Importer Exporter Code Number (IEC) - A to Z of How to get IEC

What is IEC number?
IEC (importer Exporter Code) number is a 10 digit code number given to an exporter or importer by the regional office of the Director general of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Department of Commerce, Government of India.


Where should I apply?
You can apply to designated regional office of DGFT. The addresses are given here. The jurisdiction of regional offices are mentioned in Appendix-1A

What documents I need?
You need Bank account and income tax PAN number. All other documents can be generated at the time of application.

The following are official Guidelines to applicants:

    A - Applying for new IEC number – Kindly fill Part A,B & D of this application form

1. One copy of the application must be submitted.
2. Each individual page of the application has to be signed by the applicant.
3. Application must be accompanied by documents as per details given below :

i. Demand Draft of Rs.250 evidencing payment of application fee in favour of the concerned Regional
Office of DGFT. Money can also be paid through Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT).
ii. Certificate from the Banker of the applicant firm in the specified format
iii. Self certified copy of Permanent Account Number (PAN) issued by Income Tax Authorities.
iv. Two copies of passport size photographs of the applicant
v. Photograph on the banker’s certificate should be attested by the banker of the applicant.
vi. Self addressed envelope and stamp of Rs. 30.
vii. These documents may be kept secured in a file cover.

The above documents may be sent by post or hand delivered at the concerned Regional Office of DGFT.

B - Applying for modification of existing IEC number – Kindly fill Part A,C & D of this application form

1. Only one copy of the application should be submitted.
2. Each individual page of the application has to be signed by the applicant.
3. Application must be accompanied by documents as per details given below :

a. In case of Proprietorship firms, please furnish
i. Date of Birth of individual
ii. Number of IECs held along with their details
b. In case of Companies, please furnish
Date of incorporation
c. In case of others
Date of formation

4. No fee is payable for modification/amendment of IEC if the application is made within 90 days. However,
applications submitted after 90 days shall be considered on payment of penalty of Rs.1000/- to be made in
the form of Demand Draft to the concerned RA. No fee is required for inclusion of PAN Number in the old
IEC.

5. IEC in original.

Why do you need IEC number?
(a) No export or import shall be made by any person without an IEC number unless specifically exempted. Exempt Categories and Permanent IEC numbers are given in Para 2.8 of HBP v1.

Can I apply online?
Yes, you can apply online. Please see this DGFT  POLICY CIRCULAR NO. 15 (RE-2006)/ 2004-09 dated 27.7.2006 for relevant information.  You can file application through online here. IEC online HELP

How to apply?
Application for Grant of IEC
(a) Exporters / Importers shall file an application in ANF 2A format for grant of IEC and submit the same to jurisdictional RA. List of RAs, along with their jurisdiction is given in Appendix 1. (b) Only one IEC would be issued against a single PAN.

Is there any check sheet?
Yes. The following check sheet can be used. However it may vary from office to office.

CHECK SHEET FOR SCRUTINY OF APPLICATION FOR ISSUANCE OF

IMPORTER EXPORTER CODE NUMBER/MODIFICATION

Remarks

YES / NO/ NA

Whether the application in the prescribed format is furnished.(AS PER Public Notice 84, dt.11.11.2011)

A-  for allotment of new IEC -   ANF-2A,Part-A,B, & D only &
B-  for modification of the existing IEC – ANF-2A, Part-A,C & D (B for change of  address )                                                           

 

Whether the application along with all supporting documents page numbered and kept secured in a white colour file cover is furnished.

 

Whether all columns of the application are filled-in including e-mail address and wherever the information sought is not relevant whether the same is filled-in as “NA” without leaving the column blank.

 

Whether details such as Name, Father’s Name, Residential address & Telephone No. in respect of Proprietor, each Partners/Directors/Trustee at SlNo.2 of Part-A of ANF-2A are given.

 

Whether relevant sub-para i.e., i, ii iii under Para-5 of Declaration/Undertaking of the application is clearly opted by way of indicating “   “against the same.

 

Whether the application is signed by the Proprietor/Partner/Karta/ Director only as the case may be and each individual page of application is certified by the applicant? Application signed by other than Proprietor/Partner/Karta/ Director is not acceptable.

 

Whether Demand Draft for (i) Rs.250/- for Fresh IEC, (ii) Rs. 200/- for Duplicate IEC, (iii) for modification Rs. 1000/- penalty beyond 90 days is drawn in favour of “Jt. Director General of Foreign Trade” payable at -------- is furnished.

 

Whether the certificate in original obtained from the banker is exactly in the format specified in Part-B of ANF 2A on the banker’s letter head is furnished without inclusion of any additional clause.

 

Whether the Registered Office/Head office address figuring in the certificate issued by the bank and that figuring in the application is exactly matching with each other.

 

In case of Public Limited and Private Limited Companies, whether the registered office address and list of Directors and their addresses are tallying with the details given in ROC registration certificate?

 

Whether one passport size photo of the applicant (Director/Partner/Proprietor only) is affixed at Part-A of ANF-2A and one more pass port size photo duly affixed on the banker’s certificate in part-B of ANF-2A duly across attested by the banker and certified that the photograph belongs to the applicant  viz., Shri/Smt………………. Designation…………… are furnished.

 

Whether self certified copy of both sides of PAN (Permanent Account No.) issued by the Income Tax Authorities is furnished. (PAN to be in the name of the firm/company in case of Partnership firm/Company).

 

Whether the applicant’s Registered office/Head office falls within the Jurisdiction of R.Jt.DGFT, Hyd.

 

Whether a self addressed envelope duly affixing postal stamp worth Rs.30/- furnished.

 

Three photographs of the applicant, same as on Bank certificate

 

Whether Photographs submitted are of Proprietor/Partner/Karta/ Director? Photographs of others not acceptable.

 

Towards Manufacturer exporter whether Provisional or Permanent SSI is furnished and towards Service Provider whether Regn Cert. issued by Service Tax Cell is furnished.

 

E-mail ID of the signatory of the Bank Certificate and telephone number of Bank is mentioned

 

Whether Unique Identification Number, FIRC issued by RBI, submitted for opting 5(iii) in Part-D at  Sl.No.5

 

Whether tick marked specific or general for opting 5(ii) in Part-D at Sl.No.5

 

Towards Duplicate issue of IEC whether FIR, and Affidavit (Appendix 24) is submitted.

 

A covering letter may be furnished in a letter head of firm.

 

Who are exempted from taking IEC numbers?

The following categories of importers or exporters are exempted from obtaining Importer - Exporter Code (IEC) number:

  1. Importers covered by clause 3 (1) [except sub-clauses (e) and (l)] and exporters covered by clause 3(2) [except sub-clauses (i) and (k)] of the Foreign Trade (Exemption from application of Rules in certain cases) Order, 1993.
  2. Ministries/Departments of the Central or State Government.
  3. Persons importing or exporting goods for personal use not connected with trade or manufacture or agriculture.
  4. Persons importing/exporting goods from/to Nepal provided the CIF value of a single consignment does not exceed Indian Rs.25,000.
    Persons importing/exporting goods from/to Myanmar through Indo-Myanmar border areas provided the CIF value of a single consignment does not exceed Indian Rs.25,000.
  5. However, the exemption from obtaining Importer-Exporter Code (IEC) number shall not be applicable for the export of Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipments and Technologies (SCOMET) as listed in Appendix- 3, Schedule 2 of the ITC(HS) except in the case of exports by category(ii) above.

The following permanent IEC numbers shall be used by the categories of importers/ exporters mentioned against them for import/ export purposes..

Sl.No Code Number Categories of Importers / Exporters
1 0100000011 All Ministries / Departments of Central  Government and agencies wholly or partially owned by them.
2 0100000029 All Ministries / Departments of any State Government and agencies wholly or partially owned by them.
3 0100000037 Diplomatic personnel, Counselor officers in India and officials of UNO and its specialised agencies.
4 0100000045 Indians returning from / going abroad and claiming benefit under Baggage Rules.
5 0100000053 Persons / Institutions / Hospitals importing or exporting goods for personnel use, not connected with trade or manufacture or agriculture.
6 0100000061 Persons importing / exporting goods from /to Nepal
7 0100000070 Persons importing / exporting goods from /to Myanmar through Indo-Myanmar border areas
8 0100000088 Ford Foundation
9 0100000096 Importers importing goods for display or use in fairs / exhibitions or similar
events under provisions of ATA carnet This IEC number can also be used by
importers importing for exhibitions/fairs as per Para 2.29 of HBPv1.
10 0100000100 Director, National Blood Group Reference Laboratory, Bombay or their authorized offices.
11 0100000126 Individuals / Charitable Institution /Registered NGOs importing goods,
which have been exempted from Customs duty under Notification issued by Ministry of Finance for bonafide use by victims affected by natural calamity.
12 0100000134 Persons importing / exporting permissible goods as notified from time to time, from / to China through Gunji, Namgaya Shipkila and Nathula ports,
subject to value ceilings of single consignment as given in Para 2.8(iv) above.
13 0100000169 Non-commercial imports and exports by entities who have been authorized by Reserve Bank of India.

Validity of IEC:
An IEC number allotted to an applicant shall be valid for all its branches / divisions / units / factories. IEC is valid for ever and no need to renew the same.

Duplicate copy of the IEC
If original IEC, issued in format Appendix 18B, is lost or misplaced, issuing RA may consider request for grant of a duplicate copy of the IEC in the same format Appendix 18B, based on an affidavit.

Surrender of IEC
If an IEC holder does not wish to operate allotted IEC number, he may surrender the same by informing issuing authority. On receipt of such intimation, issuing authority shall immediately cancel it and electronically transmit it to DGFT and Customs authorities.

Modification in IEC
(a) An application for modification shall be filed with the RA from where IEC was originally issued.
(b) ANF2A shall be used for modification of IEC details like name, address, constitution etc. Application for modification should be filed within 90 days of the modification, after which a penalty as per Para 9.1 of HBP v1 shall be charged as additional application fees.
(c) If the ownership of a proprietor-firm, who has been issued an IEC undergoes any change due to sale, gift, inheritance or any other reason; and it continues to be proprietor-firm even after such change, then an application to incorporate such details of change alongwith PAN details of the new ownership be made before the concerned RA. If by such change of ownership, the nature of firm changes from proprietor-firm to any other type, again necessary application to incorporate the changes shall be made to the concerned RA.

How to submit IEC Code application
Application can be submitted in person/by Authorised represenative of the Company at the R & I counters in the regional offices of DGFT or it can be sent by post/courier.

Processing of IEC Code Application
In many offices there is counter assistance who assist in filing correct IEC application. Please take assistance of PRO also. It is better to file application by self and no need to approach any consultant. It is simple procedure and not complicated. In case of difficulty, one should not hesitate to contact higher officials. Even head of office. They are more than willing to help new exporters.

Issue and Despatch of IEC Code
IEC allotment letter is sent through post at the registered office mentioned by the applicant in the application. Similarly deficiency letters are send by post or if application is through counter assistance system, they are hand delivered.

IEC Code Number Related links
DGFT Online IEC Code Number Application Form -ANF-2A
View Your IEC Status
IEC Status at Custom(BIN)