Who needs to register for GST in India and what is the threshold?
GST registration is mandatory for businesses in India once your aggregate turnover crosses certain thresholds, or if you fall under specific categories.
Threshold limits for GST registration:
| Business Type | Threshold |
|---|---|
| Supply of goods (general states) | ā¹40 lakh |
| Supply of goods (special category states*) | ā¹20 lakh |
| Supply of services (all states) | ā¹20 lakh |
| Supply of services (special category states*) | ā¹10 lakh |
*Special category states include Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Puducherry, Telangana, and Jammu & Kashmir.
Mandatory registration regardless of turnover:
- Inter-state supply of goods or services
- E-commerce operators and sellers on e-commerce platforms
- Casual taxable persons (temporary business in a state)
- Non-resident taxable persons
- Persons required to pay tax under reverse charge mechanism
- Input service distributors
- TDS/TCS deductors under GST
How to register:
- Visit the GST portal at gst.gov.in
- Go to Services > Registration > New Registration
- Fill Part A with PAN, mobile, and email (you get a TRN)
- Complete Part B with business details, bank account, Aadhaar authentication
- Upload required documents (PAN card, address proof, photographs, authorization letter)
- GSTIN is typically issued within 3-7 working days
Voluntary registration is allowed even if you are below the threshold. This is useful if you want to claim input tax credit on your purchases or if your clients require GST invoices.
Once registered, you must file GST returns regularly (GSTR-1, GSTR-3B) even if you have zero transactions, or face late fees of ā¹50/day (ā¹20/day for nil returns).
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