What is an Import Export Code?
An Import Export Code is a 10-digit code issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade against one PAN. It is required to import or export goods in the course of trade. Company Suggestion files it on the IEC page. GST registration does not replace it.
When is the code required?
Customs asks for it when a commercial shipment is cleared. A bank asks for it when the business sends or receives the payment for that shipment. The Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992 is the statute. The code is not a licence that is bid for, and it is not limited to one port.
Who does not need one?
- A person importing or exporting goods for personal use, not in the course of trade, manufacture, or agriculture.
- Departments and ministries of the Government of India, in the cases the foreign-trade policy exempts.
A trader who already has a GSTIN is not in that exempt list. The GSTIN identifies the tax registration. The code identifies the importer or exporter.
Does the code expire?
It does not lapse on a fixed anniversary, and it is not renewed like a fresh licence each year. The holder still confirms or updates the details on the DGFT portal in the April to June window. If that update is missed, the code can be deactivated. Surrender and revocation are separate from that yearly update.
April to June. The code stays live only if the holder updates it in that window.
How is it obtained?
The application is on the DGFT portal against the PAN, with the address proof and the identity of the person who signs. A proprietorship, a firm, an LLP, and a company each hold one code for that PAN. The application carries the government fee. The 10-digit code is what customs and the bank then quote.
Frequently asked questions
Four questions cover GST, the yearly update, one PAN, and a personal import.
Does GST registration replace the code?
No. A GSTIN and an Import Export Code answer different departments. A person who imports or exports goods in the course of trade still needs the code.
Is the code valid for life with no update?
It does not expire on a fixed anniversary. The holder still updates the details on the DGFT portal in the April to June window. A missed update can deactivate the code.
Can one PAN hold two codes?
No. The DGFT issues one code for one PAN, whether the business is a proprietorship, a firm, an LLP, or a company.
Is a personal import covered?
Goods imported or exported for personal use, and not in the course of trade, manufacture, or agriculture, do not need the code. A commercial shipment does.
Sources
The code is issued under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992. The filing steps are on the IEC page.