What is Specified Authority?
"Specified authority" is the regulations' term for whoever is authorised to receive and certify your Export Declaration Form. Rather than naming one office for every exporter, the 2026 export regulations assign different authorities depending on what you export and where your unit sits. Part 5 of the EDF is reserved for the specified authority or bank to complete.
Why it matters for exporters
Knowing your specified authority tells you where to send the form. Under the Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026:
| Exporter | Specified authority |
|---|---|
| Services other than software, outside an SEZ | AD bank |
| Software, outside an SEZ | AD bank or STPI |
| Any unit in an SEZ | SEZ Development Commissioner |
| Goods | Shipping bill at EDI ports; manual EDF at non-EDI ports |
The big change for software firms is that AD banks are now specified authorities on par with STPI, so STPI certification is no longer mandatory. Each bank publishes its own policy on how it accepts EDFs, so the channel varies. The complete EDF guide explains each route.
Example
Three companies share a building in Bengaluru. Fernleaf Consulting (management consulting, not in an SEZ) files with its AD bank. Pixelgrid Software (software, not in an SEZ) chooses STPI out of habit, though its bank is also allowed. Arbor Tech, a unit in the adjoining SEZ, files with the Development Commissioner. All three use the same form and the same deadline: 30 days from the end of the invoice month.
Common confusion
The specified authority receives your EDF, but RBI makes the rules. You do not file with RBI directly. Also, choosing STPI for a software EDF does not stop your bank from needing payment evidence to close EDPMS entries. See STPI for more.