How to Apply for an RCMC — Choosing the Right Export Promotion Council or Commodity Board, the e-RCMC Application on the DGFT Portal, Documents for Manufacturer and Merchant Exporters, Fees, Five-Year Validity, Amendments and Renewal, and Which Benefits Actually Need an RCMC

The Registration-cum-Membership Certificate is the document, issued by an Export Promotion Council (EPC), a Commodity Board or a Development Authority, that recognises you as an exporter of a product line for the purposes of the Foreign Trade Policy. It is not needed to export — an IEC is enough to ship goods — but it is mandatory to claim most FTP benefits: Advance Authorisation, EPCG, the Market Access Initiative and Market Development Assistance, participation in the councils' subsidised trade fairs and buyer-seller meets, and several state export incentives. Every exporter or importer applying for an authorisation under the FTP must hold a valid RCMC, and the council also becomes your channel for policy representation, statistics and market intelligence.

1. 1Prerequisites: an active IEC linked to the DGFT portal login (Aadhaar-based or DSC), PAN of the entity, GSTIN (unless exempt), a class-3 DSC of the authorised person for most councils, and an ICEGATE/AD-code bank account.
2. 2Log in at dgft.gov.in → Services → e-RCMC → 'Apply for RCMC'. The form pre-fills entity details from the IEC; choose the council/board, the category (manufacturer exporter, merchant exporter, manufacturer-cum-merchant, service provider) and the products (HS codes).
3. 3Upload: IEC, PAN, GST certificate, MOA/AOA or partnership deed, Udyam or factory licence / SSI certificate for the manufacturer category, the last year's export turnover statement (nil for new exporters), a CA-certified turnover certificate with UDIN where the council asks, and the authorised signatory's ID. Some boards (APEDA, Spices Board) ask for product-specific documents — plant approvals, lab reports, or a copy of the export contract.
4. 4Pay the council's membership/registration fee online (varies by council and category — typically a few thousand rupees a year, plus GST, with higher slabs for large exporters; commodity boards charge statutory registration fees). Submit with DSC/e-sign; the application is routed to the council.
5. 5The council verifies and issues the e-RCMC, downloadable from the DGFT portal and reflected against your IEC — customs, DGFT authorisations and MAI/MDA claims read it from there. Typical time: 3 to 15 working days if documents are complete.

• •Validity: five licensing years — an RCMC issued in September 2026 is valid from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031. Councils collect their annual membership subscription each year; non-payment can lead to suspension even within the validity.
• •Amendment: add products, change the category (merchant → manufacturer after setting up a unit), change of name, address, constitution or directors — file 'Amend RCMC' on the portal with proof within a month of the change; a merchant exporter who starts manufacturing should amend before claiming manufacturer-only benefits.
• •Renewal: apply on the portal before 31 March of the fifth year with the updated turnover; a lapsed RCMC stalls Advance Authorisation, EPCG and incentive claims until renewed.
• •Quote the RCMC number on FTP applications (ANF forms), MAI/MDA claims, trade-fair applications and, where the council asks, on the annual export return filed with it.
• •Multiple IECs or branches: the RCMC is tied to the IEC; a group with several IECs needs one per IEC.
• •Exporters who only sell through e-commerce or courier and want RoDTEP or drawback do not need an RCMC — those benefits are RCMC-independent; the certificate matters for authorisations, market-development schemes and council programmes.