How to Generate an E-Way Bill (2026 Step-by-Step Guide)
If you move goods worth more than ₹50,000, you almost certainly need an e-way bill — and generating one is quick once you know the flow. This guide covers when it is required, the validity rules, and the exact steps, so your consignments never get detained at a checkpoint.
When you need an e-way bill
An e-way bill is an electronic document for the movement of goods. You need one when the consignment value exceeds ₹50,000 in most states — for sales, purchases, returns, stock transfers between your own branches, and goods sent for job work. It applies to both inter-state and intra-state movement (a few states set higher intra-state limits). It is not needed for exempt goods or certain non-motorised transport.
Who generates it
The supplier, the recipient, or the transporter can generate the e-way bill. If you sell, generating it yourself keeps you in control and avoids delays at the buyer's end.Before you start
You need to be registered on the e-way bill portal (ewaybillgst.gov.in) using your GSTIN. Keep ready: the tax invoice, the recipient's GSTIN, the HSN code and taxable value of the goods, and the transport details — mode (road, rail, air, ship), and the vehicle number or the transporter's ID.
Step by step: generating the e-way bill
- Log in at ewaybillgst.gov.in with your GSTIN credentials.
- Click "Generate New" under the e-Waybill menu.
- Fill Part A — transaction type (outward/inward), sub-type (supply, export, job work, etc.), document type and number, date, and the recipient's GSTIN and address. Add the item: product name, HSN, quantity, taxable value and tax rates.
- Fill Part B — transport mode and the vehicle number (for road) or the transporter document number. If you use a transporter, enter their 15-digit Transporter ID.
- Submit. The portal generates a 12-digit e-way bill number (EBN) with a QR code. Print it or keep it on your phone to show at checkpoints.
Validity and extensions
Validity is one day per 200 km. If your truck is delayed and the bill is about to expire while goods are still moving, extend it from the portal before it lapses — you cannot revive an expired bill, you would have to cancel and regenerate.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Wrong vehicle number — update Part B if the vehicle changes mid-transit.
- Value just under ₹50,000 across multiple invoices in one vehicle — the aggregate can still require a bill.
- Mismatched invoice value vs e-way bill — the two must agree, or you risk a query.
- Letting it expire — extend before, not after.
Make invoicing and dispatch painless
Most e-way bill pain starts upstream, at invoicing — wrong HSN, missing GSTIN, values that do not tie out. When your GST invoices are generated cleanly with the right HSN/SAC and buyer GSTIN in the first place, the e-way bill takes minutes. Keep your invoicing, customers and payments in one place so the details are always correct and to hand.