What is BRC?
BRC stands for Bank Realisation Certificate. Traditionally it was a paper certificate that your bank signed and stamped to confirm that the export proceeds for a shipment or service had been received in India. Over the years the paper BRC has largely given way to the eBRC, which is generated electronically and shared with DGFT. In everyday conversation, people still say "BRC" when they mean either version.
Why it matters for exporters
The BRC answers one question: was this export actually paid for? That answer matters for GST refunds on zero-rated exports, for export benefit schemes, for audits and sometimes for tax paperwork. If a CA or officer asks for a "BRC", they usually mean the eBRC today, but it is worth clarifying, because older files and some bank staff still refer to physical certificates.
For services, the chain runs like this: you raise an invoice, file the EDF, the client pays, the bank issues a FIRA, the bank matches the payment in EDPMS, and the realisation certificate follows. A gap at any step, especially a missing EDF, can hold up the certificate. If you need one, our eBRC/BRC request letter makes the ask simple.
Example
A CA reviewing old records for Pranav Exports finds a 2019 invoice of ₹2,25,000 with only a paper BRC on file, and a 2026 invoice of ₹5,10,000 with an eBRC from the DGFT system. Both prove realisation; only the format differs.
Common confusion
A BRC is not a FIRC. The FIRC (or FIRA) proves money came into your account; the BRC ties that money to a specific export. You may have several FIRAs feeding one invoice, but the realisation certificate is about the export itself. Read eBRC explained for the current process.