Importer License is mandatory for all the importers in India. This additional requirement is essential as per the Legal Metrology Department under Rule 27 of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011. Like all other licenses, this one also entails facts and documents. As information about it is scarce, and legal metrology experts are the only ones aware, this blog simplifies the necessary points about this certificate.
For the longest time, people thought that only getting the IEC code would be enough to import products in India. Unaware of any other requirement, these folks vehemently started their import businesses. Not realizing the need for an importer license, they were surprised once the customs office stopped their import.
Registration of importers under the Legal Metrology Rules, 2011 is another aspect of importing rights that one has to complete to become an importer in India. As a business license, it is one with very little information. Therefore, to help you understand the process to obtain this license, we give you the key points and the documents you need to acquire it.
Critical Points about Importer License
This license is an LMPC Certificate for the importers. Therefore, as per the Legal Packaged Commodity rules, you must first consider the following points before applying for it:
- The state department issues this license: While legal metrology is a central authority, it is under the distributed paradigm of the government. It means that each state has its department to deal with legal metrology issues. Therefore, everything from the online registration portal to the application processing fee will vary from state to state.
- Online application fee for the importer is the highest: Because the government has some concerns about imported products, it has raised the prices of importer registration. However, the import license cost will vary on a state-to-state basis.
- Online application is incomplete with attested documents: The applicant must only apply for the license after self-attesting the requisite documents.
- The applicant can only upload documents within a specific size limit: The legal metrology portal refuses to accept applications whose attachments exceed the size limit. Thus, the applicant must compress the docs or apply for the license offline.
- Commencing the business without obtaining the certificate is a criminal offence: If the applicant starts importing products without following the import license procedure, the legal metrology department considers it a violation. However, the applicant gets a chance to fix their mistake. They can apply for the import license after paying the penalty.
Also Read: WPC ETA Certificate
Documents required for the Import License
The following are the documents the import requires for the LMPC certificate:
- Licenses related to the type of business the importer does:
- For an applicant who is a trader, a trade license is mandatory.
- An applicant who imports and manufactures requires a manufacturing license.
- Residential proof of the applicant proving his citizenship
- GST Registration certificate
- List of materials for packaging the product and articles used to keep the product safe during import.
- If the applicant is a limited company, MOA is required. Likewise, a partnership deed for an applicant running a partnership firm.
- Import Export Code that the applicant has procured from the DGFT.
- Photographs of the directors or partners of the applicant’s business organization
Also Read: How to get BEE certification for electrical appliances in India?
Conclusion
The license to import can be arduous to procure. However, with the assistance of the right combination of documents and critical points, an applicant can obtain it. That said, the applicant requires the aid of experts to obtain this license. For that, they must consult with the service providers near them.
