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GST registration is not automatic just because you sell online—and a low turnover does not by itself settle whether you need it. The answer depends on your State or Union territory, goods or services, aggregate turnover, where your customers are, how you sell, and whether a compulsory-registration rule or a notified exception applies.
What determines whether you need GST registration?
Start with the seller’s full situation, not a single turnover figure. Under the CGST Act, registration may be required based on turnover, but the Act also lists categories that can require registration regardless of the usual threshold. The relevant rules and exemptions can change, so a seller-specific answer requires checking the current law and notifications.
- Location: Identify the State or Union territory where the business is liable to register. Registration is generally required separately in each such State or Union territory.
- What you supply: Goods, services, or both can be treated differently under applicable thresholds and exceptions.
- Aggregate turnover: Consider aggregate turnover, not just sales made through one marketplace. The sources do not establish one current threshold that applies to every small online seller.
- Where you sell: Inter-state taxable supplies may trigger compulsory registration, subject to applicable exemptions and current law.
- How you sell: Direct sales and sales through an e-commerce operator can have different registration consequences.
The CBIC-hosted text of the CGST Act includes certain inter-state taxable supplies and supplies through an e-commerce operator required to collect tax at source (TCS) among compulsory-registration categories. Those provisions must be read with applicable exemptions and later notifications.
Does selling through a marketplace require registration?
Marketplace sales can affect the answer, but the old categorical answer that every marketplace seller must register is not a safe statement of the current position. CBIC’s sectoral FAQ says a trader below ₹20 lakh selling through an e-commerce website must register if the operator is required to collect TCS under section 52. CBIC also explains that an operator collecting the consideration deducts TCS from net taxable supplies and remits it to the government.
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That FAQ is legacy guidance and does not account for every later change. In particular, the official materials cited here do not establish the exact current conditions under which some small goods sellers may use an e-commerce operator without GST registration. Before relying on such an exception, check the operative notification and the current GST Portal requirements. Do not apply the FAQ’s historical answer to your situation without that check.
How to assess your position before applying
- Work out the relevant State or Union territory. Identify where the business is liable to register; a registration in one State does not automatically cover liability in another.
- Calculate aggregate turnover. Include the business’s relevant supplies rather than checking only the sales figure shown by one platform.
- Classify your supplies and sales geography. Note whether you sell goods, services, or both, and whether you make taxable supplies across State or Union territory borders.
- List each sales channel and platform arrangement. Establish whether you sell directly or through an e-commerce operator and whether that operator is required to collect TCS.
- Check current exemptions and notifications. Confirm whether a current exception covers your exact supply and sales arrangement. If the facts are unclear, seek advice from a qualified tax professional.
These checks matter because a turnover figure alone cannot resolve the marketplace or inter-state questions. The current legal position depends on how the relevant provisions and notifications apply to the seller’s facts.
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When to apply
The CGST Act generally gives a person liable under section 22 or section 24 30 days from the date liability arises to apply for registration. It provides different advance timing for casual taxable persons and non-resident taxable persons, which is usually not the ordinary domestic small-seller case. A liable seller should confirm the applicable deadline against the current Act and rules rather than treating the 30-day period as universal for every applicant.
The Act also permits voluntary registration. Once registered, the person becomes subject to the provisions applicable to registered persons; registration is not merely a way to obtain a GST number without ongoing obligations.
How to apply through the GST Common Portal
The registration rules direct applicants to declare a PAN, mobile number, email address, and State or Union territory in Part A of FORM GST REG-01 on the Common Portal, directly or through a notified facilitation centre. The GST Portal registration tutorial describes the initial online flow. Portal labels or screens may change, so follow the live portal if its interface differs.
- Open the GST Common Portal and choose New Registration.
- Select the taxpayer type, State or Union territory, and district.
- Enter the legal business name as it appears in the PAN database, the PAN, and the authorized signatory’s email address and mobile number.
- Complete the requested OTP verification using the contact details entered.
- Continue with the application and provide the information and documents requested by the live portal and applicable rules.
Use accurate PAN-linked details and contact information that the authorized signatory can access. The application should be made in each State or Union territory where the person is liable to register.
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What to keep in mind
- “Online seller” is not, by itself, a GST registration category that answers the question.
- A marketplace’s role in collecting TCS may matter, but the legacy CBIC FAQ is not a complete guide to present-day exceptions.
- Inter-state taxable sales can raise a separate compulsory-registration issue, subject to current exemptions.
- No single turnover threshold should be assumed to cover every State, supply type, and sales channel.
- Check current CBIC notifications and the live GST Portal, and get professional advice for a fact-specific determination.
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