How to Get a GST Number in India: Free Steps (2026)

Getting a GST number sounds intimidating, but the registration itself is free, entirely online, and — if your paperwork is ready — genuinely doable in one sitting on the government portal. This guide walks you through who actually needs to register, exactly which documents to keep handy, and the full Part A and Part B process on gst.gov.in, so you can apply yourself without paying an agent.

Who needs a GST number

Registration is driven mainly by turnover, but several situations make it compulsory regardless of size. You must register if:

• Your annual turnover from goods exceeds ₹40 lakh.
• Your annual turnover from services exceeds ₹20 lakh.
• You operate in a special-category state — several north-eastern and hill states — where the limits drop to about ₹20 lakh for goods and ₹10 lakh for services.
• You make inter-state supplies, sell through an e-commerce platform, or are liable to pay tax under reverse charge — in these cases you generally must register even below the thresholds.

Many businesses under the limits also register voluntarily. Doing so lets them claim input tax credit on their purchases and issue proper tax invoices, which larger GST-registered buyers often insist on before placing orders. If the tax itself is still fuzzy, our plain-English explainer on the GST full form and meaning is a good primer before you apply.

Documents you will need

Have these ready before you start, because the portal will ask you to upload them and the session can time out if you go hunting mid-application:

1. PAN of the business (for companies and firms) or of the proprietor (for a proprietorship).
2. Aadhaar of the proprietor, partners or authorised signatory — Aadhaar authentication speeds up approval significantly.
3. Passport-size photograph of the proprietor or authorised signatory.
4. Proof of business address — a recent electricity bill, property tax receipt, rent or lease agreement, or an ownership document. If rented, a no-objection certificate from the owner may be needed.
5. Bank account proof — a cancelled cheque, bank statement, or the first page of the passbook showing the account number, IFSC and holder name.
6. Constitution documents — for partnerships, the partnership deed; for companies and LLPs, the certificate of incorporation and a board resolution or authorisation letter naming the authorised signatory.

The step-by-step registration process

GST registration comes in two halves. Part A gets you a temporary reference number; Part B is the full application. Here is the flow on gst.gov.in:

1. Start Part A. Go to gst.gov.in, then Services, Registration, New Registration. Choose "Taxpayer", select your state and district, and enter the legal name of the business exactly as on the PAN, the PAN itself, and a valid email and mobile number.
2. Verify with OTP and get your TRN. The portal sends separate OTPs to your email and mobile. After you verify them, it issues a Temporary Reference Number (TRN). This TRN lets you save your progress and return later, so you do not have to finish everything in one go.
3. Log in with the TRN and begin Part B. Return to New Registration, select the TRN option, enter the TRN and a fresh OTP. You now open the full application form with several tabs — business details, promoters/partners, authorised signatory, principal place of business, additional places, goods and services (HSN/SAC codes), bank accounts and verification.
4. Fill each tab and upload documents. Complete every section and attach the documents listed above in the accepted formats and sizes. Take care with the address and the HSN/SAC codes, as these are common sources of queries.
5. Complete Aadhaar authentication. Where offered, opt for Aadhaar e-KYC authentication of the promoter and authorised signatory. This is the single biggest factor in fast approval; declining it usually triggers a physical verification of your premises and a longer wait.
6. Submit and get your ARN. Sign the application with a DSC (mandatory for companies and LLPs) or with EVC/e-sign. On submission the portal generates an Application Reference Number (ARN).
7. Track the ARN. Use Services, Registration, Track Application Status with your ARN to follow progress. If an officer raises a query, you will receive a notice to respond to before approval.

How long it takes

With Aadhaar authenticated and clean documents, most applicants receive their GSTIN within roughly a week. The GSTIN and a registration certificate (Form GST REG-06) then become available for download from the portal. If a query or physical verification is triggered, expect longer — respond to any notice promptly, because unanswered queries stall the file.

Downloading your certificate and setting up

Once approved, log in to gst.gov.in and go to Services, User Services, View/Download Certificates to download your registration certificate in Form GST REG-06. It shows your GSTIN, legal and trade name, the principal and any additional places of business, and the date of liability. Print it and display it prominently at your place of business, as the rules require, and keep a soft copy handy — buyers and banks often ask for it during onboarding. Take a moment to confirm every detail on the certificate is correct; if the address or trade name is wrong, you file an amendment (a core-field amendment) through the portal rather than re-registering.

A note on the Composition Scheme

Small taxpayers can opt for the Composition Scheme during or after registration. Instead of charging GST at standard rates and filing detailed monthly returns, eligible businesses pay a small flat percentage of turnover and file quarterly, with much lighter paperwork. The trade-off is real: composition dealers cannot collect GST from customers on an invoice and cannot claim input tax credit, and there are turnover caps and restrictions (for instance, inter-state sellers generally cannot opt in). It suits small local traders and restaurants that sell mostly to end consumers, but not businesses selling to GST-registered buyers who need to claim credit.

Mistakes that get applications delayed or rejected

Most stuck applications fail on avoidable details. The commonest culprits:

• A mismatched legal name. The name in Part A must match the PAN database character for character. Even a small difference triggers a query.
• Weak address proof. An unclear electricity bill, an expired rent agreement, or a missing owner's NOC for rented premises is a frequent reason for rejection or a physical visit.
• Blurry or oversized uploads. Documents outside the accepted format or size limits get bounced — check the portal's stated limits before uploading.
• Skipping Aadhaar authentication. Optional in form, but declining it almost always means a slower, physically verified route.
• Wrong HSN/SAC codes. Vague or incorrect classification of what you sell invites clarification notices.

If an officer does raise a query (in Form GST REG-03), you will get a window to respond with clarifications or fresh documents (Form GST REG-04). Answer within the time allowed — an ignored query is the surest way to have an application rejected outright.

What happens if you should register but do not

Trading above the threshold without registering is not a grey area — it carries penalties. Broadly, failing to register when liable can attract a penalty of the tax due or a fixed minimum, whichever is higher, plus recovery of the tax you should have collected. You also cannot legally issue a tax invoice or claim input tax credit while unregistered, which quietly raises your real costs and blocks you from selling to buyers who need a proper GST invoice. Given that registration is free and largely self-service, the maths almost always favours registering once you are clearly over the limit.

What to do once you have your GSTIN

Getting the number is the start, not the finish. Once your GSTIN is live you should:

• Start issuing GST-compliant tax invoices that carry your GSTIN, the correct CGST/SGST or IGST split, HSN/SAC codes, and invoice numbering in a continuous series.
• Display your GSTIN at your place of business and on your invoices, as required.
• File your GST returns on time — typically GSTR-1 for outward supplies and GSTR-3B for the summary and payment, on the schedule applicable to you.
• Verify your suppliers' GSTINs so your input tax credit is safe — see our guide on GST number search and verification.

This is exactly where the right tool saves hours. Instead of building invoices in a spreadsheet and hoping the tax splits are right, IndiaCRM generates clean, GST-ready invoices with the correct heads, keeps your customer GSTINs validated, and tracks payments and follow-ups in one place. It is e-invoice-ready, so as your turnover grows you are set up for the next compliance step rather than scrambling for it.