GST Login – How to login GST portal (www.gst.gov.in) online in India

GST login on the GST portal is crucial for every taxpayer to file GST returns, claim refunds, or reply to notices. In this article, let’s understand the GST login portal, services available before and after GST login, steps to obtain GST login and steps to log in to the GST portal successfully.

What is the GST portal?

GST portal is a PAN-India government website for GST compliance. The GST government website or portal is hosted at https://www.gst.gov.in/. The government portal for GST is a website where a taxpayer can carry out all the compliance activities under GST before and after GST login.

They can take actions such as GST registration, return filing, payment of taxes, application for a refund, etc., on the GST login portal, explained in further sections of this article.

What is the GST e-way bill system?

e-Way bill system or the e-way bill portal is accessible at https://ewaybillgst.gov.in/. An electronic way bill or e-way bill refers to a document that transporters must carry while moving goods from one place to another where the consignment value exceeds Rs.50,000. It is a document that tracks the movement of goods under the GST law.

All e-way bills are generated on the e-way bill system to obtain a unique e-way bill number for every invoice. The transporter, recipient and supplier use this e-way bill for moving the goods from the origin to the destination within the validity period of the e-way bill.

Before GST, way bills were generated in every state, whereas with the implementation of GST, e-way bills are common across all states or Union Territories.

How to register for GST?

Visit the gst.gov.in website and make an application for GST Registration. On submission of all the details and documents, an acknowledgement number is allotted for GST login. 

After due verification by the GST officer, the registration process is completed by allocating a GST Identification Number (GSTIN). In the process, you will also get a username and can set a password for the official GST login. You can read our article to learn the entire process of GST registration.

Guide to using gst.gov.in before logging in

The GST portal has several crucial tabs necessary for GST compliance. These are as follows-

• Goods and Services Tax Login 
• Home page 
• Services 
• GST Law
• Downloads 
• Search Taxpayer 
• Help and Taxpayer Facilities
• e-Invoice
• News and Updates

I. Services (Registration, Challans, Refund Tracking, etc)

There are six options provided under the ‘Services’ tab on the GST portal.

• Registration
• Payments
• User Services
• Refunds
• e-Way Bill System
• Track Application Status

1. Registration

The first option under the ‘Services’ tab contains the link for applying for a new GST registration. A person who is a supplier of goods and services must register under GST if their turnover exceeds the threshold of Rs.40 lakh and Rs 20 lakh, respectively (Rs 10 lakh for NE and hill states, known as special category states). The details of the threshold limit are explained in our article on GST Registration limits.

By using this guide, you can apply for GST registration on the GST Portal online. You can also register under GST quickly and effortlessly through Clear.

2. Payments

The next tab is ‘Payments’. Any GST-registered taxpayer can create a challan and make a payment. There is an option to track the status as well.

Also, you can use the ‘Track PaymentStatus’ facility on the GST portal. There is also an option to submit a ‘Grievance against Payment (GST PMT-07)’ under the ‘Payments’ tab.

3. User Services

The User services tab offers the following options:

• Search HSN Code
• Holiday List
• Cause List
• Locate GST Practitioner (GSTP)
• Generate User ID for an unregistered applicant
• Search advance ruling
• Verify RFN

4. Refunds

A single option is available under this tab enabling the user to track their refund application status.

5. e-Way Bill System

The e-way bill system tab guides you to the e-way bill portal. You can also access FAQs and the user manual on the e-way bill portal.

6. Track Application Status

This is the final tab under ‘Services’ and provides the user with an option to track the status of their registration and refund applications.

II. GST Law

This tab consists of a list of links to the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) and states/UT commercial tax websites. The links host CGST act and rules, SGST act and rules and all other acts and rules relevant to GST. Also, the latest notifications, amendments and circulars around GST can be accessed therefrom.

III. Downloads

The tab consists of two main sections – Offline Tools and GST Statistics.

1. Offline Tools

The government has both online and offline methods to file GST returns. The link for GST offline tools provides the offline utility of the GST forms and returns as follows:

2. GST Statistics

The tab gives access to the metrics on the past filing trends on GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B as follows:

IV. Search Taxpayer

You can search for a taxpayer by their GSTIN/UIN, i.e. with the GST search tool or GST number search by PAN to verify the taxpayer’s details or GSTINs registered under a PAN. This feature is available on the home page and also after logging in.

You can also find a composition dealer who has opted in or out of the scheme by entering either the GSTIN or the state from which he is registered. There are other tools, such as the Search composition taxpayer tool and search temporary ID tool.

V. Help and Taxpayer Facilities

The help tab on the GST portal homepage contains many how-to guides, system requirements for various GST filings, user manuals, videos and FAQs and a link redirecting users to the grievance redressal portal. Further, a list of errors with resolutions are available.

A list of GST Suvidha Providers (GSPs) and a list of free accounting and billing software are the latest additions to the GST portal. These have been made available to the user on the GST portal to resolve any issue or doubt in the return filing process, GST registration, etc.

VI. e-Invoice

This tab on the GST portal takes the taxpayer to a page with a clickable link that redirects them to the e-invoice portal. You can try Clear e-Invoicing, an AI-based tool to automate e-invoice management without hassles.

Other Information Available on the GST Portal Home Page

There are four more sections on the GST portal that can assist the user in their GST return or form filings:

1. News | Updates

On scrolling down, you can see all the GST news like the change in due dates, GSTN system updates, and change in the filing processes under this section.

2. Register/Find a Taxpayer/GST Practitioner

This section helps the user register as a taxpayer or GST practitioner under GST. It also provides a search tool to locate a taxpayer or GST practitioner.

3. Popular Help Topics

This section lists some of the frequently asked questions, such as how to apply for a refund, how to opt into the composition scheme, etc.

4. Upcoming Due Dates

In the ‘Upcoming Due Dates’ section, the upcoming GST return deadlines are notified for the users. Any change in the filing dates can be seen here.

What is the GST login procedure for existing users?

Existing users can follow the below steps for GST login:

Step 1: Visit www.gst.gov.in or the official GST website and click on ‘Login’ appearing on the right-hand corner of the homepage.

 Step 2: Enter the username, password, captcha code and then click on the ‘LOGIN’ button.

Step 3: You will see your dashboard upon a successful GST login. You can view a summary of your GST credits, ‘FILE RETURNS’ tab, ‘PAY TAX’ tab, and Annual Aggregate Turnover (AATO) along with notices/orders received and saved forms.

How to login to GST portal for first-time users?

Following are the steps for new users to create login on the GST portal:

Step 1: Click on the login link given in the top right-hand corner of the GST Home page

Step 2: Click on the here link in the instruction at the bottom of the page that says “First time login: If you are logging in for the first time, click here to login”.

Step 3: Enter the provisional ID/GSTIN/UIN and password received on your e-mail address. Also, input the given captcha and then click on “Login”.

Step 4: The new credentials page is displayed. Enter the username and password of your choice. Re-confirm the password and then click on “Submit” button.

Step 5: A success message is displayed once the username and password have been created. You can now login to the GST official Portal using these credentials.

Step 6: When you login for the first time on the official GST website, you will be prompted to file a non-core amendment application to submit bank accounts details. Click on ‘FILE AMENDMENT’ button.

Step 7: The application form for editing is displayed and non-core fields is available in editable form. Edit the details in the bank accounts tab by clicking ‘ADD NEW’ button and submitting the application.

Services available after GST login

The home page of the gst.gov.in after you log in contains the following options:

Login Dashboard

A dashboard appears on the screen once you log in to the GST portal.
The home page dashboard page displays the return status (filed/not filed) for the last five return periods. You can access your profile, notices and orders with one click on this dashboard page. You can also file returns or create a tax payment challan from this screen.

You can then click on the ‘Dashboard’ tab to get the ledger balances, i.e. amounts available in your cash, credit, and liability ledgers, as well as the turnover details of any selected financial year.

Services (Registration, Returns, Challan)

Apart from the services offered before logging in, the GST portal provides you with an elaborate list of services once you log in.

(a) Under the ‘Registration’ tab, there is an additional facility to amend non-core fields of the GST registration.

How to register on gst.gov.in?

Every person is required to register for GST when the annual turnover exceeds the threshold limit through the GST portal. It is a simple 11-step process to register on the government’s GST portal. You can refer this guide to register on the GST portal or get a quick and easy registration done through Clear.

(b) Under the ‘Ledgers’ tab, you can access the following:

(c) Under the ‘Returns’ tab, you can explore the following options:

(d) Under the ‘Payments’ tab, you will find these:

(e) Under the ‘User Services’ tab, you have access to the following list of services:

(f) Under the ‘Refunds’ tab, you will have the below options to choose:

The rest of the tabs such as ‘e-Way Bill System’, ‘Track Application Status’, ‘GST Law’, ‘Search Taxpayers’, and ‘Help and Taxpayer Facilities’ offers you the same options even after logging in to the gst.gov.in.

Here is a list of some services important services available on the GST Portal after logging into the portal. Click on the service to see the detailed guide.

• Application for Registration for Normal Taxpayer, ISD, Casual Dealer
• Application for GST Practitioner
• Opting for Composition Scheme (GST CMP-02)
• Stock intimation for Composition Dealers (GST CMP-03)
• Opting out of Composition Scheme (GST CMP-04)
• Filing GST Returns
• Payment of GST
• Filing Table 6A of GSTR-1 (Export Refund)
• Claim Refund of excess GST paid (RFD-01)
• Furnish Letter of Undertaking(LUT)(RFD-11)
• Transition Forms (TRAN-1, TRAN-2, TRAN-3)
• Viewing E-Ledgers
• Filing of GSTR-9 -Annual Return
• Filing of GSTR-9C -Reconciliation Statement

Other than the above services changing core and non-core fields, browsing notices received, filing ITC Forms, Engage/ Disengage GST Practitioner are some of the other services provided on the GST Portal/ GSTN.

How to check your GST status?

One can check the GST registration status either before or after GST login. A GST registration form is processed after 15 days of making an application but one can track the GST portal registration status online on the GST portal. Follow the steps given in the article “How to track GST status” for complete details.

How to download GST certificate without login?

You cannot download GST certificate without logging into the GST portal. For the detailed steps, refer to our article “How to download the GST certificate?”.