill — usually within days.
Free consultation
Tell us what you plan to import or export and your entity type. We confirm whether you need an IEC and what else applies.
Document collection
We collect your PAN, Aadhaar, bank and address proofs and check them against each other before filing.
DGFT profile creation
We create your account on the DGFT portal and prepare the ANF-2A application.
Application filing & fee
We submit the application, pay the ₹500 government fee and complete Aadhaar or DSC e-signature with you.
Verification
PAN and bank details are validated automatically, and we handle any discrepancy raised.
Get your IEC certificate
Your ten-digit IEC is issued and the certificate is available for download from the DGFT portal.
After Registration — Keeping It Active
What happens after you get your IEC?
An IEC does not expire, but it is not maintenance-free either. This is the part that catches most exporters out.
Simple rule: update your IEC on the DGFT portal every year between April and June, even if nothing has changed.
Mandatory annual update
The IEC must be updated electronically every year, even when there are no changes.
AD code registration
Your bank's Authorised Dealer code must be registered at each port you ship from. See how this pairs with your GST registration.
LUT for exports
A Letter of Undertaking lets you export without paying IGST, and is renewed each financial year. Filed under your GST registration.
RCMC
A Registration cum Membership Certificate from the relevant export promotion council, for scheme benefits.
!Ask about IEC Registration compliance →
Simple rule: update your IEC on the DGFT portal every year between April and June, even if nothing has changed.
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Other Trade services
All Your Import-Export Compliance In One Place
Cross-border trade needs more than an IEC. Many exporters also need MSME/Udyam registration and a trademark before they scale. Our team also helps with:
Mandatory annual IEC update and modification
AD code and port registration for shipping bills
LUT filing for zero-rated exports under GST
RoDTEP, duty drawback and export incentive claims
Swipe through services
Whatever your question, we'll give you a clear, plain-English answer.
Why one-startup
Built For Serious Founders, Not Random Form-Filling
Nearly every IEC problem we see traces back to one of two things: a mismatch between PAN, bank and address details, or a missed annual update. We handle both.
Expert reviewed
Your documents are checked by a professional before filing, to reduce avoidable rejection risk. Not a form-filling bot.
Transparent pricing
The quote is the final cost. No surprises after you pay.
One point of contact
One named person from first message to final certificate.
PAN-India
Wherever your business is, we file for it.
Post-registration support
We also help with returns, filings, renewals, notices and ongoing compliance.
Swipe to explore
IEC Registration in 2026
What's changed in 2026, & why it's easier to get wrong?
IEC issuance has become almost instant, but the ongoing obligations attached to it have become far stricter.
Near-automated issuance
With Aadhaar e-signature and matching PAN details, IECs are often generated within a couple of working days.
Annual update is compulsory
Every IEC must be electronically updated each year between April and June. No update means deactivation, regardless of trade volume.
Bank details are validated
Account details are verified against records, so a closed or mismatched account blocks both issuance and remittances.
IEC is your PAN
The code is issued against PAN, so a single entity holds a single IEC — multiple codes for one PAN are not permitted.
Swipe through updates
Getting an IEC takes days. Losing it takes one missed annual update — and you usually discover that when a shipment is already at the port. That is exactly where having someone track it for you pays for itself.
WhatsApp Us — Get It Right the First Time
Testimonials
What Our Clients Say About Their IEC Experience
Client-style feedback for the current layout — replace with verified customer testimonials before publishing.
FAQs
IEC Registration — Questions, Answered
Clear answers to what founders and small businesses ask before applying.
Still unsure? Ask usIt is a ten-digit business identification number issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, mandatory for anyone importing or exporting goods commercially from India.
Any business or individual importing or exporting goods for commercial purposes, including through courier and postal channels. Service exporters also need it to claim foreign trade policy benefits.
₹500, payable online to DGFT at the time of application. This is separate from any professional fee.
No. one-startup is a private professional-services firm. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by DGFT or any government department. You can apply directly on the DGFT portal yourself; we are the paid expert help if you would rather not do it alone.
Usually about 1 to 5 working days. Issuance is largely automated once PAN, Aadhaar and bank details are verified successfully.
No, it has lifetime validity. However, it must be electronically updated every year between April and June, failing which it is deactivated.
No. Since the IEC is issued against PAN, one entity can hold only one IEC. Additional branches are added to the same code.
Not for the IEC itself, but GST registration is generally needed to actually trade, claim input tax credit and file an LUT for zero-rated exports.
Not always for the service export itself, but it is required to claim benefits under the foreign trade policy and is often asked for by banks.
The Authorised Dealer code identifies your bank branch and must be registered at each port you ship from, before a shipping bill can be generated.
The IEC is deactivated, which halts customs clearance. It can be reactivated by completing the update, but not before delays and demurrage have started.
Yes. Individuals and proprietorships can obtain an IEC using their personal PAN, and it is issued the same way as for a company.
Ready to start importing or exporting?
Tell us what you plan to trade and we'll confirm whether you need an IEC, which documents to prepare, and what else — LUT, AD code, RCMC — you will need before your first shipment moves.