IEC Code Registration: A Step by Step Guide for 2026

The Importer Exporter Code, or IEC, is the ten digit number that lets a business legally import or export from India. It is issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and it is the very first registration you need before you ship a single carton. Here is exactly how to get it in 2026.

Who needs an IEC

Anyone importing or exporting goods from India for commercial purposes. Sole proprietors, partnerships, LLPs, private limited companies, and HUFs all need one. Personal imports and gifts up to certain thresholds are exempt. Service exports through banking channels do not always need IEC either, but any physical cargo does.

Documents you need before you start

Keep these ready in soft copy before you touch the portal. It will save you an hour of hunting later.

1. PAN card of the entity (individual for proprietorship, firm PAN for others)
2. Aadhaar card of the applicant, mobile number linked
3. Cancelled cheque or a bank certificate on letterhead
4. Address proof of the business premises (utility bill, rent agreement, or property tax receipt)
5. Digital signature or Aadhaar based e-sign for the applicant

For companies and LLPs, also keep the certificate of incorporation, board resolution, and the authorised signatory KYC ready.

Step by step on the DGFT portal

The IEC is applied online at dgft.gov.in. Do not pay a consultant twenty thousand rupees for something that takes twenty minutes on the official portal.

1. Register on the DGFT portal using the PAN and mobile of the applicant. Verify via OTP.
2. Log in and go to Services, IEC Profile Management, Apply for IEC.
3. Fill out the entity details. The system pulls your PAN and GSTN data automatically. Verify each field carefully.
4. Enter the bank account details exactly as they appear on your cancelled cheque, including IFSC and branch.
5. Upload the address proof and the cancelled cheque.
6. Pay the government fee of five hundred rupees via net banking or UPI.
7. Sign the application with your DSC or Aadhaar e-sign and submit.

Approval is typically instant if all fields match. In some cases DGFT will ask for a clarification, which you can respond to on the same portal.

After you get the IEC

Two things people forget. First, the IEC must be linked to your GSTN if you are GST registered. Second, DGFT requires an annual update between April and June every year, even if nothing has changed in your business. If you miss the update, your IEC is deactivated and your shipments will stop clearing at customs. Set a calendar reminder for April every year.

Common IEC mistakes

The three we see most often at Kore International when we onboard new exporters as buyers or suppliers.

1. Mismatch between the name on PAN and the name on the bank account. Fix the bank account first, then apply.
2. Wrong nature of concern selected. A proprietor should not select company. Once selected, it is a pain to change.
3. Address not matching GSTN registered address. Keep them aligned to avoid pointless queries later.

Where the academy comes in

Getting the IEC is the easy part. Building an export business around it is the real work. Every Kore EXIM Academy batch walks through IEC, RCMC, LUT, AD Code registration, and port code registration together in the first week, so you leave the classroom ready to actually ship.

Need help? Book a free advisor call and we will walk through your specific case in thirty minutes. And bookmark the EXIM resource hub for calculators and document templates that you will actually use.