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IEC Registration in Delhi NCR

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IEC Import Export Code registration services in Delhi NCR by Startup Advisory

In a Nutshell: How to Get an IEC in Delhi NCR

An IEC (Import Export Code) is a 10-digit code issued by the DGFT that lets your business legally import or export from India. Startup Advisory handles 100% online IEC registration across Delhi NCR – usually issued in 1–3 working days – with a CA-led team based in Saket, New Delhi.

  • What it is: A 10-digit Importer-Exporter Code from the DGFT, required for cross-border trade.
  • Who needs it: Any importer or exporter of goods or services – proprietorship, partnership, LLP or company.
  • Government fee: ₹500, one-time and non-refundable, on the DGFT portal.
  • Validity: Lifetime – but a free annual update between 1 April and 30 June is mandatory.
  • Timeline: 1–3 working days for the IEC; about 5–10 days for full trade readiness.
  • Provider: Startup Advisory, Saket, New Delhi – call 9311972982.

Reviewed by CA Neeraj Rohilla, FCA — Chartered Accountant, Startup Advisory, Saket, New Delhi. Last reviewed: June 2026.

Start Importing & Exporting Fast

Tell us a little about your business and our CA-led team in Saket will call you back with a clear, fixed-fee plan.

Call now: 9311972982

Startup Advisory provides fast, 100% online IEC registration in Delhi NCR – serving importers and exporters in Delhi, Gurugram (Gurgaon), Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad. Our CA-led team in Saket, South Delhi gets you a valid Import Export Code and sets you up to trade globally.

If you plan to import goods into India or export to customers abroad, the Import Export Code is your first and most essential registration. Issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992, this 10-digit code is what customs, banks and shipping partners look for before they let your goods or your foreign payments move.

The good news: it's a one-time registration with a small government fee, no monthly returns, and lifetime validity. The one thing you can't skip is the simple annual update on the DGFT portal – and we keep track of that for you.

Who Needs an IEC?

You need an Import Export Code if you:

  • Import goods into India for trade, manufacturing or commercial use.

  • Export goods to overseas buyers, or sell on global marketplaces (Amazon Global, eBay, Etsy).

  • Export services – software, SaaS, consultancy or freelance work – paid in foreign exchange.

  • Run a drop-shipping or cross-border e-commerce business.

  • Want to claim export incentives such as RoDTEP, duty drawback or a GST refund on exports.

Exemptions: the DGFT does not require an IEC for imports or exports by central or state government ministries and departments, or for goods imported/exported for personal use that are not connected to trade.

Who needs an Import Export Code in India

Benefits of Having an IEC

  • Customs clearance: without an IEC your goods cannot clear Indian customs, either way.

  • Foreign-currency banking: banks need your IEC to process international payments.

  • Access to export schemes: a prerequisite for RoDTEP, EPCG, Advance Authorisation and more.

  • No monthly compliance: one-time registration with only a simple annual update.

  • Lifetime validity: the IEC never expires as long as you keep it active.

Benefits of Import Export Code for businesses

Documents Required for IEC Registration

Identity & Business

  • PAN of the business / applicant

  • Aadhaar & photo of proprietor / partners / directors

  • Constitution proof (partnership deed / COI / registration certificate)

  • Digital Signature (for companies & LLPs) or Aadhaar e-Sign for proprietors

Address & Bank

  • Business address proof – electricity bill / rent agreement

  • Bank proof – cancelled cheque or banker's certificate

  • Active mobile number & email for OTP verification

  • Bank account in the name of the business

IEC Registration Process – Step by Step

The whole process is online on the DGFT portal (dgft.gov.in). Here's how we do it for you:

  • Step 1 – Create DGFT profile: We register your profile using PAN, email and mobile, verified by OTP.

  • Step 2 – Fill Form ANF-2A: We complete the IEC application with your business, address and bank details.

  • Step 3 – Upload documents: We attach your PAN, address proof and bank proof as required.

  • Step 4 – Pay & authenticate: The ₹500 government fee is paid online and the form is signed via DSC or Aadhaar e-Sign / OTP.

  • Step 5 – e-IEC issued: The DGFT issues your IEC certificate – usually within 1–3 working days – ready to download.

Typical timeline: 1–3 working days for the IEC itself, and about 5–10 working days to be fully trade-ready with your AD Code and ICEGATE set up.

Important: Mandatory Annual IEC Update (1 April – 30 June)

This is the one compliance step most traders forget. Under DGFT Notification 58/2015-2020, every IEC holder must update or confirm their IEC details on the DGFT portal each financial year:

  • Window: between 1 April and 30 June every year, even if nothing has changed.
  • Fee: free for a “no change” confirmation; around ₹200 if you modify details.
  • Miss it? Your IEC is automatically deactivated on 1 July and placed on the Denied Entity List.
  • Impact: a deactivated IEC means shipments stuck at customs until you reactivate it.

We track this window for our clients and handle the update for you – so your trade never stops.

Beyond the IEC: Getting Fully Trade-Ready

The IEC is step one. To actually ship and get paid, two more registrations usually follow – and we handle both:

  • AD Code registration: your bank's Authorised Dealer Code, registered at each customs port where you trade – a one-time step per port.

  • ICEGATE registration: on the customs portal (icegate.gov.in), where shipping bills and bills of entry are filed – set up using your IEC and DSC.

  • GST registration: needed for input tax credit and GST refunds on exports – see our GST registration service.

IEC Registration Cost in Delhi (2026)

IEC is one of the most affordable registrations – here is an indicative breakdown:

Cost Component Typical Amount (Delhi) Notes
Government Fee ₹500 One-time, non-refundable, on DGFT portal
Professional Fee As per package CA-led preparation & filing
Digital Signature (if needed) ₹1,500 – ₹2,500 Only for companies / LLPs
Annual Update Free / ₹200 Free if no change; ₹200 for modifications

Indicative cost: the IEC government fee is just ₹500, with a small professional fee on top for end-to-end filing. We work on transparent, fixed fees with no hidden charges.

Want a fixed-fee quote? Call 9311972982 today

Why Choose Startup Advisory?

  • Expert CA Team – a clean DGFT application, right the first time

  • Fast Turnaround – IEC in as little as 1–3 working days

  • End-to-End Trade Setup – IEC, AD Code, ICEGATE and GST in one place

  • Annual-Update Reminders – we keep your IEC active year after year


Ready to Get Your Import Export Code?

Call Now:- 9311972982 Email:- hello@startupadvisory.in
Or simply Get Free Consultation

Why choose Startup Advisory for IEC registration

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

IEC stands for Importer-Exporter Code. It is a 10-digit code issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Ministry of Commerce, under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992. It is a one-time registration that lets a business or individual legally import or export goods and services from India.

Any individual or entity – proprietorship, partnership, LLP or company – that imports or exports goods or services for commercial purposes needs an IEC. It is required to clear shipments through customs, to receive or send foreign-currency payments through banks, and to claim export incentives.

The government fee for IEC registration is ₹500, paid online on the DGFT portal. It is a one-time, non-refundable fee. On top of this you pay a professional fee for expert preparation and filing. Startup Advisory works on transparent, fixed fees – call 9311972982 for a quote.

An IEC is usually issued within 1 to 3 working days of a complete application, and is often generated almost instantly after successful authentication. Becoming fully trade-ready – with AD Code registration at your port and ICEGATE setup – typically takes around 5 to 10 working days.

An IEC has lifetime validity and does not expire. However, under DGFT Notification 58/2015-2020 every IEC holder must update or confirm their details on the DGFT portal each financial year between 1 April and 30 June – even if nothing has changed – to keep the IEC active.

If you do not complete the annual update by 30 June, the IEC is automatically deactivated on 1 July and placed on the Denied Entity List. You cannot import or export until you complete the update to reactivate it, which can hold up shipments at customs.

You need the PAN of the business or applicant, Aadhaar and a photo of the proprietor, partners or directors, proof of business constitution, address proof of the business premises, and bank proof such as a cancelled cheque or banker's certificate. Companies and LLPs also need a Digital Signature Certificate.

Since the reforms after GST, the IEC is issued in the same 10-digit format as the PAN, and one IEC is allotted per PAN. However, DGFT still issues a separate IEC certificate, which is what banks and customs require for trade.

Log in to the DGFT portal, open the IEC profile, and either confirm there is no change or update the details, then submit using DSC or Aadhaar e-Sign. The window is 1 April to 30 June each year; a no-change confirmation is free, while modifying details costs around ₹200. We do this for our clients so the deadline is never missed.

An AD (Authorised Dealer) Code is a number issued by your bank that links your IEC and bank account to a customs port. It must be registered at every port you ship through before customs will release your goods, and it is a one-time step per port.

ICEGATE is the customs department's online portal where shipping bills, bills of entry and other customs documents are filed. An importer or exporter registers on ICEGATE using their IEC and digital signature to file and track customs paperwork electronically.

If you export software, SaaS, consulting or freelance services and are paid in foreign exchange, an IEC is generally needed to receive those payments cleanly and to claim export benefits. Many banks ask for the IEC before crediting foreign remittances for services.

Exports are zero-rated under GST. To export without paying IGST you file a Letter of Undertaking (LUT), or you can pay IGST and claim a refund. GST registration is therefore important for exporters who want input tax credit and refunds – see our GST registration service.

Yes. A sole proprietor, and even an individual, can obtain an IEC in their own name using their personal PAN. A separate company or firm is not required to start importing or exporting.

Yes. You can modify IEC details such as address, directors, partners or bank account on the DGFT portal by editing the IEC profile and re-authenticating. There is usually a small fee for modifications, and we handle the amendment for you.

An IEC holder who no longer trades can surrender the IEC through the DGFT portal. The DGFT then informs customs and the relevant authorities that the code has been surrendered.

An IEC is issued by the DGFT and authorises cross-border trade, while GST registration is issued under GST law for charging and claiming tax on supplies. Most importers and exporters need both – the IEC to clear customs and GST to handle tax and export refunds.

An IEC is a prerequisite for almost every export scheme, including RoDTEP, duty drawback, EPCG and Advance Authorisation. Without an active IEC you cannot register for or claim these incentives.

Only one IEC is allotted per PAN, so a single legal entity has one IEC regardless of how many products it trades. Additional business branches can be added as branch addresses within the same IEC rather than as separate codes.

No. The DGFT does not require an IEC for goods imported or exported for personal use that are not connected to trade or business. An IEC is needed only for commercial import and export.

Without an IEC, customs will not clear your import or export consignments and banks will not process the related foreign-currency payments, so trade cannot proceed legally. The practical consequence is stuck shipments and blocked payments.

Yes. Sellers exporting through global marketplaces such as Amazon Global, eBay or Etsy need an IEC, because the goods leave India as exports and the payments arrive in foreign exchange. The same applies to cross-border drop-shipping.

Yes. You can add more than one bank account to your IEC, and you can register AD Codes for each bank at the ports you use. This is common for businesses that ship through several ports or work with multiple banks.

A deactivated IEC is reactivated by completing the pending annual update on the DGFT portal and re-authenticating the profile. Once updated, the IEC is removed from the Denied Entity List and trade can resume.

A Digital Signature Certificate is needed for companies and LLPs to sign the IEC application. Proprietors and individuals can authenticate using Aadhaar-based e-Sign or OTP instead, so a DSC is not always mandatory.

IEC Registration Across Delhi NCR

Startup Advisory is based in Saket, South Delhi, and handles IEC registration for importers and exporters across the National Capital Region. Because the process is fully online, you can get your Import Export Code without visiting our office. We regularly help clients in:

  • IEC registration in Delhi & South Delhi (Saket, Hauz Khas, Nehru Place, Connaught Place)

  • IEC registration in Gurugram (Gurgaon)

  • IEC registration in Noida & Greater Noida

  • IEC registration in Ghaziabad

  • IEC registration in Faridabad

Need an Import Export Code anywhere in Delhi NCR? Talk to our experts on 9311972982

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