BRC Details: DGFT e-BRC Status Check, How To Download & Print BRC Certificate

An Electronic Bank Realisation Certificate (e-BRC) is a vital digital certificate for export businesses. A bank issues the e-BRC to confirm that the buyer made payment to the exporter against the export of services or goods. e-BRC or BRC details are crucial economic indicators and financial information sources. Businesses availing export benefits under the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) must produce a valid BRC. The BRC is the proof of the realisation of payment against exports.

BRC and e-BRC Full Form

The full form of BRC is Bank Realisation Certificate. The full form of e-BRC is the Electronic Bank Realisation Certificate.

What is BRC Certification?

A bank issues a Bank Realisation Certificate (BRC) as proof that an exporter has received money from an importer for the exported goods. Exporters should report to the bank the value of the goods that they intend to export. The banks will record the export transactions on the Export Data Processing and Monitoring System (EDPMS). When the exporters receive payments, they should submit all shipping bills with the banks. The banks will cancel the items recorded in the EDPMS and issue an e-BRC against the shipping bill payments. 

An exporter requires a BRC to avail of the different export incentives offered by the government, such as subsidies,  low-cost loans, duty exemptions, etc., as part of its FTP. 

Before the introduction of e-BRC, exporters had to go to their banks and apply for the issue of a BRC. The bank supplied the BRC in a tangible form. The exporters submitted the BRC to the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) regional authority, and the transaction details of the exports were entered manually according to the BRC. It was a time-consuming which complicated the process of claiming export incentives. 

With the introduction of the e-BRC by the DGFT in 2012, exporters did not have to visit the bank to get the BRC, which made the process of claiming export benefits and incentives from the DGFT and other export agencies more accessible.

What is e-BRC Certification?

The full form of e-BRC is the Electronic Bank Realisation Certificate (e-BRC). An e-BRC is an initiative by the DGFT to promote paperless trade and digitise BRCs. From 17/08/2012, banks must transmit BRC data electronically to the DGFT server secured by digital signature. The electronically transmitted BRCs by the banks are known as e-BRCs.

Thus, e-BRCs are electronic documents that prove receipt of payments to the exporters against trade transactions. E-BRCs systematically record foreign trade transactions. The earlier e-BRC portal was discontinued in July 2022. The DGFT BRC new portal is in operation now, and accordingly, Authorised Dealer (AD) banks must move to the new DGFT e-BRC portal and upload e-BRCs on the DGFT website.

DGFT receives shipping bill information electronically through the EDI ports. With the integration of banks, DGFT receives foreign currency realisation details which can be connected to all shipping bills. The information from the shipping bills (FOB value of items exported) and the e-BRC (final payment received against export) are linked to validate the value at which the exporter will receive an incentive.

In the case of EDI shipping bills, exporters have to link the applicable shipping bill and e-BRC online while submitting for an incentive online. They do not have to send paper copies to the DGFT for the same.

How Does e-BRC Work?

• When an exporter receives entire shipping bill payment in the bank account within nine months of the shipping bill date, they will submit the Electronic Foreign Inward Remittance Certificate (eFIRCs) and export documents with the respective bank.
• Bank will generate the BRC upon receipt of the export payments. 
• The bank’s staff will generate an XML file containing information about e-BRC and will digitally sign it.
• The bank will upload the e-BRC on the DGFT’s server once or twice daily at a predetermined frequency.
• The banks will upload rupees equivalent to the realised foreign exchange based on the exchange rate defined by the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC).
• When the XML files are uploaded, the server will give an acknowledgement to the bank.
• The exporter can view the status and print/download the e-BRCs from the DGFT website to claim export incentives.

How to Check e-BRC on DGFT Website?

Exporters can check the e-BRC uploaded by the banks on the DGFT website by following the below process:

• Login to the DGFT website.
• Click on the ‘My Dashboard’ option and select the ‘Repositories’ option. 
• On the next page, click the ‘Explore’ button under the ‘Bills Repositories’ tab.
• Select the option ‘Bank Realisations (e-BRC)’ from the ‘Select Bill’ drop-down list.
• Enter the ‘From Date’ and ‘To Date’ and click on the ‘Search’ option.
• All e-BRCs uploaded by the banks will be displayed on the screen. 

How to Download Bank Realisation Certificate?

Below is the e-BRC download process:

• Login to the DGFT website.
• Click on the ‘My Dashboard’ option and select the ‘Repositories’ option. 
• On the next page, click the ‘Explore’ button under the ‘Bills Repositories’ tab.
• Select the option ‘Bank Realisations (e-BRC)’ from the ‘Select Bill’ drop-down list.
• Enter the ‘From Date’ and ‘To Date’ and click on the ‘Search’ option.
• All e-BRCs uploaded by the banks will be displayed on the screen. 
• Select the Bank Realisation Number to view the e-BRCs uploaded from that bank.
• The e-BRC details will be displayed on the screen.
• You can download the e-BRC by clicking on the ‘Print eBRC’ option.

How to Print BRC From DGFT Site?

Following is the DGFT BRC printing process: 

• Login to the DGFT website.
• Click on the ‘My Dashboard’ option and select the ‘Repositories’ option. 
• On the next page, click the ‘Explore’ button under the ‘Bills Repositories’ tab.
• Select the option ‘Bank Realisations (e-BRC)’ from the ‘Select Bill’ drop-down list.
• Enter the ‘From Date’ and ‘To Date’ and click on the ‘Search’ option.
• All e-BRCs uploaded by the banks will be displayed on the screen. 
• Select the Bank Realisation Number to view the e-BRCs uploaded from that bank.
• The e-BRC details will be displayed on the screen.
• Click on the ‘Print eBRC’ option to print the e-BRC.

Process to Claim Export Incentives Using e-BRC

• Exporters submit the shipping bill electronically on the Indian Customs Electronic Data Interchange Gateway (ICEGATE) platform. It will automatically share the information about the shipping bill with the DGFT.
• Exporters should link the relevant shipping invoices with the e-BRCs to claim export incentives.
• When the exporter claims an export incentive under the DGFT scheme, the DGFT will decide the value of the incentive to be provided. 
• The DGFT will match the Free on Board (FOB) value of the goods exported as provided in the shipping bill and the total realised value against the export mentioned in the e-BRC and provide the incentive to the exporter.
• However, while applying for an export incentive, an exporter must ensure that the bank reports the e-BRC value and it reflects the total realised value. The bank should correct the e-BRC value if it shows less value.

The information on export transactions captured by e-BRCs is also shared with other government agencies. The DGFT has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with 14 state governments and two central government agencies to share the e-BRC data. Exporters can also submit e-BRCs with integrated GST or Input Tax Credit (ITC) refund applications to support their claims of export transactions. It will make the export-related transaction process easy under GST.