Use the GST portal’s Search HSN tool to find a plausible HSN code for goods or a code for services, then verify the classification and applicable GST rate against the legal notification for the exact supply and date. The portal’s suggestions and downloadable list are useful lookup aids, not binding legal advice or a universal rate chart.
How do I find the HSN code for my product or service?
On the GST portal, go to Home > Services > User Services > Search HSN Code. Choose whether you are looking up goods or services, then search by code or by description. GSTN’s revamped tool presents suggested descriptions, including common trade descriptions alongside technical descriptions.
- Start with the supply itself. Identify what you sell or provide, including its relevant characteristics. A familiar trade name alone may not settle its tariff classification.
- Search by description or a code you already have. Review the suggested descriptions and code levels rather than selecting the first phrase that looks similar.
- Check related code levels. From a four-digit lookup, the tool can show related six- and eight-digit codes; from a six-digit lookup, it can show related eight-digit codes.
- Confirm the legal classification. If the description is ambiguous or the classification has a tax consequence, consult the relevant tariff and legal material or a qualified GST professional.
GSTN expressly cautions that Search HSN descriptions are for taxpayer facilitation and are not legally binding on the GST department. The tool should not be treated as a statement of law or binding legal advice.
Where can I download the HSN code list?
The Search HSN page provides a downloadable HSN list with technical descriptions. Use it as a reference for finding and comparing entries, not as a substitute for checking whether a particular entry legally covers your supply. A static list can help locate a candidate code; it cannot by itself establish the correct classification or rate for every product, service, or transaction.
What is the difference between an HSN code and a service code?
HSN is used to classify goods. For services, the portal’s description search lets users identify service classifications, commonly referred to as SAC codes. Choose the goods or services search that matches what you actually supply; do not apply a goods classification simply because a product is involved in providing a service.
| Lookup choice | What it helps you do | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| Goods search | Find suggested HSN descriptions and related code levels for goods. | That a suggested description is the legally correct classification for your specific goods. |
| Services search | Find suggested service classifications, including SAC-related descriptions. | That a nearby description necessarily covers the precise service supplied. |
| Technical description in the downloadable list | Compare a candidate entry with its more formal description. | The GST rate or whether all legal conditions for a rate are met. |
How do I check the GST rate for an HSN code?
There is no single GST rate for an HSN directory page in the abstract. First settle what the actual supply is and which classification applies. Then check the current CBIC rate material and the relevant GST notification, including its conditions and the date relevant to the supply. CBIC’s GST Goods and Services Rates page directs users to its Tax Information Portal, where GST notifications and circulars are published.
- Identify the exact goods or service and the transaction date.
- Confirm the classification using the applicable tariff and supporting legal material; treat a portal suggestion as a starting point only.
- Check the relevant notification for the rate and any conditions or exceptions that apply to that supply.
- If the classification or notification is unclear, seek advice from a qualified GST professional rather than inferring a rate from a similar code or description.
The GSTR-1 interface includes rate selection, but a dropdown is a reporting aid, not a replacement for verifying the legal basis where the classification or rate is uncertain. A code by itself should not be presented as a guaranteed rate lookup.
How many HSN digits do I need in GSTR-1?
GSTN’s Phase 3 advisory, dated April 25, 2025, states that from the May 2025 return period the required reporting detail in Table 12 depends on the taxpayer’s preceding financial year’s aggregate annual turnover (AATO):
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| Preceding-FY AATO | HSN reporting detail stated in the April 25, 2025 GSTN advisory |
|---|---|
| Up to ₹5 crore | Four digits |
| Above ₹5 crore | Six digits |
The same advisory says Phase 3 requires selecting codes from the dropdown rather than entering them manually, and separates Table 12 into B2B and B2C tabs. It initially placed value validations in warning mode. These are the advisory’s stated requirements and implementation details; check current GSTN instructions for the return period you are filing in case later guidance or portal behavior has changed.
GSTN’s GSTR-1 user guide describes Table 12 as an HSN-wise outward-supply summary with separate B2B and B2C reporting from May 2025, including rate and quantity details. Follow the live return instructions for the fields required in your filing.
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| Approach | Useful for | Key limitation |
|---|---|---|
| GST portal Search HSN | Searching by code or description, seeing related code levels, and finding the downloadable technical-description list. | GSTN says its suggestions are not legally binding advice. |
| Third-party static list | Quickly scanning or searching a compiled reference. | A static entry alone does not establish the current legal classification or rate for a specific supply and date. |
| Applicable tariff and GST notification | Checking the controlling classification and rate provisions relevant to a supply. | May require careful interpretation of the goods or service and any stated conditions. |
Use the portal to discover and report a candidate code; use the governing legal material to resolve the classification and rate question. The distinction matters most where similar descriptions could refer to different supplies or where a notification’s conditions affect the applicable rate.
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