Short answer
An AD code is the code of the Authorised Dealer (AD) bank that handles an exporter's foreign exchange.12 An Authorised Dealer is authorised by RBI under section 10(1) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999.1 The AD code is a field in Part 1 of the Export Declaration Form (EDF).2 Goods exporters also use it on shipping bills.3
| Full form | Governed by | Who needs it | Where it is used | Related terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authorised Dealer code | FEMA (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 20261 | Every service exporter filling in an EDF, and goods exporters on shipping bills13 | EDF Part 1, shipping bills and e-BRC matching23 | Authorised Dealer bank, EDF, EDPMS, IRM number, IFSC, SWIFT code |
An AD code is a bank's identity for export paperwork. Exporters of goods have used it for years on customs shipping bills. From 1 October 2026 it also matters to service exporters, because the Export Declaration Form (EDF) they now file asks for it.12
What does an AD code mean in simple words?
An AD code is the code that identifies the Authorised Dealer bank you name on your export paperwork, the bank that will receive your export proceeds and track them.12 An Authorised Dealer is a person authorised by RBI under section 10(1) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA).1
- Belongs to: the bank, not the exporter.
- Appears on: Part 1 of the EDF, and shipping bills for goods.23
- Links: your export record to the bank that receives the payment.
Why does an AD code matter for Indian exporters and freelancers?
An AD code matters for Indian exporters and freelancers because every service exporter now fills it in on the EDF. Part 1 of the EDF, set out in the Annex to the FEMA (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026 (the 2026 Regulations), has fields for "AD code" and "AD Name & Address" next to your IE Code, GSTIN and PAN.2
- Bank compliance: under regulation 3(2), every exporter of services gives the EDF to the specified authority within 30 days from the end of the month in which the invoice was raised.1
- Specified authority: for services other than software it is an Authorised Dealer, and for software it is an Authorised Dealer or the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI).1
- Declaration: in the exporter's declaration you undertake to deliver the export value to the authorised dealer named on the form.2
So a video editor, a tax consultant and a mobile app studio all need their bank's AD code to complete the form.
How does an AD code work?
An AD code works as a matching key between export records and bank records. For goods, the AD code is recorded on the shipping bill so the customs export record can be linked to the bank's remittance record.3 DGFT's eBRC FAQs refer to the "Shipping Bill AD code" and say an eBRC can still be generated where that code differs from the bank that reported the inward remittance.3
Service exporters give their EDF to an Authorised Dealer, STPI or an SEZ Development Commissioner rather than to Customs, and do not file shipping bills.1 The customs-side step for goods exporters is covered in AD code registration.
How do you get and use an AD code as a service exporter?
A service exporter gets the AD code from the bank that receives its export payments and enters it on each EDF.
- Ask the bank: the branch or trade finance desk can confirm its code in writing.
- Name the right bank: use the AD code of the bank where the client's money actually lands.
- Platforms: if you receive through a payment platform, ask it which Indian bank credits your account and how it handles the EDF.
- Several banks: each EDF should name the bank that will receive the proceeds for those invoices.
For example, an agency that receives US clients into one bank and European clients into another names each bank on the EDF for the invoices it receives. The full filing walk through is in the EDF form guide.
What is the difference between an AD code and other bank codes?
An AD code identifies a bank for foreign exchange and export reporting, while the IFSC and SWIFT code route payments.23
| Code | Used for | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| AD code | Export documents such as the EDF and shipping bills23 | Filling in the EDF |
| IFSC | Domestic rupee transfers (NEFT, RTGS, IMPS) | Receiving rupee payments within India |
| SWIFT code (BIC) | International payment messages to the bank | Telling a foreign client where to wire money |
| IRM number | A number the bank assigns to each inward remittance, used to link it to the exporter3 | Generating an e-BRC against a receipt |
What do people get wrong about AD codes?
People most often treat the AD code as something the exporter registers, when it is the bank's code.
- Registration: a freelancer does not register an AD code with anyone to receive a payment.
- Old documents: do not copy a code from an old document of a different branch.
- Wrong bank: naming a bank that does not receive the money breaks the link between the EDF and the payment.
- Other codes: the AD code is separate from the IFSC and the SWIFT code.
Which terms are related to AD code?
These terms come up alongside the AD code in export paperwork.
- Authorised Dealer bank: the bank the AD code identifies.
- EDF: the export declaration that carries the AD code.
- EDPMS: the RBI system where the bank records your EDF.
- e-BRC: the DGFT certificate generated from the bank's remittance record.
- SWIFT code: the bank code a foreign client uses to send the payment.
How did we verify this?
We checked this page against the sources below on 30 October 2026. Read our methodology or report an error.
- [1]RBI: Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026, Notification No. FEMA 23(R)/2026-RB, amended up to 22 September 2026 (regulations 2 and 3)
- [2]TaxGuru: reproduction of the Gazette text of the 2026 Regulations, including the Annex (Export Declaration Form, Part 1)
- [3]DGFT: FAQs (Self-Generation of eBRC), Version 1.0, March 2024 (questions 1, 2 and 56)
Frequently asked questions
Where do I find my bank's AD code?+
Ask the branch or the trade finance desk of the bank where you receive export payments for its AD code. The code belongs to the bank and not to you, and the bank can confirm it in writing, which is safer than copying a code from an old document of a different branch.
Does a freelancer need an AD code?+
A freelancer does not register an AD code with anyone to receive a payment. The EDF that every service exporter files from 1 October 2026 has an AD code field in Part 1, so a freelancer needs the bank's AD code to fill in that form.12
Can export payments come into a different bank from the AD code on the shipping bill?+
For goods, DGFT says an eBRC can be generated where the AD code on the shipping bill differs from that of the inward remittance. The bank where the money is credited reports the remittance to DGFT, so the export can still be matched to the payment.3
Which details sit next to the AD code on the EDF?+
Part 1 of the EDF, set out in the Annex to the 2026 Regulations, has fields for the AD code and the AD name and address next to the exporter's IE Code, GSTIN and PAN.2 Have all of these ready before you start filling in the EDF for a month's invoices.
What if a platform and my bank quote different AD codes?+
If your bank's export desk gives you an AD code in a different format from the one a platform or consultant quotes, go with the bank's written confirmation. When in doubt about which bank to name on the EDF, ask a chartered accountant or your bank before you file.
This page is general information for Indian service exporters, not tax or legal advice. Rules change and outcomes depend on your facts, so confirm with a chartered accountant before acting.
Keep reading
Do service exporters need AD code registration?
AD code registration on ICEGATE is a customs step for shipping goods. When a services-only exporter needs it, when not, and how registration works in 2026.
GlossaryWhat is an Authorised Dealer (AD) bank?
An Authorised Dealer bank is a bank RBI has authorised under FEMA to deal in foreign exchange. What it does for Indian service exporters from 1 October 2026.
RBI and FEMAHow do you fill in the EDF form for a service export?
A field-by-field walk through the Export Declaration Form in the Annex to the FEMA 2026 Regulations, for freelancers, agencies and IT firms filing for services.
GlossaryWhat is the EDF (Export Declaration Form)?
The EDF is the Export Declaration Form in the FEMA 2026 Regulations. From 1 October 2026 every Indian service exporter files it with the bank within 30 days.