RCMC (Registration-cum-Membership Certificate) is issued by an Export Promotion Council, commodity board or FIEO and is needed to claim benefits under India’s Foreign Trade Policy. Since 1 April 2022 it is applied for and issued online through the e-RCMC module on the DGFT portal.
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Need it faster? WhatsApp usRCMC stands for Registration-cum-Membership Certificate. It registers an exporter with the council for its main line of business and makes it a member. Exporters need it to apply for authorisations and benefits under the Foreign Trade Policy, such as Advance Authorisation and EPCG, and to use council services such as trade fairs and market information.
There are 26 Export Promotion Councils and 9 commodity boards. Choose the one for your main products, for example:
Exporters of several unrelated products, and service exporters, can take an RCMC from FIEO; see FIEO membership.
| Preferential | Non-preferential | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Lets the buyer claim lower or zero duty under a trade agreement | Proves where the goods were made, with no duty benefit |
| When needed | Exports to countries India has a trade agreement with | When the buyer, a bank or the importing country asks for proof of origin |
| Rules | The rules of origin in the agreement | General rules of origin |
| Issued by | Agencies designated for each agreement | Chambers of commerce, FIEO, export councils and other notified agencies |
Both are applied for online through DGFT’s platform for certificates of origin.
Menu names on the DGFT portal can change; if an option has moved, use the portal’s help files.
Whether you need RCMC Registration depends on what your business makes, sells, imports or employs, and where it operates. Tell us about your business and we will confirm whether it applies, which category you fall under and what follows after registration.
Check whether it applies to youEach council sets its own membership fee, usually by category and turnover, plus GST, and it is paid online with the application. See FIEO membership and RCMC fees for an example.
An RCMC is valid for five financial years, from 1 April of the licensing year in which it is issued to 31 March of the fifth year, unless the council specifies otherwise. Renew it under Services, e-RCMC, Renewal of RCMC, and file an amendment there if your details change.
RCMC is the Registration-cum-Membership Certificate issued by an Export Promotion Council, commodity board or FIEO. It registers an exporter with the council for its main products and is needed to claim Foreign Trade Policy benefits.
It is not needed just to export, which only requires an IEC. It is needed to apply for authorisations and benefits under the Foreign Trade Policy, such as Advance Authorisation and EPCG, so most regular exporters take one.
Log in to the DGFT portal, go to Services, e-RCMC, View RCMC Details, open the issued certificate and download it as a PDF.
Five financial years, from 1 April of the licensing year in which it is issued to 31 March of the fifth year, unless the council specifies otherwise. It is renewed online on the DGFT portal.
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Send us the product name and the countries you sell in. A specialist replies with the standards that apply, the documents to prepare, the lab cost and the timeline. The assessment is free.
Thank you — we've got it.
A certification specialist will contact you within 1 business day, usually much sooner.
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