GST REGISTRATION

GST, or Goods and Services Tax, was introduced by the GST Act, 2016, to create a unified tax system across India. It replaces various indirect taxes like sales tax, service tax, and VAT, simplifying the taxation process. GST has brought several advantages, including the reduction of tax cascading, the provision of Input Tax Credit (ITC), uniform tax rates, simplified tax compliance, and increased transparency in tax collection.

If you are a business operating in India, it’s mandatory to pay GST. To do that, you must first obtain GST registration under the GST Act. This involves filing an online application with the GST Department of India and following up until you receive the GST Registration Certificate and GST Identification number.

Key Benefits of GST Registration for Taxpayers:

1. Recognition as a supplier of goods/services
2. Legal entitlement to pay GST
3. Legal entitlement to avail ITC
4. Enhanced transparency in tax payment
5. Avoidance of double taxation
6. Reduced tax compliances

Eligibility for GST Registration in India:

Generally, you need to obtain GST registration if your aggregate turnover as a supplier of goods and services in a financial year crosses the threshold limit prescribed under the GST Act. However, there are specific categories of suppliers who must obtain GST registration mandatorily, irrespective of their turnovers. Some of these categories include e-commerce aggregators, casual taxpayers, NRI, importers, exporters, taxpayers under the GST reverse charge mechanism, etc.

Steps to Get a GST Registration Certificate in India:

1. Documentation: Gather all the necessary documents required for GST registration based on your business entity and nature of business activity.

2. Apply on GST Registration Portal: File the online GST REG-01 form available on the official GST portal, providing basic details about your business.

3. OTP Based Verification: Complete the verification process using OTPs sent to your mobile number and email ID.

4. Generation of TRN: Once the verification is successful, a Temporary Reference Number (TRN) is generated and sent to your email and contact number.

5. Fill out & Submit the GST Registration Form: Login with the TRN, fill out detailed information about your business, promoters, and bank details, and sign the application using your Digital Signature Certificate (DSC).

6. Issuance of GSTIN & GST Registration Certificate: Submit the form on the GST portal, and after successful verification, the GST department will issue your GST Registration Certificate and GST Identification Number.

Documents Required for GST Registration:

To register for GST, you need to provide certain documents, including business PAN, Aadhar card, bank account details, proof of business address, digital signature, and more.

Benefits of GST Registration in India:

• Prevents the cascading effect of taxes
• Brings uniformity in taxation
• Low tax rates and compliances
• Entitlement to avail Input Tax Credit (ITC)
• Zero-rated exports
• Formalization of the economy

How We Can Help You with GST Registration in India:

As a trusted service provider for GST registration, we offer end-to-end assistance throughout the process. We handle the documentation, application filing, and ensure all eligibility conditions are met before submission. Our experts track your application’s status until you receive the GST registration certificate. Choose us for reliable and affordable GST registration services across India. Contact us today through the inquiry form to subscribe to our comprehensive package of GST registration with our expert services.

[Frequently Asked Questions About GST Registration]

1. What is the Composite Scheme of GST?  The Composite Scheme of GST is an option available to small businesses with an annual turnover up to a specified limit. Under this scheme, eligible businesses can pay GST at a fixed rate on their turnover instead of dealing with regular GST procedures. The businesses opting for the composite scheme are not allowed to collect GST from their customers separately. Instead, they have to bear the tax burden out of their own pocket. This scheme is beneficial for small businesses as it reduces compliance burden and simplifies tax payment.

2. What category of taxpayers must mandatorily obtain GST registration? The following categories of taxpayers must mandatorily obtain GST registration, regardless of their turnover:

a) Businesses making inter-state taxable supplies b) Casual taxable persons c) Non-resident taxable persons d) E-commerce operators e) Those required to pay tax under the reverse charge mechanism f) Input Service Distributors g) Businesses supplying goods/services through e-commerce platforms

3. What category of taxpayers are forbidden from obtaining GST registration? Taxpayers engaged in certain activities are forbidden from obtaining GST registration. These include:

a) Agriculturalists who are engaged in the supply of produce out of cultivation of land b) Persons exclusively engaged in providing exempted goods/services

4. What is the application fee for GST registration in India? As of my last update in September 2021, the application fee for GST registration in India is nil. There is no fee charged for obtaining GST registration.

5. What is GSTIN? GSTIN stands for Goods and Services Tax Identification Number. It is a unique 15-digit identification number assigned to every registered taxpayer under GST. This number is used for various GST-related transactions and acts as an essential identification for businesses.

6. What is Reverse Charge under GST? Reverse Charge is a mechanism under GST where the responsibility to pay tax is shifted from the supplier to the recipient of goods/services. In regular GST transactions, the supplier collects and pays the tax. However, under reverse charge, the recipient is required to calculate and pay the tax directly to the government.

7. If a business is carrying out multiple business activities, will it have to obtain multiple GST registrations as well? No, a business carrying out multiple business activities can obtain a single GST registration for all its activities. The business needs to register under the category that represents its primary business activity. All other activities are covered under the same registration.

8. If a business is carrying out its activities at multiple locations, does it need multiple GST registrations as well? If a business has multiple business verticals within the same state, it may require separate GST registrations for each vertical. However, if the business has branches or units in different states, it needs to obtain separate GST registrations for each state.

9. Is GST registration mandatory for SEZ businesses? Yes, Special Economic Zone (SEZ) businesses are required to obtain GST registration for carrying out taxable supplies. However, SEZ units are treated as distinct entities, and transactions between the SEZ unit and the Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) are treated as inter-state supplies.

10. What are the grounds on which your application for GST registration may get rejected? Your application for GST registration may get rejected if:

a) The information provided in the application is incorrect or incomplete. b) Supporting documents are not submitted or are found to be inadequate. c) The business does not fall under the mandatory registration category but still applied for voluntary registration. d) The tax authorities have reasons to believe that the registration is obtained with fraudulent intentions.

11. What is the duration of validity of GST registration Certificate? The GST registration certificate does not have an expiration date. It remains valid until it is surrendered, canceled, or suspended by the taxpayer or the tax authorities.

12. What is the meaning of a casual taxpayer under the GST Act, 2016? A casual taxpayer is one who occasionally supplies goods/services in a taxable territory where they do not have a fixed place of business. They may be required to register for GST for the period they intend to carry out business in that territory.

13. Who is an Input Service Distributor? An Input Service Distributor (ISD) is an office of a supplier of goods/services that receives tax invoices for input services and distributes the input tax credit (ITC) to its branches or units that make taxable supplies.

14. Are separate GST registrations mandatory for separate branches of the same business? If the branches of the same business are located in different states, then separate GST registrations are required for each branch. However, if the branches are located within the same state, a single GST registration can cover all the branches.

15. Which class of DSC is used to sign the GST registration application? For signing the GST registration application, a Class 2 Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) is required. It is essential for the authentication of the applicant during the online registration process.