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Reviewed & Authoritatively Verified by:
Pratham Agarwal, Founder & Principal EXIM Consultant
ISO 9001:2015 Certified Advisory • Specialist in DGFT Policy 2023-28, RoDTEP Ledger Claims, Export Incentives & Buyer Generation
Verified as on 16 September 2026
Rasp International is India’s leading export compliance consultancy that helps first-time and established exporters manage DGFT regulations, IEC registrations, AD Code compliance, and custom clearances seamlessly.
An RCMC is a Registration-cum-Membership Certificate issued by an Export Promotion Council or Commodity Board for the main export product. The Importer Exporter Code (IEC) identifies the firm. RCMC is the council proof that Foreign Trade Policy authorisations, trade fairs and many buyer checks still ask for. Notification 36/2026-27 dated 15 September 2026 adds a de minimis exemption for low-value exports. Open that PDF on dgft.gov.in before you skip filing.
The rule that decides everything: the council follows the product, not the city. A de minimis exemption, if it covers your consignment, is only as wide as the PDF of Notification No. 36/2026-27 on dgft.gov.in. It does not replace council membership for fairs, Market Access Initiative (MAI) files or a wrong-product certificate.
| Item | Position as on 16 September 2026 |
|---|
| Instrument | Registration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC), format Appendix 2R. |
| Legal basis | FTP 2023 Para 2.57. Required for an FTP authorisation (except Restricted ITC(HS) items) or any other FTP benefit, unless specifically exempted. |
| Issuing body | The Export Promotion Council, Commodity Board or other registering authority for the main line of business (HBP 2023 Para 2.80). |
| Validity | From 1 April of the licensing year of issue, five years ending 31 March, unless otherwise specified (HBP 2023 Para 2.81). |
| Who it is for | Exporters who want FTP authorisations, council services, MAI or council fairs, or who face buyer checks that ask for membership. |
| Who may skip it | Low-value exports only if Notification No. 36/2026-27 dated 15 September 2026 covers that consignment. Open the PDF first. |
| What it is not | Not the lead document for RoDTEP, Duty Drawback or RoSCTL (Trade Notice No. 19/2024-25 dated 4 October 2024). |
| Where you apply | The council of the main product (Appendix 2T). If none covers it, Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO). Some councils also sit on the DGFT e-RCMC platform at dgft.gov.in. |
Secure handling of export documents like RCMC and IEC certificates protects sensitive trade compliance data. Source: Rasp International.Why we are writing this rather than another RCMC brochure
DGFT listed Notification No. 36/2026-27 dated 15 September 2026, one day before this page. The title is “De minimis exemption from Registration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC) requirements for low-value exports”. The listing is real. The rupee cap inside the PDF is not verified here.
Fact checked against the DGFT notification list, FTP 2023 Para 2.57 and HBP 2023 Paras 2.79 to 2.81. Last regulatory review: September 2026
Rasp International has filed RCMC maps out of Agra since 2005. Two things still waste a month: joining the council that matches the brand story instead of the HS family (Harmonised System heading) and treating a July 2026 consultation figure as a licence to skip membership while still chasing Advance Authorisation or a council stall.
This page keeps the council map and the document mismatches that actually reject files. It adds Notification 36 and refuses the myth that you need RCMC to claim enhanced RoDTEP.
What an RCMC is under FTP 2023
An RCMC is a registration certificate that places a firm under the Export Promotion Council covering its main product. An IEC is a 10-digit identity that lets customs and banks recognise the firm. After GST the IEC number equals the Permanent Account Number (PAN), but the code still has to be generated and kept live on DGFT. RCMC does not replace IEC, GST, Letter of Undertaking (LUT), Authorised Dealer (AD) Code or destination-market tests.
An Export Promotion Council is a product body that issues RCMC and runs sector promotion. Commodity Boards do the same job for spices, tea, coffee and coir. FTP 2023 Para 2.57(b) treats Spices Board Certificate of Registration as Exporter of Spices (CRES) and Coir Board registration as RCMC for policy purposes.
RCMC is product-linked, not city-linked. A handicraft exporter in Agra does not get a different legal instrument from a handicraft exporter in Jaipur if both register correctly with the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH). What changes is the product map and that council’s membership rules.
HBP 2023 Para 2.80 says the exporter must declare the main line of business and obtain RCMC from the council concerned with that product. FIEO is the apex export organisation that issues RCMC when no sector council covers the product. Multi-product exporters who have not settled a main line may also take FIEO.
Read RCMC against the first-year stack in how to start exporting from India in 2026 and the Importer Exporter Code page.
What RCMC actually does in 2026
RCMC is the membership proof DGFT and councils use when you apply for FTP authorisations, council programmes and many fair subsidies. It is not the lead document for Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP), Duty Drawback or Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL). Those three are shipping-bill remission schemes. Trade Notice No. 19/2024-25 dated 4 October 2024 said so.
Keep RCMC for four jobs that still bite. Those jobs are FTP authorisations such as Advance Authorisation and Export Promotion Capital Goods (EPCG), other FTP benefits that Para 2.57 still gates unless exempted, MAI support and council-led fairs plus overseas buyers who treat council membership as basic due diligence.
RCMC will not compute a RoDTEP rate, repair a wrong HS code or make a Restricted ITC(HS) item freely exportable. For the remission side, see the RoDTEP scheme page and the export incentives guide.
Choose the council from the product, then from Appendix 2T. Geography is second. Fees vary by council, firm type and membership class. Open the live fee schedule on the council site before you pay.
| Primary product | Registering authority | What to watch |
|---|
| Handicrafts | Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) | Match the SKU to the EPCH list, not the brand story. |
| Carpets and floor coverings | Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC) | A carpet line is not EPCH by default. |
| Leather and leather goods | Council for Leather Exports (CLE) | Boundary with EPCH. Map the dominant material and HS family. |
| Engineering goods | EEPC India | Castings, auto parts, industrial components. Product first. |
| Readymade garments and apparel | Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) | Apparel is not the same membership as yarn or fabric. |
| Cotton textiles, yarn and fabrics | Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL) | Silk, wool, jute, handloom and synthetics have other councils. |
| Spices | Spices Board of India | CRES is treated as RCMC under FTP 2023 Para 2.57(b). |
| Processed food and many agri products | Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) | APEDA lists are specific. Other boards cover many plantation lines. |
| Basic chemicals, dyes and cosmetics | Chemexcil | Overlap with CAPEXIL and Pharmexcil is common. |
| Plastics, rubber, paper, plywood, glass and allied lines | CAPEXIL | Confirm the heading on the CAPEXIL list. |
| Pharmaceuticals and many herbal formulations | Pharmexcil | Herbal cosmetics can sit with Chemexcil. |
| Multi-product, or no council covers the SKU | Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) | HBP 2023 Para 2.80 fallback. Sector councils still give better fairs. |
| Multi-product with head office in the North Eastern States | Shellac and Forest Products Export Promotion Council (SHEFEXIL) | HBP 2023 Para 2.80(c). Exception: APEDA, Spices Board and Tea Board products. |
| Handicrafts and handloom from J&K and Ladakh | Director, Handicrafts, Government of Jammu and Kashmir | HBP 2023 Para 2.80(d). EPCH is not the only issuer for those UTs. |
| Coir and coir products | Coir Board | Treated as RCMC under FTP 2023 Para 2.57(b). |
Rasp International handles product-to-council mapping and RCMC filing. Talk to the team for a free assessment. Family trade practice in Agra since 2005.
Message on WhatsApp · RCMC registration support
What changed for RCMC in 2026
The default in FTP 2023 Para 2.57 is unchanged: RCMC is required for FTP authorisations and FTP benefits or concessions unless a specific exemption applies. On 15 September 2026 DGFT listed a de minimis exemption for low-value exports as Notification No. 36/2026-27. The July 2026 consultation had proposed a small Free on Board (FOB) cap for postal, courier and e-commerce consignments. The notified cap is not verified against the DGFT PDF here.
| Topic | Until the 15 September 2026 listing | From Notification 36/2026-27 as listed |
|---|
| Para 2.57 default | RCMC required for an FTP authorisation or FTP benefit unless exempted. | Still the default above the PDF line. Confirm the text. |
| Low-value postal, courier and e-commerce | Same RCMC rule as any other consignment. | A de minimis exemption now exists. Coverage follows the PDF. |
| Consultation FOB cap | July 2026 draft: FOB up to Rs 10,000 (Business Standard, 21 July 2026). | Rs 10,000 remains the consultation figure, not a verified notified cap. |
| Secondary AI summary of the cap | Not applicable. | TaxTMI AI summary reports Rs 3,00,000. Not verified against the DGFT PDF as on 16 September 2026. |
| Restricted ITC(HS) items | Restricted goods follow the restricted list and licensing. | July 2026 consultation excluded Restricted items. Confirm the PDF. |
| RoDTEP, Duty Drawback, RoSCTL | Not RCMC-gated (Trade Notice No. 19/2024-25, 4 October 2024). | Unchanged. Notification 36 is not a RoDTEP rate instrument. |
| MAI, council fairs, council services | Live RCMC commonly required by the relevant council. | Unchanged. De minimis on a courier bag does not buy a stall. |
| Buyer and buying-house checks | Some files ask for council membership as credibility. | Unchanged when the buyer asks for a membership card. |
Rasp International handles RCMC registration with the right Export Promotion Council.
Talk to our team for a free assessment. 20+ years of Bharat EXIM expertise.
The FOB cap conflict you must resolve yourself
A de minimis exemption is a value threshold that removes a named compliance step for consignments below a notified FOB cap. Two rupee figures are in circulation. They do not agree. This page will not pick a winner from secondary text.
Figure one is Rs 10,000 FOB, the July 2026 consultation figure. DGFT invited comments around 20 July 2026 on a draft amendment to Para 2.57. Business Standard dated 21 July 2026 reported Rs 10,000 for postal, courier and e-commerce consignments, excluding Restricted ITC(HS) items.
Figure two is Rs 3,00,000 FOB. TaxTMI published an AI summary of Notification No. 36/2026-27 that reports that notified cap. The rupee figure is not verified against the DGFT PDF as on 16 September 2026. An AI summary is not the Gazette.
What is verified: DGFT listed Notification No. 36/2026-27 dated 15 September 2026 on the DGFT notification list. Download that PDF. Read the FOB number, the channel, the Restricted-item exclusion and the commencement line. Do not skip RCMC on a container or an authorisation file because a blog repeated Rs 10,000 or Rs 3,00,000.
Who qualifies for RCMC and who should not file yet
Any exporter with a live IEC can apply for RCMC with the council of the main line of business. HBP 2023 Para 2.79(b) also lets prospective or potential exporters become associate members. You qualify when you will apply for an FTP authorisation, council services, MAI or a fair, or when a buyer file asks for membership.
Manufacturer exporters who want that class on the certificate must furnish evidence of manufacture under HBP 2023 Para 2.79(a). Merchant exporters file as merchants. Application form: ANF 2C.
Who is NOT eligible
A firm with no live IEC cannot complete a serious RCMC file. Reactivate or take IEC first. A consignment of Restricted ITC(HS) goods does not become licence-free because a de minimis RCMC exemption exists.
A brand that sells “artisan lifestyle” but ships finished leather bags is not eligible for an EPCH certificate as a substitute for CLE. Wrong council is not a valid RCMC for the line that actually moves. A courier seller who has not opened Notification 36 is not eligible to skip membership on a guess.
Edge cases that waste fees
Most wasted RCMC files are edge cases, not missing PAN cards.
Leather-trimmed handicrafts and other boundary products
A brass tray with a leather handle can sit with EPCH or with CLE depending on essential character and HS family. Pull both product lists and, if needed, ask the council in writing before you pay.
Multi-product firms with no settled main line
HBP 2023 Para 2.80 lets those firms take FIEO. That is lawful but not always useful. If 80 percent of FOB is engineering parts, EEPC India is the main-line council even if you also ship a gift SKU.
India exports diverse commodities including spices, textiles and handicrafts, each governed by specific HS code classifications. Source: Rasp International.Courier samples and the de minimis temptation
Sample bags, D2C parcels and e-commerce exports are why the July 2026 consultation existed. De minimis, if it applies, is consignment-level relief. It is not a firm-level holiday from Para 2.57 if you also run containers, authorisations or a council stall.
How to apply for RCMC, stage by stage
RCMC filing is a product map, a master-data clean-up and a portal upload. In Agra filing support work, clean files often issue in about 7 to 15 working days. That is operational experience, not a statutory timeline.
Stage 1: Map the product
List the SKUs you actually ship, not the brand story. Attach indicative HS codes. Open Appendix 2T and the shortlisted council’s product list. If two councils could claim the line, get a written view before you pay.
Stage 2: Align masters and open the portal
Match legal name and address across IEC, GST, PAN, bank proof and the entity papers. Councils reject on mismatch more often than on a missing rare annexure. Then create the council account, or use the DGFT e-RCMC platform where that council sits, with an email the operations team actually reads.
Stage 3: File, pay and archive
Upload complete, legible PDFs. Avoid cropped stamps and password-locked files. Add product description and indicative HS where the form asks. Pay the membership class on the live council schedule. Download the issued certificate and keep it with LUT and AD Code.
Build that folder once. If you are assembling first-year templates from scratch, the export starter templates pack is the shop resource for the same checklist discipline.
The lapse penalty
An expired RCMC behaves like no RCMC for FTP authorisations, council events and many buyer checks. HBP 2023 Para 2.81 runs to 31 March of the fifth licensing year unless the council specifies otherwise. Put the expiry next to the IEC annual update reminder of 1 April to 30 June.
The fast track
There is no paid government fast track for RCMC. Speed is query response and matching masters. If you need the certificate for a dated fair, file weeks earlier.
Rasp International handles RCMC registration with the right Export Promotion Council.
Talk to our team for a free assessment. 20+ years of Bharat EXIM expertise.
Six sector uses and one cautionary file
RCMC pays for itself when the council and the product match. The seventh sketch is labelled illustrative because it is a composite, not a named client.
Handicrafts, EPCH. An Agra brass and wood exporter needs EPCH before most council fairs and many MAI routes. IEC lets the first container move. EPCH is what the stall committee asks for.
Engineering, EEPC India. A foundry shipping auto parts will hit Advance Authorisation or EPCG sooner than a gift seller. FIEO is the wrong first membership if engineering is 90 percent of FOB.
Apparel, AEPC. A garment unit can claim RoDTEP or RoSCTL on the shipping bill without RCMC, per Trade Notice 19/2024-25 dated 4 October 2024. The unit still needs AEPC for council events and FTP authorisations.
Spices, Spices Board. CRES is RCMC for FTP purposes under Para 2.57(b). A spice merchant who also takes FIEO for “safety” has paid twice for one policy job.
Leather, CLE. Finished leather goods belong with CLE. Buyer groups often ask for council identity as a basic vendor check.
D2C courier and e-commerce. This is the Notification 36 zone. If the PDF covers your FOB and channel, you may ship those bags without RCMC. If you also want a council pavilion, you still join.
Cautionary tale, illustrative. A composite MSME sold “handmade home objects” and joined EPCH on that story. The invoices were leather-covered storage boxes. A CLE-linked fair file bounced and the CLE file started from zero with the same IEC-GST-bank mismatch already flagged. The delay was a season. Label: illustrative composite, not a named firm.
Wrong council is also one of the five first-time exporter mistakes that show up in first-year files.
The 7 step method we actually use
Rasp International runs RCMC as a document-hygiene job, not as a membership sale. The seven steps below are the sequence used for MSME files in Agra.
- Map the real SKU and HS family to Appendix 2T and the council product list.
- Align IEC, GST, PAN, bank proof and entity papers so one legal name and address appear everywhere.
- Choose the portal: the council site or the DGFT e-RCMC platform where that council accepts it.
- Assemble legible PDFs: IEC, GST, PAN, bank proof, entity documents, product note, signatory KYC and DSC if asked.
- Pay the live membership class on the council schedule. Fees vary. This page will not invent a rupee figure.
- Answer queries inside the council window and keep the thread with the application.
- Archive the PDF and diary the 31 March fifth-year point before you book MAI or fair files.
If the file also needs an FTP authorisation, fold RCMC into the wider DGFT work. That is ordinary DGFT consultant sequencing, not a separate product.
Rasp International handles RCMC end to end with the rest of the IEC and DGFT stack. Talk to the team for a free assessment. Family trade practice in Agra since 2005.
Message on WhatsApp · RCMC registration support
Three things an RCMC will not do
One. RCMC will not compute, restore or enhance a RoDTEP rate. RoDTEP lives on the shipping bill, the notified schedule and ICEGATE. Trade Notice No. 19/2024-25 dated 4 October 2024 already removed RCMC as a gate for RoDTEP, Duty Drawback and RoSCTL.
Two. RCMC will not replace IEC, HS classification or a Restricted-list licence. Customs does not treat a council PDF as a substitute for a live IEC or the correct heading.
Three. RCMC will not make an ineligible MAI file eligible and will not stretch Notification 36 past the PDF. If fair rules ask for six months of membership, a same-week certificate may still fail.
Container vessels carry the majority of India’s export cargo to destinations under CEPA, FTA and bilateral trade agreements. Source: Rasp International.Questions exporters actually ask
Is RCMC mandatory for every export shipment?
IEC is the identity customs and banks use to clear a commercial shipment. RCMC is not stamped on every shipping bill. It becomes a hard stop for an FTP authorisation, a council fair, MAI support or a buyer file that asks for membership. Treat it as core past sample bags.
Can I start exporting with only IEC and take RCMC later?
Yes for many first commercial shipments. The cost of waiting is a blocked Advance Authorisation, a missed fair subsidy or a rushed filing when a buying house asks for the certificate. File RCMC in the current cycle if you are already shipping.
Which Export Promotion Council should I join if I sell more than one product?
Register first with the council that covers the product with the highest export value. That is your main line of business under Handbook of Procedures 2023 Para 2.80. Add a second RCMC only when the second line is regular. If no sector council fits, use FIEO.
How long does RCMC registration take and what does it cost?
There is no single statutory fee. Each council publishes its own membership class and GST. Open the live schedule on that council site before you pay. Clean files often issue in about 7 to 15 working days in Agra filing support work.
Does RCMC expire?
Yes. Handbook of Procedures 2023 Para 2.81 treats an RCMC as valid from 1 April of the licensing year of issue through five years ending 31 March, unless the council specifies otherwise. Renew before expiry. An expired PDF behaves like no RCMC.
Do I need RCMC to claim RoDTEP or Duty Drawback?
No. DGFT Trade Notice No. 19/2024-25 dated 4 October 2024 said RoDTEP, Duty Drawback and RoSCTL are post-export remission schemes and do not require RCMC. Do not treat the certificate as a RoDTEP rate multiplier. Keep it for authorisations and fairs.
What is the de minimis exemption under Notification 36/2026-27?
It is a low-value export relief from RCMC requirements. DGFT listed Notification No. 36/2026-27 dated 15 September 2026 on dgft.gov.in with that title. The listing is not the full legal text. Open the PDF before you skip RCMC on any consignment.
Is the FOB cap Rs 10,000 or Rs 3,00,000?
Neither figure is verified here as the notified cap. Rs 10,000 was the July 2026 consultation figure reported by Business Standard on 21 July 2026. A TaxTMI AI summary of Notification 36 reports Rs 3,00,000. That figure is not verified against the DGFT PDF. Open it.
Can I skip RCMC if I only ship samples by courier?
Only if Notification 36 covers that consignment after you read the PDF. Restricted ITC(HS) items were excluded in the July 2026 consultation. Council fairs, MAI files and FTP authorisations still expect membership. A sample bag is not a firm-level holiday from Para 2.57.
What documents do councils actually reject on?
The usual fail is not a rare annexure. It is a legal name or address that does not match across the IEC, the GST certificate and the bank proof. Vague product descriptions that the council cannot map come next. Cropped stamps and locked PDFs slow the same files.
Is FIEO always the right council for a new exporter?
No. Handbook of Procedures 2023 Para 2.80 sends you to the council of the main line of business. FIEO is the fallback when no council covers the product, or when a multi-product exporter has not settled a main line. Sector councils usually give better product fairs.
Do I need a separate RCMC for each product I export?
Start with one RCMC for the main line. Add a second certificate when the second product is regular enough to justify another fee and renewal. Wrong-council membership does not cover the line you actually ship. Check boundary products in writing before you pay.
Does RCMC help me get into a government-supported trade fair?
Often yes. Market Access Initiative files and council-led buyer-seller meets commonly ask for a live RCMC from the relevant council. The de minimis exemption does not replace that membership. Apply well before invitation season. Councils will not rush incomplete KYC.
What happens if my RCMC lapses mid-season?
An expired certificate behaves like no certificate for FTP authorisations, council events and many buyer checks. Handbook validity runs to 31 March of the fifth year unless the council says otherwise. Diary the date next to the IEC annual update.
Can a consultant file RCMC on the council portal for my firm?
Yes, with authorised-signatory documents and access to the IEC login or the council account. The consultant cannot invent a product map. You still choose the council of the main line and you still pay the council’s own fee. Archive the issued PDF with IEC.
This week’s RCMC checklist
- Open Notification No. 36/2026-27 dated 15 September 2026 on the DGFT notification list and read the FOB cap before you skip any RCMC.
- Match legal name and address across IEC, GST and the bank proof. Fix mismatches before you open a council form.
- Confirm the council from your real SKU, the HS family and Appendix 2T. Product first. Geography second. FIEO only as the Handbook fallback.
- Diary the RCMC expiry next to the IEC annual update window of 1 April to 30 June. HBP 2023 Para 2.81 runs to 31 March of the fifth licensing year unless the council specifies otherwise.
Who reviews this page
Rasp International is an ISO 9001:2015 certified EXIM consultancy in Agra. The family has worked in international trade since 2005 and has supported 500 plus exporters. This page was reviewed by Pratham Agarwal, Founder and Principal EXIM Consultant, against the DGFT notification list, FTP 2023 Para 2.57 and HBP 2023 Paras 2.79 to 2.81 on 16 September 2026.
If your next step is a council file, start with a product map. If the next step is a larger incentive plan after RoDTEP’s current window, read the Export Promotion Mission note rather than forcing RCMC to do a job it does not do.
Sources
Tier 1
Tier 2
Tier 3
- Business Standard, 21 July 2026. Consultation FOB cap of Rs 10,000 for postal, courier and e-commerce. Consultation figure only.
- TaxTMI AI summary of Notification No. 36/2026-27, reporting Rs 3,00,000. Pointer only. Not verified against the DGFT PDF as on 16 September 2026.
This is general guidance. Rules change. Verify against the current notification on the DGFT or CBIC portal before you act.
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