IRC and ERC in Bangladesh: Who Needs an Import or Export Registration Certificate, Categories, Fees, Documents and Renewal

In this guide: Who needs an IRC, and who does not · IRC categories and fees · Documents and the online application · Validity, renewal and changes

The short answer

Under the Imports and Exports (Control) Act 1950 and the Import Policy Order, a person who imports goods for trade or industry must hold an Import Registration Certificate (IRC), and a person who exports must hold an Export Registration Certificate (ERC), both issued by the Office of the Chief Controller of Imports and Exports (CCI&E) under the Ministry of Commerce. The IRC is issued in one of eight categories according to the annual value you intend to import, each with its own registration and renewal fee; the current schedule dates from the Commerce Ministry’s circular of August 2022 and we have found no later revision. Banks will not open an import L/C, and customs will not release commercial goods, without the IRC; the ERC is likewise required to realise export proceeds. The Import Policy Order 2026-2029, gazetted on 24 August 2026 and running to 31 December 2029, is the policy framework now in force.

Who needs an IRC, and who does not

A commercial importer (a trader) takes a commercial IRC; a manufacturer importing its own raw materials and machinery takes an industrial IRC, with an entitlement based on its capacity. A sole proprietor applies in their own name on the strength of the trade licence; a partnership or company applies in the firm’s name. Government departments, local authorities and statutory bodies, recognised educational institutions and hospitals importing for their own use, and imports that involve no foreign-exchange remittance, are exempt from the IRC requirement under the Import Policy Order, as are personal imports of reading material, medicine and samples within the limits the Order sets. The sample and personal-import limits under the 2026-29 Order are being confirmed.

Both the IRC and the ERC are among the forty transactions in s.264 of the Income Tax Act 2023 for which a proof of submission of income tax return must be shown — on issue and on each renewal — so the applicant’s return must be filed first. See our PSR guide.

IRC categories and fees

Add 15% VAT to each fee. The fees are paid by treasury challan to the Commerce Ministry’s head of account (code 1-1731-0001-1801) through Sonali Bank or Bangladesh Bank, now generally via A-challan. A change of import ceiling, nominated bank or ownership costs Tk 2,000. The schedule is the Ministry of Commerce circular of 21 August 2022, effective 1 September 2022; several websites still show the earlier, lower table — if a fee quoted to you differs from this one, ask for the circular. For the ERC the registration fee is Tk 10,000, an indenting ERC Tk 50,000 and a multiple-category ERC Tk 10,000; the ERC renewal fee is not stated in the sources available to us and should be confirmed with CCI&E.

Documents and the online application

1. Documents. Current trade licence; TIN certificate (and the proof of submission of return); BIN certificate; a bank solvency certificate from your nominated bank; membership certificate of a recognised chamber of commerce or trade association; NID and photographs of the proprietor or managing director; and the treasury challan for the fee. Companies add the certificate of incorporation, memorandum and articles and Form XII; partnerships the registered deed; manufacturers the environmental clearance and Invest Bangladesh (formerly BIDA) or factory registration; a foreign director adds passport and work permit, and a joint venture its agreement.
2. Apply online through CCI&E’s online licensing module (olm.ccie.gov.bd) by uploading scans, or at the CCI&E head office in Dhaka or the regional office for your district; the nominated bank may also lodge and renew the application for you.
3. Issue. A complete application is normally processed within a few working days; the certificate names the category, the nominated bank and the validity date.

The IRC and the BIN are linked in customs’ ASYCUDA system; the name, address and category on each must match or the bill of entry will not be accepted. If you have taken a BIN first (see our BIN guide), use identical particulars.

Validity, renewal and changes

Certificates run to 30 June and must be renewed for each financial year. Since late 2022 an applicant may choose a validity of one to five years and pay the renewal fee for the whole period at once, which saves an annual visit; the nominated bank can renew on your behalf. A renewal lodged after 30 June attracts a surcharge under the Order whose current rate we have not been able to confirm — budget for it and renew in June. To move up a category because imports have grown, apply for a change of ceiling (Tk 2,000) and pay the difference in fee; importing beyond your category ceiling is a breach that customs can detect from the bills of entry. Changes of bank, address or ownership are notified on the same form.

The Import Policy Order 2026-29 removed the value ceiling on imports under contract without a letter of credit and allowed CBU motorcycles up to 375cc; the general rules on banned and restricted items, pre-shipment inspection and labelling continue, and an importer should read the Order’s schedules for its own products before the first order is placed.