Export House Certificate (FTP 2023): New Thresholds, Automatic Issuance & Benefits

For many exporters, achieving Status Holder recognition once felt difficult and paperwork-heavy. Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023 has changed that. With lower export performance thresholds and system-based issuance, many businesses now receive the Export House Certificate automatically. What earlier required repeated follow-ups has shifted to a faster, largely digital process.

This certificate formerly known as the Status Holder Certificate recognises exporters who demonstrate sustained performance in international trade. By simplifying eligibility and enabling electronic issuance (e-SHC), FTP 2023 has opened the door to a wider set of businesses, including SaaS exporters, freelancers, and goods exporters.

More importantly, this recognition converts export performance into practical benefits such as priority customs clearance, exemption from bank guarantees, and smoother compliance. Read on to understand who qualifies, how automatic issuance works, and how this status can strengthen your export operations.

What Is an Export House Certificate (Status Holder)?

An Export House Certificate is a formal credential issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) to recognised business leaders who have demonstrated strong and consistent performance in international trade. Under the FTP, the official term for this recognition is the Status Holder Certificate, although it is more commonly referred to as the Export House Certificate in practice.

This status works like a VIP pass in the export ecosystem. It signals trust and credibility to customs authorities, banks, and tax departments, helping exporters move goods and receive payments with fewer procedural hurdles.

Eligibility for this recognition is based on your cumulative export performance, measured through Free on Rail/Road (FOR) or Free On Board (FOB) value achieved during the current financial year and the preceding three financial years.

Revised Status Categories and Thresholds (FTP 2023)

FTP 2023 has made Status Holder recognition far more achievable by sharply reducing export performance thresholds across all categories. Compared to earlier policies, exporters now need significantly lower cumulative export values to qualify, bringing many mid-sized businesses and service exporters into scope.

Export performance is calculated on the FOB value for goods, and FOR value for deemed exports. The assessment considers exports completed during the current financial year and the previous three financial years.

Status Categories under FTP 2023

Eligibility Criteria for Status Holder Certification

To qualify for a Status Holder Certificate under FTP 2023, you must meet a few clear and measurable conditions. Here’s how eligibility works:

• Valid IEC Is Mandatory: You must hold an active Importer-Exporter Code (IEC) throughout the period under review.
• Export Performance Period: Your exports are assessed over the current financial year plus the preceding three financial years.
• Special Rule for Gems & Jewellery Exporters: If you operate in the Gems & Jewellery sector, performance is calculated over the current year and the previous two financial years instead.
• Minimum Active Years Requirement: You must achieve the required export performance in at least two years out of the assessed period. (two out of four years, or two out of three for Gems & Jewellery).
• What Counts Towards Performance

Eligible exports include:

• Physical exports
• Service exports (based on foreign exchange earned)
• Deemed exports, converted into USD as per notified rates

Meeting these conditions ensures that recognition reflects consistent export activity, not one-off transactions.

Double Weightage for One Star Export House

FTP 2023 offers double weightage to help specific exporter groups reach the One Star Export House threshold of USD 3 million faster. Under this benefit, eligible export turnover is counted at twice its actual value but only within clearly defined limits.

The following exporters qualify for double weightage:

• Micro and Small Enterprises (MSMEs): Registered MSMEs can count eligible export value as double to meet the One Star threshold.
• ISO or BIS Certified Manufacturing Units: Manufacturing exporters holding valid ISO or BIS certification qualify for this benefit.
• Units Located in Special Regions: Exporters operating from North Eastern States, Sikkim, Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh are eligible.
• Fruits and Vegetables Exporters: Exports under Chapters 7 and 8 of the ITC (HS) now qualify for double weightage under FTP 2023.

Here are important limits to note:

• Double weightage applies only for One Star Export House status.
• Each export shipment is counted only once benefits cannot be stacked or repeated.

How to Obtain the Certificate: Automatic vs. Manual

FTP 2023 changed how exporters receive the Status Holder Certificate by introducing automatic system-based issuance alongside the existing manual route. Which path applies to you depends on whether your export performance data is available with the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCI&S).

In simple terms, merchandise exporters usually qualify through automation, while service exporters and others must still apply manually through the DGFT portal.

Path 1: Automatic Issuance (e-SHC)

Under this route, there is no application to file. DGFT automatically evaluates your eligibility using merchandise export data received from DGCI&S.

If you qualify:

• Log in and download your system-generated Status Holder Certificate from the DGFT portal.
• Issuance usually happens once a year, typically around August.
• This path covers most goods exporters.

If the system assigns a lower status than expected, you must submit a request for amendment with supporting data.

Path 2: Manual Application (Services & Others)

You must apply manually if you are a service exporter, deemed export supplier, or claiming double weightage, as this data is not available with DGCI&S.

Steps:

1. Log in to the DGFT website using your Digital Signature Certificate (DSC).
2. Go to Services → Certificate Management → Apply for Status Holder Certificate.
3. Complete ANF-1B / ANF-3C and upload a CA-certified export performance statement.
4. Submitting the application  no government fee is usually payable.

Documents Required for Manual Application

• Self certified copy of IEC.
• Valid Registration Cum Membership Certificate (RCMC).
• A Chartered Accountant–certified export performance statement, submitted as an annexure to ANF 3C, covering the relevant financial years.
• Certificate of exports in prescribed format where double weightage has been claimed along with supporting proof for double weightage such as MSME Udyam Registration or ISO certification, where relevant.
• Certificate of foreign exchange realisation, such as e-BRC or FIRC, for earnings from the supply of services.
• Certificate confirming FOR value for deemed exports.
• Export records related to SEZs, EOUs, EHTPs, STPs, or BTPs, if applicable.

Key Benefits of Being a Status Holder

The Status Holder Certificate offers practical privileges that directly reduce friction in export operations. Instead of symbolic recognition, it delivers real gains across customs clearance, banking, and market access.

Customs and Operational Ease

• Self-Declaration for Customs Clearance: You can clear both import and export consignments on a self-declaration basis, which reduces checks and speeds up customs clearance.
• Faster Fixation of Input-Output Norms: The Norms Committee prioritises your applications and finalises Input-Output Norms within 60 days, improving planning certainty.
• Exemption from Bank Guarantees: You are exempt from furnishing a bank guarantee for schemes such as Advance Authorisation and EPCG, easing cash-flow pressure.
• Export Warehouse Facility: If you hold Two Star status or above, you can set up export warehouses to streamline storage and dispatch operations.

Financial and Marketing Privileges

• Simplified Banking Formalities: You are exempt from compulsory negotiation of export documents through banks, although remittances must still flow through authorised banking channels.
• Free-of-Cost Export Samples: You can export promotional samples without charge, subject to a limit of ₹1 crore or 2% of average annual export realisation during preceding three licensing years,, whichever is lower.
• Self-Certification of Origin: If you are a manufacturer with Three Star status or above, you can self-certify certificates of origin to qualify for preferential treatment under different Preferential Trading Agreements (PTA), Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreements (CECA) and Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPA).
• Stronger Market Credibility: Status Holder recognition enhances your standing with global buyers, often viewed as a mark of reliability and compliance.

New Skilling and Mentorship Obligations

Under the FTP 2023, the role of recognised exporters has expanded beyond trade performance. The policy introduces a new ‘Partner’ role, where Status Holders of Two Star and above must actively support skill development in foreign trade. As part of this responsibility, Status Holders are expected to provide structured skill upgradation and trade-related training.

What this involves:

• You must run a structured trade training programme with a minimum duration of six weeks.
• Each Status Holder must train a defined number of candidates every year:
  • Two Star Export House: 5 trainees
  • Three Star Export House: 10 trainees
  • Four Star Export House: 20 trainees
  • Five Star Export House: 50 trainees

Validity and Renewal of the Certificate

The validity period of the Star Export House Certificate is five years from the date of issuance or until the validity of the Foreign Trade Policy, whichever is earlier. During this time, your status remains active, provided you continue to meet the prescribed compliance requirements.

The renewal process is essentially a re-verification of your export performance against the DGFT’s latest benchmarks. You should apply for renewal before the existing certificate expires. Timely filing helps ensure continuity and avoids any break in recognition or linked advantages.

If your export performance improves during the validity period, you do not have to wait until expiry. You can apply for a status upgrade, such as moving from a One Star to a Two Star Export House, once you meet the higher performance threshold.

How Razorpay Simplifies Export Documentation

When you’re managing exports, getting paid by international clients should not add to your documentation burden. Razorpay simplifies the paperwork and payment process for international receipts, helping you stay compliant while focusing on growth.

• Accept Payments from 180+ Countries: Razorpay lets you receive international bank transfers from customers in over 180 countries without hidden charges or forex markups, reducing reconciliation hassle.
• Multi-Currency Support: You can accept funds in major currencies such as USD, EUR, and GBP, which are settled directly into your Indian account, helping you keep currency handling simple and documentation easier to manage across transactions.
• Transparent Pricing and Fewer Surprises: With no forex markup and clearly stated fees on international transfers, pricing remains transparent, making payment reconciliation and record-keeping easier.
• One Dashboard for Export Receipts: Payments whether through bank transfer, card, or local methods appear on a single platform, reducing the number of documents you must track or file.
• Streamlined FIRC generation: Razorpay provides automated electronic Foreign Inward Remittance Certificates (e-FIRCs) for eligible international payments, reducing dependence on manual bank follow-ups.

Get started with Razorpay today and make your international payments and export documentation simple from day one.

Conclusion

The Star Export House Certificate is more than a badge of recognition; it supports smoother operations and meaningful cost efficiencies for growing exporters. Under FTP 2023, qualifying has become simpler than before. Lower thresholds and automatic issuance for eligible exporters reduce friction, while digital access makes tracking status easier. You should check your DGFT dashboard for the e-Star Export House Certificate, or apply manually if you operate in the services sector. Used well, this status can help you scale global operations faster and more sustainably.

FAQs

1. Is the Export House Certificate now issued automatically?

Yes. Under FTP 2023, DGFT issues the e-Status Holder Certificate (e-SHC) automatically for eligible merchandise exporters based on DGCI&S data. 

2. What is the validity period of a Status Holder Certificate?

The certificate is valid for five years from the date of issuance or until the validity of the Foreign Trade Policy, whichever is earlier.

3. What are the new export performance thresholds for a One Star Export House?

The threshold for One Star Export House has not changed; it is USD 3 million in export performance over the current and preceding three financial years.

4. Is the skilling obligation mandatory for all Status Holders?

No. The obligation applies to Two Star Export Houses and above, with annual trainee requirements ranging from 5 to 50, depending on the tier.

5. Can service exporters claim automatic Status Holder recognition?

Generally, no. Service exporters are required to file an online application to claim Status Holder recognition.

6. Do re-exports count towards Export House eligibility?

No. Re-exports are excluded when calculating export performance for Status Holder recognition.