Quick answer
What is APEDA registration and how much does it cost?
APEDA registration is the RCMC issued by APEDA to exporters of its scheduled agricultural and processed food products. You apply on the DGFT e-RCMC portal after getting an IEC. As of November 2026 the fee is ₹5,900 (₹5,000 plus 18% GST), the certificate is valid for five years, and amendments are free.
- Apply on dgft.gov.in e-RCMC since 17 July 2023
- IEC is the first requirement
- ₹5,000 plus ₹900 GST, valid five years
- Renewal costs the same; amendments are free
What is APEDA registration and who needs it?
Anyone exporting a product listed in the APEDA Act schedule needs APEDA registration. Section 12 of the APEDA Act, 1985 asks such exporters to apply within one month of undertaking the export, and APEDA can extend that time for sufficient reason. In practice, buyers, banks and customs brokers ask for the RCMC before the first shipment.
APEDA lists 17 scheduled product groups. Basmati rice sits in the Second Schedule as a "special product".
| Group | Examples Delhi exporters ship |
|---|---|
| Fruits, vegetables and their products | Fresh produce, dehydrated onion, fruit pulp |
| Meat, poultry and dairy products | Frozen meat, eggs, ghee, milk powder |
| Cereal and cereal products | Non-basmati rice, wheat flour, millets |
| Confectionery, biscuits, bakery, cocoa and chocolate | Biscuits, rusks, chocolate |
| Honey, jaggery and sugar products | Honey, jaggery powder |
| Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages | Juices, soft drinks, spirits |
| Groundnuts, peanuts, walnuts and cashew products | Walnut kernels, roasted cashews |
| Pickles, papads and chutneys | Mango pickle, papad |
| Guar gum, de-oiled rice bran, green pepper in brine | Industrial and feed ingredients |
| Floriculture, herbal and medicinal plants | Cut flowers, dried herbs |
| Basmati rice (Second Schedule) | All basmati exports |
Source: APEDA product categories and APEDA scheme guidelines, checked 10 November 2026. Spices, tea and coffee fall under their own commodity boards, not APEDA.
What documents are needed for APEDA registration?
The APEDA document list is short. A merchant exporter needs only a signed and sealed copy of its import export code. A manufacturer, or a manufacturer that also trades, adds proof of manufacturing for the product, and the proof accepted depends on the product group.
If you do not yet have an IEC, start with our import export code page. Your DGFT login, IEC profile and digital signature or Aadhaar e-sign are reused for the e-RCMC form.
| Exporter type or product | Document APEDA asks for |
|---|---|
| Merchant exporter (buys and exports) | Signed and sealed copy of IEC |
| Manufacturer or manufacturer-cum-merchant | IEC plus manufacturing proof below |
| Floriculture and seeds | Certificate from the Department of Horticulture |
| Fresh fruits and vegetables | FSSAI, Udyam registration or Department of Horticulture certificate |
| Processed foods, cereals, groundnut, pulses, guar gum | FSSAI licence or Udyam registration |
| Meat, dairy, poultry, honey | FSSAI licence or Udyam registration |
| Alcoholic beverages | Licence from the Excise Commissioner |
Source: APEDA circular on e-RCMC, checked 10 November 2026.
Need help with APEDA registration (RCMC)? Talk to a chartered accountant in Delhi today. First call is free.
How to apply for APEDA registration on the DGFT portal
APEDA moved RCMC filing to the DGFT e-RCMC module from 17 July 2023, following DGFT Trade Notice 35/2021-22. Older guides that tell you to register on an APEDA website are out of date. The whole process is online.
- 1
Check the IEC profile
Log in to dgft.gov.in and make sure the IEC is active and the yearly IEC update is done.
- 2
Open e-RCMC
Under Services, choose the e-RCMC option and apply for a new registration-cum-membership certificate.
- 3
Pick APEDA as registering authority
Declare your main line of business as an APEDA scheduled product so the request goes to APEDA.
- 4
Fill details and upload proofs
Enter exporter type and products, then upload the IEC and, for manufacturers, the manufacturing proof.
- 5
Pay and sign
Pay ₹5,900 online and sign with your digital signature or Aadhaar e-sign.
- 6
Track and download
Answer any query APEDA raises on the portal, then download the e-RCMC once issued.
What is the APEDA registration fee and validity?
The APEDA registration fee is ₹5,000 plus 18% GST, so ₹5,900 in total, paid online on the DGFT portal. Validity is five years. Renewal costs the same ₹5,900. Amending the certificate after issue (a new product, address or partner) is free. Ignore blog tables that quote lower fees for proprietors; APEDA's own circular gives one flat fee.
| Item | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| New registration | ₹5,000 + ₹900 GST = ₹5,900 | Paid online at filing |
| Validity | 5 years | Financial-year based on the DGFT system |
| Renewal | ₹5,900 | Apply before expiry on e-RCMC |
| Amendment after issue | No fee | Product, address, ownership changes |
Source: APEDA fee structure; validity rules on DGFT e-RCMC, both checked 10 November 2026.
Did the ₹3 lakh RCMC relaxation of 2026 remove APEDA registration?
Not by itself. DGFT Notification 36/2026-27 of 15 September 2026 added para 2.57(c) to the Foreign Trade Policy, so an RCMC is not needed under FTP for an export consignment with an FOB value up to ₹3,00,000. APEDA registration, however, also comes from Section 12 of the APEDA Act, which the notification does not mention.
So a small exporter of scheduled products should not assume the APEDA requirement has gone. Confirm with APEDA for your product before you ship without it, and remember that any shipment above ₹3 lakh FOB still needs a valid RCMC wherever the policy asks for one. Our RCMC registration page explains the FTP side in more detail.
What do you get after APEDA registration?
The APEDA RCMC is mainly a gateway. It lets you show buyers and agencies you are a registered exporter and opens access to APEDA programmes and FTP benefits that ask for an RCMC. Typical uses:
- applying for authorisations or other FTP benefits where an RCMC is a condition;
- APEDA financial assistance schemes and trade fair participation, subject to each scheme's rules;
- buyer and bank onboarding, where the RCMC number is commonly asked for.
Duty drawback, RoDTEP and RoSCTL are different: DGFT Trade Notice 19/2024-25 says these remission schemes do not need an RCMC.
After APEDA registration: renewal, changes and tax filings
Keeping the APEDA RCMC useful takes three habits. First, renew before the five-year term ends. Second, file an amendment when your address, constitution, partners or product list change; it is free and avoids mismatches with the IEC. Third, keep the IEC itself active with the yearly update between 1 April and 30 June.
The tax side runs separately. Most food exporters need GST registration, a yearly Letter of Undertaking to export without paying IGST, and refund claims for unused input credit. See LUT filing for the undertaking.
Why do APEDA applications get queried or rejected?
Most queries come from mismatched or missing proofs rather than eligibility. Watch for these:
- IEC not updated. An IEC that missed the April to June update is deactivated, and the e-RCMC form will not proceed.
- Wrong exporter type. Declaring yourself a manufacturer without FSSAI, Udyam or the product-specific certificate invites a query.
- Unsigned copies. APEDA asks for signed and sealed copies; plain scans get returned.
- Name or address mismatch between IEC, GST and FSSAI records.
- Wrong registering authority. Spices go to the Spices Board, not APEDA. Pick the body that covers your main product.
APEDA registration in Delhi: local points
APEDA's head office is in New Delhi, at the NCUI Building on August Kranti Marg, but you do not need to visit it: the application is filed and tracked online. The Delhi angle is mostly about who applies.
- Rice, pulses and dry fruit traders in the Naya Bazar and Khari Baoli belt often export as merchant exporters, so only the IEC copy is needed.
- Food processors in Narela, Bawana and Okhla apply as manufacturers and need FSSAI or Udyam proof ready. Units up north can read our CA in Narela page.
- Many first-time exporters in North West Delhi register the IEC, APEDA RCMC and GST in one go so that names and addresses match from day one.
How CA in Delhi handles your APEDA registration
Send us your IEC, GST certificate, FSSAI or Udyam certificate and the list of products you plan to export. We check the IEC status, pick the right registering authority, prepare the e-RCMC form and tell you what to sign. You get back the e-RCMC certificate and a renewal date in your calendar. Before any filing, you receive a fixed quote for the APEDA work.
None of the three listed firms publishes APEDA work as a named service, so CA in Delhi passes the enquiry to the listed firm or partner professional that handles export registrations, and confirms scope and a fixed quote first. Ongoing GST and bookkeeping for exporters is published by Khubchandani & Co. and Moneymji; compare them on our list of CA firms in Delhi, or see the GST consultant in Delhi page. For APEDA questions, call or WhatsApp +91 99114 92897 between 10 am and 7 pm, Monday to Saturday.
Frequently asked questions
Is APEDA registration mandatory for exporting food products?
It is mandatory for products in the APEDA schedule, such as fruits, vegetables, processed foods, meat, dairy, cereals and basmati. Section 12 of the APEDA Act asks exporters to apply within one month of starting such exports. Products under other boards, such as spices or tea, need registration with that board instead.
Can I apply for APEDA registration without an IEC?
No. APEDA's circular says exporters apply for the e-RCMC after getting an IEC from DGFT, and the DGFT portal checks for an active IEC. Apply for the IEC first; it costs ₹500 and can be done online the same day if your PAN and bank details are ready.
Where do I apply for APEDA registration now?
On the DGFT website, through the e-RCMC option under Services. APEDA stopped using its own registration system and moved to the DGFT platform from 17 July 2023. Choose APEDA as the registering authority when you declare your main product line.
How long is the APEDA RCMC valid?
Five years. The DGFT system treats an RCMC as valid from 1 April of the licensing year in which it was issued, ending on 31 March of the fifth year. Renewal costs ₹5,900, the same as a new registration, and is filed on the same e-RCMC module.
Is the APEDA fee different for a proprietor and a company?
APEDA's own circular lists a single online fee of ₹5,000 plus 18% GST, with no separate rate for proprietors, partnerships or companies. Some private websites show lower entity-wise fees. Go by the fee the DGFT portal shows at the payment step.
Does a merchant exporter need FSSAI for APEDA registration?
For the APEDA RCMC itself, a merchant exporter only needs the signed and sealed IEC copy. FSSAI or Udyam proof is asked from manufacturers. Separately, food safety rules and the importing country may still require FSSAI or other certificates for the goods you ship.
How do I add a new product to my APEDA RCMC?
File an amendment request on the DGFT e-RCMC module and upload any proof the new product needs. APEDA's circular says amendments after issue carry no fee. Keep the product list current so that buyers and agencies see the right scope on your certificate.
Do I need APEDA registration for basmati rice exports?
Yes. Basmati rice is the special product in the Second Schedule of the APEDA Act, so basmati exporters register with APEDA. Exporters should also follow any separate basmati contract or quality rules APEDA notifies for that trade.
Can CA in Delhi file APEDA registration for exporters outside Delhi?
Yes. The application is fully online on the DGFT portal, so location does not matter. You share documents on email or WhatsApp, sign with your DSC or Aadhaar e-sign, and receive the certificate by email. A fixed quote is shared before any filing.