TRADE AND COMMERCE LEXICON

AD CODE

Authorised Dealer Code

DEFINITION

An AD Code (Authorised Dealer Code) is a 14-digit numeric code assigned by an Authorised Dealer (AD) bank — a bank licensed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) under the Foreign Exchange Management Act 1999 (FEMA) to deal in foreign exchange — to an Indian exporter. The AD Code links the exporter's specific bank branch and bank account to the port(s) of export for customs and regulatory purposes.

The AD Code is mandatory for filing a Shipping Bill on ICEGATE (the Indian Customs electronic commerce gateway) and for the issuance of a Foreign Inward Remittance Certificate (FIRC) and e-Bank Realisation Certificate (eBRC) after export proceeds are received. Without a valid AD Code registered at the port of export, a Shipping Bill cannot be filed and the export cannot proceed.

STRUCTURE

HOW TO OBTAIN AN AD CODE

Step 1: Open a current account with an AD Category I or AD Category II bank (most scheduled commercial banks with foreign exchange operations hold AD licence — SBI, ICICI, HDFC, Axis, Bank of Baroda, Bank of India, Canara Bank, etc.).

Step 2: Request an AD Code letter from the bank. The bank issues an AD Code Letter on its letterhead, containing the 14-digit AD Code, the bank's name and branch, the IFSC code, and the exporter's account number.

Step 3: Register the AD Code at the port(s) of export. The exporter (or their Customs House Agent — CHA) submits the AD Code letter to the customs authority at each intended port of export. The port customs registers the AD Code against the exporter's IEC.

Step 4: The AD Code is now active at that port. The CHA includes the AD Code on every Shipping Bill filed at that port.

Note: The AD Code must be registered separately at each port of export. If an exporter adds a new port, a new port-specific registration must be completed using the same AD Code letter (or an updated one from the bank).

SIGNIFICANCE IN EXPORT OPERATIONS

COMMON ISSUES AND SOLUTIONS

RELATED CONCEPTS

IEC (Importer Exporter Code): The 10-digit DGFT code that identifies the exporter. The AD Code is linked to the IEC in the customs system.

ICEGATE: India's customs electronic commerce gateway where Shipping Bills are filed. AD Code is a mandatory field on every Shipping Bill.

FIRC (Foreign Inward Remittance Certificate): Issued by the AD bank on receipt of foreign currency. References the AD Code.

eBRC (e-Bank Realisation Certificate): The digital certificate uploaded by the AD bank to DGFT confirming export proceeds realisation.

LUT (Letter of Undertaking): Filed annually on GSTN to enable zero-rated export without IGST payment. Separate from AD Code but used in conjunction with it.

QUICK REFERENCE

RELATED DOCUMENTS IN THIS LIBRARY

Doc 93 — Lexicon Entry: AD Code (Authorised Dealer Code) — All Frontier Global Nexus

Format	14 digits — numeric only.
Composition	The AD Code encodes the bank's IFS Code (Indian Financial System Code) and the specific branch. It is assigned by the AD bank when the exporter registers the bank account for export purposes.
Uniqueness	Each AD Code is unique to a specific exporter, bank, and bank branch combination. An exporter with accounts at multiple banks has a separate AD Code for each bank. An exporter with one bank but exporting from multiple ports must register the AD Code separately at each port.
Visibility	The AD Code appears on the Shipping Bill, the eBRC, and the FIRC — linking the export transaction to the specific bank account through which proceeds will be received.

Shipping Bill filing	The AD Code is a mandatory field on the Shipping Bill — without it, the CHA cannot file the Shipping Bill on ICEGATE and the export cannot proceed.
FIRC issuance	When export proceeds are received, the AD bank issues a Foreign Inward Remittance Certificate (FIRC) referencing the AD Code and the Shipping Bill. The FIRC is the primary documentary evidence of export proceeds realisation under FEMA.
eBRC issuance	The AD bank uploads the e-Bank Realisation Certificate (eBRC) to the DGFT portal, linking the Shipping Bill to the proceeds receipt. The eBRC is required to claim RoDTEP credits, duty drawback, and other export incentives.
GST refund	GST refunds on exports (IGST) require eBRC as supporting documentation — the eBRC is linked to the AD Code.
RoDTEP and drawback	RoDTEP credits and duty drawback claims are linked to the Shipping Bill which carries the AD Code — ensuring proceeds realisation is confirmed before incentives are released.
FEMA compliance	The AD Code is the mechanism by which the RBI and FEMA track that export proceeds have been realised and repatriated within the required period (9 months from date of shipment).

AD Code not registered at port	If the exporter ships from a new port without pre-registering the AD Code, the Shipping Bill cannot be filed. Solution: Register the AD Code at every intended port of export before the first shipment from that port.
AD Code for a closed account	If the bank account linked to the AD Code is closed, the AD Code becomes invalid. Solution: Open a new account, obtain a new AD Code letter, and register the new AD Code at all ports. Update the CHA.
Multiple bank accounts	An exporter with accounts at multiple banks has multiple AD Codes. The CHA must use the correct AD Code on each Shipping Bill — matching the bank account through which the proceeds for that specific transaction will be received.
AD Code mismatch on Shipping Bill	If the wrong AD Code is used on a Shipping Bill, the eBRC will be issued to the wrong bank account. This creates complications in claiming export incentives. Correction requires an amendment request to customs — time-consuming. Prevention: Always verify AD Code with CHA before filing.
Change of bank	If an exporter changes their primary bank, the new bank issues a new AD Code letter. The new AD Code must be registered at all ports. Both old and new AD Codes may coexist during transition — old Shipping Bills are linked to the old AD Code and should continue to be realised through the old bank account.

Issued by	Authorised Dealer (AD) bank — on request by the exporter.
Length	14 digits.
Where used	Shipping Bill (mandatory field); eBRC; FIRC.
Registration	Must be registered at each port of export with customs authority before first use.
Cost	Nil — issued free by the AD bank as part of export banking services.
Validity	Valid as long as the linked bank account is active and the IEC is current.
Regulatory basis	FEMA 1999; Foreign Trade Policy; CBIC Shipping Bill regulations.

Related Document	Relevance
Doc 34 — India Export Documentation Checklist	AD Code registration is Step 4 in Section A of the India export documentation checklist.
Doc 58 — RoDTEP Scheme Guide	RoDTEP e-Scrip credits are generated via ICEGATE using the AD Code on the Shipping Bill.
Doc 43 — FIRC Guide	The FIRC is issued by the AD bank linked to the AD Code after export proceeds are received.
Doc 74 — Export Readiness Checklist	AD Code registration at the port of export is a mandatory item in Section A.
Doc 78 — Regulatory Registrations Reference Sheet	AD Code registration listed under Section E — Trade Finance and Banking Registrations.

ALL FRONTIER GLOBAL NEXUS