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Small online sellers in India do not all follow one GST registration rule. Whether you must register depends on your aggregate turnover, State or Union territory, whether you sell goods or services, whether sales are inter-state, and how you sell—including whether a marketplace collects tax at source (TCS) and whether a current exception applies.

What determines whether an online seller must register?

“Selling online” by itself does not settle the question. Start with the seller’s full business facts, not just the amount sold through one website or marketplace. The CGST Act lists several categories that may require registration even when a seller has not crossed a turnover threshold, subject to applicable exemptions and notifications.

  • Aggregate turnover: Consider turnover across the seller’s relevant business activity, not only sales on one platform.
  • Location: Identify the State or Union territory where the seller is liable to register.
  • Supply type: Goods, services, or a mix may be treated differently under applicable rules.
  • Sales geography: Inter-state taxable supplies can be a separate registration trigger, subject to current exemptions.
  • Sales channel: A sale through an e-commerce operator may matter, including whether the operator is required to collect TCS and whether a later notified exception applies.

The CBIC-hosted CGST Act text sets out registration categories and the general application timing. Its sectoral FAQ explains the historic marketplace/TCS rule, but it is not a complete statement of every later change.

Does a marketplace seller below ₹20 lakh have to register?

There is no safe universal yes-or-no answer based only on that figure. CBIC’s FAQ records the question, “Does a trader who has turnover of less than 20 lakh and are selling on ecommerce websites, have to register for GST?” It answers yes where the e-commerce operator is required to collect TCS under section 52. That is useful context for the historic general rule, not a definitive answer for every small seller today: later notifications may affect the treatment of some small goods sellers, and the exact conditions must be checked.

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Before relying on an exemption, verify the operative CBIC notification and current GST Portal enrolment requirements for the seller’s circumstances. The sources cited here do not establish the exact present-day conditions for that exception, so a seller should not assume either that every marketplace seller must register or that every seller below a particular turnover can remain unregistered.

Why inter-state sales and turnover both matter

The CGST Act text reviewed lists inter-state taxable supplies as a compulsory-registration category, subject to applicable exemptions and current law. A low turnover figure alone therefore may not resolve the issue. The applicable threshold is circumstance-specific; the reviewed official sources do not establish one current figure that applies to every small online seller across India.

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To assess a specific case, establish whether the seller supplies goods or services, their aggregate turnover, State or Union territory, whether outward supplies are intra-state or inter-state, whether sales are direct or through an e-commerce operator, whether that operator collects TCS, and whether a current exception covers the seller.

When to apply

Under the Act text, a person liable under section 22 or section 24 generally applies for registration in each State or Union territory where they are liable within 30 days after the liability arises. The Act provides different advance timing for casual and non-resident taxable persons; those categories are not usually the ordinary domestic small-seller case.

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Registration can also be voluntary. Once registered, the applicant is subject to the provisions that apply to registered persons, so voluntary registration is not merely a platform-access formality.

How to apply through the GST Common Portal

The registration rules require the applicant to provide a PAN, mobile number, email address, and State or Union territory in Part A of FORM GST REG-01 on the Common Portal, directly or through a notified facilitation centre. The GST Portal’s tutorial describes the following initial sequence; labels or screens can change, so follow the live portal if its interface differs.

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  1. Open the GST Common Portal and choose New Registration.
  2. Select the taxpayer type, State or Union territory, and district.
  3. Enter the legal business name as it appears in the PAN database and provide the PAN.
  4. Enter the authorized signatory’s email and mobile number, then complete the OTP verification sent to those contact details.
  5. Continue the application using the portal’s current instructions and submit the required information for the State or Union territory where registration is due.

These steps describe the portal tutorial’s surfaced guidance rather than a guarantee that every current screen is identical. The rules and the portal are the authoritative places to confirm the live process. See the CBIC registration rules and GST Portal registration tutorial.

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What to verify before deciding

  • Calculate aggregate turnover using the relevant business activity, rather than platform sales alone.
  • Confirm whether the seller supplies goods, services, or both and where each supply is made.
  • Check whether any inter-state taxable supply creates a registration obligation or is covered by an exemption.
  • For marketplace sales, determine whether the operator is required to collect TCS and whether the seller satisfies a current notified exception.
  • Confirm the applicable rule and registration position for each relevant State or Union territory.

Because the conclusion depends on these facts and current notifications, use the live GST Portal and current CBIC notifications for verification. A qualified tax professional can assess an individual seller’s liability.

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