Almost every first call we take starts here. The short answer: if you are importing commercially, you need an Importer Exporter Code, and getting one is the least difficult part of the whole process.
What an IEC actually is
A ten-digit code issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992. Customs will not clear a commercial consignment without one against the importer of record.
It is issued against your PAN, so one business has one IEC. It has lifetime validity — there is no renewal fee and no expiry date.
What it costs and how long it takes
- Fee: ₹500, paid online on the DGFT portal. One time, non-refundable.
- Time: commonly one to three working days. A clean application with matching PAN and bank details is often issued inside a day.
- What you need: PAN, a current account in the business name, a cancelled cheque or bank certificate, and address proof for the premises.
The part that catches people out
The IEC does not expire, but it does have to be updated every year between 1 April and 30 June on the DGFT portal — even when nothing about your business has changed. Miss the window and the code is deactivated.
A deactivated IEC is not discovered at a convenient moment. It is discovered when a consignment has already landed and the bill of entry will not file. The code can be reactivated, but the cargo sits accruing demurrage while that happens.
Do you need one for a sample?
For a genuine sample or a personal-use parcel coming by courier, usually not — courier shipments below the relevant threshold clear on a simplified basis. The moment it is commercial quantity, or it is going to be resold, it needs to be a proper import against your IEC.
If you are still waiting on yours and the goods are ready, tell us. We can often ship the first consignment under our own IEC while yours is issued, so the order is not held up.