Class 3 combo
Bidders and exporters
Signing plus encryption on one token. E-tendering, ICEGATE and reissue. Rajasthan eProc needs signing only.
₹2,410/ 2 years
How to register a DSC on ICEGATE for customs filing
On this page
Every consignment that crosses an Indian port leaves a paper trail on ICEGATE, the customs portal. Shipping bills, bills of entry, import and export general manifests: each of these is signed digitally before the portal accepts it. Importers, exporters, customs brokers, shipping lines and airlines all sign the same way, with the same kind of certificate. This post explains which certificate ICEGATE asks for, how registration works, and how to get the certificate from us.
What ICEGATE asks for
ICEGATE asks for signing and encryption together, which means the Class 3 combo: a signing certificate and an encryption certificate on one token. A signing only certificate will not do here, even though it suffices on several other portals. The certificate stands in the name of the importer or exporter, or in the name of the customs broker who files for clients. Brokers filing for several clients register the certificate they will actually use, since the portal signs with whatever is registered. Our DSC for the ICEGATE customs portal page carries the full requirements and the document list.
Which DSC fits
Class 3 combo, in the name that will file. For a company that means the authorisation letter and the company registration documents decide whose name goes on the certificate, so get that paperwork straight before you apply. Tell us which name will file before you pay, and we will make sure the application carries it. Current prices are on the Class 3 DSC product page, where combo and signing sit side by side and where you place the order.
Do not confuse this with the DGFT certificate. Both portals serve the same exporter, but ICEGATE takes the combo while the DGFT portal takes the DGFT DSC with the name matching the IEC. If you file on both, you need both certificates, each registered on its own portal.
How to get it from us
We are a Registration Authority (RA) for VSign, Capricorn, eMudhra, Sify, nCODE and PantaSign. These CCA-licensed Certifying Authorities issue the certificates. Application support is included in the price.
You order and pay on the site, and then we contact you. Send your documents on WhatsApp or by email, or bring them to our office, and we fill and submit the application for you. You do the Aadhaar OTP and the video KYC with the Certifying Authority, and we assist you at every step. The certificate arrives on a USB token, delivered or picked up from the office.
How to register it on the portal
Once the certificate is on your token, you register it on ICEGATE yourself. Log in, open the Services menu, choose the DSC option, then Register DSC. Pick the certificate from the plugged in token and enter the PIN. Signing itself runs through the Common Signer Utility, which reads the certificate from the token, so have Java installed on the computer you file from before a shipment is waiting. We do not register certificates on portals for customers, but we assist you at every step. Portal steps change from time to time, so confirm the current path on ICEGATE itself before you start.
Renewal before it expires
A DSC carries a validity of one to three years. Pending documents will not sign on an expired certificate, which is a painful discovery to make with shipments waiting at the port. Get the reissue before the expiry date and register the new certificate on ICEGATE the same way as the first one. Then work through every other portal where the old certificate was registered, because each one needs the new certificate added separately.
The certificate for this work
Frequently Asked Questions
Look through the answers below. If yours is not there, message us and we will help you choose.
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Is a DSC mandatory for ICEGATE filing?
Yes. Shipping bills, bills of entry and the other customs documents on ICEGATE are signed with a digital signature certificate, so register one on the portal before anything will go through.
Can I use the same DSC for ICEGATE and DGFT?
Not one certificate for both. ICEGATE takes the Class 3 combo, while the DGFT portal takes the DGFT DSC with the name matching your IEC. Each portal has its own registration, so budget for two certificates if you work on both.
What is the Common Signer Utility?
It is the small program ICEGATE uses to read your certificate from the token and sign the document. The portal asks for it when it asks for a signature, and it needs Java on the computer.
How do I register my DSC on ICEGATE?
Log in to ICEGATE, open the Services menu, choose the DSC option, then Register DSC. Pick the certificate from the plugged in token and enter the PIN. The registration is yours to do on the portal.