AD Code
Authorised Dealer Code
An AD Code is a fourteen-digit number identifying the bank branch that handles a business's foreign exchange, and it must be registered at each port the business ships from before any shipping bill can be filed there.
The code links a shipment to the bank that will receive its proceeds, which is what makes the EDPMS matching possible at all. Without it, customs has no counterparty to expect the money through.
Registration is per port, not per business. An exporter who has always shipped from Nhava Sheva and decides to use Mundra for one container discovers that their AD code is not registered there and the shipping bill cannot be filed — usually the day before the container is due.
The bank issues an AD Code letter; the customs broker registers it at the port. It is a one-time exercise per port and worth doing in advance for any port you might plausibly use.
Key facts
- Fourteen digits, issued by the authorised dealer bank branch.
- Must be registered separately at every port or ICD used.
- Required before a shipping bill can be filed at that port.
- Links the shipment to the bank for EDPMS realisation tracking.
- Registration is generally one-time per port, but must be redone if you change bank.
Who this affects
Exporters and importers, and their customs brokers.
How YarnTally handles it
Bank profiles hold AD codes and can be set as the default for an organisation, with port codes for Indian ports seeded in the system.
See what else it doesReviewed September 2026. This is general information about how these rules work, not tax or legal advice, and thresholds and due dates do change. Check your own position with your chartered accountant before acting on it.