GST registration online is filed in FORM GST REG-01 on the GST portal, and the CGST Rules prescribe no government fee for a normal taxpayer's application. Once Aadhaar authentication succeeds, the officer must decide within 7 working days, or within 30 days if your premises are physically verified. This guide covers the documents, each step on the portal, the real timeline and what you must do in the first month after the GSTIN is issued.
What documents are required for GST registration?
You need the PAN of the business, a photograph of each promoter and authorised signatory, proof of the signatory's appointment and proof of the principal place of business. Bank details are no longer asked for in the application. Every file goes up as a PDF or JPEG on the GST portal.
| Document | Who provides it | What the portal requires |
|---|---|---|
| PAN | The business, or the proprietor | Mandatory; validated with CBDT records in Part A |
| Photograph | Each promoter, partner or director listed, and each authorised signatory | Up to 100 KB |
| Proof of appointment | Each authorised signatory | Up to 1 MB |
| DIN | Directors of private, public and unlimited companies | Mandatory for these constitutions |
| CIN or LLPIN | Companies and LLPs | Checked against MCA records; a mismatch stops the ARN |
| Proof of principal place of business | Every applicant | Up to 1 MB, as listed below |
| Electricity consumer (CA) number | Applicants in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Rajasthan | Entered in the state specific tab |
For the premises, the portal's REG-01 user manual accepts three combinations:
- Owned: the latest property tax receipt, municipal khata copy or electricity bill.
- Rented or leased: a valid rent or lease agreement plus one of those documents proving the lessor owns the premises.
- Any other case: a consent letter from the owner plus the owner's ownership document. Shared premises use the same set.
If you need a business address in a state where you have no office, read our guide on a virtual office for GST registration before you sign anything.
How to apply for GST registration online, step by step
The application has two parts. Part A verifies your PAN, mobile number and email and gives you a temporary reference number (TRN); Part B carries the business details and documents. The TRN and everything saved against it are purged 15 days after the TRN is generated, so finish Part B within that window.
- On the GST portal choose Services, Registration, New Registration. Select the state and district, enter the legal name exactly as in the PAN, the PAN, and the email and mobile number of the primary authorised signatory. Verify the two OTPs to get the TRN.
- Log in with the TRN and complete the ten tabs, from business details to verification. You can add up to 5 goods (HSN codes) and 5 services.
- Enter the principal place of business. The portal shows the State and Centre jurisdictions mapped to your PIN code, and you pick the right ward and range.
- Complete Aadhaar authentication, or the alternative visit described in the next section.
- Sign and submit. You get the application reference number (ARN) in FORM GST REG-02 by email and SMS.
- Answer any query raised in FORM GST REG-03 through FORM GST REG-04 within 7 working days (rule 9(2)).
Who is Aadhaar authenticated, and who signs?
Aadhaar authentication covers the primary authorised signatory plus one person from the business, chosen by constitution. The portal then sends either an OTP link or a link to book a biometric slot at a GST Suvidha Kendra (GSK), based on risk parameters.
| Constitution | Persons authenticated | Signing method |
|---|---|---|
| Proprietorship | Proprietor and primary authorised signatory | DSC, Aadhaar e-sign or EVC |
| Partnership firm | One partner and primary authorised signatory | DSC, Aadhaar e-sign or EVC |
| Private or public company | One director and primary authorised signatory | DSC only |
| LLP | One designated partner and primary authorised signatory | DSC only |
If you opt out of Aadhaar authentication, you must visit a GSK for a photograph and verification of original documents (rule 8(4A)). A GSK visit not completed within 15 days means no ARN, so the application is not treated as submitted. An OTP left unverified still produces an ARN, but the file is marked for a site visit and the 30-day limit applies. Companies and LLPs should arrange a digital signature in advance.
How long does GST registration take?
The officer must approve or query a standard application within 7 working days of submission. The limit is 30 days if you skipped Aadhaar authentication, were flagged for physical verification by risk analysis, or the officer orders a verification. If the officer takes no action within these limits, the application is deemed approved (rule 9(5)).
| Situation | Time limit | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Rule 14A option: output tax on supplies to registered buyers up to ₹2.5 lakh a month, Aadhaar authenticated | 3 working days, granted by the portal | Rule 14A |
| Application cleared by the portal's data analysis and risk parameters | 3 working days, granted electronically | Rule 9A |
| Standard application with Aadhaar authentication | 7 working days | Rule 9(1) |
| No Aadhaar authentication, or physical verification | 30 days | Rule 9(1), proviso |
| After you reply to a REG-03 query | 7 working days from your reply | Rule 9(3) |
Rules 9A and 14A apply from 1 November 2025 (GST Council newsletter, October 2025). Under rule 14A only one registration per PAN is allowed in a state. When premises are inspected before approval, the officer must upload the report in FORM GST REG-30 at least five working days before the 30-day limit ends (rule 25(2)).
What are the GST registration fees?
The CGST Rules set no fee for a normal registration, and the portal's REG-01 process contains no payment step. The exceptions are casual and non-resident taxable persons, who must deposit their estimated tax in advance (section 27(2); rule 8(6)). Ofin's professional fee for the complete filing is ₹1,499, inclusive of GST.
Budget separately for a digital signature if you are a company or LLP. If you are unsure whether you need a GSTIN at all, check with the GST registration checker first, and compare the composition scheme, which you can choose in the application itself.
What to do in the first 30 days after you get a GSTIN
Your certificate in FORM GST REG-06 appears on the portal. Within 30 days of the grant, or before your first GSTR-1 or IFF filing if that is earlier, add your bank account through a non-core amendment (rule 10A). A bank statement or passbook front page serves as proof.
Example. Tealeaf Interiors LLP, a made-up firm, receives its GSTIN on 5 November 2026, effective from that date, and files GSTR-1 monthly. Its first GSTR-1, for November, is due on 11 December 2026. Thirty days from the grant ends on 5 December 2026, which is earlier, so the bank account must be added by 5 December. If it is not, the portal blocks GSTR-1 (rule 59(6)(f)) and the registration can be suspended with a notice in FORM GST REG-31 giving 30 days to explain (rule 21A(2A)). Unless the registration has already been cancelled, the suspension lifts once the bank details are added.
Two more duties start at once. Display the registration certificate at the principal place and every additional place of business, and show the GSTIN on the name board at the entrance (rule 18). Then put every filing date in your calendar with the GST return due dates tool. These obligations come from Notification 38/2023-Central Tax and the CGST Rules.
Common reasons for GST registration rejection or delay
Each point below is a requirement of the rules or one of the portal's own checks, and missing it stalls or ends the application.
- A rent agreement uploaded without a document proving the lessor's ownership.
- An electricity bill or tax receipt in someone else's name with no consent letter from that owner.
- A legal name that differs from the PAN, or a signatory name that differs from Aadhaar records.
- A CIN or LLPIN that fails MCA validation, which leaves the application in validation error.
- Blank or illegible scans, which the portal flags on upload.
- A GSK visit not completed within 15 days, which stops the ARN.
- No reply to a REG-03 query within 7 working days, which allows the officer to reject the application in FORM GST REG-05 (rule 9(4)).
The 57th GST Council on 8 October 2026 recommended a circular listing the documents required for registration and drop-down choices in REG-01. This is a proposal until CBIC issues it. For Mumbai addresses, see GST registration in Mumbai.
How Ofin handles your GST registration
Our CAs, CSs and legal professionals check your documents and premises proof before filing, file REG-01, help you complete Aadhaar authentication and answer any officer query until the certificate is issued. The work is 100% online and we reply within 24 hours. GST registration costs ₹1,499, inclusive of GST. Share your details to get a fixed-price proposal.
