Registration
Do you need a GSTIN, and how do you keep it
Getting a GSTIN, keeping it, or getting it back.
Straight from CBIC
Official source, not a summary of a summary
Full text included
Read the exact words of the law yourself
Amendment history
See what changed, and when
Free, always
No login, no paywall, no book to buy
Start here
Registration is the gate into GST. Below the threshold you can stay outside the system entirely; above it, registration is compulsory within 30 days, and trading without it is an offence that carries both tax and penalty.
The threshold is not one number. A business supplying only goods gets ₹40 lakh in most states. Add any service to the mix and it drops to ₹20 lakh. In the special category states it is lower again. And a handful of situations – selling goods through Amazon or Flipkart, making inter-state supplies, paying tax under reverse charge – require registration from the very first rupee, with no threshold at all.
Getting the GSTIN is usually the easy part. Keeping it is where businesses come unstuck: file returns late for long enough and the department cancels the registration, after which every invoice you raise is legally defective until you get it revoked.
Worked example
A Bhopal shop that crossed the line without noticing
| Sells only goods, so threshold is | ₹40,00,000 | Comfortable, for now |
| Starts charging ₹500 installation on some sales | Now supplies a service too | Threshold drops to ₹20,00,000 |
| Turnover for the year | ₹28,00,000 | Already liable, eight months ago |
Adding one small service charge moved the goalposts by ₹20 lakh. The shop was liable from the day it crossed ₹20 lakh – not from the day it noticed.
The mistakes that cost people money
Not theoretical risks — the ones we actually see land on clients’ desks.
Assuming the ₹40 lakh limit applies to you. It only applies to a business supplying goods and nothing else – one service line item pulls you down to ₹20 lakh.
Letting returns lapse after registering ‘just in case’. A dormant GSTIN still has to file nil returns, and unfiled ones lead to cancellation and late fees.
Applying with mismatched address proof. The rent agreement, the electricity bill and the application form must all state the identical address, down to the floor and shop number.
Free download · no email required
Registration — the complete guide
13 pages covering all 34 provisions, with the plain-language explanation and practice notes for each. Print it, keep it, share it with your accountant.
Common questions on this
Straight answers to what people actually ask us.
Do You Need GST Registration to Sell on Amazon?
Selling goods on Amazon or Flipkart? GST registration is compulsory regardless of turnover — here is exactly w…
GST Turnover Limit for a Shop: ₹40 Lakh or ₹20 Lakh?
₹40 lakh, ₹20 lakh or ₹10 lakh — the GST registration threshold for a shop depends on what you sell and which …
Can You Get GST Registration Without Owning the Shop?
No property in your name? GST registration works fine on rented premises — here’s exactly which documents the …
How Many Days Does It Take to Get a GST Number?
7 working days, or up to 30 — the real GST registration timeline depends on one choice you make on day one: Aa…
GST Registration Cancelled for Non-Filing? Here’s How to Get It Back
GSTIN cancelled for not filing returns isn’t the end of the road. Here’s the exact revocation process, the 90-…
Is Aadhaar Authentication Compulsory for GST Registration?
Aadhaar authentication for GST isn’t technically mandatory — but skipping it triggers a physical site inspecti…
I Sell on Amazon & Flipkart, Turnover Only ₹8 Lakh — Do I Still Need GST Registration?
Yes — a marketplace goods seller needs GST registration regardless of turnover, even well below the usual ₹20 …
Why Is the GST Threshold ₹40 Lakh for Some Businesses but ₹20 Lakh for Others?
The GST threshold isn’t one fixed number — it depends on whether you supply goods, services, or both, and whic…
I Crossed the GST Threshold Without Realising — Can I Register Late Without Penalty?
Registering late doesn’t automatically waive penalty exposure — here’s the honest picture of what happens and …
Every provision on registration
All 34 of them, each with a plain-language explanation and the full legal text.
CGST Rules, 2017 · 25
CGST Act, 2017 · 9
Reading is free. Getting it wrong isn’t.
Stuck on registration for your own business?
You now know more about this than most people who will advise you on it. If the numbers are big enough that being wrong matters, send us the facts – we will tell you where you stand before you commit to anything.
6+ years · 2,500+ GST registrations filed · Bhopal, serving all of India