If you export software from India, the SOFTEX form is no longer the document you file. From 1 October 2026, software exports are declared on the same single Export Declaration Form (EDF) used for all other services, and you can submit it to your AD bank or to STPI. The work your team did for SOFTEX does not disappear, but the form, the timing and the place you file it have all changed.
Key takeaways
- The Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026 took effect on 1 October 2026 and removed SOFTEX.
- Software exporters outside an SEZ now file the EDF with their AD bank or with STPI. STPI certification is no longer mandatory.
- SEZ units file with the SEZ Development Commissioner instead.
- The EDF is due within 30 days from the end of the month in which the invoice was raised, and one form can cover the whole month.
- Realisation is still tracked invoice by invoice: 9 months from the invoice date for foreign-currency invoices.
A short history of SOFTEX
For years, a software company billing a client in Boston or Berlin had a separate track from other service exporters. It filled a SOFTEX form, routed it through the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) or the relevant authority, got it certified and then handed the certified copy to its bank. Many finance teams built their whole month-end around that certification cycle.
The new RBI framework, notified as FEMA 23(R)/2026-RB on 13 January 2026, folded software into the general services route. The EDF in the Annex to the Regulations now has a "Software" option at field 1.1 (type of export), sitting next to Goods and Services. There is no second form and no separate certification step. You can read the notification on the >RBI website; RBI amended some provisions on 22 September 2026, so always check the current text rather than an older copy.
What replaced SOFTEX, side by side
| Point | Old SOFTEX route | EDF from 1 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Form | Separate SOFTEX form | Single EDF (Annex to the 2026 Regulations) |
| Where to file (non-SEZ) | STPI / designated authority | AD bank or STPI, your choice |
| STPI certification | Part of the process | No longer mandatory |
| SEZ units | Through the SEZ route | SEZ Development Commissioner |
| Invoices per form | Varied by practice | One EDF can cover all invoices of a month |
| Bank reporting | Via certified forms | Bank enters EDF in EDPMS within 5 working days |
The single biggest shift is the status of AD banks. Under the 2026 Regulations they are "specified authorities" on par with STPI. You no longer need a certification stamp from STPI before your bank can act on your export.
AD bank or STPI: which route should you pick?
Both are valid for software exports outside an SEZ. The right one depends on how your business already runs.
When the AD bank route makes sense
Most companies will find the bank route simpler because the bank is where the foreign money lands anyway. The bank enters your EDF into EDPMS, matches it against the inward remittance and eventually closes the entry. Filing with the same bank cuts out a hand-off.
Take Nimbus Labs Pvt Ltd, a Pune product engineering firm that bills four US clients every month. In October 2026 it raised invoices worth USD 84,000. Under the old model it would have prepared SOFTEX forms and chased certification. Now it prepares one EDF with four rows in Part 2B, submits it to its AD bank before 30 November 2026, and the bank takes it from there.
When STPI may still suit you
If you are an STPI-registered unit with an established relationship, your STPI office may still be the natural place to file, and some companies prefer to keep STPI records in one place for scheme or benefit reasons. Ask your STPI office how it now accepts EDFs. We cover what parks still do in our piece on STPI after SOFTEX.
Whichever you choose, do not split the same invoice between both. Pick a route, tell your bank which route you use, and keep it consistent.
The switch-over plan for your finance team
Treat October 2026 as the first live month. Here is a sensible order of work.
- Confirm your AD code. The EDF asks for it at field 1.6. It identifies your bank branch for export transactions and is not the same as your IFSC or SWIFT code.
- Ask your bank how it accepts EDFs. Each bank must publish its own policy, so the channel (branch, email or a trade portal) differs. Do not assume.
- Map your invoice data to Part 2B. Each invoice becomes one row: recipient, country, invoice number and date, currency, amount, net realisable value, description, SAC code, contract reference and remarks.
- Set the deadline. Invoices dated in October 2026 go on an EDF due by 30 November 2026. Our EDF due date table lists every month.
- Fix the realisation clock. Each invoice must be paid in full within 9 months of its date (12 months if invoiced in rupees).
Your existing SOFTEX habits help here. You already track invoices, contracts and remittances by client. The difference is that you now batch a whole month into one declaration instead of chasing individual certifications.
Fields software exporters often get wrong
A few EDF fields trip up teams who spent years on SOFTEX.
- Field 1.1: tick "Software", not "Services", for software exports.
- Field 1.4 (mode of delivery): code delivered online is normally "Internet".
- Fields 1.3, 1.14, 1.18 and 1.20: shipping bill, ports and LEO date do not apply. Mark them N/A.
- Part 2A: leave blank. That table is for goods.
- SAC code: commonly 998314 for IT design and development or 998313 for IT consulting and support, but confirm with your CA.
On the money side, the purpose code on your inward remittance should line up with what you declare. P0802 covers software consultancy and implementation; P0807 covers off-site software exports. Your bank decides what it accepts, so confirm before the remittance arrives if you can.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Your CA and AD bank should confirm anything specific to your contracts.
Frequently asked questions
Is SOFTEX still accepted for invoices raised after 1 October 2026?
No. The 2026 Regulations replaced the earlier export regulations and SOFTEX with a single EDF. For invoices raised on or after 1 October 2026, software exports go on the EDF, filed with your AD bank or STPI (or the SEZ Development Commissioner for SEZ units).
Do I still need STPI certification for software exports?
STPI certification is no longer mandatory. AD banks are now specified authorities on par with STPI, so your bank can accept the EDF directly. You may still choose to file with STPI if that suits your setup.
What about software invoices raised before 1 October 2026?
It has been widely reported that the EDF does not apply to invoices raised before the new rules started. Confirm the treatment of those older invoices with your AD bank, especially if their remittances arrive after October.
Can one EDF cover several software clients in different countries?
Yes. One EDF per month can cover all service exports of that month to one or more recipients. Each invoice is a separate row in Part 2B, with its own country, currency and amount.
Does moving from SOFTEX to the EDF change my GST position?
No. The EDF is a FEMA declaration and does not change GST or income-tax obligations. If you export under LUT, keep issuing zero-rated invoices with the required LUT wording.
Bottom line
SOFTEX is history, and the replacement is simpler: one monthly EDF, filed with your bank or STPI, with no compulsory certification step. Build October 2026 as your first clean month, then repeat the routine. When you are ready, fill your first software EDF with our free EDF form generator and download it in minutes.
This guide is general information for Indian businesses, not legal or tax advice. Rules and bank processes change — confirm specifics with your AD bank or chartered accountant.