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Whether you need GST registration in India depends on more than your turnover: the nature of your supplies, your state, where and how you sell, and any applicable compulsory-registration rule or exemption all matter. If registration applies, the standard online application is Form GST REG-01 on the GST Common Portal. Use the checks below to assess your situation, then confirm the current rules and portal requirements before filing.
First, check whether GST registration applies to you
Do not decide from one headline turnover figure. A small business or freelancer should assess its supplies, aggregate turnover, location and transaction pattern together. Thresholds and exceptions can differ by supplier category and state, and statutory rules or exemption notifications may change.
Identify your supplies and supplier category
- Work out whether you make taxable supplies, only wholly exempt or non-taxable supplies, or a mix.
- Determine whether you supply goods, services or both, and where you are located and make the supplies.
- Check for interstate taxable supplies, e-commerce activity, reverse-charge liabilities or another category that may require registration independently of the ordinary threshold.
- Check whether a specific exemption notification covers your supplier type or transaction. An interstate transaction does not, by itself, establish the answer for every supplier; applicable exceptions matter.
Work out aggregate turnover
CBIC’s FAQ describes aggregate turnover as PAN-based, so supplies across states are relevant to the calculation. It says outward supplies on which the recipient pays tax under reverse charge are included, while inward supplies on which the recipient pays reverse-charge tax are excluded. Because the FAQ may contain legacy guidance, confirm the current legal treatment for your circumstances rather than relying on an old example.
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A CBIC explanatory document published in 2019 described a threshold framework effective from 1 April 2019: Rs. 40 lakh and Rs. 20 lakh for suppliers of goods, and Rs. 20 lakh and Rs. 10 lakh for service suppliers in specified states. These are historical figures, not a reliable stand-alone statement of the thresholds that apply to every applicant today. The applicable amount depends on the relevant state and supplier category, and current law and notifications must be checked before deciding that registration is or is not required.
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CBIC’s FAQ also says a person making only wholly exempt supplies is not required to register, while describing interstate taxable supplies as a possible registration trigger below the ordinary threshold. Subsequent notifications can provide exceptions, so verify the current rule for the exact supply and seller category.
If you are liable, apply through Form GST REG-01
The routine application is electronic through Form GST REG-01 on the Common Portal. The GST Portal’s taxpayer manual describes a two-part process. Use the live form’s current fields and upload instructions, as portal procedures and requirements can change.
- Start Part A. Enter the requested details, including PAN, mobile number, email address and State or Union Territory. PAN validation and OTP verification are part of this stage.
- Use the temporary reference number. After the initial validation, the portal generates a temporary reference number for continuing the application.
- Complete and submit Part B. Use the reference number to provide the remaining particulars and upload the documents requested for your case.
- Complete any required identity verification. The route can depend on the application; some cases may use OTP authentication, while others can require biometric or document verification at a designated GST Seva Kendra.
- Track the application and respond if asked. An electronic acknowledgment is issued. If the proper officer requests clarification or documents, respond through the prescribed process within the stated period.
- Retrieve the result from the portal. If approved, the registration certificate and GSTIN are made available electronically.
How long the formal steps allow
Under CBIC’s GST Registration Rules, the ordinary process provides three working days for the officer’s initial application review and seven working days for the applicant to respond to a clarification request. These are statutory process periods, not a guarantee that the complete application will finish within a particular number of calendar days; verification or clarification can affect the path.
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Prepare premises documents for the address you declare
Proof depends on whether your principal place of business is owned, rented or leased, or used with another person’s consent. The GST Portal manual gives these examples; follow the document list and upload instructions displayed in the live application.
| Premises arrangement | Examples of evidence described in the GST Portal manual |
|---|---|
| Owned | Latest property tax receipt, municipal khata copy or electricity bill |
| Rented or leased | Valid rent or lease agreement, plus evidence supporting the lessor’s ownership, such as a property tax receipt, municipal khata or electricity bill |
| Other or shared premises | Consent letter, plus evidence supporting the consenter’s ownership |
Expect identity checks to vary by application
PAN checks and identity verification are part of the registration workflow, but every applicant does not necessarily follow the same route. Depending on the case, verification may use OTP authentication or may involve biometric and document checks at a designated GST Seva Kendra.
The GST Portal’s Aadhaar FAQ says that choosing “No” for Aadhaar authentication can require photo capture and document verification at a designated centre. It also says that if required verification is not completed within the portal’s period, an Application Reference Number (ARN) may not be generated. Check the instructions shown for your own application and complete any required step promptly.
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Know what officers may request
A Ministry of Finance release dated 18 April 2025 described CBIC Instruction No. 03/2025-GST, issued on 17 April 2025. The release said officers had been instructed to adhere to the prescribed application document list and avoid notices based on presumptive grounds, minor discrepancies or nonessential additional documents. It also described a supervisory-approval requirement for requests for additional documents.
This is a dated administrative direction, not a substitute for the current form or applicable law. Check whether it remains in force when you apply, and provide the evidence the live application prescribes. If you receive a clarification notice, use the portal’s stated response process and deadline.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Consider the consequences before registering voluntarily
If you are not required to register, voluntary registration is still a consequential choice. CBIC’s FAQ says a voluntary registrant is treated as a normal taxable person and must pay tax on supplies made after registration. That FAQ may be legacy guidance, so verify the current law before relying on it. Registration can also bring recurring compliance obligations; assess those alongside any business reason for registering before you apply.
A practical pre-filing checklist
- Classify your supplies as taxable, wholly exempt or non-taxable, and identify whether they are goods, services or mixed.
- Calculate PAN-based aggregate turnover across India using the current rules.
- Check your state, the location from which you supply, interstate activity, e-commerce involvement and any reverse-charge or other compulsory-registration category.
- Look for a current exemption notification that applies to your exact supplier category or transaction.
- Gather the right premises evidence for an owned, rented, leased or consent-based address.
- Use the live GST REG-01 form’s document list and be ready for any identity-verification route it assigns.
- If you have already registered voluntarily, account for the tax and compliance consequences before deciding what to do next.
For a straightforward case, the portal process is designed for online filing. If your turnover, mixed or interstate supplies, exemption status or liability date is unclear, have an Indian GST practitioner assess the current rules and your transaction facts before you choose whether or when to register.
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