How to Start Exporting from India — Step by Step

Starting to export can feel like a maze of codes and portals: IEC, AD code, LUT, RCMC, ICEGATE. The good news is that the order is always the same, and most of it is online. This guide walks you through each step in plain English, from your first registration to your first shipment and its documents.

Step 1: Have Your Business Basics Ready

You can export as a proprietor, partnership, LLP or company. Before you apply for anything, keep these ready:

• PAN of the business (or of the proprietor)
• A current bank account in the business name, with a bank that handles foreign exchange
• Proof of business address (rent agreement, electricity bill or similar)
• GST registration — you need it to export under an LUT (Step 4) and to claim GST refunds

Step 2: Get Your Import Export Code (IEC)

The IEC is your 10-digit licence to export, issued by the DGFT (Directorate General of Foreign Trade). Customs will not clear your goods without it.

• Where: online on the DGFT website (dgft.gov.in)
• Fee: ₹500, paid online
• Documents: PAN, Aadhaar, address proof and a cancelled cheque or bank certificate
• Time: usually a few working days if everything is correct

The IEC has no expiry date, but you must update it once every year between 1 April and 30 June, even if nothing has changed. If you miss the update, the IEC is deactivated and your shipments can get stuck until you update it.

Step 3: Get Your Bank's AD Code and Register It with Customs

The AD (Authorised Dealer) code identifies the bank account where your export money will come in. Your shipping bill cannot be filed without it.

1. Ask your bank for an AD code letter (they will check your IEC, PAN and account).
2. Register on ICEGATE, the customs portal, if you have not already.
3. Add the AD code under your ICEGATE profile and upload the bank letter. You need a Class 3 digital signature (DSC).

Rules on which ports the AD code must be registered for have changed over time, so ask your bank or your customs agent (CHA) to confirm it is active for the port you will ship from.

Step 4: File Your GST LUT (Letter of Undertaking)

Exports are "zero-rated" under GST. You have two choices:

• Export under LUT — you do not pay IGST on the export. You file Form GST RFD-11 on the GST portal (gst.gov.in). There is no fee.
• Export with IGST paid — you pay IGST and claim it back as a refund later, which blocks your money for some time.

Most small exporters choose the LUT. It is valid for one financial year (April to March), so file a new one every year, before your first export of that year. Your LUT number then goes on your export invoice.

Step 5: Get an RCMC from Your Export Promotion Council (When You Need It)

An RCMC (Registration-cum-Membership Certificate) is issued by the Export Promotion Council or commodity board for your product — for example EEPC (engineering), AEPC (garments), APEDA (agri and food products), or FIEO if there is no specific council for your product. You apply online through the DGFT website.

You do not need an RCMC just to ship goods. You need it to claim many benefits under the Foreign Trade Policy (for example Advance Authorisation or EPCG), and some product groups need it to export at all. An RCMC is valid for five years, ending on 31 March. Councils also run buyer-seller meets and trade fairs, which help with Step 6.

Step 6: Find Your First Buyer

There is no shortcut here, but these routes work for many first-time exporters:

• Your Export Promotion Council — trade fairs, buyer-seller meets and member directories
• Trade fairs in India and abroad for your product category
• B2B marketplaces and LinkedIn — be ready with clear product photos, specifications and prices
• Indian embassies and government trade portals, which publish market reports and trade enquiries
• Your existing network — Indian-origin traders abroad and domestic buyers who also export

Before you quote, decide your Incoterm (for example FOB or CIF) and work out your price including packing, transport to port, CHA charges and your margin. Our Export Pricing Calculator (Business plan — try it free for 14 days) can help with this.

For your first orders, protect yourself on payment: ask for an advance payment or a Letter of Credit from a good bank. ECGC also offers export credit insurance against buyer non-payment. Check any new buyer carefully before you ship goods on credit.

Step 7: Prepare Your First Export Documents

Once the buyer confirms, the documents usually go in this order:

1. Proforma Invoice — your formal quote. The buyer approves it, sends the advance, or opens a Letter of Credit against it.
2. Commercial Invoice — the final invoice for the goods you ship: buyer, product, HS code, quantity, price, Incoterm and payment terms.
3. Packing List — how the goods are packed: cartons, marks, net and gross weight. It must match the invoice. See our guide on how to make a packing list.
4. Shipping Bill — filed on ICEGATE, usually by your CHA, using your invoice and packing list.
5. Bill of Lading or Airway Bill — issued by the shipping line or airline after the goods are loaded.
6. Certificate of Origin — when the buyer or the destination country needs it.

For the full list, including product-specific certificates, see our documents required for export checklist.

Step 8: Ship, Get Paid and Close the Loop

Your freight forwarder books space and your CHA handles customs. After the goods leave, send the documents to your buyer (or to the bank, if it is a Letter of Credit). When the money arrives, make sure it comes into the account linked to your AD code, so your bank can report it against your shipping bill. Keep copies of every document — you will need them for GST refunds, export incentives and your yearly accounts.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. A proprietor, partnership, LLP or company can export. You need a PAN, a bank account in the business name and an IEC.

The government fee for a new IEC is ₹500, paid online on the DGFT website. The yearly update between 1 April and 30 June is free.

To export without paying IGST under an LUT, or to claim a GST refund, you need GST registration. Ask your CA if you are not sure about your case.

No. You need an RCMC to claim many benefits under the Foreign Trade Policy, and for some products. Your Export Promotion Council can tell you if it applies to you.

Usually a Proforma Invoice, Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Shipping Bill and Bill of Lading or Airway Bill, plus a Certificate of Origin if the buyer needs it.

Yes. You can make the Commercial Invoice and Packing List yourself — in ExportMart AI both are free. Your customs agent then files the Shipping Bill.