Registration Cum Membership Certificate (RCMC) is a mandatory registration required for businesses engaged in the export of goods and services in India. It is issued by Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) or Commodity Boards authorized by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). The RCMC enables exporters to avail benefits under the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP), including duty drawbacks, subsidies, and access to international trade fairs.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) regulates the issuance of RCMC under the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP). The certificate is issued by 26 Export Promotion Councils (EPCs) and 9 Commodity Boards, each responsible for specific industries or products.
• Eligibility for government incentives, subsidies, and schemes.
• Authorization to import/export restricted items.
• Recognition as a registered exporter.
• Access to international trade fairs and buyer-seller meets.
• Facilitates smoother compliance with DGFT and Customs regulations.
| S.No | Name of Export Promotion Council or Board issuing Registration cum Membership Certificate | Areas of Activity | Link Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) | Readymade Garments | Aepcindia.com |
| 2 | Basic Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals & Cosmetics EPC (CHEMEXCIL) | Dyes, Chemicals, cosmetics promotion | chemexcil.in |
| 3 | Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC) | Carpets | indiancarpets.com |
| 4 | Cashew Export Promotion Council of India | Cashew and related products | cashewindia.org |
| 5 | Chemical and Allied Products Export promotion Council (CAPEXIL) | animal by-products, tyres, books, cement, granite etc | capexil.com |
| 6 | Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council | cotton yarn, cotton fabrics, Raw cotton etc | texprocil.org |
| 7 | Council for Leather Exports | leather and leather products | leatherindia.org |
| 8 | EEPC INDIA – formerly known as Engineering Export Promotion Council | machineries and equipments automobile components, two wheeler, Three wheeler, Electrical and non electrical machine, tools equipments etc | eepcindia.org |
| 9 | Electronics & Computer Software EPC | computer software and electronic items | escindia.in |
| 10 | Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts | Handicraft and related items | epch.in |
| 11 | Export Promotion Council for EOUs & SEZs | units and entities established in EOU and SEZ | |
| 12 | Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) | all export and import goods and commodities which are not covered by any other export promotion council or board | Fieo.org |
| 13 | Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) | polished and raw pearls / diamonds / gemstones etc | Gjepc.org |
| 14 | Handloom Export Promotion Council (HEPC) | fabric handloom, home furnishings, floor coverings etc | Hepcindia.com |
| 15 | Indian Oilseeds & Produce Export Promotion Council | Oil seeds and oils, other than de-oiled cake, rice bran oil, soya oil, soya de-oiled cake and the products other than those dealt by Shellac & Forest Product Export Promotion Council | iopepc.org |
| 16 | Indian Silk Export Promotion Council | Natural silks and silk Blends and their products including readymade Garments | Silkepc.org |
| 17 | Jute Products Development and Export Promotion Council -(JPDEPC) | All types of jute, jute blended and jute union products made from jute fibre, yarn, twine and fabric for conventional, technical and new & diversified uses and products | Jpdepc.org |
| 18 | Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council | Bulk Drugs and its intermediates,-Formulations-Herbal-Ayurvedic,-Unani-Homeopathic medicines-Biotech & biological products | pharmexcil.com |
| 19 | Plastics Export Promotion Council | All plastics products covering plastic raw materials: intermediate products like plastic Films, sheets etc | plexconcil.co.in |
| 20 | Powerloom Development & Export Promotion Council | Powerloom products | pdexcil.org |
| 21 | Project Exports Promotion Council of India | Export | projectexports.com |
| 22 | Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC) | Service sector | servicesepc.org |
| 23 | Shellac & Forest Products Export Promotion Council | Forest products | shellactrade.com |
| 24 | Sports Goods Export Promotion Council (SQEPC) | Sports goods | sportsgoodsindia.org |
| 25 | Synthetic & Rayon Textiles Export Promotion Council | Textiles export | synthetictextiles.org |
| 26 | Telecom Equipment and Services Export Promotion Council (TEPC) | Telecom | telecomepc.in |
| 27 | Wool Industry Export Promotion Council | Wool | wwepcindia.com |
| 28 | Coffee Board | Coffee | indiacoffee.org |
| 29 | Coir Board | Coir | coirboard.gov.in |
| 30 | Rubber Board | Rubber | |
| 31 | Spices Board | Spices | indianspices.com |
| 32 | Tea Board | Tea | |
| 33 | Tobacco Board | Tobacco | tobaccoboard.com |
| 34 | Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) | 1.Fruits, Vegetable and theirproducts 2. Meat and meat products 3.Poultry and poultry products 4.Dairy products 5.Confectionary, biscuits andbakery products 6.Honey, jiggery and sugarproducts 7.Cocoa and its products,chocolates of all kinds 8.Alcoholic and non-alcoholicbeverages 9.Cereals and cereals products 10. Groundnuts, peanuts andwalnut 11. Pickles, chutneys and papads 12.Guar Gum 13.Floriculture and floricultureproducts 14. Herbal and medicinal plants | apeda.in |
| 35 | Coconut Development Board | All coconut products other than those made from coconut husk & fiber | coconutboard.gov.in |
| 36 | Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) | Marine Products including all varieties of fishery products known commercially as shrimp, prawn, lobster, crab, fish, shell-fish, other aquatic animals or plants or part thereof | mpeda.com |
• Exporters of goods or services must be engaged in international trade.
• The applicant must register with an appropriate EPC or Commodity Board based on the nature of their products/services.
• The business entity should have a valid Import Export Code (IEC) issued by DGFT.
Determine the Relevant EPC or Board: Identify the appropriate issuing authority based on the nature of goods/services. Online Application Submission: Apply on the DGFT portal dgft.gov.in or the concerned EPC/Board’s website.
Documentation Required:
a. Import Export Code (IEC) Certificate
b. Company’s PAN Card
c. GST Registration Certificate
d. Bank Certificate or Canceled Cheque
e. Memorandum & Articles of Association/Partnership Deed (if applicable)
f. Application Fee Payment: Payment varies depending on the EPC or Board.
g. Certificate Issuance: Once verified, the RCMC is granted, valid for five years.
• RCMC is valid for five years from the date of issue.
• Renewal must be initiated before expiry through the respective EPC or Commodity Board.
• Non-renewal may lead to ineligibility for export benefits.
• Access to Export Incentives: Duty Drawback (DBK), Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS), etc.
• Government Support: Eligibility for schemes like RoSL (Rebate of State Levies) and Duty Credit Scrips.
• Trade Promotion: Participation in global trade fairs and exhibitions.
• Ease of Compliance: Smooth trade operations through EPC assistance.
Case Study: XYZ Handicrafts Pvt. Ltd. XYZ Handicrafts, a Jaipur-based small enterprise, obtained RCMC from the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH). This enabled them to:
• Export handicrafts to the USA and Europe.
• Avail subsidies on international trade fairs.
• Benefit from the MEIS scheme, receiving duty credit scrips.
• Expand their global footprint and increase annual revenue by 40%.
• Choosing the Right EPC: Multiple councils may seem applicable; consulting DGFT is recommended.
• Document Submission Issues: Incomplete applications can delay processing.
• Timely Renewal: Missing renewal deadlines may lead to loss of benefits.
RCMC is an essential certification for Indian exporters, providing numerous benefits under the Foreign Trade Policy. Proper registration and compliance help businesses expand globally while enjoying government incentives. Exporters should stay updated with the latest DGFT guidelines to ensure continued eligibility for trade benefits.
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A Registration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC) is a certificate issued by an Export Promotion Council (EPC) in India. It certifies that a particular exporter is a member of that EPC and is registered to export specific products or services.
An RCMC is often mandatory for exporters to avail certain benefits under India’s export promotion schemes, such as:
o Export incentives.
o Duty drawback schemes.
o Participation in international trade fairs and exhibitions organized by the EPC.
o Access to export-related information and assistance.
Any exporter who wishes to avail benefits under export promotion schemes or requires membership with a specific EPC for their export product category generally needs an RCMC.
EPCs are non-profit organizations set up by the Government of India to promote and develop exports of specific products or groups of products. Each EPC focuses on a particular sector (e.g., textiles, engineering goods, pharmaceuticals).
Benefits include:
o Eligibility for export incentives and schemes.
o Access to export promotion programs and trade fairs.
o Networking opportunities with other exporters.
o Export-related guidance and support from the EPC.
o Recognition as a registered exporter.
You apply for an RCMC with the Export Promotion Council (EPC) that is relevant to your primary export product or service. Each EPC has its own application process, which is often done online through their respective websites.
The process typically involves:
o Identifying the appropriate EPC for your export product.
o Filling out the RCMC application form (online or offline, depending on the EPC).
o Submitting the required documents.
o Paying the membership fee.
o Receiving the RCMC after verification.
Document requirements vary by EPC but often include:
o IEC (Import-Export Code) certificate.
o PAN card.
o GST registration certificate (if applicable).
o Proof of export performance (e.g., export invoices, shipping bills).
o Bank details.
o Details of the export product(s) or service(s).
o Company registration documents (if applicable).
The RCMC fee varies depending on the EPC and the category of membership.
The processing time varies depending on the EPC and the completeness of the application. It can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks.
RCMC validity and renewal procedures are determined by each EPC. It is typically an annual renewal.
The renewal process generally involves submitting a renewal application, paying the renewal fee, and providing updated information about export performance.
Generally, no. You should register with the EPC that covers your primary export product.
You may need to update your RCMC or register with a different EPC if your primary export product category changes significantly.
Apply to the relevant EPC.
Access to export incentives and schemes.
The EPC that covers your primary export product.
Check with the specific EPC.
Varies by EPC.
Typically one year; check with the respective EPC.
Registration-cum-Membership Certificate.
Contact the EPC for their renewal process.
You can export, but you might not be eligible for certain export benefits without it.
