Sector Membership
RCMC validates that you're a registered member of the council or board relevant to what you export — not a general trading licence, but a sector-specific credential.
RCMC · Export Promotion Council · DGFT e-RCMC
RCMC Registration in India — Export Promotion Council & Commodity Board Certificate
Legalkarobar.com files your Registration-Cum-Membership Certificate through the DGFT e-RCMC portal — choosing the right Export Promotion Council or Commodity Board for your product, so you can claim Foreign Trade Policy benefits, duty concessions, and export incentives without delay.
35 Councils & Boardse-RCMC DGFT Portal Filing5 Years Certificate ValidityFTP Benefit-Linked
35
Export Promotion Councils & Commodity Boards
100%
Filed via the DGFT e-RCMC Portal
5 Years
Certificate Validity Per Filing
FTP
Required for Duty & Incentive Schemes
Understand the Certificate
What RCMC Registration Means
A Registration-Cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC) confirms that an exporter is registered with the Export Promotion Council or Commodity Board authorised by the DGFT for their product category. Since 1 April 2022, every RCMC application is filed through the DGFT's common e-RCMC digital platform, replacing the earlier paper-based Form ANF 2C filed directly with each council.
Foreign Trade Policy Benefits
It's the credential DGFT checks before approving Advance Authorisation, EPCG, and other duty-concession or incentive scheme applications.
A Requirement to Simply Export
Most goods and services can be exported without an RCMC — it only becomes necessary when you want to claim FTP-linked benefits or council support.
Is This Service For You
Who Needs an RCMC
Exporters applying for EPCG or Advance Authorisation licences
Businesses seeking concessional or duty-free imports tied to export obligations
Exporters wanting to join council-led trade fairs & buyer-seller meets
First-time exporters formalising DGFT registration alongside their IEC
Multi-product exporters without one obvious council — via the FIEO route
Exporters wanting market intelligence & dispute-resolution support
35 Registering Authorities
Choose the Right Export Promotion Council or Commodity Board
You register with the council or board that matches your main line of business, as declared in your application — not every product you occasionally touch. Here are the major registering authorities under the DGFT, grouped by sector.
Agriculture, Food & Commodity Boards
APEDA
Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority
Fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy & processed foods
MPEDA
Marine Products Export Development Authority
Seafood & marine products
SPICES
Spices Board
Spices & spice products
TEA
Tea Board
Tea cultivation & export
COFFEE
Coffee Board
Coffee cultivation & export
CDB
Coconut Development Board
Coconut & coconut products
COIR
Coir Board
Coir & coir products
CEPCI
Cashew Export Promotion Council of India
Cashew & cashew products
IOPEPC
Indian Oilseeds & Produce Export Promotion Council
Oilseeds, groundnut & agri-produce
Textiles, Apparel & Handicrafts
AEPC
Apparel Export Promotion Council
Garments & clothing
TEXPROCIL
Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council
Cotton textiles & made-ups
CEPC
Carpet Export Promotion Council
Hand-knotted & machine-made carpets
HEPC
Handloom Export Promotion Council
Handloom fabrics & products
ISEPC
Indian Silk Export Promotion Council
Silk & silk products
EPCH
Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts
Handicrafts & artisan goods
PDEXCIL
Powerloom Development & Export Promotion Council
Powerloom fabrics
JPDEPC
Jute Products Development & Export Promotion Council
Jute & jute products
CLE
Council for Leather Exports
Leather & leather goods
Engineering, Chemicals & Industrial Goods
EEPC
EEPC India (Engineering Export Promotion Council)
Machinery, auto parts, iron & steel
CAPEXIL
Chemicals & Allied Products Export Promotion Council
Chemicals, leather, books, rubber & allied products
CHEMEXCIL
Basic Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals & Cosmetics EPC
Basic chemicals, pharma inputs & cosmetics
PHARMEXCIL
Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council
Formulations & pharmaceutical products
PLEXCONCIL
The Plastics Export Promotion Council
Plastics & plastic products
PEPC
Project Exports Promotion Council of India
Civil & engineering project exports
Gems, Electronics & Services
GJEPC
Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council
Gems, diamonds & jewellery
ESC
Electronics & Computer Software EPC
Electronics & computer software
SEPC
Services Export Promotion Council
IT-enabled & consulting services
EPCES
Export Promotion Council for EOUs & SEZ Units
Export Oriented Units & SEZ-based exporters
Multi-Product & Umbrella Bodies
FIEO
Federation of Indian Export Organisations
Multi-product & uncategorised exporters
SFPEPC
Shellac & Forest Products Export Promotion Council
North-East-based multi-product exporters
Not sure which of the 35 registering authorities fits your product? Tell us what you export and we'll confirm the right one before filing.
How It Works
RCMC Registration, Step by Step
The same six-stage sequence regardless of which of the 35 councils or boards you register with.
01
Confirm Your Registering Authority
We match your main product or service line to the correct EPC or Commodity Board — or FIEO if you're multi-product.
02
Log in to DGFT e-RCMC Portal
Using your IEC-linked DGFT account credentials, since applications are no longer filed on paper with the council.
03
Application Filed
Business details, product category, and membership category are submitted digitally through the common platform.
04
Council Reviews & Processes
The selected EPC or Commodity Board verifies your details and processes the membership fee.
05
RCMC Certificate Issued
A digitally signed certificate valid for five financial years is generated on the portal.
06
Linked to Benefit Applications
Your RCMC number is referenced in EPCG, Advance Authorisation, and other FTP scheme applications.
Get Ready to File
Documents & Information You'll Need
Requirements vary slightly by council, but this covers what almost every registering authority asks for.
Business Identity
- Import Export Code (IEC) certificate
- PAN of the business
- GST registration certificate
Entity Documents
- Certificate of Incorporation, partnership deed, or proprietorship proof
- Bank certificate or cancelled cheque
- Digital Signature Certificate for portal filing
Product Declaration
- Main product or service line declaration, for council matching
- Self-certified export turnover details, where applicable
- Registered office address proof
Plan Ahead
Timeline & What Determines Cost
Both vary by which of the 35 councils you register with — some process faster and charge differently than others.
Typical Timeline
Registering authority confirmationSame day
e-RCMC application filing1–2 days
Council review & processing3–10 days
Total, typical case1–2 weeks
Processing speed varies genuinely by council workload — we'll give you a realistic estimate once we know your registering authority.
What Determines Cost
Council subscription feeSlab-based, tied to export turnover
One-time entrance feeVaries by council
Professional filing feeQuoted upfront by us
RenewalRequired every 5 financial years
Council fees aren't fixed nationally — most publish turnover-based subscription slabs; request a quote and we'll itemise your specific council's charges.
Why It's Worth Doing
What RCMC Unlocks
Eligibility for Advance Authorisation & EPCG duty-free import schemes
Access to council-led trade fairs, buyer-seller meets & delegations
Market intelligence, trade data & buyer directories from your sector council
Dispute resolution & quality-certification support from your council
Eligibility for Market Access Initiative (MAI) scheme grants
Preferential Certificate of Origin issuance for FTA benefits, council-dependent
Standing to represent your sector's interests to government & regulators
A recognised registration number for every FTP scheme application
Why Legalkarobar.com
Why Exporters Choose Legalkarobar.com for RCMC
Picking the wrong council, or missing a renewal, is what actually costs exporters time and benefits — not the filing itself.
We match you to the right council first
Registering under the wrong EPC because a product doesn't fit cleanly is one of the most common reasons applications stall; we confirm your correct registering authority before filing.
Filed on the same DGFT credentials as your IEC
If you're also applying for an Import Export Code, we sequence both filings so your DGFT profile stays consistent. See our IEC licensing service.
Renewal tracked from day one
RCMC is valid for five financial years, not indefinitely; we flag your renewal window well ahead of expiry.
Multi-product & FIEO routing handled
If your exports don't fall under one obvious council, we handle the FIEO or Shellac & Forest Products EPC routing correctly instead of guessing.
See It In Action
Watch: How RCMC Registration Works
A short walkthrough of choosing your council and filing through DGFT e-RCMC is in production — the step-by-step breakdown above covers everything it will show.
Questions, Answered
Frequently Asked Questions
No. You can export most goods and services without an RCMC. It becomes necessary the moment you want to claim benefits under the Foreign Trade Policy — such as duty-free imports under Advance Authorisation or EPCG, or participation in council-led export promotion schemes.
You register with the council or commodity board that corresponds to your main line of business, as declared in your application — not every product you occasionally deal in. If your exports don't fit cleanly under a single council, or you're a multi-product exporter, you have the option to register with the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) instead.
An RCMC is valid for five financial years, running from 1 April of the year it's issued to 31 March five years later, regardless of when during that first year you registered. It must be renewed with the same council before it lapses to keep claiming FTP benefits without interruption.
Yes — since April 2022, all RCMC applications are filed through the DGFT's common e-RCMC digital platform rather than submitted directly to the council on paper. You still select the relevant council or commodity board as your registering authority within that single online application.
You register with the council that matches your primary or mainstream business activity, as declared in your application. Some exporters maintain RCMCs with more than one council if their business genuinely spans unrelated sectors, though this adds separate renewal and fee obligations for each.
Service exporters can register too — the Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC) is the relevant registering authority for IT-enabled services, consulting, and other service exports, using the same DGFT e-RCMC process as goods exporters.
An Import Export Code (IEC) is the basic registration every importer or exporter needs with the DGFT to legally trade internationally. An RCMC is a separate, sector-specific certificate on top of that, required only when you want to claim Foreign Trade Policy benefits tied to your product category — you need an IEC before you can apply for an RCMC, not instead of one.
Once your RCMC lapses, you lose eligibility to claim the FTP benefits and scheme applications tied to it until you renew, and any pending applications referencing an expired RCMC number can be held up. We track renewal windows so this doesn't happen mid-application.
Keep Going
Related Services
Start Your RCMC Registration
Tell us what you export — we'll confirm the right council and file within 24 hours.
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Book a free RCMC consultation
We'll confirm your registering authority, documentation, and fees, then file your RCMC within 24 hours of engagement.
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Coverage
All 35 councils & boards, pan-India
Response Time
Within 24 hours, Monday to Friday
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