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gst.gov.in : Government Website for GST Portal Online

By Annapoorna

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Updated on: Sep 14th, 2022

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26 min read

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www.gst.gov.in is the government’s official GST website and is also known as the GST Portal /GSTN portal. It facilitates numerous services for taxpayers ranging from obtaining GST registration, filing of GST returns, application for refunds, to the time a taxpayer applies for the cancellation of the GST registration.

The important aspect of the GST regime is that the tax administration must have a strong backing of technology. This means that the taxpayers will no longer be required to visit the tax departments in person for assessments and submit the applications or returns, although facilitation centres are present across India.

The GST portal allows all communications to be done on it, such as approving, rejecting, or responding to applications. It includes intimation of notices by the department and window to respond to the same by taxpayers.

This is the layout of the home page of the GST portal before a user logs in:

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The GST portal can be accessed by typing www.gst.gov.in in any web browser such as Internet Explorer 10+, Google Chrome 49+, Firefox 45+ and Safari 6+. It can be viewed best at 1024 x 768 resolution.

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Guide to using gst.gov.in before logging in

I. Services (Registration, Challans, Refund Tracking)

There are five options provided under the ‘Services’ tab on the GST Portal.

1. Registration

The first option under the ‘Services’ tab contains the link for applying for a new GST registration. A person, being a supplier of goods as well as services is required to register under GST if their turnover exceeds the threshold of Rs 20 lakh (Rs 10 lakh for NE and hill states). In the case of a supplier of only goods, the limit is Rs 40 lakh subject to some conditions. The details of the threshold limit are explained in our article on GST Registration limits.

You can apply for the GST registration online on the GST Portal by using this guide. 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 Application Status’ facility for registration and refunds on the GST portal. There is also an option to submit a ‘Grievance against Payment (GST PMT-07)’ under the ‘Payments’ tab.

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3. User Services

These services include:

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

4. Refunds

This option enables 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 3B as follows:

gst.gov.in

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 details of the taxpayer or GSTINs registered under the 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.

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, advisories on new facilities, 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 is a new tab on the GST portal which takes the taxpayer to a page with a clickable link that redirects him to the e-invoice portal.

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Other Information Available on the GST Portal Home Page

There are four more sections on the GST Portal that can assist the user in his 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 find a taxpayer or locate a GST practitioner.

3. Popular Help Topics

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

4. Important Dates

In the ‘Important Dates’ section, the upcoming GST returns deadlines are notified for the users. Any change in the notified dates can be seen here.

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Guide to using gst.gov.in after logging in

How to login to the GST portal?

You can log in to your GST account by clicking on the ‘Login’ button found at the top right-hand corner on the GST homepage.

gst.gov.in

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

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.

A quick view of services provided on the GST Portal (gst.gov.in) once logged in

A registered user can log in to www.gst.gov.in Once a user logs in these are the services available to a user. Click on the service to see the detailed guide.

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

Other than the above changing non-core fields, browsing notices received, filing ITC forms, and engage/disengage GST practitioner are some of the other services provided by the GST Portal/GSTN.

Learn everything about GST

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the list of documents required for GST registration?
Category of personsDocuments required for GST registration
Sole proprietor / individual– PAN and Aadhaar card of the owner
– Photograph (in JPEG format, maximum size – 100 KB)
– Bank account details*
– Address proof**
Partnership firm (including LLP)– PAN card of all the partners
– Copy of the partnership deed
– Photograph of the partners (in JPEG format, maximum size – 100 KB)
– Address proof of the partners (Passport, driving licence, Voters identity card, Aadhaar card etc.)
– Aadhaar card of the authorised signatory
– Proof of appointment of the authorised signatory
– In the case of an LLP, registration certificate / Board resolution of LLP– Bank account details*
– Address proof of the principal place of business**
HUF– PAN card of the HUF
– PAN and Aadhaar card of the Karta
– Photograph of the owner/Karta (in JPEG format, maximum size – 100 KB)
– Bank account details*
– Address proof of the principal place of business**
Company (Both public and private, Indian and foreign)– PAN card of the company
– Certificate of incorporation that is given by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs
– Memorandum of Association / Articles of Association
– PAN and Aadhaar card of authorised signatory. The authorised signatory has to be an Indian even in the case of foreign companies / branch registration
– PAN and address proof of all the directors of the company– Photograph of all the directors and the authorised signatory (in JPEG format, maximum size – 100 KB)
– Board resolution appointing the authorised signatory / Any other proof of appointment of the authorised signatory (in JPEG or PDF format, maximum size – 100 KB)
– Bank account details*
– Address proof of the principal place of business**

*For bank account details, a copy of a cancelled cheque or extract of the passbook / bank statement (containing both the first and last page) must be uploaded (in JPEG or PDF format with a maximum file size of 100 KB).  

**Address proof: Upload any one of these documents:

  • Property tax receipt
  • Electricity bill copy
  • Municipal Khata copy
  • Ownership deed / document (in case of owned property)
  • Lease / rent agreement (in case of property that is leased / rented) – This has to be submitted with (1), (2) or (3)
  • NOC / consent letter from the owner (in case of a consent arrangement or shared property) – This has to be submitted with (1), (2) or (3)
2. How to register on the GST portal?

Here are the steps to register on the GST portal. For a detailed explanation of the various tabs to be filled in, you can refer to this article on ‘How to register for GST’.

  1. Visit the GST portal at https://www.gst.gov.in/. On the home page, navigate to Services > Registration > New Registration. You can also click on the ‘Register now’ link.
  2. The new registration page will be displayed. Select the ‘New registration’ option.
  3. Select all the relevant details from the drop-down menus such as type of business, legal name, state, district, etc. and provide your contact details.
  4. One-time passwords (OTP) will be sent to your email address and mobile number for authentication. A system-generated Temporary Reference Number (TRN) will also be displayed. Click on ‘Proceed’. You can also go to Services > Registration > New Registration and select the Temporary Reference Number (TRN) radio button to log in using the TRN.
  5. The ‘My Saved Application’ page is displayed post login. Click on the ‘Edit’ icon (i.e. the icon that is a blue square with a white pen in it). The registration application form with various tabs is displayed. 
  6. Proceed to fill all the ten tabs as applicable – Business Details, Promoter/ Partners, Authorised Signatory, Authorised Representative, Principal Place of Business, Additional Places of Business, Goods and Services, State Specific Information, Aadhaar Authentication and Verification. Click each tab to enter the details. (You can refer to this article here for a detailed explanation of filing in these various tabs.)
  7. Once the entire registration form has been filled in, click on the ‘Verification’ tab to verify the application and proceed to file the same with the digital signature, e-signature or EVC as applicable.
3. How to log in on the GST portal?

If you are a new user, 

  • Visit the GST portal at https://www.gst.gov.in/ and click on ‘Login’ at the top right corner. 
  • On the login page, you will get the option ‘First time login: If you are logging in for the first time, click here to log in’.
  • Next, enter your Provisional ID / GSTIN / UIN and password received by email to log in.
  • You can then set a username and password, which you can use to log in in the future.

If you are an existing user,

  • Visit the GST portal at https://www.gst.gov.in/ and click on ‘Login’ at the top right corner. 
  • Next, enter your username and password to log in.
4. How to track the application status of your GST registration?

To track the application status of your GST registration,

  • Visit the GST portal at https://www.gst.gov.in/.
  • Under ‘Services’, select ‘Registration’. Then, click on ‘Track Application Status’.
  • Next, select the ‘ARN’ radio button, and enter the ARN number. 
  • Click on ‘Search’.
5. How to amend your GST registration?

Amending your GST registration is simple and can be done on the GST portal at https://www.gst.gov.in/. Amendments can be made in both core fields and non-core fields. If a particular field being amended requires a jurisdictional tax official’s approval for amendment, then it happens to be a core field. On the other hand, the amendment of non-core fields gets automatically approved once the amendment application is filed. 

Once logged in, the user will have to navigate to ‘Services’ > ‘Registration’ and then select the ‘Amendment of registration core fields’ or ‘Amendment of registration non-core fields’ option, as applicable. For a detailed explanation on how to amend your GST registration, please refer to this article here.

Please note that the PAN cannot be changed for a particular GST registration. Any mistake in the PAN or a change in the PAN due to a change in the constitution of business would require the applicant to file a fresh registration using Form GST REG-01.

6. How to add a branch on the GST portal?

To add a branch on the GST portal, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Log in to the GST portal at https://www.gst.gov.in/.

Step 2: Navigate to ‘Services’ > ‘Registration’, and then select the ‘Amendment of registration core fields’ option.

Step 3: Click on the ‘Additional place of a business’ tab, and then click on the ‘Add new’ button. Enter all the required details, along with the reason for the amendment and the date of the amendment. Then, click on save.

Step 4: Next, proceed to verification and submission of the application for amendment with either DSC, EVC or e-signature. 

For a detailed step-by-step guide on how to add a branch to your GST registration, you can refer to this article here.

7. How to pay tax on the GST portal?

You can pay tax either before or after logging in to the GST portal. GST can be paid through net banking/debit card/credit card modes online, or through offline modes such as cheque/demand draft/cash/NEFT/RTGS.

To pay GST without logging in to the GST portal, navigate to Services > Payments > Create Challan on the home page. Proceed to fill in all the relevant details and make the payment.

You pay GST after logging in, you need to first login after clicking on the ‘Login’ button at the top right-hand corner. Next, click on the ‘Create a challan‘ button which is available on the dashboard itself, or navigate to Services > Payments > Create Challan. Enter all the required details and proceeding to making the GST payment.

For both the modes (pre-login and post-login), you can refer this guide here.

8. How to download the GST certificate?

To download the GST registration certificate from the GST portal, you first need to log in to the portal with your user ID and password. Next, navigate to Services > User Services > View/ Download Certificate.  Then, click on the ‘Download’ icon available next to Form No. GST REG-06.

You can refer this detailed step-by-step guide to download the GST registration certificate.

9. How to file GST returns on the GST portal?

To file returns on the GST portal, you first need to log in to the portal with your user ID and password. You can then click on the ‘Return dashboard’ button that is available on the home page post-login. You can also navigate to Services > Returns > Returns Dashboard. Then, click on the relevant return period and choose from the online and offline modes available to prepare and file your GST returns.

You can refer these guides to file your GST returns:

  1. Guide to file GSTR-1 on the GST portal
  2. Guide to file GSTR-3B on the GST portal
  3. Guide to file GSTR-4 on the GST portal
  4. Guide to file GSTR-5 on the GST portal
  5. Guide to file GSTR-5A on the GST portal
  6. Guide to file GSTR-6 on the GST portal
  7. Guide to file GSTR-8 on the GST portal
  8. Guide to file CMP-08 on the GST portal
  9. Guide to file GSTR-9 on the GST portal
  10. Guide to file GSTR-9C on the GST portal

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  • We maximise your tax savings so that you claim 100% Input tax credits, every time
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ClearTax provides the following services to make your entire GST learning and GST return filing easier :

  1. ClearTax HSN Code and Rate Finder –Search for GST rate on a product and the HSN or SAC code by just typing in the name of the product in the HSN Code and Rate Finder.
  2. ClearTax GSTIN Search Tool – Search and validate the existence and correctness of GSTIN just by copy-pasting the relevant GSTIN using our GSTIN Search Tool.
  3. ClearTax GST Software – You may raise GST compliant invoices of any kind, match with GSTR-2A and file GST returns using ClearTax GST Software. Also, try the ClearTax GST Desktop app to complete the end-to-end filing of the GST returns without visiting any other portal. It is quick and easy.
  4. ClearTax E-WayBill Software – Generate and manage e-way bills seamlessly using the ClearTax EWayBill Software.
  5. ClearTax e-Invoicing Software – Get ready for e-invoicing with ClearTax’s “easy-to-connect, easier-to-scale” e-Invoicing solution by 1st April 2020.
  6. ClearTax’s e-Learning Course With Certification – New to GST? With the e-learning course, become an expert in all concepts of GST, including the proposed new GST return filing system.
  7. Section 206AB – Finance Act 2021 introduced new sections 206AB and 206CCA levying a double TDS rate for the non-filers of ITR of two previous years.
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About the Author

I preach the words, “Learning never exhausts the mind.” An aspiring CA and a passionate content writer having 4+ years of hands-on experience in deciphering jargon in Indian GST, Income Tax, off late also into the much larger Indian finance ecosystem, I love curating content in various forms to the interest of tax professionals, and enterprises, both big and small. While not writing, you can catch me singing Shāstriya Sangeetha and tuning my violin ;). Read more

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