GST Registration documents required and eligibility checklist

The documents required for GST Registration are: the PAN of the business, PAN and Aadhaar of the proprietor, partners or directors, their photographs, proof of the business's constitution (such as a partnership deed or Certificate of Incorporation), proof of the principal place of business, an authorisation for the signatory, and bank account details. Any person or business with a valid PAN that supplies goods or services in India is eligible to apply, and everything is uploaded online on the GST portal.

This post is a practical checklist: who is eligible, the mandatory documents for GST Registration online by type of business, the address proofs officers accept, and why "near me" matters less than you think. Rules are as of October 2026; the address-proof list follows CBIC Instruction No. 03/2025-GST.

Who is eligible for GST Registration?

GST Registration eligibility is broad. You can apply if you are:

• an individual running a business as a proprietor;
• a Hindu Undivided Family (HUF), partnership firm, LLP, company, trust, society or other association;
• a government body or local authority making taxable supplies;
• a casual taxable person (doing business temporarily in a state) or a non-resident taxable person, under special procedures.

The basic condition is a valid PAN (non-resident taxable persons apply with their passport and other documents instead). Eligibility is not the same as obligation: you must register when your turnover crosses the limit — ₹40 lakh for goods only, ₹20 lakh for services in most states — or when Section 24 applies, such as for inter-state sales of goods. Below that, you may register voluntarily. See Who must register for GST? and, for service businesses, GST Registration for freelancers, service providers and startups.

Mandatory documents for GST Registration online: the checklist

Document	Proprietorship	Partnership firm	LLP	PVT. LTD. / OPC
PAN of the business	Proprietor's PAN	Firm's PAN	LLP's PAN	Company's PAN
Proof of constitution	Not separately needed	Partnership deed (and Registration certificate if registered)	Certificate of Incorporation	Certificate of Incorporation
PAN, Aadhaar and photograph of	Proprietor	All partners	Designated partners	Directors
Authorised signatory proof	Not needed if proprietor signs	Authorisation letter	Authorisation letter or resolution	Board resolution
Signing method	EVC (OTP) or DSC	EVC or DSC	DSC compulsory	DSC compulsory

Every applicant, whatever the structure, also needs proof of the principal place of business (an ownership document, or a rent agreement or consent letter with supporting documents — see below) and bank account proof (a cancelled cheque, passbook first page or bank statement). Bank details can also be added within 30 days after Registration, or before filing the first GSTR-1 if that is earlier, under Rule 10A.

You also need an active mobile number and email address for the authorised signatory, because OTPs and notices go there. Use contact details you control — not a consultant's.

Which address proofs are accepted?

• Owned premises: any one of property tax receipt, municipal khata copy, electricity bill or water bill.
• Rented premises: rent or lease agreement plus one ownership document of the landlord. If the agreement is unregistered, add an identity proof of the landlord. If a utility bill is already in your name, nothing more is needed.
• Consent or shared premises: a consent letter from the owner on plain paper, the owner's identity proof and one ownership document.
• No rent agreement: an affidavit on stamp paper, attested by a magistrate or notary, with proof of possession such as a utility bill in your name.

Home and virtual office addresses each have their own considerations; read GST Registration without a commercial address.

How should documents be prepared?

• Match names exactly. The legal name must match PAN; the signatory's name must match Aadhaar. Small spelling differences are a common reason for officer queries.
• Match the address exactly. The address you type should match the address proof, including floor, unit number and PIN code.
• Use clear scans in the format and size the portal accepts (generally PDF or JPEG with size limits shown on the upload screen).
• Keep Aadhaar linked to a working mobile number. Aadhaar OTP authentication of promoters and the signatory speeds up approval; without it, physical verification is more likely.
• Do not add documents the law does not ask for. Officers have been told not to demand items such as Udyam or shop licence certificates for GST Registration.

The chapter Documents for GST Registration explains each item in more depth, and The GST Registration process walks through the form.

Is there such a thing as "GST Registration near me"?

Not really. People search for "GST Registration near me", but the application is online and can be filed from anywhere in India. Location matters in two other ways:

• The state of your place of business. GST Registration is state-wise. You register in the state where your business is located, and your GSTIN starts with that state's code. You will be assigned to a tax jurisdiction — under either the Central or the State tax administration — based on that address.
• Biometric verification. If the system selects your application for biometric Aadhaar authentication, you visit a designated GST Suvidha Kendra in your state at a booked slot. That is the only step that may need you to be physically present.

So GST Registration in Mumbai means registering in Maharashtra (state code 27) with a Mumbai address proof, and GST Registration in Delhi means registering in Delhi (state code 07) with a Delhi address proof. The documents and the process are the same in both. What can differ between states are other local Registrations — for example, profession tax in Maharashtra — which are separate from GST.

What happens if a document is missing or unclear?

The officer issues a notice in Form GST REG-03 asking for clarification or the missing document. You reply in Form GST REG-04 within seven working days. Officers have been instructed to raise queries only about the documents actually filed — for example, an illegible scan, an address that does not match the proof, or a previously cancelled GSTIN on the same PAN. If you do not reply, or the reply is not satisfactory, the application can be rejected in Form GST REG-05, and you would need to apply again.

What does GST Registration cost, and how long does it take?

The government charges no fee. A complete, Aadhaar-authenticated application is usually decided within 7 working days, or 3 working days under the simplified Rule 14A route for small B2B suppliers; cases needing verification can take up to 30 days. For details, see GST Registration process and cost in India.

Key takeaways

• Any person or business with a valid PAN can apply; Registration is compulsory only above the turnover limit or under Section 24.
• Core documents: PAN, Aadhaar and photos of promoters, constitution proof, address proof, signatory authorisation and bank details.
• Companies and LLPs must sign with a DSC; proprietors and firms can use OTP-based EVC.
• Address proof rules for owned, rented and shared premises are set out in CBIC Instruction 03/2025-GST.
• Registration is online from anywhere; what matters is the state of your place of business, not a nearby office.