Procedure to Obtain Registration-cum-Membership Certificate

Deepak Purohit

Deepak Purohit

Published on: Apr 11, 2026

Megha Makharia

Updated on: Apr 11, 2026

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Introduction

Registration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC) is an official document that validates an Indian business as a registered exporter and a member of a government-authorized trade promotion body which is required for applying for an Authorisation to import or export under the Foreign Trade Policy except for items listed as ‘Restricted’ in ITC (HS) or applying for any other benefit or concession under FTP, and is granted by a body notified by DGFT such as Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) which are set up to promote and develop Indian exports in this regard to register importers or exporters as its members and to function as Registering Authorities to issue RCMC to its members.

The requirement of RCMC doesn’t apply for post-export remission-based schemes such as Duty Drawback, Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL), and Remission of Duties and Taxes on Export Products (RoDTEP), and benefits under such schemes can be claimed without obtaining RCMC.

Applicability Provisions

• Para 2.56 and 2.57 of Foreign Trade Policy, 2023
• Para 2.77, 2.79, 2.80, 2.81, 2.82 of Handbook of Procedures, 2023

Mandatory Requirements

• Valid Importer Exporter Code (IEC)
• Relevant Documents such as Manufacturer Evidence, Product Group Identification as per Appendix 2T

Procedure to be followed (Step-by-Step)

1. Obtain Importer-Exporter Code:

   Importer/ Exporter shall obtain valid Importer-Exporter Code (IEC) in case they do not already possess the same.

   (Please refer Article on Import-Exporter Code https://www.lawrbit.com/article/importer-exporter-code/, for detailed information)

2. Submit Application to Obtain RCMC
   • Exporter shall submit an online application in Form ANF 2C for Registration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC) via the official DGFT website (https://dgft.gov.in), to register and become a member of an Export Promotion Council (EPC), specifying its main line of business
   • Prospective or potential exporters may also, on application, register and become an associate member of an Export Promotion Council.
   • Documents required for obtaining RCMC:
     • Manufacturer Evidence: If registering as a manufacturer exporter, evidence to that effect must be furnished.
     • Product Group Identification: Identification of the product group/service as per Appendix 2T.

   Note: Registering Authorities for obtaining RCMC, are to be identified as under:

   • Single Product Exporter shall obtain RCMC from the Export Promotion Council (EPC) concerned with the product of the main line of business.
   • Export Product Not Covered by any EPC or Commodity Board the RCMC is to be obtained from the Federation of Indian Exporters Organization (FIEO).
   • Multi Product Exporters not registered with any EPC, where main line of business is yet to be settled the exporter has an option to obtain RCMC from Federation of Indian Exporters Organization (FIEO).
   • Multi Product Exporters (Head office/registered office in North Eastern States) the RCMC may be obtained from Shellac & Forest Products Export Promotion Council (except for products looked after by APEDA, Spices Board, and Tea Board).
   • Exporters of Handicrafts and Handloom Products (from the UTs of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh): Director, Handicrafts, Government of Jammu & Kashmir is authorized to issue RCMC.
3. Issuance of Registration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC)

   Exporter shall be granted forthwith RCMC in Appendix 2R, by EPC concerned, on being admitted to membership.

   Note:

   • RCMC holder, in case of change in ownership, constitution, name or address of an exporter, is required, to intimate such change to registering authority within a period of one month, from date of such change.
   • RCMC shall be deemed to be valid from April 01 of the licensing year in which it was issued and shall remain valid for five years ending on March 31 of the licensing year, unless otherwise specified.