Mandatory for commercial exports
Exporter Card (Exporters Register) in Egypt
The Exporter Card is the entry on the Exporters Register held by the General Organization for Import & Export Control (GOEIC). It is the legal prerequisite to ship Egyptian goods abroad on a commercial basis. Manufacturers typically pair it with the Industrial Register and chamber of industries membership; trading houses re-exporting Egyptian goods hold it standalone. The card runs on a five-year cycle.
Pending advisor validation
This page is sourced from public Egyptian regulatory references and our internal advisory notes. Our advisors are reviewing the specifics for final sign-off. Book a 30-minute call for advice tailored to your case.
Last sourced:
When this entity is right
Best for
Egyptian manufacturers selling abroad (paired with the Industrial Register)
Trading houses re-exporting Egyptian-sourced goods
Companies registering with the Export Development Fund and exporting councils
Free Zone companies that need an Egypt-customs exporter footprint outside the zone
Existing holders renewing on the 5-year cycle or modifying activity scope
When something else fits better
Not for
Naming the cases this entity is wrong for is the whole point of an advisory call. The cross-links below go to the entity we would suggest instead.
Importers buying for resale in Egypt
If you only import for the local market, the Importer Card is the registration that matters. Many companies start as pure importers and add the Exporter Card later when an export channel opens up.
See the Importer Card detail →Free Zone exporters operating entirely inside the zone
Free Zone companies under Investment Law 72/2017 operate under the zone licence and do not need a separate Exporters Register entry for exports out of the zone.
See Nafeza + ACI for cross-zone customs →Companies still missing the customs side
Holding the Exporter Card does not by itself let you clear consignments out of the port. You still need Nafeza onboarding and a customs broker authorization.
See Customs Registration →Quick facts
- Statutory minimum capital
- Activity-driven (no flat statutory floor; the entity's company-form minimum applies)
- Foreign ownership
- No ownership restriction comparable to Law 121/1982 on the import side
- Typical timeline
- 20–45 working days for first issuance
What you need to prepare
Document checklist
Items tagged Foreigner-specific need apostille, consular authentication, or sworn translation from your home jurisdiction. We send you a precise per-document brief before any Egyptian-side work begins.
Company — legal status
Commercial register extract
Tax card
VAT registration certificate
Articles of association reflecting an export activity
If 'export' is not in the activity list, an amendment is needed first.
For manufacturers — additional
Industrial Register certificate
Issued by the Industrial Development Authority — separate filing.
Chamber of industries membership
Filed with the chamber matching the product (chemical, food, engineering, textile, etc.).
Managers and address
ID copies for the managing director(s) and signatories
Specimen signatures filed with GOEIC
Lease contract with verified date or ownership deed for the business address
Recent electricity bill for the business address
How the engagement runs
01
Discovery call
Free 30-minute call to confirm the Exporter Card is the right registration for your trade flow, and to map the Industrial Register / chamber linkage if you manufacture.
02
Compliance memo
Written memo with the legal-form fit, the activity scope, the manufacturer-vs-trader path, the document load, and the realistic timeline before any filing starts.
03
Document preparation
Precise checklist for the Egyptian side. For manufacturers we sequence Industrial Register and chamber filings ahead of the GOEIC submission so dependencies do not block the timeline.
04
GOEIC file submission
Full file lodged with the General Organization for Import & Export Control. We track every comment and resubmission cycle through to acceptance.
05
Card issuance
Card issued and entered on the Exporters Register. We log the 5-year renewal date and any conditions GOEIC attached to the entry.
06
Handover
One-hour session covering the renewal calendar, modification protocol, and an introduction to Export Development Fund and exporting council pathways for your sector.
Engagement scope
What this engagement covers
We prepare a tailored proposal after reviewing your specifics — activity, shareholder structure, sector pre-approvals. The lists below describe what we typically own end-to-end versus what stays outside the engagement.
What we own end-to-end
- Pre-filing review of legal form, activity scope, and Industrial Register / chamber linkage
- Document checklist tailored to the activity and to manufacturer vs trader path
- Coordination with GOEIC on file preparation and submission
- Cross-coordination with the Industrial Register / chamber of industries where applicable
- Tracking and chase-down through to card issuance
- Handover with renewal calendar and link to Export Development Fund opportunities
Outside this engagement
- Government fees, GOEIC fees, chamber fees, and notarisation (paid at cost)
- Foreign-document apostille / consular legalisation (handled in your home jurisdiction)
- Industrial Register fees and chamber membership dues
- Auditor and legal counsel retainers (introduced if needed)
- Sectoral export pre-approvals (food safety, pharma, controlled goods, etc.)
Common questions
What foreign investors ask us
The questions below come up on almost every discovery call for this entity. If yours isn't here, bring it to the call.
Decide whether the Exporter Card is your right registration — then we manage the rest.
30 minutes. English. No obligation. We sequence the Industrial Register, chamber, and GOEIC filings so the export channel opens cleanly.