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For most covered movements in India, a consignment valued above ₹50,000 needs an e-way bill, but exemptions, special goods and state-specific rules can change the answer. Before dispatch, confirm the applicable rule and notification, enter accurate transaction and transport details, and make sure the bill remains valid as the goods move. Use this checklist alongside current GST portal guidance; it is not a substitute for checking the rules that apply to the specific goods, state and movement.
Does this movement need an e-way bill?
Start by identifying why the goods are moving. Under CGST Rule 138, a registered person generally must furnish e-way bill information before movement when a consignment’s value exceeds ₹50,000 and the movement relates to a supply, a reason other than supply, or an inward supply from an unregistered person. The rule also allows e-way bill generation in some below-threshold cases. The general threshold is not a universal exemption: notifications, exempt goods and state-specific intrastate provisions can affect whether a bill is required.
Check the current rule and relevant notification for the goods and route rather than deciding from value alone. See CBIC’s CGST Rules, 2017 and the GST e-way bill portal.
Before dispatch: complete these checks
1. Identify who causes the movement and who will generate the bill
Determine whether the registered consignor, registered consignee or transporter is responsible for furnishing the information, based on the transaction and applicable rule. A transporter who is not registered under GST must enroll on the e-way bill portal before generating bills for customers. Confirm that the person preparing the bill has the required portal access and the correct transport information.
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2. Gather the source document and reference details
Have the applicable tax invoice, bill of supply, bill of entry or delivery challan ready. The generator needs the document details and, as relevant, the transporter ID, transport document number or vehicle number. Enter the document date, number and value carefully: once an e-way bill is generated, its details cannot simply be edited.
3. Enter transaction and address details accurately
Check the supplier and recipient GSTINs, HSN, document type and number, value, and addresses against the source document. Where a party is unregistered and has no GSTIN, the current GSTN FAQ directs users to enter “URP” in the GSTIN field. For bill-to/ship-to or bill-from/dispatch-from transactions, distinguish the billing party’s address from the address where goods are actually dispatched or delivered, following the portal’s fields and API guidance.
GSTN has announced validation changes over time, including a relaxation to total invoice amount validation for certain HSNs effective 1 February 2026 under Notification No. 20/2025-Central Tax. Portal validations can depend on the HSN and workflow, so check current guidance if a value or document is rejected. The portal’s API documentation describes relevant field and validation behavior.
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4. Complete the required transport details before movement
Part A records transaction details; Part B supplies transport particulars. For road movement, enter the vehicle details. For rail, air or ship, enter the transport document number as required. A Part A slip is a staging record, not a completed e-way bill for a movement that requires Part B. The GSTN FAQ describes limited short-distance exceptions; check the current portal instructions to see whether one applies to your movement.
5. Check the distance and mode
Enter the approximate distance for the route. GSTN portal guidance uses distance to calculate validity, while the API documentation describes PIN-code-based distance checks and alerts when system distance data is unavailable. Treat the system’s route estimate as an operational input, not a reason to ignore the actual journey or applicable requirements.
During transit: keep the documents and transport record aligned
Carry the source document and e-way bill reference
The person in charge of the conveyance must carry the applicable invoice, bill of supply or delivery challan, along with a copy of the e-way bill or its number. The e-way bill number may be carried electronically; GSTN guidance says it can be quoted to an officer. The requirement appears in CGST Rule 138A.
Update transport details when the conveyance changes
Part B should match the vehicle or mode actually carrying the goods. After trans-shipment, a breakdown or another vehicle change, update the transport information through the portal process applicable to the bill before continuing. The assigned transporter or bill generator may be able to update it in the circumstances described by the portal; do not let the e-way bill continue to show a conveyance that is no longer carrying the consignment.
Use consolidated bills without confusing them with validity
Where several consignments travel in one conveyance, a consolidated e-way bill can serve as a trip document where appropriate. It does not replace the individual e-way bills or restart their validity periods. Keep each underlying bill’s status and expiry in view.
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Current GSTN FAQ guidance states that regular cargo has one day of validity for every 200 km or part of 200 km, while over-dimensional cargo (ODC) has one day for every 20 km or part. The validity clock starts when the first Part B entry is made; later Part B entries do not recalculate it. The FAQ also explains expiry in relation to the day and midnight. Confirm the live portal instructions for the bill and journey.
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There is an important discrepancy in official material still visible online. The GSTN portal homepage says Notification No. 94/2020 changed ordinary validity from 100 km per day to 200 km per day with effect from 1 January 2021, and the current GSTN FAQ reflects 200 km. An older CBIC/FAQ validity table still displays earlier distance wording. Do not use that older table as current operational guidance without checking the applicable legal instrument and current portal instructions. See the GSTN portal, its current FAQ and the CBIC rules page.
What if the consignment will not arrive before expiry?
The portal allows an extension request for exceptional circumstances, such as a natural calamity, law-and-order problem, trans-shipment delay or accident involving the conveyance. If a delay puts delivery beyond the existing validity, use the portal’s extension facility and supply the current location, remaining distance, updated transport details and a specific reason. Check the live procedure and eligibility before submitting; an extension is not a routine substitute for estimating the trip correctly.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What if the e-way bill is wrong or the movement is cancelled?
A generated bill cannot be edited. If the goods will not move or the transaction or transport details need correction, the GSTN FAQ says the available route is cancellation and generation of a new bill with correct details. Cancellation must be within 24 hours of generation and is subject to restrictions: a bill already verified in transit cannot be cancelled. Do not treat cancellation as permission to continue moving the goods without a valid replacement bill when one is required. Verify status and applicable requirements first.
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A recipient may accept or reject the bill details through the portal. CBIC Rule 138 provides for deemed acceptance if the recipient does not communicate rejection within 72 hours of the bill’s details being made available, or by delivery of the goods, whichever is earlier. Silence does not correct inaccurate transport information.
Portal changes to check before relying on a static checklist
GSTN announcements and API guidance record changes to validations and workflows. Announcements include additional generation validations and rail-mode restrictions effective 2 December 2025, and document-date controls announced in December 2024, including 180-day generation and 360-day extension controls. Their application depends on the relevant workflow; consult current portal guidance rather than applying an old release note to every bill.
A 30 July 2026 GSTN announcement said changes related to e-way bill closure functionality and mandatory ship-to GSTIN were kept on hold. Do not treat those proposed changes as current mandatory requirements on the strength of that announcement. For each consignment, check current portal messages, the applicable notification and state-level requirements. The GSTN portal and its FAQ and API documentation are the relevant places to verify operational instructions.
Quick Recap
Quick dispatch checklist
- Confirm the movement type, consignment value, applicable exemption or notification, and any state-specific intrastate rule.
- Confirm who must generate the bill; ensure an unregistered transporter has enrolled before generating bills for clients.
- Match the invoice, bill of supply, bill of entry or delivery challan to the portal entry, including parties, HSN, value and actual dispatch/delivery addresses.
- Complete Part B with the correct vehicle or transport document details before movement, unless a stated exception applies.
- Ensure the source document and e-way bill copy or number are available with the goods.
- Update Part B when the vehicle or mode changes, and monitor each bill’s validity independently of any consolidated trip document.
- If details are wrong or the movement is cancelled, verify whether cancellation is allowed and generate a correct replacement before moving when required.
- Check current portal guidance and relevant legal notifications for validation changes, extensions and state-specific rules.
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