In India, businesses and individuals whose annual turnover exceeds a specified threshold must register for GST. The process of GST registration involves submitting various documents, which vary depending on the type of business, such as sole proprietorships, partnerships, or companies. The GST registration documents list typically includes a PAN card, business registration certificate, identity proof, photographs, residential proof for authorised individuals, business address proof, and bank statements. Additionally, tracking the status of your GST registration application is crucial to ensure a smooth approval process. You can check your GST registration application ARN status to stay updated on the progress. In this article, we will provide a detailed GST registration documents list and explain how it varies depending on the business structure, category of GST registration, and the nature of business activity.
If you are unsure about the GST implications for your business, you can use an online tool like the GST Calculator to estimate your GST liabilities.
Here is a list of the GST registration documents that you must provide based on your business type.
Who should register for GST?
According to the 2017 Goods and Services Tax (GST) Act, businesses having a turnover of Rs. 40 lakh or more are required to register for GST. The threshold for GST registration in northeastern and hill states is Rs. 10 lakh. In addition, the following individuals must register for GST and obtain a unique 15-digit GSTIN:
- Individuals making the inter-state supply of taxable goods and services
- Individuals with taxability under reverse charge
- Non-resident taxable individuals
- Individuals are eligible for tax deductions under Section 37.
- Individuals who provide products or services on behalf of another registered taxpayer in any way
- Individuals acting as distributors of input services
- All e-commerce operators
- Aggregators supplying services under a new brand or trade name
- Any other individual or group of individuals notified by the Central or State government as per the GST Council's recommendations
You need to sign up for GST if you sell goods within the same state and your annual turnover is more than Rs. 20 lakh. The same goes for service providers within the same state who have annual turnovers of Rs. 40 lakh. Also, suppliers within the same state must sign up for GST.
Category of GST Registration
There are different types of GST registration depending on the nature and turnover of the business. Some of the types are:
- Normal scheme registration: This is the most common type of registration for businesses whose turnover exceeds the threshold limit of Rs. 40 lakh for goods or Rs. 20 lakh for services. The registered person has to file monthly or quarterly GST returns and pay tax at the applicable rates.
- Composition scheme registration: This is a simplified scheme for small businesses whose turnover does not exceed Rs. 1.5 crore for goods or Rs. 50 lakh for services. The registered person has to pay tax at a fixed rate on turnover and file quarterly GST returns.
- Casual taxable person registration: This is a temporary registration for persons who occasionally supply taxable goods or services in a state where they do not have a fixed place of business. The registration is valid for 90 days or the period of supply, whichever is earlier.
- Non-Resident taxable person registration: This is a registration for persons who reside outside India but supply taxable goods or services in India. The registration is valid for 90 days or the period of supply, whichever is earlier.
- Input service distributor registration: This is a registration for offices of a supplier who receive tax invoices for input services and distribute the input tax credit to other branches of the same supplier.
Other types of registration include non-resident online service distributor, Embassy/ UN Body/ Other notified persons, special Economic zone Developer/ Unit, tax deductor at source/ tax collector at source, etc.
What are the main documents required for GST registration?
The main documents for GST registration include:
- PAN card
- Proof of business registration
- Proof of identity
- Photographs
- Address proof of persons in charge
- Business's address proof
- Bank account statements
You can prove your bank details through a bank statement, cancelled cheque, or an extract from your passbook. Similarly, an address proof can take the form of an electricity bill, rent agreement, or ownership documents.
GST Registration documents list
Here’s a list of all the documents required to register your GST:
Category of persons |
Documents required for GST registration |
Sole proprietor / Individual |
- PAN card of the owner |
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- Aadhar card of the owner |
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- Photograph of the owner (in JPEG format, maximum size – 100 KB) |
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- Bank account details* |
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- Address proof** |
Partnership firm / LLP |
- PAN card of all partners (including managing partner and authorised signatory) |
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- Copy of partnership deed |
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- Photograph of all partners and authorised signatories (in JPEG format, maximum size – 100 KB) |
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- Address proof of partners |
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- Aadhar card of authorised signatory |
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- Proof of appointment of authorised signatory |
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- In the case of LLP, registration certificate / board resolution |
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- Bank account details* |
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- Address proof of principal place of business** |
HUF (Hindu Undivided Family) |
- PAN card of HUF |
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- PAN card and Aadhar card of Karta |
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- Photograph of Karta (in JPEG format, maximum size – 100 KB) |
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- Bank account details* |
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- Address proof of principal place of business** |
Company (Public/ Private/ Indian/ Foreign) |
- PAN card of Company |
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- Certificate of incorporation issued by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs |
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- Memorandum of Association / Articles of Association |
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- PAN card and Aadhar card of authorised signatory |
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- PAN card and address proof of all directors |
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- Photograph of all directors and authorised signatory (in JPEG format, maximum size – 100 KB) |
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- Board resolution or other proof of appointment of authorised signatory |
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- Bank account details* |
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- Address proof of principal place of business** |
Bank account details: Upload a copy of a cancelled cheque or extract of the passbook/bank statement showing the first and last page (JPEG or PDF format, max size – 100 KB).
Address proof: Submit one of the following documents:
- Property tax receipt
- Municipal Khata copy
- Electricity bill
- Ownership deed (for owned properties)
- Lease / rent agreement (for leased or rented properties) – must be submitted along with (1), (2), or (3)
- Consent letter / NOC from the owner (for consent arrangement or shared properties) – must be submitted along with (1), (2), or (3)
Documents required for GST based on the nature of business activity
The documents necessary for GST registration depend on the registration category and the specific business activities involved. Below is a detailed list of the documents required for each category of GST registration:
Nature of GST Registration |
Purpose of Registration |
Documents to be Uploaded |
Normal taxpayer registration (including composition dealers, government departments, and ISD registrations) |
For conducting taxable supply of goods or services |
- PAN card of the company (for companies) |
- Certificate of incorporation from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs / proof of business constitution |
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- MOA / AOA (for companies) |
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- PAN and Aadhaar of the authorised signatory (authorised signatory must be Indian, even for foreign companies/branch registrations) |
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- PAN and address proof of all directors (partners, in the case of a firm) |
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- Photograph of all directors and authorised signatory (JPEG format, max size 100 KB) |
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- Board resolution or other proof of authorised signatory’s appointment (JPEG or PDF format, max size 100 KB) |
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- Bank account details |
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- Address proof for the principal place of business |
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GST practitioner |
For enrolling as a GST practitioner |
- Photograph of the applicant (JPEG format, max size 100 KB) |
- Address proof of professional practice location |
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- Proof of qualifying degree (degree certificate) |
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- Pension certificate (for retired government officials) |
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TDS registration |
For deducting tax at source |
- Photograph of the drawing and disbursing officer (JPEG format, max size 100 KB) |
- PAN and TAN of the person being registered |
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- Photograph of the authorised signatory (JPEG format, max size 100 KB) |
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- Proof of authorised signatory’s appointment |
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- Address proof of tax deductor |
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TCS registration |
For collecting tax at source (e-commerce operators) |
- PAN of the person being registered |
- Photograph of the authorised signatory (JPEG format, max size 100 KB) |
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- Proof of authorised signatory’s appointment |
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- Address proof of tax collector** |
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Non-resident OIDAR service provider |
For online service providers without a place of business in India |
- Photograph of the authorised signatory (JPEG format, max size 100 KB) |
- Proof of authorised signatory’s appointment |
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- Indian bank account details* |
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- Proof of non-resident online service provider (e.g., clearance certificate from the Government of India, license from the original country, or certificate of incorporation from India or another country) |
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Non-resident taxable person (NRTP) |
For non-residents occasionally supplying taxable goods/services in India |
- Photograph and proof of Indian authorised signatory’s appointment |
- For individuals: scanned copy of NRTP's passport with visa details |
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- For business entities: unique identification number used by the government of their country |
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- Indian bank account details |
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- Address proof |
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Casual taxable person |
For unregistered domestic persons occasionally supplying taxable goods/services |
- Photograph and proof of Indian authorised signatory’s appointment |
- Proof of business constitution |
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- Indian bank account details* |
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- Address proof |
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UN bodies/Embassy |
For obtaining a Unique Identification Number to claim tax refunds |
- Photograph of the authorised signatory |
- Proof of authorised signatory’s appointment |
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- Indian bank account details |
To submit bank account details, you need to upload either a copy of a cancelled cheque or an extract from your passbook/bank statement displaying the first and last pages. This must be in JPEG or PDF format, with a maximum file size of 100 KB.
For address verification, upload any one of the following documents:
- Property tax receipt
- Municipal Khata copy
- Electricity bill
Additionally, based on the situation, one of the following may be needed:
- Ownership deed/document, if the property is owned
- Lease or rental agreement for rented properties, along with any of the documents 1, 2, or 3
- Consent letter/NOC from the owner for consent or shared properties, along with any of the documents 1, 2, or 3
Key considerations while submitting documents required for GST registration
When submitting documents for GST registration, several key considerations are vital:
- File Size: Ensure digital documents meet specified size limits, varying by document type.
- Document Format: Upload documents in JPG or PDF formats, adhering to portal guidelines.
- Official Website: Refer to the official GST website for a definitive document checklist.
- Digital Signature: Acquire a Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) for the authorised signatory to digitally sign all registration applications, ensuring compliance and authentication.
