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Purpose code finder: the right RBI code for any payment, in plain words

Say what the money is for — “website for a US client”, “freight to Dubai”, “import of machinery” — and get the code, with the bank form, Form 145 / 146, income tax and GST that follow from it.

  • 137codes for money received
  • 142codes for money paid
  • 15kinds of freelance work

    Pick a code to see what follows

    The bank form, whether Form 145 / 146 is needed, the income-tax nature, GST and how the payment is reported.

    RBI’s S / P purpose-code list (A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 84 of 2012 as revised since), as the FxLayer platform applies it. General information, not advice: confirm the code with your AD bank or chartered accountant.

    How to read a code

    One letter, two pairs of digits

    P marks money received in India and S money paid from India. The first two digits are RBI’s head and the last two the purpose, so P0802 is money received (P) for software and IT (08), as software consultancy (02).

    The bank form

    Form A1 or Form A2

    Form A1 is only for paying for imported goods (S0101–S0104, S0109). Every other payment abroad goes on Form A2. Money received needs neither: the bank issues a FIRA.

    Income tax

    Form 145 / 146, code by code

    A payment on the Rule 220(3) specified list needs no Form 145. For the rest the finder says which part applies and when a CA’s Form 146 is needed, from the tax nature of the code.

    Reporting

    Where the money is followed

    Goods go to EDPMS or IDPMS, services exports to the monthly EDF, and some codes are recorded only. The finder says which, and links each code to its full page.

    Questions

    About purpose codes

    Every payment into or out of India carries one: P and four digits for money received, S and four digits for money paid. The first two digits are RBI's head (01 goods, 08 software and IT, 10 other business services) and the last two the purpose. The bank reports the payment to RBI under it.
    You state it on the remittance application or the inward remittance instruction, and the bank reports under it. A wrong code can mean the wrong form, a payment reported as personal money, or a delayed credit, so choose it from what the payment is for, not from what is quickest.
    Form A1 is for paying for imports of goods (S0101, S0102, S0103, S0104 and S0109). Every other payment abroad goes on Form A2. Money received needs neither: the bank issues a FIRA.
    The code for the service you sold: P0807 for off-site software exports (software and websites delivered from India), P0802 for software consultancy and implementation, P1006 for consulting, P1007 for marketing, P1107 for teaching, and so on. Pick What kind of work? in the finder. Avoid P1301 (family maintenance), P1302 (gifts) and P1401 (salary) for client fees: they mark the money as personal and not as an export of services.
    From the list the FxLayer platform runs on: RBI's S / P purpose-code table of A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 84 of 2012 as revised since, with the bank form, Form 145 / 146, income-tax nature and GST worked out code by code by FxLayer's chartered accountants. Each code opens its full page in the purpose-code directory.
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    After the code

    The purpose-code directoryEvery code on one page, each with its own page. Deadline calculatorWhen the money must arrive, and the month’s EDF. SAC code finderThe services code for the invoice, with its purpose code.