To verify an IEC code online, open the DGFT portal, go to “View Any IEC” under Services, and enter the 10-digit Import Export Code along with the first three characters of the firm name. The system returns the firm’s registered details and current status in seconds, and no login is required.1Directorate General of Foreign Trade. View IEC Related Details
What You Need Before You Check
Two pieces of information are enough: the 10-digit IEC and at least the first three characters of the firm’s registered name.1Directorate General of Foreign Trade. View IEC Related Details You do not need the PAN, GST number, or any credentials to run the check.
Since GST was implemented, every newly issued IEC is identical to the firm’s Permanent Account Number.2Directorate General of Foreign Trade. IEC Profile Management If you have a trade partner’s PAN, in most cases you already have their IEC. Older codes issued before this change may differ, but most active traders now use the PAN-based format.
You can find the IEC on the original registration certificate, on past shipping bills, on bills of entry, or on customs declarations. If you are vetting a supplier or buyer, ask for it directly. A legitimate trader has no reason to withhold it, since the verification tool is public and shows only basic business details.
Steps on the DGFT Portal
Go to dgft.gov.in.3Directorate General of Foreign Trade. Directorate General of Foreign Trade From the homepage, find “View IEC Related Details” under the Services section. That opens the public verification form.
Enter the 10-digit IEC in the first field. Type at least the first three characters of the firm name in the second. Complete the security challenge and submit. The query runs against the national database in real time and returns results almost instantly.1Directorate General of Foreign Trade. View IEC Related Details
Verifying Through ICEGATE
The Indian Customs Electronic Gateway at icegate.gov.in offers a separate registration enquiry tool that can verify IEC details using the firm’s PAN.4ICEGATE. ICEGATE Home This helps when you have a PAN but not the IEC number, or when you want to cross-reference what the DGFT portal returned. Open the “New Initiatives” section on the ICEGATE homepage and select “Registration Enquiry.”
Reading the Results
The results page shows the firm name, registered address, IEC number, date of issue, and branch details.2Directorate General of Foreign Trade. IEC Profile Management The status field is the one that tells you whether the firm can legally trade.
- Active. The IEC is valid. The firm can file shipping bills, clear customs, and receive foreign payments through banking channels.
- Deactivated. The firm missed its mandatory annual update. No new import or export transactions will process until it is reactivated.
- Suspended. The DGFT has temporarily blocked the IEC, usually during an investigation or compliance issue. The firm cannot trade until the suspension is revoked.
- Cancelled. The registration has been permanently revoked. The firm must apply to have the cancellation reversed before it can resume trading.
- DEL (Denied Entity List). The firm has been placed on a restricted list and cannot access DGFT benefits or schemes.
The date of issue shows when trading privileges began. Compare the registered address and firm name against what the entity is presenting to you. A mismatch between the portal and a firm’s letterhead or invoices is worth investigating before signing anything.
Why a Status Shows Deactivated or Suspended
The single most common reason for a dead IEC is the missed annual update. Under the Foreign Trade Policy, every IEC holder must log into the DGFT portal between April and June each year and either update their business details or confirm nothing has changed.5Directorate General of Foreign Trade. Foreign Trade Policy 2023 – Chapter 2 Even when every detail is identical to last year, the confirmation is still required. Skipping it triggers automatic deactivation.
The DGFT can also flag an IEC when its risk-assessment system detects irregularities. If those flags are not addressed promptly, the IEC gets deactivated.5Directorate General of Foreign Trade. Foreign Trade Policy 2023 – Chapter 2
Suspension and cancellation are more serious. Section 8 of the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992 allows the Director General to suspend or cancel an IEC when a firm has violated the Act, broken customs or foreign exchange laws, traded in a way that harms India’s trade relations, or brought disrepute to Indian goods or services.6India Code. Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992 The law requires written notice of the grounds and a reasonable opportunity to respond before the action is finalized.
How to Reactivate a Deactivated or Suspended IEC
If deactivation was caused by a missed annual update, the fix is direct. Log into the DGFT portal, complete the update with current business details, and submit. The Foreign Trade Policy states that a deactivated IEC is reactivated upon successful update.5Directorate General of Foreign Trade. Foreign Trade Policy 2023 – Chapter 2 No separate fee applies in this scenario, but shipments are stuck until the update goes through.
Suspended or cancelled IECs need a formal request. The DGFT portal’s IEC Profile Management section has specific options to request revocation of a suspension, request revocation of a cancellation, or apply for removal from the Denied Entity List.2Directorate General of Foreign Trade. IEC Profile Management These reviews are not instant. Expect the DGFT to look at compliance history and any pending investigations before restoring the code. A voluntary surrender of an IEC also functions as a suspension, and a revocation request is needed to resume trading.
Keeping Your Own IEC Verifiable
An IEC is valid for life once issued. There is no renewal fee and no expiration date. The only continuing obligation is the annual confirmation during the April-to-June window.5Directorate General of Foreign Trade. Foreign Trade Policy 2023 – Chapter 2 Set a reminder for April 1. The update takes a few minutes, and skipping it means customs operations stop without warning.
If your firm changes during the year, such as a new address, a new branch, or a change in directors, update the portal immediately rather than waiting for the annual window. Keeping DGFT records aligned with your actual details prevents the mismatches that trigger reviews and cause verification checks by counterparties to fail.