Authorized Dealer code (AD Code): Meaning and Definition

An Authorized Dealer Code is a unique 14-digit code that is given by the bank where you hold your current account for your import-export business. Only the banks that are authorized dealers of foreign currency can grant an AD code. An AD code ensures that the exporter’s current account is authorized for legal transactions. The bank issues a document in the format prescribed by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).

Exporters must register their AD code at the shipping port or airport, from where export products are shipped to destination countries. If an exporter ships from more than one port in different cities or states, then the AD Code for each of these ports will be different. An AD Code registration is valid for a lifetime.