Documents every applicant needs
- PAN of the business. For a proprietorship, this is the owner's PAN.
- Aadhaar of the proprietor, partners, directors or authorised signatory, linked to a mobile number for OTP.
- Photographs of the promoters and the authorised signatory.
- Proof of the principal place of business (see below).
- Bank account details: a cancelled cheque, passbook first page or bank statement. You can add these within 30 days after registration if the account isn't open yet.
Extra documents by type of business
| Business type | Additional documents |
|---|---|
| Sole proprietor | None beyond the owner's PAN, Aadhaar and photo |
| Partnership firm | Partnership deed; PAN, Aadhaar and photo of each partner; authorisation letter for the signing partner |
| LLP | LLP incorporation certificate and agreement; designated partners' details; authorisation |
| Private / public company | Certificate of incorporation, MOA and AOA; directors' details; board resolution appointing the authorised signatory; the company's CIN |
| HUF | HUF PAN; Karta's PAN, Aadhaar and photo |
| Trust or society | Registration certificate or trust deed; trustees' or office-bearers' details; authorisation |
Proof of place of business: the part that gets rejected most
| Premises | Documents |
|---|---|
| Owned by you | Latest electricity bill, property tax receipt or municipal khata copy |
| Rented or leased | Rent or lease agreement, plus the owner's electricity bill or property tax receipt |
| Owned by a relative or someone else, used free | Consent letter / NOC from the owner, plus the owner's electricity bill or tax receipt |
| Shared or co-working space | Consent or agreement from the space provider, plus their utility bill |
| Home used as office | Same as owned or rented, depending on whose name it is in |
The name on the bill must match the owner who signs the NOC or rent agreement. The address on the bill must match the address you type in the form, including the floor and shop number. Most clarification notices (REG-03) come from a mismatch here.
Authorised signatory proof
- Company: a board resolution naming the authorised signatory
- Partnership / LLP / trust: a letter of authorisation signed by the partners or trustees
- Proprietor: not needed if the owner signs
Companies and LLPs must sign the application with a Class 3 DSC. Others can use an Aadhaar OTP (EVC).
Special cases
- Additional place of business (godown, branch) in the same state: the same type of proof for each address.
- Business run from a SEZ unit: the SEZ approval letter in addition to the usual documents.
- E-commerce sellers: the address of the warehouse your goods ship from must be registered too, whether as principal or additional place.
- Casual taxable person (exhibition or seasonal stall in another state): proof of the temporary address, and an advance deposit of the estimated tax.
- Non-resident: passport, business registration from the home country, and an Indian authorised signatory.
What a good NOC says
There is no prescribed format, but an NOC that clears scrutiny usually states: the owner's full name and address; the full address of the premises, matching the utility bill; that the owner permits [name of business] to use the premises as its principal place of business for GST registration; the owner's signature and date; and a copy of the owner's ID. A vague one-line consent without the full address is a common reason for a clarification notice.
File formats and sizes
- Photographs: JPEG, up to 100 KB
- Documents: PDF or JPEG, up to 1 MB each
Scan in colour, keep every page readable, and don't password-protect PDFs. Many applicants are also asked to complete biometric Aadhaar verification at a GST Suvidha Kendra. Take the original documents with you.
Next steps
With the documents ready, follow our step-by-step guide to applying for GST registration, then track the application with your ARN. Not sure you need GST yet? Check the GST registration limits.
Or let TaxQue do it: our GST registration service checks every document against these rules before filing, which is what avoids queries and rejections.
