Spices are one of the few products with a statutorily mandatory export registration: the Spices Board CRES, required under section 11 of the Spices Board Act for all 52 scheduled spices. It doubles as your RCMC. Add the standard export base and a Central FSSAI licence and you are shipment-ready – with destination-specific testing the main ongoing discipline.
Updated July 2026. Registrations and fees current as of July 2026 (major recent changes are dated in-line). Rules change by notification – use the official links to confirm before applying.
Registrations and licences you need
| Registration / licence | Applies | Government fee | Authority / portal | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spices Board CRES Mandatory for all 52 scheduled spices; the CRES is also your RCMC for FTP purposes. | MANDATORY | Merchant exporter Rs 10,000 + GST = Rs 11,800; Manufacturer exporter Rs 15,000 + GST = Rs 17,700 (renewals Rs 8,850 / Rs 11,800) | Spices Board India indianspices.com | Block of 3 financial years |
| Import Export Code (IEC) | MANDATORY | Rs 500 (one-time) | DGFT dgft.gov.in | Lifetime, BUT annual April-June online update is mandatory (free if nothing changed) – miss 30 June and the IEC is auto-deactivated |
| AD Code registration Fully online on ICEGATE since 2022 – needed before your first shipping bill. | MANDATORY | Nil (bank letter + ICEGATE) | Your AD bank + ICEGATE icegate.gov.in | Ongoing; register port-wise |
| GST + LUT (Form RFD-11) Exports are zero-rated; the LUT lets you export without paying IGST. | MANDATORY | Nil | GST portal gst.gov.in | LUT valid one financial year – refile every April |
| FSSAI Central licence Exporters are a Central-licence category; the CRES application itself asks for it. | MANDATORY | Rs 7,500 (as per FoSCoS) | FSSAI (FoSCoS) foscos.fssai.gov.in | PERPETUAL since March 2026 |
| Quality testing (destination-specific) Mandatory sampling applies for certain spice-destination pairs – chilli to the EU (aflatoxin, Sudan dyes) is the classic case. | IF APPLICABLE | Per test | Spices Board labs / approved labs indianspices.com | Per consignment / destination |
| Udyam (MSME) registration Not legally compulsory but practically essential: cheaper trademark and expedited fees, priority-sector lending, delayed-payment protection under MSMED Act. | MANDATORY | Free | Ministry of MSME udyamregistration.gov.in | Lifetime |
| ICEGATE + e-BRC As in any export business. | MANDATORY | Nil | Customs / DGFT icegate.gov.in | Ongoing |
Manufacturer-exporters (grinding, blending, packing) also need the food-manufacturing stack on the domestic side – pollution consent, Legal Metrology packer licence and possibly a factory licence; see our food manufacturing page. Merchant exporters skip those.
The right order to do it in
- Complete the export base: entity, IEC, AD Code, GST + LUT (see the import-export page).
- Take the Central FSSAI licence – the CRES application expects it.
- Apply for the CRES on the Spices Board portal: merchant (Rs 11,800) or manufacturer (Rs 17,700) category, valid for a 3-financial-year block. Manufacturer applicants also attach premises proof and pollution consent.
- If manufacturing: complete the domestic stack (PCB consents, Legal Metrology, factory licence as applicable) – our food manufacturing page covers it.
- Set up destination compliance: for EU shipments of chilli and certain spices, factor in mandatory pre-shipment testing at Spices Board / approved labs.
- Ship: PQ certificate where required for whole spices, shipping bill on ICEGATE, e-BRC reconciliation.
Documents to keep ready
Your NIC code: merchant exporters use 46309 (wholesale of foodstuffs); manufacturer exporters use 10795 (grinding and processing of spices) under Division 10. Open the NIC Code Finder to search and copy the exact code.
Frequently asked questions
Is Spices Board registration mandatory to export spices?
Yes – the Certificate of Registration as Exporter of Spices (CRES) is statutorily mandatory under section 11 of the Spices Board Act for the 52 scheduled spices. Merchant exporters pay Rs 11,800 and manufacturer exporters Rs 17,700 (including GST), valid for a 3-financial-year block. It also serves as your RCMC.
What is the difference between merchant and manufacturer CRES?
Merchant exporters trade in spices processed by others; manufacturer exporters grind, blend or pack themselves. The manufacturer category costs more (Rs 17,700 vs Rs 11,800), needs premises proof and pollution consent, and brings the domestic food-manufacturing stack (Legal Metrology, possibly factory licence) with it.
Why do EU spice shipments need special testing?
The EU applies strict limits on aflatoxin and dyes – chilli is the flagged case (Sudan dye history). The Spices Board runs mandatory pre-shipment sampling for specified spice-destination pairs, so budget testing time and cost into EU orders.
Can I export spices without FSSAI?
No – exporters fall under the Central FSSAI licence category regardless of turnover, and the CRES application itself lists the FSSAI licence among its supporting documents. Since March 2026 FSSAI licences are perpetually valid once issued.
Related tools on CalcGuru
Import-Export base stackFood Manufacturing licencesBusiness Registration Guide (all types)Compliance Calendar + email remindersTrademark Fee Calculator (brand protection)
This page lists the registrations COMMONLY required for this type of business – sector-, product- and state-specific requirements may also apply, and thresholds change by notification. It is general information, not professional advice; confirm your specific case with the official portals linked above or a professional before acting. See our full disclaimer.