Check the GST Common Portal for the actual notice or order, then verify its Reference Number (RFN) if it is a system-generated communication. An email or SMS alert is a prompt to inspect the underlying record—not a substitute for reading it. But an alert is not the only legally relevant channel: section 169 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 lists both registered email and availability on the common portal as methods of service.
Where to find a GST notice or order
After signing in to the official GST Portal, use Services > User Services > View Additional Notices/Orders. GSTN functional guidance says tax-officer notices and orders are made available on the taxpayer dashboard there; some workflows also send email and SMS alerts. Portal labels and placement can change, so if the menu differs, look for the current notices/orders service in the portal.
Open the relevant record and save the complete document and displayed details. Check that the GSTIN, issuing authority, document type or reference, tax period, instructions for a reply or hearing, and any stated due date match the matter you are handling. Do not rely on a short alert message for those details.
How to verify a portal communication
For a system-generated communication, use GSTN’s Verify RFN facility. GSTN’s September 25, 2024 advisory describes pre-login verification and, after login, the route Dashboard > Services > User Services > Verify RFN. Compare the result with the communication you received and retain the result with your records.
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The advisory explains that portal-generated documents may not show a physical signature because the issuing officer authenticates through the portal. An apparently unsigned PDF alone therefore does not establish that a notice is invalid; use the verification process rather than relying on the appearance of the file.
Also check the registered email account, including spam or quarantine folders, and keep the GST registration contact details current. GSTN’s registration instructions require contact details for the primary authorized signatory and describe email and SMS use. Keep the portal copy, RFN verification result, related alert, and any relevant email headers or postal records together.
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What each channel proves—and what it does not
| What you see | What it supports | What it does not establish by itself |
|---|---|---|
| A notice or order available on the common portal | The record is available on the portal, a service method listed in section 169(1) of the CGST Act. RFN verification supports checking whether a system-generated communication is genuine. | It does not resolve every dispute about the document, the applicable service date, the authority, or a response deadline. |
| An email containing the actual communication, sent to the registered or amended email address | Section 169(1) separately lists sending a communication to that email address as a method of service. | The fact that an email arrived does not by itself answer every question about the document’s contents, service facts, or deadline. |
| A GSTN email or SMS alert | It indicates an alert was generated or sent in the portal workflow described for that event. | A notification-only alert is not the underlying notice or order, and an SMS alert should not be treated as conclusive proof of statutory service. |
| No email or SMS found | Nothing conclusive about whether a communication is on the portal or was served by another method. | It does not prove that no notice exists, that portal service did not occur, or that no deadline is running. |
Why portal records and email alerts are not interchangeable
Section 169(1) applies to decisions, orders, summonses, notices, and other communications under the CGST Act and rules. Its listed methods include direct tender or messenger; registered or speed post or courier with acknowledgment due; sending to the email address provided at registration or amended later; making the communication available on the common portal; publication; and affixation when the preceding methods are not practicable.
The email and portal routes appear as separate alternatives in that list. The statute does not make an email alert a prerequisite for portal availability to matter. Conversely, an email that contains the communication may itself be legally relevant; distinguish it from a brief message that merely says a portal event occurred.
GST Council materials describe practical cases in which taxpayers missed communications because they did not visit the portal, had outdated contact information, or relied on a practitioner to monitor matters. These examples explain why inbox monitoring alone is risky, but they do not determine whether any particular notice was properly served.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which date matters for a response or appeal?
Section 169(2) deems service on the date a communication is tendered, published, or affixed in the manner specified in subsection (1). Subsection (3) sets a particular deemed-receipt rule for registered or speed post: receipt is deemed at the normal transit period unless the contrary is proved. The text does not support a universal rule that every email’s sent date or every portal upload date controls every case.
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Do not calculate a response or appeal deadline from the date you opened an alert. Check the notice, the method and facts of service, the applicable law, and any relevant current interpretation. If a deadline may be running, preserve the record and promptly seek advice suited to the specific proceeding. State GST law or procedure may also be relevant.
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