GST Registration Process in India: Steps, Costs and Timelines

GST Registration is done online, free of government fees, on the GST portal: you fill Part A to get a Temporary Reference Number (TRN), complete the full application in Form GST REG-01, authenticate with Aadhaar, submit to get an Application Reference Number (ARN), and receive your GSTIN in Form GST REG-06 once the officer approves.

Here is how the application moves, step by step. On the portal, the path is Services → Registration → New Registration. The official step-by-step user guide, with screenshots, is on tutorial.gst.gov.in. For the cost side and an overview in one place, see the blog post GST Registration process and cost in India.

What should you keep ready before you start?

• PAN of the business, and the mobile number and email of the authorised signatory — OTPs go to both.
• Scans of the documents in the right format and size (the portal accepts PDF or JPEG, generally up to 1 MB per file, and smaller for photographs).
• The HSN codes of the main goods, or SAC codes of the main services, you supply.
• A DSC registered on the portal, if the applicant is a company or LLP.
• The Aadhaar-linked mobile numbers of the promoters and signatory, for authentication.

The full list is in the lesson on documents for GST Registration.

What are the steps in the GST Registration process?

Step 1 — Part A: basic details

Enter the legal name as per PAN, PAN, state, email and mobile. After OTP verification, you receive a Temporary Reference Number (TRN). The TRN is valid for 15 days, so Part B should be completed within that time.

Step 2 — Part B: full application (REG-01)

Using the TRN, fill in business details, promoters and partners, authorised signatory, principal place of business, the goods and services you deal in, and bank details. Upload the documents.

Part B also asks for the reason for Registration (for example, crossing the turnover limit, inter-state supply or voluntary), the date of commencement of business, the date on which you became liable to register, and whether you want to opt for the composition scheme or the simplified Rule 14A route. Read each of these carefully — they decide which rules apply to you after Registration.

Step 3 — Aadhaar authentication

If you opt for Aadhaar authentication, the promoters and signatory authenticate through OTP or biometric verification. This usually makes approval faster. Without it, the officer may carry out a physical verification of the premises. Some applicants, selected on risk parameters, are asked to visit a GST Suvidha Kendra for biometric authentication and document verification.

Step 4 — Submission and ARN

Submit with DSC (mandatory for companies and LLPs) or EVC. An Application Reference Number (ARN) is generated to track the application.

Step 5 — Officer review

The officer may approve the application or issue a notice asking for clarification or documents. Reply within the time given, or the application may be rejected.

• REG-03 — the officer's notice seeking clarification or documents.
• REG-04 — your reply, due within seven working days of the notice.
• REG-05 — the order rejecting the application, with reasons, if the reply is missing or unsatisfactory.

Step 6 — Certificate

On approval, the GSTIN and Registration certificate (REG-06) are issued and can be downloaded from the portal.

How long does GST Registration take?

Situation	Usual time for a decision
Aadhaar authenticated, no query raised	Within 7 working days
Aadhaar not authenticated, or flagged for physical verification	Up to 30 days
Simplified Rule 14A route for small B2B suppliers	Within 3 working days

A query from the officer pauses this clock until you reply. You can check progress any time under Services → Registration → Track Application Status, using the ARN.

If the officer takes no action within the time allowed — neither approving, nor raising a query, nor rejecting — the rules treat the application as approved. In practice, most applications are decided within the time limit.

What do the application statuses mean?

Status on the portal	What it means
Pending for processing	Submitted and waiting for the officer
Pending for clarification	A REG-03 notice has been issued; you need to reply
Clarification filed – pending for order	Your REG-04 reply is with the officer
Approved	GSTIN issued; the REG-06 certificate can be downloaded
Rejected	A REG-05 order has been issued with reasons

Why do GST Registration applications get queries or rejections?

• Name or address on the documents does not match PAN or the application.
• Address proof is unclear, outdated, or does not show the owner's name.
• Rent agreement or consent letter is missing, unsigned or for a different address.
• The photograph or document upload is blurred or cut off.
• The business could not be found at the declared address during a site visit.
• A reply to REG-03 was not filed within seven working days.

Rules on using a home, rented or shared address are explained in the blog post GST Registration without a commercial address.

What should you do right after getting the GSTIN?

• Download the REG-06 certificate and display it, with the GSTIN, at your place of business.
• Add bank account details if you did not give them in the application — within 30 days or before filing GSTR-1, whichever is earlier.
• Start issuing tax invoices showing your GSTIN.
• Note your return due dates — returns are due from the first period, even with no sales. See GST returns after Registration.

What does GST Registration cost — fees and charges explained

The honest answer to "what are the GST Registration fees and charges?" has two parts: the government part, which is zero, and everything else.

Cost item	Who receives it	Amount
GST Registration application	Government	No fee
Digital Signature Certificate (needed for companies and LLPs)	Licensed Certifying Authority	Market-priced; not needed if a signatory already has a valid Class 3 DSC
Stamp paper and notarisation for a rent agreement or affidavit, if you need one	State / notary	Depends on the state and the document
Professional help (CA, tax practitioner or consultant), if you choose it	The professional	Set by the professional; not regulated

So "affordable" or "low-cost GST Registration" really means a low professional fee. The government cost is already nothing. A proprietor who has PAN, Aadhaar, a bank account and clear address proof can usually apply on their own at no cost at all.

What do GST Registration packages and pricing usually include?

When you compare GST Registration packages and pricing from different providers, look at what is actually included, not just the headline number:

• Filing the application and uploading documents.
• Replying to an officer's query (Form GST REG-04) — some packages charge extra for this.
• Drafting a consent letter, NOC or board resolution.
• Whether any monthly or quarterly return filing is included, and for how long.

The bigger cost of GST is rarely the Registration. It is the compliance that follows: returns every month or quarter, even when there are no sales, with late fees and interest if you miss them. Before you choose a "cheap" offer, ask what return filing will cost afterwards and whether you will be pushed into add-ons you do not need. The chapter GST returns after Registration explains what you are signing up for.

GST Registration consultants and experts: what do they do, and when do you need one?

A Chartered Accountant (CA), a GST practitioner or a consultant can prepare and file your application. "CA assisted GST Registration" simply means a CA does this for you. None of them grants the Registration — only the GST officer does, through the portal.

Situation	Self-filing is usually fine	Professional help is often worth it
Proprietor, single state, clear address proof	Yes	Rarely needed
Company or LLP with DSC and board resolution	Possible if you are careful	Helpful the first time
Shared, relative's or virtual office address	Possible	Helpful to get documents right
Officer query, rejection or physical verification issue	Possible	Often useful
Multiple states, e-commerce, exports, reverse charge	Harder	Usually worth it

If you choose GST Registration experts, ask a few plain questions first: Will you file with my own email and mobile, so the login stays with me? Who replies to officer queries? What does monthly compliance cost after Registration? Can I see the final application before it is submitted? A professional who refuses to share your portal credentials is a warning sign — the GSTIN belongs to your business.

Key takeaways

• TRN → REG-01 → ARN → GSTIN.
• Aadhaar authentication helps approval move faster.
• Answer officer queries within seven working days to avoid rejection.
• There is no government fee for GST Registration.