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GST Registration

Complete Guide & Document Checklist

How to Register for GST in India

Step-by-step process, required documents checklist, costs, timeline, and frequently asked questions

Timeline

3-7

working days

Government Fee

Free

13

Total Documents

11

Required

1

Ollvy Handles

01

Identity Documents

Your personal KYC documents

PAN Card

REQ

of the proprietor / all directors (for companies) / all partners (for firms)

Aadhaar Card

REQ

front and back - mobile must be linked

Passport-size Photo

REQ

recent, white background

Email ID and Mobile Number

REQ

active email and mobile for OTP verification on GST portal - must be Indian mobile

02

Business Address Proof

Where your business operates from

Utility Bill

REQ

of business premises - electricity/water

Rent Agreement

if operating from rented premises

NOC from Owner

OLLVY

if utility bill not in your name

03

Bank & Financial

For business verification

Bank Statement

REQ

last 3 months - personal or business account

Cancelled Cheque

REQ

from your bank account

04

Business Details

Information about your business

Business Name

REQ

trade name for your business

Business Description

REQ

nature of goods/services offered

Principal Place of Business

REQ

main business location address

Business Activity and HSN/SAC Codes

REQ

description of goods or services and their HSN/SAC codes

REQRequired document
OLLVYWe handle this

PAN Card

Identity Documents

REQUIRED

What is this?

In a sole proprietorship, your personal PAN is your business PAN. For a company or LLP, the entity PAN (issued at incorporation) is required - not the director's personal PAN.

How to get it

Proprietors: use your existing personal PAN. Companies and LLPs: the entity PAN was issued by MCA at incorporation.

Common Issues

Using a personal PAN for a company GST registration (or vice versa) is a common mistake. Check PAN-Aadhaar linkage before starting - an inoperative PAN blocks registration.

Requirements

  • 01Clear coloured scan of PAN card
  • 02Sole proprietorship: personal PAN is business PAN
  • 03Company/LLP: use entity PAN (issued at incorporation)
  • 04Must be linked with Aadhaar for authentication
  • 05Check PAN-Aadhaar linkage before starting GST registration

If your business crosses the turnover threshold in India, you need GST registration. Once registered, you'll get a 15-digit GSTIN that lets you collect tax from customers, claim input tax credit, and operate legally across states.

The entire process happens online at gst.gov.in - no paper forms, no office visits. There's no government fee either. Most businesses still work with a CA or compliance professional to avoid document rejections, but you can absolutely do it yourself. After you submit, verification happens through Aadhaar OTP or a tax officer visit, and you'll typically get approved in 3-7 working days.

GST registration through GST REG-01 requires different documents depending on your business structure. The most common reason for delay or rejection is an address mismatch - the address on your electricity bill must match your application exactly, including floor, area, and PIN code.

For sole proprietors, you need personal PAN, Aadhaar (with active mobile for OTP), a business address proof, and a cancelled cheque or bank statement. For Pvt Ltd companies and LLPs, you additionally need the Certificate of Incorporation, all director PANs, and a board resolution authorising the filing.

Aadhaar-based authentication is mandatory for most applicants. The OTP is sent to the mobile number linked to Aadhaar at the time of filing. If that mobile is old, inactive, or changed, the OTP cannot be received and the application cannot proceed. Verify your Aadhaar-linked mobile before starting.

The address proof must be a recent electricity bill (not older than 2 months). If the property is rented, you additionally need a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the property owner. If the property is owned, the electricity bill or property tax receipt suffices.

01

Who needs this?

Your annual turnover exceeds Rs. 40 lakhs (goods) or Rs. 20 lakhs (services) in regular states

You operate in special category states with turnover above Rs. 20 lakhs (goods) or Rs. 10 lakhs (services)

You sell or provide services across state lines - GST is mandatory regardless of turnover

You sell on e-commerce platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, or Swiggy

You occasionally make taxable supplies as a casual or non-resident taxable person

You need to pay tax under the reverse charge mechanism

You act as an agent of suppliers or operate as an input service distributor

02

Step-by-step process

1

Check if you actually need to register

First, confirm your turnover crosses the threshold or that you fall into a mandatory category (like interstate sellers). If you qualify, decide whether you want regular GST or the simpler Composition Scheme (available if turnover is below Rs. 1.5 crore).

2

Gather your documents

You'll need your PAN card, Aadhaar card, proof of business address (electricity bill or rent agreement works), bank account details with a cancelled cheque, and passport-size photos of all promoters.

3

Create your GST portal account

Head to gst.gov.in, click New Registration, and fill out Part A of Form REG-01 with your PAN, mobile number, and email. You'll get a Temporary Reference Number (TRN) via SMS and email.

4

Complete Part B of the application

Log in with your TRN and fill in the details - business name, address, HSN/SAC codes for what you sell, bank account info, and details of all partners, directors, or the proprietor.

5

Upload documents and submit

Upload everything in the right format (JPEG or PDF, under 1 MB each). Submit using Aadhaar OTP authentication or your Digital Signature Certificate (DSC).

6

Track your application

Note down your Application Reference Number (ARN). You can track status on the GST portal. If the officer raises a query, you have 7 working days to respond - miss this and your application gets rejected.

7

Download your GSTIN

Once approved, you'll get your GSTIN and GST Registration Certificate (Form REG-06). Download it from the portal and display it at your main place of business.

03

Frequently Asked Questions

In regular states, it's Rs. 40 lakhs for goods and Rs. 20 lakhs for services. Special category states (Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura) have lower limits - Rs. 20 lakhs for goods and Rs. 10 lakhs for services. But if you sell interstate, you need GST regardless of how much you earn.

Yes, and it often makes sense to. If your clients are GST-registered businesses, they'll want to claim input tax credit - which they can only do if you're registered too. Once you register voluntarily, you have to follow all GST rules just like everyone else.

You get one GSTIN per state per PAN. Operating in multiple states? You'll need separate registrations for each. Within a single state, you can also add multiple places of business under one GSTIN.

You'll face a penalty of 10% of the tax due, with a minimum of Rs. 10,000. If the department catches deliberate tax evasion, that jumps to 100% of the tax amount - and criminal prosecution becomes possible.

Yes. As a sole proprietor, you and your business are legally the same entity, so your individual PAN works. Partnerships, LLPs, and companies need to use the firm or company PAN instead.

It's a simplified option for small businesses with turnover up to Rs. 1.5 crore (Rs. 75 lakhs in special states). You pay a fixed percentage - 1% for traders, 2% for manufacturers, 5% for restaurants - instead of regular tax rates. The catch? You can't issue tax invoices or claim input tax credit.
04

Common mistakes to avoid

  • 01Using your personal PAN when you should be using the firm or company PAN
  • 02Getting HSN or SAC codes wrong - this causes classification disputes during audits
  • 03Selecting the wrong business category or state, which means starting over after rejection
  • 04Uploading blurry or expired documents that trigger officer queries and delays
  • 05Forgetting to list all your places of business - adding branches later creates compliance headaches
  • 06Choosing regular registration when the Composition Scheme would save you money and time
  • 07Not responding to officer queries within 7 working days - automatic rejection
05

Related services

GST Monthly Filing (GSTR-3B)Business ITR FilingMSME/Udyam Registration

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06

More Questions

Address mismatch. The address on the electricity bill must match the application exactly. Other common reasons: Aadhaar mobile OTP failure (inactive linked mobile), blurry or low-quality scans, and file size exceeding the portal limit.

Yes. For rented premises, you need the electricity bill (which can be in the landlord's name) plus a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the property owner stating they consent to the premises being used as your business address.

A cancelled cheque or the first and last page of your bank passbook, or a bank statement showing your account number, IFSC, and branch details. The account must be in the business name (or proprietor's name for sole proprietors).

For companies and LLPs: yes, a DSC is required to sign the application. For sole proprietors and partnership firms: no DSC required - Aadhaar-based OTP authentication is used instead.

7 working days from document submission if all documents are correct and no officer query is raised. Officers raise queries in approximately 20% of cases, typically for address verification or Aadhaar authentication issues, adding 3-5 days.

How we reviewed this page

The penalty amounts, deadlines, and regulatory requirements on this page are sourced directly from official government portals. We do not use secondary sources. When regulations change, we update the page.