Home
Guides
Coimbatore
Import Export Business

Licenses and registrations to open an import export business in Coimbatore

6 required licences and registrations, the official fee for each, the office that issues it and the documents to keep ready. Based on a typical small import export business with 1 to 5 staff and turnover of ₹20 to 40 lakh a year.

Fees checked: 27 Sep 2026

Required licences

Known official fees

₹500

first year, plus 3 that vary

Issuing city body

Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation

Get this list for your exact business

Change turnover, staff, floor area and extras like alcohol or a DG set. Tick documents as you collect them and share the list on WhatsApp or email.

Open the free checklist

Required licences and official fees

For an import export business in Coimbatore (CCMC), Tamil Nadu.

Licence	Issued by	Official fee	Time	Apply at
PANCentral	Income Tax Department	Freeinstant e-PAN with Aadhaar	Same day	incometax.gov.in (Instant e-PAN)
GST registrationCentral	GST Network / State GST Department	Freeno government fee	About 7 working days	gst.gov.in
Import Export Code (IEC)Central	DGFT, Ministry of Commerce	₹500one time; yearly update in April to June is free	Code is generated after you submit and pay	dgft.gov.in
AD code registration on ICEGATECentral	Your bank gives the code; Customs registers it on ICEGATE	To confirmthe ICEGATE advisory shows no fee	Registration appears on your ICEGATE dashboard after approval	icegate.gov.in
GST LUT for zero-rated exports (Form RFD-11)Central	GST Department (filed on the GST portal)	To confirmthe GST portal guide shows no fee	Deemed approved if the officer takes no action in 3 working days	gst.gov.in
Profession Tax (collected by your corporation)State	Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation	Up to ₹1,250 per half-year (₹2,500 a year), by income; companies also pay Company Tax	Register with the corporation when you start	chennaicorporation.gov.in

Fees are the official government fees, not agent charges. Some fees depend on your size or change by office, so confirm on the portal before paying.

Order to apply in

Identity and tax registration: PAN, GST registration. Do these first. Later forms ask for PAN and GST.
Sector licence: Import Export Code (IEC), AD code registration on ICEGATE, GST LUT for zero-rated exports (Form RFD-11). The licence that lets you legally run this type of business.
State labour and tax: Profession Tax (collected by your corporation). Registers your workplace and staff with the state.

Documents to keep ready

Aadhaar linked to your mobile number
For a firm or company: incorporation certificate or partnership deed
PAN of the business
Aadhaar and photo of the owner or partners
Proof of premises: electricity bill plus rent agreement or owner's NOC
Bank statement or cancelled cheque
PAN of the firm or company (DGFT checks it against Income Tax records)
Proof of establishment: incorporation certificate, partnership deed, society registration, trust deed or HUF details, as it applies to you
Proof of address: sale deed, rent or lease agreement, electricity or phone bill, MoU or partnership deed. A proprietor can use Aadhaar, passport or voter ID
No objection letter from the owner of the premises, if the address proof is not in the firm's name
Bank proof: a cancelled cheque with the firm's name pre-printed, or a bank certificate
A digital signature token or Aadhaar e-sign of a member of the firm
Mobile number and email ID for OTPs
Files must be PDF and not more than 5 MB each
Your IEC and PAN
Bank account number held with an authorised dealer bank branch
The AD code of that branch (ask your bank)
ICEGATE login ID and password
Mobile number linked to your ICEGATE profile for the OTP
GST registration (GSTIN) and login
Name, address and occupation of two independent witnesses
Digital signature or EVC of an authorised signatory
If you already have a manually approved LUT for the year, you may upload one copy (up to 2 MB)
PAN
Aadhaar
Business address proof
GST or Shops and Establishments certificate
Employee list with salaries

Also check if these apply

Udyam (MSME) registration: Free. Free. Gets you the lower trademark fee, MSME loan schemes and protection against delayed payments.
RCMC from your export promotion council: To confirm. DGFT's Appendix 2T lists which council covers which product. Find yours in the list of councils.
DGFT licence for restricted items: ₹1,000 for an export licence. Most goods are free to import and export. Check your 8-digit HS code on the DGFT policy search before you ship.
Certificate of origin (including e-CoO): ₹200 non-preferential; ₹600 preferential. Apply on trade.gov.in to an agency DGFT authorises. A preferential certificate is needed for tariff benefits under a trade agreement.
Trade licence (CCMC) / D&O trade licence: Varies. Trades listed in the schedule of the Act (dangerous & offensive trades, food/eating houses, commercial and industrial uses)
Shops and Establishments registration: Free. Mandatory in Tamil Nadu only from 10 workers. Below that it is optional but banks often ask for it.

Extra licences for what you trade

The list above covers every import export business. Your product may need more. In the checklist, choose "What do you trade?" to add these to your list, or read each guide below. Fees marked To confirm were not found on an official page.

Food or agri products

APEDA registration and RCMC: ₹5,900. For fruit, vegetables, processed food, meat, dairy, basmati rice and other APEDA products.
FSSAI importer licence and import clearance: ₹1,000 + GST. Needed to import food. Each consignment is cleared at the port.
Plant quarantine: phytosanitary certificate and import permit: To confirm. For plants, seeds, fruit, spices and other plant products.

Spices

Spices Board registration (CRES): To confirm. For spices and spice products. The Board treats CRES as your RCMC.
FSSAI importer licence and import clearance: ₹1,000 + GST. Needed to import food. Each consignment is cleared at the port.
Plant quarantine: phytosanitary certificate and import permit: To confirm. For plants, seeds, fruit, spices and other plant products.

Marine products (fish, shrimp)

MPEDA registration and RCMC: ₹5,000 + ₹5,900. For fish, shrimp and other marine products.
FSSAI importer licence and import clearance: ₹1,000 + GST. Needed to import food. Each consignment is cleared at the port.

Pharma or cosmetics

RCMC from Pharmexcil: To confirm. Membership of the export council for your product. Needed to claim Foreign Trade Policy benefits.
RCMC from CHEMEXCIL: To confirm. Membership of the export council for your product. Needed to claim Foreign Trade Policy benefits.
CDSCO import licence (drugs, devices, cosmetics): ₹1,000 (older edition, To confirm). Needed to import medicines, medical devices and cosmetics.

Electronics

RCMC from ESC: To confirm. Membership of the export council for your product. Needed to claim Foreign Trade Policy benefits.
BIS certification for imported goods: To confirm. Needed when the product is under BIS compulsory certification.
Legal Metrology importer registration: To confirm. For importers of packaged goods and of weights and measures.
WPC Equipment Type Approval (wireless devices): To confirm. For importing Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and other radio equipment.

Textiles and garments

RCMC from TEXPROCIL: To confirm. Membership of the export council for your product. Needed to claim Foreign Trade Policy benefits.
RCMC from AEPC: To confirm. Membership of the export council for your product. Needed to claim Foreign Trade Policy benefits.
Legal Metrology importer registration: To confirm. For importers of packaged goods and of weights and measures.

Gems and jewellery

RCMC from GJEPC: To confirm. Membership of the export council for your product. Needed to claim Foreign Trade Policy benefits.

Chemicals

RCMC from CHEMEXCIL: To confirm. Membership of the export council for your product. Needed to claim Foreign Trade Policy benefits.

Read the full section: Import and export from India, how to start an export business, how to import goods into India, and import export business in Coimbatore.

Common questions

How much do licences cost for an import export business in Coimbatore?

The known official fees for the required licences add up to about ₹500 in the first year, plus 3 fees that depend on your size or the office (AD code registration on ICEGATE, GST LUT for zero-rated exports (Form RFD-11), Profession Tax (collected by your corporation)). This is the government fee only. Agents and consultants charge extra, which you can avoid by applying yourself on the official portals.

Which licence should I apply for first?

Start with PAN and GST registration, because almost every later form asks for them. Then apply for the sector licence (Import Export Code (IEC)), followed by the municipal licence and the state labour registration.

Do I need an IEC to start an import export business in Coimbatore?

Yes. Every importer and exporter needs an Import Export Code (IEC) from DGFT. The official application fee is ₹500. You also need GST registration, an AD code registration on ICEGATE, and a GST LUT to export without paying IGST.

Which export promotion council should I join?

It depends on your product. APEDA covers most agri and food exports, MPEDA marine products, the Spices Board spices, and each export council covers its own product group. Choose what you trade in the checklist to see the right one.

How long does it take to get all the licences?

Most registrations like PAN, GST and Udyam come through within a week. Sector and municipal licences can take 30 to 60 days where an inspection is needed, so apply for those as early as possible and before you open.

Is Govt License a government website?

No. Govt License is an independent guide. We link to the official government portals where you apply and pay. Always confirm the fee on the portal before paying.