The Importer Exporter Code is the single registration that turns you into a legal importer. It is issued by DGFT, it is linked to your PAN, and almost everyone applying for the first time gets stuck on the same three things.
The IEC is a code issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade. It is tied to your PAN, so a business has one IEC regardless of how many products or ports it deals with. Customs will not clear a commercial import without it.
The IEC alone is not enough to clear a container. You will also need your AD code registered at the port you are importing through, and your GSTIN linked so that IGST paid on import can be claimed as input credit. Your CHA handles the port registration; it is a one-time step per port.
If you are importing electricals, lighting or electronics, check whether the product needs BIS registration before you place the order — not after.
Once the application is complete and correctly signed, it is generally issued within a few working days. Most delays come from mismatched details between PAN, bank account and the entity name rather than from processing time.
An individual with a PAN and a current account can obtain an IEC. Most buyers importing regularly do it through a firm or company for GST input credit and accounting reasons.
Possibly not. Codes that were not updated annually get deactivated. Check the status on the DGFT portal before you commit to an order — this is a five-minute check that avoids a very expensive surprise.
It is your registration and it has to be filed against your PAN, so you or your CA files it. We will tell you exactly what you need and review your details before you submit.
Have a question about this? Send it to us — we answer with your actual case, not a brochure.
