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DGFT Digital Signature for Import and Export

The DGFT certificate has your Import Export Code embedded in it. Why an ordinary Class 3 is refused, what it covers, and the documents required.

The DGFT certificate is not an ordinary Class 3 certificate. It is an organisation certificate with your Import Export Code embedded inside it, and that is why a certificate that works perfectly on MCA or the income tax portal will be rejected by DGFT.

This catches out a lot of exporters who already hold a working certificate. If you are not sure which you have, we can check it in a minute.

Any of these lines. Mon-Sat, 9:30 AM - 6:30 PM. Prefer email? info@e-signindia.com.

Why an ordinary Class 3 will not do

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade matches the certificate against the IEC on the filing. That match only works if the IEC is written into the certificate when it is issued.

An ordinary organisation certificate carries your name, your organisation’s name and its PAN — but no IEC. DGFT has nothing to match against, and the filing is refused.

You cannot add an IEC to a certificate after it is issued. If you hold a Class 3 without one, a DGFT certificate has to be issued separately. It can usually go onto the same USB token if there is a free slot.

What you use it for

  • IEC applications and modifications — new codes, and changes to an existing one
  • Licence and authorisation applications — Advance Authorisation, EPCG and similar
  • Filing and amending shipping and export documentation on the DGFT portal
  • Claiming export incentives under the current schemes

Documents required

The DGFT certificate is an organisation certificate, so it needs the organisation’s paperwork as well as the signatory’s.

  • Completed application form for the Certifying Authority, marked for a DGFT certificate
  • IEC certificate — this is the document the IEC is taken from, and it has to be legible
  • Organisation PAN
  • Certificate of incorporation, partnership deed or registration certificate
  • Board resolution or authorisation letter naming the signatory
  • PAN of the signatory, with the name matching the application exactly
  • Address proof for the signatory
  • GST registration certificate, where applicable
  • Organisation bank statement or cancelled cheque
  • Recent passport-size photograph, and a mobile number and email you control

The full documents and process guide covers what changes for foreign nationals and for individuals.

The IEC and the PAN have to agree

The IEC is issued against the organisation’s PAN. If the organisation name on the IEC certificate does not match the name on the PAN — an old trading name, a change of constitution that was never updated with DGFT — the certificate will be issued against whichever one the Certifying Authority accepts, and it may not be the one DGFT matches on.

Sort out any mismatch with DGFT before applying for the certificate. It is far cheaper than reissuing.

Registering the certificate on the DGFT portal

  1. Install the token driver and plug in the token.
  2. Log in to the DGFT portal with the IEC holder’s account.
  3. Open the profile section and choose to register or link the certificate.
  4. Select your certificate when prompted, and confirm.
  5. Sign a test submission if one is offered.

Re-register after any renewal. A renewed certificate is a new certificate and has to be linked again.

When DGFT rejects your certificate

  1. No IEC in the certificate. The most common cause, and it needs a new certificate rather than a fix.
  2. IEC in the certificate does not match the IEC on the filing — usually an old code, or a typo at application time.
  3. Name mismatch between the signatory on the certificate and the authorised person on the DGFT profile.
  4. Certificate expired. No grace period.
  5. Token driver missing, so the browser never sees the certificate. Drivers are on the downloads page.
  6. Browser configuration. Trusted sites and the signing component have to be allowed; the browser configuration guide covers it.

It has to be on a FIPS token

Like every Class 3 certificate, a DGFT certificate is issued onto a FIPS 140-2 or 140-3 certified USB token. If you already hold a token with a spare slot, the DGFT certificate can usually be downloaded onto it alongside your existing one — see the USB token guide.

How long it takes

For an organisation with documents in order, issuance is typically same-day to a couple of working days. The board resolution and the IEC certificate are the two documents that most often send an application back, so check both are current and legible before submitting.

Not sure whether your certificate has the IEC in it? Send us the details and we will check it before you buy anything. Call +91 89200 56551, +91 120 4321443 or +91 93547 14615, Mon–Sat, 9:30 AM–6:30 PM.

Tell us three things and we will quote

  1. Your IEC, and whether the organisation name on it matches your PAN.
  2. Who will sign — the authorised signatory named in the board resolution.
  3. Whether you already have a USB token with a free slot.

That is enough to price it exactly.

Any of these lines. Mon-Sat, 9:30 AM - 6:30 PM. Prefer email? info@e-signindia.com.

DGFT digital signature questions

What is a DGFT Digital Signature Certificate?
An organisation Class 3 certificate with the Import Export Code embedded inside it. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade matches the certificate against the IEC on the filing, so the code has to be written into the certificate when it is issued.
Can I use my existing Class 3 certificate on DGFT?
Only if it was issued as a DGFT certificate with your IEC in it. An ordinary organisation certificate carries your name, the organisation name and its PAN but no IEC, so DGFT has nothing to match against and the filing is refused.
Can an IEC be added to a certificate that has already been issued?
No. The IEC is written in at issuance. A separate DGFT certificate has to be issued, although it can usually be downloaded onto the same USB token if there is a free slot.
What documents are required for a DGFT certificate?
The IEC certificate, organisation PAN, certificate of incorporation or partnership deed, a board resolution or authorisation letter naming the signatory, the signatory’s PAN and address proof, GST registration where applicable, an organisation bank statement or cancelled cheque, a photograph, and a mobile number and email you control.
What do I use a DGFT certificate for?
IEC applications and modifications, licence and authorisation applications such as Advance Authorisation and EPCG, filing and amending export documentation on the DGFT portal, and claiming export incentives.
Why is DGFT rejecting my certificate?
Usually there is no IEC in the certificate, or the IEC in it does not match the IEC on the filing. Other causes are a name mismatch between the signatory on the certificate and the authorised person on the DGFT profile, an expired certificate, a missing token driver, or browser settings blocking the signing component.
Does a DGFT certificate have to be on a USB token?
Yes. Like every Class 3 certificate it is issued onto a FIPS 140-2 or 140-3 certified USB token and cannot be copied off it.

Need a Digital Signature Certificate today?

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