IEC Code Name Change in West Bengal
Every exporter and importer in West Bengal, from a Howrah engineering unit to a Darjeeling tea seller or a trader at Petrapole, needs an Importer Exporter Code (IEC) from the DGFT. The IEC is tied to the PAN, and the DGFT portal checks the name with the income tax database in real time. So a name change on the IEC starts with PAN, then a modification on the DGFT portal. This page explains the order, the fee, the yearly April to June update, and when a new IEC is needed.
Get Call and Name Change Format
IEC Code Name Change (Quick Answer)
To change a name on an Importer Exporter Code, first make sure PAN shows the new name, because the DGFT portal verifies details with the income tax database. Then log in to the DGFT portal, choose Modify IEC, update the firm or proprietor details, sign with DSC or Aadhaar e-Sign and pay Rs 200. Confirm your IEC every year between 1 April and 30 June, or it can be deactivated. A new PAN usually means a new IEC.
| Change | Where it starts |
|---|---|
| Proprietor's surname after marriage | Aadhaar and PAN, then Modify IEC |
| Company renamed | Registrar of Companies, PAN, then Modify IEC |
| Partner or director added or removed | Modify IEC |
| Firm address or bank account | Modify IEC |
| New PAN after a change of constitution | Usually a new IEC |
IEC Code and PAN: Why the IEC Name Must Follow PAN
The Importer Exporter Code is issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade on dgft.gov.in. The DGFT user manual says that proprietor, partner and director details are verified in real time from the CBDT database, which is the income tax PAN record.
So if the PAN still shows the old name, the IEC cannot show the new one. Every IEC name change starts with PAN.
West Bengal has a busy trade base: Kolkata and Haldia ports, the Petrapole land border with Bangladesh, the Kolkata airport cargo complex, and tea, leather, jute and engineering exporters. Each shipment links the IEC with customs, the bank and the buyer.
The DGFT has a regional office in Kolkata, but most IEC work is now online. You can sign yourself with Aadhaar e-Sign, so a simple modification does not need an agent.
How to Change the Name on an IEC: Modify IEC on the DGFT Portal for Rs 200
Log in to the DGFT portal with the IEC's registered user, open the IEC section and choose Modify IEC. The manual lists the firm address, address proof, bank details and the proprietor, partner or director details (PAN, name, date of birth, address and mobile) as fields you can update.
The DGFT manual gives the modification fee as Rs 200. You sign with a Digital Signature Certificate or Aadhaar e-Sign. Bank details are checked through the Public Financial Management System, so the account name must match too; see name correction in a bank account.
Guides say a modification is usually processed in 1 to 3 working days. A PAN change on an older numeric IEC goes to the DGFT regional officer for approval.
Proprietor's Name Change on an IEC After Marriage or a Spelling Error
For a proprietorship, the IEC is linked to the proprietor's own PAN. A woman exporter who takes her husband's surname, or a trader whose PAN carries a spelling error, must fix Aadhaar and PAN first; see PAN name change after marriage and PAN and Aadhaar mismatch.
A PAN correction keeps the same PAN number, so the IEC stays the same and only the name is modified.
A full change of name may need a gazette as supporting proof for PAN; see gazette name change in West Bengal. The DGFT itself reads the name from PAN.
Firm or Company Name Change on an IEC: ROC, PAN, Then DGFT
A company changes its name through the Registrar of Companies, then updates PAN, then modifies the IEC. Guides list the updated PAN, the new certificate of incorporation and a board resolution as the usual papers.
A partnership firm needs an amended deed, an updated firm PAN, and then the IEC modification. Partners joining or leaving are updated in the same Modify IEC form.
Do the same on GST, since customs and the GST refund system match the IEC with GSTIN; see name change in Udyam and GST.
Yearly IEC Update Between 1 April and 30 June: Do Not Miss It
Guides say every IEC holder must log in and confirm or update the IEC details between 1 April and 30 June each year, even if nothing changed, and that the confirmation itself is free.
If you skip it, the IEC can be deactivated, which blocks imports and exports until it is reactivated.
This window is a good time to check the name, address and bank details. If your name changed during the year, do the modification before or during the update.
ICEGATE, Bank AD Code and Port Records After an IEC Name Change
An IEC name change does not by itself update every other trade record. Your authorised dealer bank, the AD code registered at each port, the ICEGATE registration and export promotion council membership may also carry the old name.
Ask your customs broker which records to update at Kolkata Port, Haldia, Petrapole or the airport. Shipping bills and bills of entry filed in a mismatched name can cause delays in drawback or refunds.
Keep a copy of the modified IEC and the PAN letter in the new name ready for each office.
When a Name Change Needs a New IEC: PAN Change or New Entity
The IEC is built around the PAN. When the PAN itself changes, for example when a proprietorship becomes a company or a firm, the new entity usually needs its own IEC. The same is true when a business passes to a new owner with a different PAN, including after the proprietor's death.
The DGFT manual allows a PAN change on older numeric IECs with officer approval, so ask the regional office if your IEC is an old numeric one.
A new IEC costs Rs 500 and is applied for on the same portal.
Mistakes With IEC Name Changes
Modifying the IEC before PAN
The portal checks PAN in real time.
Skipping the April to June update
The IEC can be deactivated.
Forgetting the bank and AD code
Shipments can be held up.
Using the old IEC after a new PAN
The new entity needs its own IEC.
Paying an agent large fees
Rs 200 on DGFT, signed yourself.
Leaving GST in the old name
Customs matches IEC and GSTIN.
How to Change the Name on an IEC Code, in Order
Fix Aadhaar and PAN
PAN must show the new name.
Update GST
So IEC and GSTIN match.
Log in to DGFT
Open Modify IEC.
Update the details
Name, partners, address or bank.
Sign and pay Rs 200
DSC or Aadhaar e-Sign.
Update bank and ports
AD code, ICEGATE, broker.
IEC Code Name Change: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I change the name on my IEC?
Fix PAN first, then use Modify IEC on the DGFT portal, sign and pay the fee.
What is the fee for IEC modification?
The DGFT manual gives Rs 200. A new IEC costs Rs 500.
Why does the DGFT portal reject my new name?
It checks details with the income tax PAN database. Update PAN first.
Does my IEC number change after a name change?
Not if the PAN stays the same. Only the details are modified.
Is a new IEC needed when my proprietorship becomes a company?
Usually yes, because the company has a new PAN.
What is the yearly IEC update?
Guides say you must confirm or update your IEC between 1 April and 30 June every year.
What happens if I miss the yearly update?
Guides say the IEC can be deactivated until you update it.
How long does an IEC modification take?
Guides say 1 to 3 working days.
Can I sign the IEC modification myself?
Yes, with a Digital Signature Certificate or Aadhaar e-Sign.
Do I need a gazette to change the name on my IEC?
Not for the IEC itself. A personal name change may need it as proof for PAN.
What other records should I update?
Bank AD code, ICEGATE, port records and your customs broker's records.
Is there a DGFT office in West Bengal?
Yes, a regional office in Kolkata, though most IEC work is online.
Sources for IEC Changes
DGFT IEC Module User Manual
content.dgft.gov.in: Modify IEC fields, Rs 200 fee, CBDT check.
IEC Code Charges
skydo.com: Rs 500 new IEC, free yearly update.
IEC Modification Guide
disytax.com: name change papers, April to June update.
Get Call and Name Change Format
IEC Proprietor Name Change: Rs 200 Form You File, Affidavit From Us If Needed
An IEC modification is a Rs 200 form you can sign yourself. If your own name changed, send us how it reads on Aadhaar, PAN, GST and the IEC, and we will tell you the order and prepare the affidavit or gazette if PAN needs one. Monday to Saturday, across West Bengal.