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How to Check GST Refund Status and Fix a Delayed or Rejected Claim

The GST Portal tracks application processing; PFMS tracks bank validation and disbursal. Learn how to check each stage and respond to deficiency memos, notices and rejection orders.
From TheFinanceBase Team5 min to read
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Check the GST Portal for the application’s officer-processing stage and PFMS for bank validation or payment. They show different parts of the same refund workflow, so an application marked processed on the GST Portal may still need bank validation or disbursal through PFMS.

Where to check a GST refund status

Portal What it tracks How to check
GST Portal Application status, including whether it is pending with the officer or taxpayer, and related notices or communications. After login, open Services > Refunds > Track Application Status and search by filing year or ARN. To track without logging in, use Services > Track Application Status, select Refund, and enter the ARN. See the GSTN tracking advisory.
PFMS Bank-account validation and disbursal status. Use the PFMS option that matches the payment stage, as explained below. The GSTN advisory describes PFMS as the place to check bank validation and disbursal.

GSTN says, “Thus, validation of bank account takes place at two stages.” PFMS checks bank details after RFD-01 is filed and again after the officer issues payment order RFD-05. A GST Portal status and a PFMS payment status can therefore differ without either showing the same thing.

Choose the PFMS view for the stage

  • After filing RFD-01: select GST Registered on PFMS and enter the GSTIN or account number to check the bank validation.
  • After RFD-05: check GST Successfully Processed. If the record is not there, check GST Under Process, where failure descriptions may appear.

These stage-specific directions are in the GSTN tracking advisory. Do not treat a generic waiting period as a fix for a bank-validation failure.

What to do for each status or notice

Stage or form Where to check What it means Next action
Awaiting acknowledgment or processing GST Portal; open the ARN record and associated notices or communications. The claim is still at an application or officer-processing stage. Check for an RFD-02 acknowledgment or an RFD-03 deficiency memo. Under the CBIC refund rules, non-cash-ledger claims are to be scrutinized for completeness within 15 days; a complete application receives RFD-02 and deficiencies are communicated in RFD-03. This is a rule, not a guarantee that every live case will follow the expected timeline.
RFD-03 deficiency memo GST Portal notice or communication for the claim. The application has a deficiency to correct; this is not a final rejection on the merits. Address the stated deficiency and file a fresh RFD-01 application. CBIC Circular 59/33/2018-GST says the application with the deficiency memo is not further processed and no RFD-04 or RFD-06 order is to issue on that unresubmitted application. See the refund rules and Circular 59/33/2018-GST.
PFMS bank validation failed PFMS failure description; check the GST Portal bank-account status and remarks if needed. The issue may be a technical file-exchange error or incorrect bank details. If the failure is technical, GSTN says the GST System is to correct the error and send it for revalidation. If the bank details are incorrect, update the account in the refund application and ask the officer to reissue RFD-05. The GST Portal bank-account guide lists indicators including verified, failed, pending, and successful with remarks: bank-account guide.
RFD-08 show-cause notice GST Portal notice or communication for the claim. The officer proposes that all or part of the refund is inadmissible or not payable; this is not yet the final order. Reply in RFD-09 within 15 days of receiving the notice and attach supporting documents. Save the notice, deadline, reply, and evidence. The rules require an opportunity of being heard before a claim is rejected. See the CBIC refund rules.
RFD-06 final order GST Portal order and claim record. The claim may be sanctioned, partly sanctioned, or rejected. Historical GSTN functionality notes record these status labels, but the live interface may differ. Read the actual order and reasons. If considering an appeal, confirm the statutory route and deadline for that particular refund order. The general GST Portal appeal FAQ describes a three-month period from communication of an appealable order, with possible condonation for up to a further month on sufficient cause, but it is framed around demand-order appeals and does not establish the deadline for every refund order. See the GSTN functionality note.

Why a GST refund may be delayed

  • Officer processing or a missing action: the GST Portal may show the application pending with the officer or taxpayer. Check its notices and communications for a deficiency memo or show-cause notice.
  • Bank validation or payment processing: the GST Portal reports the application/officer stage, while PFMS reports validation and disbursal. Check PFMS at the relevant stage and use any failure description to decide whether the issue is technical or requires corrected bank details.
  • A rejected or incomplete claim: RFD-03 requires correction and a fresh application; RFD-08 requires a response before the officer decides the claim in RFD-06.

When interest may apply

Section 56 of the CGST Act provides for interest when a qualifying refund under section 54(5) is not paid within 60 days of receipt of the application. The Act states a general maximum rate of 6%. For the specified case of a refund arising from an order that has attained finality, it provides a 9% maximum if payment is not made within 60 days after the consequent application. These are statutory ceilings, not a promise that every delayed refund receives those rates: eligibility, the applicable notified rate, the relevant starting date, and case-specific facts matter. See section 56 of the CGST Act.

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The refund rules provide for an interest order and payment advice in RFD-05 specifying the delayed amount, delay period, and interest. The 60-day interest provision is distinct from other steps and timelines in refund processing. See the CBIC refund rules.

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A practical way to follow up

  1. Find the ARN on your refund filing records and check it in Services > Refunds > Track Application Status, or use the pre-login tracking route.
  2. Open any notice or communication linked to the claim. Identify whether it is an RFD-03 deficiency memo, an RFD-08 show-cause notice, or an RFD-06 order.
  3. If payment processing has begun, check PFMS using the view for the stage: GST Registered after RFD-01, or GST Successfully Processed after RFD-05; if absent from the latter, check GST Under Process.
  4. Follow the remedy tied to the record: correct and refile after RFD-03, reply within the notice period after RFD-08, or read the order and verify the appeal route after RFD-06.

Portal labels and procedures can change. The steps here reflect official GSTN and CBIC material accessed on 2026-10-05; check the live portal and current consolidated rules before acting on a specific claim.

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