Question 1

How much does departmental audit support cost in Chetpet?

Accepted Answer

Our fee for departmental audit support in Chetpet starts at Rs.9,999 and is quoted in full before we begin — there are no hidden charges added later. The fee covers professional work end to end: document review, preparation, filing and follow-up until completion. Government fees or portal charges, where applicable, are separate and always shown to you upfront. For an exact quote based on your turnover and business type, call +91 - 9600 606 444 and a consultant will confirm it on the call.

Question 2

Can I get departmental audit support done online without visiting the office?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the entire process can be handled online. You share scanned documents on WhatsApp or email, we prepare and file everything on the GST portal, and you receive the acknowledgement and filed copies digitally. Businesses in Chetpet regularly complete audit support with us without a single office visit. If a physical verification or personal hearing is required by the department, we guide you through it.

Question 3

What is the difference between GST return scrutiny and a departmental audit?

Accepted Answer

Scrutiny under Section 61 is a desk review of your filed returns, where the officer points out specific discrepancies through ASMT-10 and you explain them in ASMT-11; it is limited to what the returns reveal. An audit under Section 65 is far wider: officers examine your books of account, records and returns together, can visit your premises, and test classification, valuation, ITC eligibility and exemptions for the years covered by the ADT-01. Scrutiny can be closed with a good reconciliation; an audit needs sustained document management and negotiation over weeks. Both, if unresolved, end in Section 73 or 74 demands, so early professional handling pays.

Question 4

I received Form ADT-01 saying my business is selected for GST audit. What does it mean?

Accepted Answer

ADT-01 is the intimation that the department will conduct an audit of your records under Section 65. The notice must be issued at least fifteen working days before the audit begins and will specify the financial years covered and the documents required. The audit may happen at your place of business or at the department's office. It is a detailed examination of returns, books, ITC claims and classifications, not a routine visit. Use the fifteen-day window to reconcile your data and organise records rather than waiting for the officers to arrive. ChennaiGST provides end-to-end audit support for Chetpet businesses; call +91 - 9600 606 444 early.

Question 5

How will I be informed of the GST audit findings?

Accepted Answer

On conclusion of the audit, the officer must inform you of the findings, your rights and obligations, and the reasons for the findings in Form ADT-02 within thirty days. Before that, most audit teams share draft observations and seek your response, which is your best window to knock out weak points with documents. If the audit detects unpaid tax or wrongly availed ITC, you can accept and pay through DRC-03, or contest, in which case the department initiates proceedings under Section 73 or Section 74. Treat the draft objection stage seriously; a strong rebuttal there often prevents a show cause notice altogether.

Question 6

What documents do GST audit officers usually ask for?

Accepted Answer

Expect to produce the GSTR-1, GSTR-3B and GSTR-9 filings for the audit years, audited financial statements, trial balance, sales and purchase registers, ITC ledgers with supplier-wise detail, fixed asset register, e-way bill data, bank statements, key customer and vendor agreements, stock records and reconciliations between books and returns. Officers in Tamil Nadu commonly probe ITC on blocked credits under Section 17(5), reverse charge compliance, classification and rate issues, and turnover differences with income tax filings. Preparing a reconciliation file before submission lets you spot and voluntarily correct issues through DRC-03, which is far cheaper than an audit objection. ChennaiGST builds this file for Chetpet clients.

Question 7

The audit team has pointed out a tax liability. Should I pay it or contest it?

Accepted Answer

Evaluate each para on its own merits. For findings that are clearly correct, such as missed reverse charge or arithmetic ITC excess, paying through DRC-03 with interest before a show cause notice is issued avoids penalty under Section 73 and closes the para. For findings based on debatable classification, valuation or ITC interpretation, submit a reasoned rebuttal to the draft observations, because accepting them sets a precedent for future years. If the department still proceeds, contest the DRC-01 through DRC-06 and, if needed, appeal. ChennaiGST gives Chetpet businesses a para-wise pay-or-fight recommendation with quantified exposure; call +91 - 9600 606 444 before you concede anything.

Question 8

How long can a departmental GST audit under Section 65 go on?

Accepted Answer

The law requires the audit to be completed within three months from its commencement, which is the date the officers receive all the records they asked for. Where the Commissioner is satisfied that the audit cannot be completed in that time, he may record reasons and extend it by a further period not exceeding six months. In practice, audits drag when taxpayers supply records piecemeal, so submitting a complete, indexed set of documents at the start actually shortens the exercise. Track every submission with an acknowledgment, because the commencement date and the timeline arguments may matter later if disputes arise.

Question 9

What is a GST health check and does my business really need one?

Accepted Answer

A GST health check is a preventive review of your compliance before the department finds the gaps. It typically covers reconciliation of GSTR-1 with GSTR-3B and books, ITC matching against GSTR-2B, blocked credit review under Section 17(5), reverse charge exposure, e-invoice and e-way bill compliance, rate and classification checks, and pending return or payment issues. The output is a report quantifying exposures and the corrective steps, such as amendments in coming returns or voluntary payment through DRC-03. With scrutiny and audits now driven by data analytics, businesses in Chetpet that self-review annually face far fewer notices than those that do not.

Question 10

What is the difference between a Section 73 and a Section 74 notice?

Accepted Answer

Section 73 covers short payment of tax or wrong ITC without fraud, while Section 74 applies where the department alleges fraud, wilful misstatement or suppression of facts to evade tax. The stakes differ sharply. Under Section 73 the order must be passed within three years from the annual return due date and the penalty is 10 percent of the tax or Rs.10,000, whichever is higher, with no penalty if you pay before the notice. Under Section 74 the limit is five years and penalty can equal 100 percent of the tax. Contesting a wrong invocation of Section 74 is often the first line of defence.

Question 11

Apart from the pre-deposit, is there any court fee for filing a GST first appeal?

Accepted Answer

No separate court fee or filing fee is charged for an appeal in Form APL-01; the only statutory outflow is the pre-deposit, being the admitted amount in full plus 10 percent of the disputed tax. The law also caps the pre-deposit: with effect from 1 November 2024, the ceiling for a first appeal is Rs.20 crore each under CGST and SGST, reduced from the earlier Rs.25 crore. Detention penalty appeals under Section 129(3) carry their own requirement of 25 percent of the penalty. Professional drafting charges are the real variable, and ChennaiGST quotes those in writing before starting any Chetpet appeal.

Question 12

Why are so many businesses suddenly receiving GST notices these days?

Accepted Answer

Enforcement has shifted from manual selection to data analytics. The portal now automatically compares GSTR-1 with GSTR-3B and flags tax shortfalls through DRC-01B intimations under Rule 88C, and compares GSTR-2B with GSTR-3B to flag excess ITC through DRC-01C under Rule 88D. E-way bill, e-invoice, TDS and income tax data are also cross-matched, and limitation deadlines for older financial years have pushed departments to clear pending demands in batches. The practical lesson for Chetpet businesses is that mismatches no longer go unnoticed, so month-wise reconciliation before filing is now essential hygiene rather than a year-end exercise.

Question 13

How many digits of the HSN code must I print on my tax invoices?

Accepted Answer

Under Notification 78/2020 Central Tax, taxpayers with aggregate turnover up to Rs.5 crore in the preceding financial year must mention a 4-digit HSN code on all B2B tax invoices, though it is optional on B2C invoices. Taxpayers with turnover above Rs.5 crore must mention 6-digit HSN codes on every invoice, including B2C. Eight digits are required for specified goods such as certain chemicals and for export documentation. Services follow the same rule using SAC codes, which begin with 99. Printing truncated or wrong codes on invoices creates mismatches later, so set the codes correctly in your billing software once.

Question 14

We pay for foreign software subscriptions and overseas consultants. Is GST payable in India?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Import of services, meaning services from a supplier located outside India received by a person in India for business, attracts IGST under reverse charge in the recipient's hands, payable in cash and claimable as ITC if eligible. This catches cloud software, foreign professional fees, overseas advertising and licence fees. Two nuances matter: services from a related foreign party, such as your parent company, are taxable even without consideration under Schedule I, and OIDAR services supplied to unregistered consumers are taxed in the foreign supplier's own hands, not under RCM. Startups and IT firms in Chetpet paying by card frequently miss these entries; reconcile foreign remittances against RCM paid annually.

Question 15

Our company paid fees to a lawyer. Who pays the GST on this?

Accepted Answer

You do, as the recipient. Legal services supplied by an individual advocate, a firm of advocates or a senior advocate to a business entity are notified under Section 9(3), so the advocate does not charge GST and your business pays 18 percent under reverse charge in cash through GSTR-3B, claiming it back as ITC if otherwise eligible. Relief exists for small recipients: legal services to a business entity whose turnover is within the registration threshold are exempt. Since the advocate is usually unregistered, remember to raise a self-invoice and payment voucher for the transaction. Litigation-heavy businesses in Chetpet should reconcile their legal expense ledger against RCM paid every quarter.

Question 16

Is GST payable under reverse charge on payments made to our company directors?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the capacity in which the director is paid. CBIC Circular 140/10/2020 settles the position: remuneration to a whole-time or executive director who is an employee, paid as salary with TDS under Section 192, is outside GST entirely as an employer-employee transaction. In contrast, sitting fees, commission and professional charges paid to independent or non-executive directors, typically suffering TDS under Section 194J, are taxable and the company pays 18 percent under reverse charge, claiming ITC. Companies in Chetpet should split their director payments ledger accordingly, issue self-invoices for the RCM portion, and keep board resolutions and TDS treatment consistent as supporting evidence.

Question 17

Is GST payable on hostel or paying guest accommodation in Chetpet?

Accepted Answer

A specific exemption effective 15 July 2024 covers accommodation services supplied at a value up to Rs.20,000 per person per month, provided the accommodation is supplied for a minimum continuous period of ninety days. Student hostels and working men's or women's PGs in Chetpet charging within this limit for long stays are therefore exempt. Where the monthly charge exceeds Rs.20,000, or the stay is shorter than ninety days, the supply is taxable like ordinary accommodation. Operators should maintain stay records and agreements evidencing the duration, because the ninety-day condition is what officers test first during verification.

Question 18

How do I decide whether to charge CGST plus SGST or IGST on an invoice?

Accepted Answer

Compare two data points: the location of the supplier and the place of supply determined under the IGST Act. If both fall in the same state, the supply is intra-state and you charge CGST plus SGST; if they fall in different states, it is inter-state and you charge IGST. The buyer's billing address alone is not the test; the place of supply rules for the specific goods or service govern. Common traps include hotel stays, property-linked services and bill-to ship-to chains, where the place of supply departs from the customer's address. Configuring these rules in your billing software saves Chetpet businesses repeated corrections; call +91 - 9600 606 444 for a setup review.

Question 19

Are there any hidden charges for departmental audit support?

Accepted Answer

No. The fee quoted before we start is the fee you pay. Government fees, portal charges or statutory late fees, where they apply, are separate and disclosed to you in advance with the exact amount. We issue a proper GST invoice for our professional fee. If the scope of work changes — for example, an unexpected notice or additional periods — we tell you the revised fee before doing anything further.

Question 20

Do you provide gst departmental audit support for small businesses and proprietorships in Chetpet?

Accepted Answer

Yes. A large share of our clients in Chetpet are proprietors, small traders, shop owners, freelancers and family businesses rather than large companies. The fee of Rs.9,999 and the process are the same regardless of size, and we explain the compliance position in plain language — in Tamil or English — so you understand what is being filed on your behalf and why.

Question 21

What documents are required for departmental audit support in Chetpet?

Accepted Answer

For departmental audit support you will generally need: Copy of the audit notice ADT-01 with its annexure of records, GSTR-1, GSTR-3B, GSTR-9 and GSTR-9C for the audit periods, Audited financial statements and trial balance for the audit years, Sales and purchase registers with invoice access, Input tax credit register and GSTR-2A or 2B downloads. The exact list depends on your constitution — proprietorship, partnership, LLP or company — and on the specifics of your case. Send what you have on WhatsApp to +91 - 9600 606 444 and we will confirm within the same working day exactly what else is needed, so nothing is rejected later for a missing paper.

Aspect	With ChennaiGST	DIY / Unattended
Supplier defaults	Suppliers who stop uploading invoices are identified within the period and pursued before their default becomes your blocked credit.	Missing supplier invoices surface only when credit is denied, by which time recovering the amount from the vendor is difficult.
Refund claims	RFD-01 filed with complete statements and annexures, tracked from ARN to bank credit, with any deficiency memo answered promptly.	Incomplete claims bounce back as deficiency memos while the refund sits unclaimed for months and working capital stays blocked.
Registration and amendments	Query-resistant applications prepared correctly the first time, with supporting documents matched to what proper officers actually verify.	Repeated clarification memos and resubmissions, with weeks lost because a rent agreement or premises photograph did not meet expectations.
Input tax credit	Purchase register matched against GSTR-2B each period, with defaulting suppliers chased so eligible credit is actually captured.	Credit claimed from books alone; mismatches with GSTR-2B mean lost credit or excess claims that invite departmental queries.
Time cost	Roughly an hour a month to send data and approve drafts; the portal work, reconciliation and follow-up are ours.	Hours every month lost to portal errors, JSON files, OTP failures and reworking figures — usually on the due date itself.
Goods in transit	E-way bills generated correctly and matched to invoices, so consignments pass roadside inspections without detention or penalty.	A defective or missing e-way bill can mean detention at a checkpoint, with penalties that dwarf the tax on the consignment.

Expert Departmental Audit Support for Chetpet Businesses

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Trade Profile and GST Jurisdiction for Chetpet

Why Chetpet Businesses Choose ChennaiGST

Correct HSN Codes and Rates, Verified

GSTR-9 and GSTR-9C Handled In-House

Notice-Proof Filing Discipline

Extra Hands During Filing Windows

No Handing Off to Untrained Juniors

WhatsApp Updates at Every Stage

Our Audit Support Process

Notice review and planning

Pre-audit reconciliation

Records submission

Query management

Findings and closure

Documents Required for Departmental Audit Support

What Departmental Audit Support Costs in Chetpet

What You Get

Audit-Ready Records at All Times

Compliance That Continues When You Travel

A Clean GSTIN That Stays Active

Credit Notes That Actually Reduce Your Tax

Peace of Mind Around Due Dates

Advances Treated Correctly

With ChennaiGST vs Doing It Yourself

GST Developments Worth Knowing — relevant to Chetpet businesses

Supreme Court settles when Central and State GST officers may run parallel proceedings

Special MSME meeting constitutes a Group of Ministers on small business issues

Concessional rate for petroleum operations raised to 18 per cent

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