Is IEC mandatory for every type of export or import?

Yes - under Section 7 of FT(D&R) Act 1992 read with Rule 4 of FT(Regulation) Rules 1993, no person shall make any import or export except under an IEC. Personal-use imports / exports are exempted under specific DGFT Notifications.

What is the government fee for IEC?

₹500 per application, payable online via Bharat Kosh / SBI e-Pay on the DGFT portal. The fee is non-refundable even if the application is rejected.

Is IEC permanent or does it need renewal?

IEC is permanent under Para 2.05 of FTP 2023-28. The earlier requirement of annual updation was discontinued by DGFT Trade Notice dated 12 June 2020; only changes (address, bank, etc.) must be updated within 30 days.

Can an individual obtain an IEC, or is it only for firms/companies?

An individual proprietor can obtain IEC using his/her PAN. The IEC is PAN-based - one entity, one IEC.

Is a current account mandatory before applying for IEC?

A bank account in the name of the applicant is required; for proprietorship, savings account is acceptable; for firms/LLPs/companies, a current account is required. A cancelled cheque or bank certificate is the proof.

Can a Section 8 (non-profit) company obtain IEC for charitable imports?

Yes - Section 8 companies can obtain IEC. They must, however, ensure that imports are not for commercial resale but for the stated non-profit objects. Customs clearance may require additional declarations.

What happens if an entity makes exports/imports without IEC?

Section 11(1) of FT(D&R) Act 1992 prescribes a penalty up to ₹1,000 or the value of goods, whichever is greater, with confiscation of goods. Under Customs Act 1962, goods are liable to confiscation under Section 111 (improper import) or Section 113 (improper export).

Is GST registration mandatory before applying for IEC?

No - GST registration is not a pre-condition for IEC. However, GSTIN is auto-fetched if available; absence of GSTIN does not block IEC issuance.

Editor's pickStartup · Business Registration

GST Registration

Apply for Importer Exporter Code (IEC) on the DGFT portal. Fee ₹500, issued in 1 working day. Mandatory under Foreign Trade Act 1992 - no renewal needed.

Statutory basis: Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 & respective State SGST Acts.

Turnaround

3-5 Days

₹

Starts from

₹1,499

Money-back accuracy

Guaranteed

Total starting from

₹1,499

Professional + estimated government fee

Professional fee₹1,499 starts with

Government fee (est.)At actuals / Statutory schedule

Turnaround3-5 Days

Money-back accuracy. CA/CS specialist. Tracked client portal.

CONFIRMEDverified 25 Aug 2026

Total starting from

₹1,499

3-5 Days

Prof: ₹1,499•Govt: At actuals / Statutory schedule• Guaranteed

Dedicated specialist

CA-led, named point of contact

Tracked client portal

Real-time status, end-to-end

Money-back accuracy

Refile-free if our error

Flat-fee pricing

No hidden charges, ever

About this service

Goods and Services Tax (GST) registration is the foundational tax identity required for commercial enterprises in India. Governed by the CGST Act, 2017, GST registration enables businesses to legally collect indirect tax, claim seamless Input Tax Credit (ITC) on inputs and capital goods, and transact across state boundaries without supply disruptions. Filings are submitted digitally on the GST Common Portal.

Eligibility & thresholds

Minimum

Turnover > ₹20L/₹40L threshold
Interstate supply of goods/services
E-commerce vendor or marketplace seller

Maximum

Single PAN for all state branch units
Composition scheme up to ₹1.5 Cr
No restriction on total turnover

Statutory floor

Mandatory GSTR-1 & GSTR-3B filings
Aadhaar biometric authentication
Principal place of business verification

What's included

Everything in one transparent fee — no add-ons, no surprises.

TRN Generation & Setup

Temporary Reference Number generation on the GST Common Portal.

HSN & SAC Code Mapping

Accurate classification of primary business goods and services.

Application Preparation (Part B)

Complete filing of business particulars, promoter details, and bank account.

Aadhaar Authentication

Seamless OTP authentication or guidance for biometric verification.

Clarification & SCN Response

Expert response to GST officer queries (Form GST REG-03) within statutory limits.

GSTIN Certificate Delivery

Official Form REG-06 registration certificate with 15-digit GSTIN.

Government Fee Breakdown

Government charges only — separate from I-Pro's professional fee. All figures verified as of 25 August 2026.

Fee Component	Amount (₹)	Basis / Authority
GST Registration Statutory Fee	At actuals / Statutory schedule	Official government fee schedule (separate from professional fee)Statutory Authority
Total Government Fee	At actuals / Statutory schedule	(for default assumptions stated below)

Fee Component

GST Registration Statutory Fee

Amount (₹)

At actuals / Statutory schedule

Basis / Authority

Official government fee schedule (separate from professional fee)Statutory Authority

Total Government Fee

At actuals / Statutory schedule

(for default assumptions stated below)

Government charges only — separate from I-Pro's professional fee. Verified 25 August 2026.

Required documents

Each list identifies exactly what to provide — and what you do not need to submit. Use the accordions to expand.

1
PAN Card of Applicant / Entity
Mandatory government identity verification for all Indian registrations.
2
Identity & Address Proof (Aadhaar / Passport / Voter ID)
Valid government identity proof of promoters, directors, or authorized signatories.
3
Registered Office Address Proof (Utility Bill / Rent Agreement)
Electricity bill, telephone bill, or rent deed not older than 2 months along with owner NOC.
4
Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) / Authorization Letter
Class-3 DSC or board resolution authorizing the representative to file.

How it works

Each step is labelled with who performs it — Customer, I-Pro, or the Regulator. Form names are linked to the official portal.

1
I-Pro⏱ Day 1
Documentation & Information Gathering
Collection and verification of required KYC, business particulars, and statutory documentation.
2
I-Pro⏱ Day 2-3
Drafting & Legal Review
Preparation of statutory forms and declarations by our specialist CA/CS/Advocate team.
3
I-Pro⏱ Day 3-4
Government Portal Submission
Electronic filing on the designated government authority portal with fee payment.
4
I-Pro⏱ Day 5-10
Approval & Certificate Issuance
Monitoring statutory verification, responding to queries, and delivery of final certificate/acknowledgment.

Post-registration compliance

What to file next. I-Pro handles these as part of the annual compliance package.

Filing	Form	Deadline
Monthly Outward Supplies (GSTR-1) GSTN / CBIC	`GSTR-1`	11th of every month
Monthly Summary Return (GSTR-3B) GSTN / CBIC	`GSTR-3B`	20th of every month
Annual GST Return GSTN / CBIC	`GSTR-9`	31st December following fiscal year
Bank Account Details Addition GST Portal	`Rule 10A Form`	Within 30 days of registration grant

Filing

Monthly Outward Supplies (GSTR-1)

GSTN / CBIC

Form

GSTR-1

Deadline

11th of every month

Filing

Monthly Summary Return (GSTR-3B)

GSTN / CBIC

Form

GSTR-3B

Deadline

20th of every month

Filing

Annual GST Return

GSTN / CBIC

Form

GSTR-9

Deadline

31st December following fiscal year

Filing

Bank Account Details Addition

GST Portal

Form

Rule 10A Form

Deadline

Within 30 days of registration grant

Penalties for non-compliance

Statutory penalties under governing regulatory provisions. Avoid non-compliance delays.

Non-compliance	Provision	Penalty
Late filing of GSTR-3B monthly return	Section 47 of CGST Act	₹50 per day (₹20/day for Nil return) + 18% p.a. interest
Failure to furnish bank details within 30 days	Rule 10A read with Rule 21A	Automatic system suspension of GSTIN
Operating business above threshold without registration	Section 122(1) CGST Act	100% of tax evaded or ₹10,000 (whichever is higher)

Non-compliance

Late filing of GSTR-3B monthly return

Provision

Section 47 of CGST Act

Penalty

₹50 per day (₹20/day for Nil return) + 18% p.a. interest

Non-compliance

Failure to furnish bank details within 30 days

Provision

Rule 10A read with Rule 21A

Penalty

Automatic system suspension of GSTIN

Non-compliance

Operating business above threshold without registration

Provision

Section 122(1) CGST Act

Penalty

100% of tax evaded or ₹10,000 (whichever is higher)

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoidable filing errors that cause delays or rejection. Each can be resolved before submission.

1
Address mismatch between electricity bill and rent agreement
Why: GST officers reject or issue Show Cause Notice (REG-03) if the premise address differs even by a room or floor number.
Fix: We cross-verify every line of the address across the utility bill, lease deed, and owner NOC before portal upload.
2
Submitting savings account proof instead of business bank details
Why: Rule 10A of CGST Rules mandates bank details must strictly match the commercial entity name within statutory limits.
Fix: We guide you through current account activation and file the bank amendment within the prescribed period.
3
Demographic data mismatch between PAN and Aadhaar
Why: Aadhaar authentication fails if spelling or DOB differs from income-tax records, triggering physical site verification.
Fix: We pre-validate PAN-Aadhaar linkage and resolve discrepancies before initiating registration.

Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know about this service.

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