GUIDE — EXPORT CUSTOMS
How to check Shipping Bill status on ICEGATE
Same three inputs as an import query, one milestone that matters, and a refund that stalls for reasons nobody tells you about until you go looking.
Running this by hand today? and we will show you the same thing on your own consignments.
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What you need
A Shipping Bill is the customs declaration filed for goods leaving India, submitted through ICEGATE. To check its status you need the customs location code for the port of export, the Shipping Bill number and the Shipping Bill date.
As with a Bill of Entry, the SB number is not unique across customs locations. A wrong location code returns nothing and looks identical to a filing that does not exist.
Checking the status, step by step
- Collect the location code, SB number and SB date. The customs location code for the port of export, the Shipping Bill number and the Shipping Bill date. All three must match the filing.
- Open the ICEGATE enquiry service. Sign in at icegate.gov.in, open the Services panel, then Enquiries, then ICEGATE Enquiry Service.
- Select Document Status, then Shipping Bill. Choose Document Status and pick Shipping Bill as the document type.
- Search and read the LEO date. Enter the three details and search. The Let Export Order date is the milestone that matters — until it is populated, the goods are not cleared for export.
- Check the EGM if you are chasing an IGST refund. The refund depends on the Shipping Bill and the Export General Manifest matching. If the EGM has not been filed by the carrier, or does not reconcile, the refund does not move.
Shipping Bill status codes, in order
An SB moves through a fixed sequence. Knowing which stage you are at tells you whether to wait or to chase somebody.
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| SB Filed | The Shipping Bill is submitted and queued for processing. |
| Under Assessment | A customs officer is verifying the declaration. |
| Examination Order | A physical examination of the goods has been ordered before clearance. |
| LEO (Let Export Order) | Customs has cleared the goods for export. This is the milestone — until the LEO date is populated, nothing is cleared. |
| EGM Filed | The carrier has filed the Export General Manifest after departure, confirming the goods actually left. |
| Drawback Processed | The export incentive has been processed. |
LEO is the milestone
The Let Export Order is the customs authorisation for goods to leave. It is the export counterpart to Out of Charge on the import side, and it is the field worth watching — a Shipping Bill with no LEO date is not cleared, regardless of how far along everything else looks.
Why the IGST refund stalls
Exporters chase this constantly. The refund is meant to be automatic, and it is, provided four things agree:
- The carrier has filed the Export General Manifest
- The Shipping Bill and the EGM reconcile
- The GST returns agree with the Shipping Bill data
- The bank account and AD code are validated with ICEGATE
Any one of those out of line and the refund sits. Nothing tells you which one, which is why most of the time spent chasing a refund is spent working out where it stopped.
Questions
What does LEO mean on a Shipping Bill?
LEO is the Let Export Order. It is the customs officer's authorisation for the goods to leave India, and it is the export equivalent of Out of Charge on an import Bill of Entry. Until the LEO date is populated, the consignment is not cleared.
What details do I need to check Shipping Bill status?
The customs location code for the port of export, the Shipping Bill number and the Shipping Bill date. A wrong location code is the usual reason a search returns nothing, because the SB number is not unique across customs locations.
Why is my IGST refund not credited?
The common causes are that the Export General Manifest has not been filed by the carrier, the Shipping Bill and EGM do not reconcile, the GST returns do not agree with the Shipping Bill data, or the bank account and AD code are not validated with ICEGATE. The refund is automatic only when all of those line up.
What is the difference between a Shipping Bill and a Bill of Entry?
A Shipping Bill is the customs declaration for goods leaving India. A Bill of Entry is the declaration for goods arriving. Both are filed through ICEGATE, and their closing milestones are LEO for export and Out of Charge for import.
What is an EGM and who files it?
The Export General Manifest is filed by the carrier or their agent after the vessel or aircraft departs, listing what actually left. It closes the export cycle and is what the Shipping Bill is matched against for IGST refund purposes.
What are the Shipping Bill status codes?
An SB moves through a fixed sequence: SB Filed, Under Assessment, Examination Order where one is raised, LEO or Let Export Order, EGM Filed once the carrier confirms departure, and Drawback Processed where an incentive applies. LEO is the one that clears the goods for export.
What does SB status mean?
SB is the common abbreviation for Shipping Bill, so SB status means the customs clearance stage of your export declaration on ICEGATE. It runs from SB Filed through to Let Export Order and, after departure, EGM Filed.
What is the difference between LEO and EGM status?
LEO is customs clearing the goods for export before they are loaded. EGM is the carrier confirming, after departure, that the goods actually left. LEO lets the shipment go; EGM is what the Shipping Bill is matched against for IGST refund and drawback purposes.
Can I check Shipping Bill status without logging in?
Some status information is available through ICEGATE's public enquiry service. Full document status, including query details, requires signing in with ICEGATE credentials.
Export status on the consignment
Ahjam Cargo keeps filing status, LEO and the documents behind them on the consignment record, so the export side is visible in the same place as the import side rather than in a portal somebody has to remember to open.