DGFT Exempts Low-Value Exports from RCMC Requirement — What Exporters Need to Know

If You Export Small Consignments — Especially by Courier or Post — DGFT Just Removed a Long-Standing Paperwork Hurdle

For years, one of the first questions a new or small-scale exporter has had to answer before shipping anything abroad is: “Do I have an RCMC?” The Registration-cum-Membership Certificate, or an equivalent Certificate of Registration, has been a standard prerequisite for claiming benefits and, in many cases, for export documentation itself — regardless of whether the shipment was worth ₹50 lakh or ₹5,000.

That’s now changed for small shipments. On 15th September 2026, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) issued Notification No. 36/2026-27, exempting low-value export consignments from the RCMC/Certificate of Registration requirement altogether. If you’re an exporter — particularly one shipping through postal or courier channels, or a small business dipping a toe into exports for the first time — this is worth understanding properly.

Quick Take: What Exporters Need to Know

• DGFT has amended paragraph 2.57 of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2023, by inserting a new sub-paragraph (c).
• Export consignments with an FOB (Free-on-Board) value not exceeding ₹3,00,000 are now exempt from the requirement of holding a Registration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC) or a Certificate of Registration.
• The exemption applies with immediate effect from the date of the notification — 15th September 2026.
• The stated objective is to promote small-value exports, especially those moving through postal, courier, and other emerging channels.
• Consignments with an FOB value exceeding ₹3,00,000 must continue to hold a valid RCMC or Certificate of Registration wherever the requirement otherwise applies under the FTP 2023.
• The notification was issued under Section 5 of the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992, read with paragraph 1.02 of the FTP 2023, and approved by the Minister of Commerce & Industry.

What Does the New DGFT Notification Actually Say?

Notification No. 36/2026-27, issued from Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi and signed by Lav Agarwal, Director General of Foreign Trade & Ex-officio Additional Secretary, amends paragraph 2.57 of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2023. It inserts a new sub-paragraph (c), which states that notwithstanding the existing sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) of that paragraph, the RCMC or Certificate of Registration requirement shall not apply where the export consignment’s FOB value does not exceed ₹3,00,000.

The amendment takes effect immediately and was issued under the rule-making power in Section 5 of the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992, read with paragraph 1.02 of the FTP 2023.

What Has Changed?

Previously, paragraph 2.57 of the FTP 2023 set out the circumstances in which an RCMC or Certificate of Registration was required, without carving out any general value-based exemption. The new sub-paragraph (c) creates exactly that carve-out: a blanket exemption for export consignments valued at ₹3,00,000 FOB or below, regardless of which specific export scheme or benefit the exporter might otherwise be pursuing.

Before vs Now

Why Is This Important for Exporters?

An RCMC has never simply been a formality — obtaining one means registering with the relevant Export Promotion Council, paying membership fees, and maintaining that registration. For a business shipping the occasional small parcel of handicrafts, samples, or low-value goods, that overhead has often been disproportionate to the value of the export itself. This notification directly targets that mismatch.

In practical terms, an exporter shipping a ₹1,50,000 consignment by courier no longer needs to hold or produce an RCMC for that shipment purely because of a documentation requirement — provided no other scheme-specific condition independently requires one. This is especially relevant for exporters using postal and courier channels, which the notification explicitly calls out as a priority.

Who Will Be Affected?

Exporters who may benefit:

• Small and first-time exporters shipping consignments valued at ₹3,00,000 FOB or less
• Businesses exporting through postal and courier channels, explicitly named as a priority in the notification
• Exporters of samples, small-batch goods, or handicrafts where RCMC registration cost was a genuine barrier

Exporters who are not affected:

• Businesses exporting consignments with FOB value above ₹3,00,000, who must continue to hold RCMC/Certificate of Registration wherever otherwise required under the FTP
• Exporters relying on scheme-specific benefits that carry their own separate registration or membership conditions unrelated to this exemption

Eligibility and Conditions

The exemption is straightforward and turns on a single, objective condition:

• The export consignment’s FOB value must not exceed ₹3,00,000
• No RCMC or Certificate of Registration is required for that specific consignment on this ground
• If the consignment’s FOB value exceeds ₹3,00,000, the RCMC/CoR requirement continues to apply as before

Exporter Tip: The exemption is assessed per consignment, based on its FOB value — it is not a blanket exemption for the exporter’s business as a whole. If you regularly ship both small parcels and larger consignments, keep track of which shipments actually qualify rather than assuming the exemption covers your entire export activity.

Important Dates

There is no separate application deadline, transition period, or sunset clause mentioned in the notification — the exemption applies to qualifying consignments from the date of issue.

Impact on Advance Authorisation, EPCG, and Other DGFT Schemes

This notification is limited to the RCMC/Certificate of Registration requirement under paragraph 2.57 of the FTP 2023. It does not amend Advance Authorisation, EPCG, RoDTEP, RoSCTL, DFIA, or any other export promotion scheme. If your low-value export otherwise involves claiming benefits under any of these schemes, the scheme’s own separate eligibility, documentation, and registration conditions continue to apply — this notification only removes the RCMC/CoR requirement itself where the FOB value threshold is met.

Practical Example: How the Exemption Could Apply

Suppose a small Indian exporter regularly ships handcrafted textile samples to overseas buyers by courier, with individual consignments typically valued between ₹80,000 and ₹2,50,000 FOB. Previously, this exporter would have needed a valid RCMC from the relevant Export Promotion Council to meet standard export documentation requirements, even though the shipments themselves were modest in value.

Under the new exemption, as long as each consignment’s FOB value stays at or below ₹3,00,000, the exporter is no longer required to hold an RCMC or Certificate of Registration for that shipment on this ground. If the same exporter later ships a larger, ₹4,00,000 consignment, that shipment would fall outside the exemption and continue to require RCMC/CoR wherever otherwise applicable.

(Figures above are illustrative only.)

What Should Exporters Do Now?

☐ Check the typical FOB value of your export consignments against the ₹3,00,000 threshold ☐ If you export primarily through postal or courier channels, review whether this exemption removes an existing RCMC requirement for you ☐ Continue maintaining RCMC/Certificate of Registration for any consignments exceeding ₹3,00,000 FOB ☐ Confirm whether any DGFT scheme benefit you’re claiming has its own separate registration requirement, independent of this exemption ☐ Update your internal export documentation checklist to reflect the value-based exemption ☐ Seek professional clarification if your export mix includes a combination of high- and low-value consignments

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Assuming the exemption applies to your whole business rather than being assessed consignment-by-consignment on FOB value
• Dropping RCMC entirely if you also ship consignments above ₹3,00,000, where it remains required
• Confusing this exemption with a scheme-specific benefit — it only removes the RCMC/CoR requirement itself, not any other eligibility condition tied to a specific export incentive
• Overlooking that FOB value, not invoice value or any other valuation basis, is the relevant test

FAQs

1. What is DGFT Notification No. 36/2026-27 about? It exempts export consignments with an FOB value not exceeding ₹3,00,000 from the requirement of holding a Registration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC) or Certificate of Registration.

2. From when is this exemption applicable? The notification takes immediate effect from its date of issue, 15th September 2026.

3. What is the exemption threshold? ₹3,00,000, based on the Free-on-Board (FOB) value of the export consignment.

4. Does this mean I never need an RCMC again? No. If your consignment’s FOB value exceeds ₹3,00,000, the RCMC/Certificate of Registration requirement continues to apply wherever otherwise applicable under the FTP 2023.

5. Who does this exemption particularly help? Small and first-time exporters, and businesses exporting through postal and courier channels, which the notification specifically identifies as a priority.

6. Does this exemption affect Advance Authorisation or EPCG eligibility? No. This notification only removes the RCMC/Certificate of Registration requirement under paragraph 2.57 of the FTP 2023; it does not change the conditions of any other DGFT scheme.

7. Is the exemption assessed per shipment or for the exporter’s entire business? Per consignment, based on that shipment’s FOB value.

8. Which paragraph of the Foreign Trade Policy was amended? Paragraph 2.57 of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2023, with a new sub-paragraph (c) inserted after sub-paragraph (b).

Final Takeaway

DGFT Notification No. 36/2026-27 is a narrow but genuinely useful change: exporters shipping consignments valued at ₹3,00,000 FOB or below no longer need an RCMC or Certificate of Registration for that shipment. It’s a welcome reduction in overhead for small and first-time exporters, particularly those using postal and courier channels — but it’s a consignment-level exemption, not a blanket one, so exporters with a mixed export profile should apply it carefully.

Need Help Understanding How This Exemption Affects Your Exports?

Even a straightforward notification like this can raise practical questions — how it interacts with scheme-specific registrations, how to document FOB value correctly, or whether it changes anything for your existing RCMC. A V International has supported Indian exporters on DGFT and Customs compliance for over 35 years and can help you assess whether this exemption applies to your shipments and how to adjust your export documentation accordingly.