AD Code registration for Indian exporters: 2026 guide

Every Indian exporter needs an AD code before customs will file a shipping bill. It is a 14-digit code from your Authorised Dealer bank, registered port by port, tied to the account that receives your export proceeds. Standard bank turnaround runs 5 to 10 working days. Plaitr's partner-bank flow gets the letter to your CHA in under 48 hours.

What is AD code and why do you need one?

The Authorised Dealer (AD) code is a 14-digit number issued by an RBI-authorised dealer bank that ties your current account to Indian customs. Customs uses it to confirm your export proceeds land in a bank licensed by the Reserve Bank of India to handle foreign exchange, and to route your EDPMS reporting to the right AD branch source: icegate.gov.in.

Without an AD code registered at the specific port you are exporting from, ICEGATE will not let your customs house agent (CHA) file the shipping bill. No shipping bill means no let export order, which means the container does not leave the port. The code also gates GST refunds on zero-rated exports, duty drawback, RoDTEP scrip credit, and Advance Authorisation benefits, because each of those schemes settles into the same registered bank account.

Two rules matter more than anything else. First, registration is port-specific: a code active at Nhava Sheva does not work at Mundra, Chennai, or Delhi ICD. You register once per port, per CHA. Second, the bank account named in the AD letter has to be the account that will actually receive the export remittance, so switching banks after the fact means re-registering at every port you use.

Why is the standard bank path slow?

The typical timeline runs 5 to 10 working days end to end, and most of that is the bank side, not the customs side source: quidsolutions.net. Once the AD letter is in your CHA's hands, ICEGATE approval at the port is usually 1 to 2 working days. Everything before that is bank workflow.

Public sector banks want a branch visit, a physical relationship manager sign-off, and often a fresh KYC pull even if you have been a current account holder for years. Private sector banks are faster but still route the request through a trade services desk that batches AD letter requests weekly. If you do not already hold a current account with an AD-I bank, add another 3 to 7 working days to open one, which pushes the full cycle past two weeks.

The pain compounds if you ship from multiple ports. A logistics-heavy exporter sending containers through both Nhava Sheva and Mundra pays for two registrations, chases two ICEGATE acknowledgements, and coordinates with two CHAs. Each new port added later triggers the same letter request, the same trade desk queue, the same 1 to 2 day customs step behind it.

What does Plaitr do differently?

Plaitr is non-custodial fintech built for global businesses, including Indian founders who operate a US LLC alongside their Indian entity. Funds sit at Plaitr's licensed partner banks, not on Plaitr's balance sheet. Governing law is Wyoming.

Open a US business account through the partner bank in your LLC's name. Receive export proceeds in USD or via stablecoin rails into the account, then repatriate to your Indian AD-I bank when you choose the rate. Because the receiving Indian account is what customs cares about, Plaitr's flow is designed to make that account visible and provable to your CHA on day one.

Pull the AD authorisation letter from the partner bank on the Indian side through a pre-templated request that names your IEC, your GSTIN, your PAN, and the specific ports you plan to file shipping bills from. The template matches the format ICEGATE expects, so your CHA does not bounce it back for a missing line.

Reconcile every export receipt against the shipping bill it settles. When the AD-I bank on the Indian repatriation leg files the FIRA into EDPMS, the reference numbers already match the shipping bill and the invoice, so your GST refund claim under Rule 96 clears without a manual reconciliation pass.

Cards are coming soon. For now the account handles ACH, wires, and stablecoin settlement into the same reconciled ledger.

What does the AD code flow look like in practice?

Here is the sequence a Mumbai-based logistics exporter runs when adding a new port through Plaitr's partner-bank flow.

Confirm the IEC and GSTIN on file with DGFT match the entity that will receive the export proceeds source: dgft.gov.in.
Request the AD authorisation letter from the partner AD-I bank, naming the exact ICEGATE port code, the CHA, the current account number, and the IFSC.
Receive the signed letter on bank letterhead, typically within 24 to 48 working hours, formatted to ICEGATE's advisory source: icegate.gov.in.
Hand the letter, IEC certificate, GST certificate, PAN card, cancelled cheque, and a board resolution or authorisation letter to the CHA source: eximpe.com.
CHA logs into ICEGATE with the digital signature certificate, uploads the packet, and files the AD code registration request against the port.
ICEGATE returns approval in 1 to 2 working days. The port now recognises the AD code for shipping bill filings.
First shipping bill from the port goes through the CHA, tagged to the registered AD code, and the let export order releases the container.
Export proceeds settle into the AD-I bank account. The bank generates the FIRA and posts the entry into EDPMS against the shipping bill.

The clock most exporters miss sits in step 2. Standard bank workflows put a 5 to 7 working day delay between requesting the letter and receiving it. Plaitr's pre-templated request cuts that to under 48 hours in most cases, because the request already carries every field the trade services desk usually has to reformat.

AD banks turnaround comparison. Numbers below are typical ranges based on published exporter guidance in 2026. Actual turnaround varies by branch, relationship depth, and how complete the initial documentation packet is.

| Bank category | Typical AD letter turnaround | Requires physical branch visit | Best for | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Public sector (SBI, PNB, Bank of Baroda) | 5 to 10 working days | Yes, in most branches | Exporters with an existing branch relationship and priority sector coverage | | Large private (HDFC, ICICI, Axis) | 3 to 5 working days | Sometimes, depends on branch tier | Mid-market exporters with a dedicated trade services RM | | Foreign banks in India (HSBC, Citi legacy portfolio, Standard Chartered) | 2 to 4 working days | Rarely | Corporate exporters with multi-currency needs | | Small finance and payments banks | Not eligible as AD-I | Not applicable | Not applicable, cannot issue an AD code | | Plaitr partner-bank flow | Under 48 working hours for the letter | No | Non-resident LLC founders, stablecoin-native B2B, exporters shipping from multiple ports |

Turnaround above covers only the AD letter issuance. The ICEGATE approval step after the CHA files still runs 1 to 2 working days regardless of which bank issued the letter source: quidsolutions.net.

FAQ

What is an AD code in export?

An AD code is a 14-digit Authorised Dealer code issued by an RBI-authorised bank branch that handles foreign exchange. It links your current account to Indian customs so that shipping bills can be filed and export proceeds can be reconciled through EDPMS. Every exporter registered with DGFT under an IEC needs an AD code before any customs house agent can file a shipping bill on their behalf at a port.

Is AD code registration port-specific in India?

Yes. AD code registration is port-specific. A code active at Nhava Sheva Customs does not work at Mundra, Chennai, or a Delhi ICD. You register the same AD code separately at each port, air cargo complex, or inland container depot you ship from, and each registration is filed through ICEGATE by your customs house agent. Adding a new port later requires a fresh registration request even if the bank account has not changed.

How long does AD code registration take in 2026?

End to end, plan on 5 to 10 working days if you already hold a current account with an AD-I bank and have your IEC ready. The bank letter is the slow step, typically 3 to 7 working days at most public and private banks. ICEGATE approval at the port after your CHA files runs 1 to 2 working days on top of that. Opening a new bank account adds another 3 to 7 working days.

What documents are required for AD code registration?

Your customs house agent files the AD authorisation letter from the bank on official letterhead, plus a valid IEC certificate from DGFT, GST registration certificate, PAN card for the business entity, a cancelled cheque confirming the account number and IFSC, business address proof, a Class 3 digital signature certificate, and an authorisation letter naming the CHA. ICEGATE charges no government fee for the filing itself.

Can I use the same AD code for multiple ports?

Yes, the AD code number itself stays the same across ports because it identifies the bank branch and account, not the port. What changes is the registration record on ICEGATE. You register the same code separately against each port code where you plan to file shipping bills. The bank issues one letter per port, or a single multi-port letter naming every ICEGATE port code your CHA will file at.

What happens if I ship without registering an AD code?

Without a registered AD code at the port of export, ICEGATE blocks the shipping bill filing entirely. Your CHA cannot submit the export documents, the let export order does not release, and the container sits at the port accruing demurrage. Duty drawback claims, GST refunds on zero-rated exports, and RoDTEP scrip credits also depend on the AD code, so shipping without one blocks the incentives even if the goods eventually clear.

Does Plaitr issue the AD code directly?

Plaitr does not issue the AD code. Only an RBI-authorised dealer bank can. Plaitr's partner-bank flow accelerates the request and formatting of the AD authorisation letter from the AD-I bank on the Indian repatriation leg, so the letter reaches your CHA in ICEGATE-ready format inside 48 working hours. The bank issues the code, your CHA files at ICEGATE, and Plaitr keeps the reconciliation clean.

Do I need to re-register the AD code if I change banks?

Yes. If you switch the account that receives your export proceeds to a different AD-I bank, the AD code changes because the code identifies the bank branch. You get a fresh AD authorisation letter from the new bank and re-register at every port where you file shipping bills. Existing shipping bills already filed under the old code stay valid, but new filings need the new code.

What should you do next?

If you already have an AD-I bank relationship on the Indian side, get the letter request in this week and hand it to your CHA before your next shipping window opens. If you are setting up as a non-resident LLC founder or a stablecoin-native B2B exporter and want a single flow that covers the US receiving account, the Indian repatriation, and the AD letter formatting for ICEGATE, open an account at demo.plaitr.com and the partner-bank flow handles the letter side of the clock.

Plaitr is not a bank. Banking services are provided by licensed partner institutions. Card products are coming soon. Governing law is Wyoming.