E-Way Bill Validity: How Many Kilometres Per Day?
GSTZone Desk · Updated 2026
Short answer
An e-way bill is valid for 1 day for every 200 km of distance the goods need to travel (or part thereof) — a shorter 1 day per 20 km applies specifically to over-dimensional cargo.
In detail
This 200 km-per-day figure was increased from an earlier 100 km-per-day rule, effective 1 January 2021, to give transporters more realistic breathing room for genuine road delays without needing constant extensions.
The validity clock starts counting from the time Part B of the e-way bill (the vehicle number) is first entered — not from when Part A (the invoice details) was filled in, which can happen earlier.
If a genuine delay means the goods won’t reach in time — a breakdown, traffic, or route diversion — the transporter can extend the validity, but only within a specific window: 8 hours before or 8 hours after the original expiry, with the reason for the extension recorded.
GSTZone tip
If your typical route regularly runs close to the day-count limit because of predictable delays (mountain routes, congested city entry points), build in the extension step as a standard part of the trip plan rather than treating it as an emergency fix — the 8-hour window on either side is generous but not infinite.
Related questions
What if the distance is less than 200 km — is validity still 1 day?+
Yes — 1 day is the minimum validity regardless of how short the distance is; the 200 km slab only starts adding extra days beyond that first day.
Can the transporter change the vehicle mid-journey without affecting validity?+
Yes — updating the vehicle number in Part B (for example, after a breakdown or trans-shipment) is allowed and doesn’t reset the validity period.
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