Question 1

Are there any hidden charges for GST health check?

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 2

What documents are required for GST health check in Park Town?

Accepted Answer

For GST health check you will generally need: GST portal login credentials, GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B filed copies for the review period, Sales and purchase registers for the same periods, Trial balance or financial statements for the last financial year, Input tax credit register with blocked credit classification. 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.

Question 3

Can a compliance review actually prevent GST notices?

Accepted Answer

Largely, yes. Most notices arise from mismatches the portal detects automatically: GSTR-1 versus GSTR-3B tax differences, ITC claimed beyond GSTR-2B, e-way bill turnover gaps and unfiled returns. A periodic review catches these before the system does, so you can correct them through amendments in subsequent returns or a voluntary DRC-03 payment with interest, which under Section 73 attracts no penalty and no notice for the amount paid. What a review cannot prevent are genuine interpretation disputes, but even there it prepares your documentation in advance. ChennaiGST runs structured health checks for Park Town businesses before each annual return season; call +91 - 9600 606 444 to schedule one.

Question 4

How often should I get a GST health check done for my business?

Accepted Answer

At minimum once a year, ideally between September and December, because that window still allows you to correct the previous financial year through the November return-amendment deadline and finalise a clean GSTR-9 by its 31 December due date. Businesses with turnover above Rs.5 crore, multiple registrations or heavy ITC should review quarterly, since e-invoice obligations and larger credit volumes raise the stakes. A health check is also wise before events such as applying for a large refund, receiving an ADT-01 audit intimation, or a business sale, when past compliance suddenly gets examined closely. Consistency matters more than frequency.

Question 5

What does a GST health check cost and what will I receive at the end?

Accepted Answer

At ChennaiGST, health check engagements start at Rs.2,999 for a single-GSTIN business, with the fee scaled to turnover, transaction volume and the number of review periods. You receive a written report listing each gap found, the tax, interest and penalty exposure quantified in rupees, the statutory provision involved, and a prioritised action plan covering return amendments, DRC-03 payments and process fixes. We also walk your accountant through the corrections. Many Park Town clients recover the fee multiple times over through penalty avoided and missed ITC identified. Call +91 - 9600 606 444 to book a review before the next return cycle.

Question 6

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 Park Town that self-review annually face far fewer notices than those that do not.

Question 7

My turnover is Rs.1.2 crore. Is GSTR-9 compulsory for me?

Accepted Answer

No. For taxpayers with aggregate turnover up to Rs.2 crore, filing GSTR-9 has been made optional through CBIC notifications, and this relaxation has been continued year on year. If you do not file by the due date, the return is deemed furnished. That said, many businesses in Park Town still choose to file voluntarily because the exercise reconciles the year's GSTR-1, GSTR-3B, books and GSTR-2B, and surfaces excess credit claims or unreported liability before the department finds them. We offer a reduced fee for voluntary GSTR-9 filings, starting at Rs.2,999.

Question 8

What GST rate do medicines attract in my pharmacy after the 2025 rate changes?

Accepted Answer

From 22 September 2025, virtually all drugs and medicines that earlier attracted 12% moved to 5%, and a notified list of thirty-six lifesaving drugs, covering cancer and rare-disease therapies, became nil rated. Most medical devices and diagnostic kits also settled at 5%. For a retail pharmacy, this means the shelf is now dominated by 5% and nil items, so your rate master, purchase entries and reorder pricing all needed revision from that date. Old stock purchased at 12% is sold at the new rate applicable on the date of supply, with your input credit remaining intact. Call +91 - 9600 606 444 for a rate-master review.

Question 9

How do I claim credit of the IGST paid on imported goods?

Accepted Answer

IGST paid at customs on imported goods is fully creditable, with the bill of entry serving as the prescribed duty-paying document instead of a tax invoice. The data flows from ICEGATE into your GSTR-2B, and the claim is made in Table 4(A)(1) of GSTR-3B. If a bill of entry does not appear, use the search BoE facility on the GST portal to fetch the record before assuming it is missing. Remember that basic customs duty and the social welfare surcharge are never creditable; only the IGST and compensation cess components are. Importers in Park Town should reconcile their ICEGATE ledger with GSTR-2B quarterly, because clearance-date mismatches are frequent.

Question 10

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 11

How does GST work on lorry freight paid to a goods transport agency?

Accepted Answer

A goods transport agency, identified by its issue of a consignment note, is taxed in one of two ways. By default, specified recipients such as companies and registered persons pay 5 percent under reverse charge on the freight and can claim it as ITC. Alternatively, the GTA may opt to pay tax itself under forward charge, at 5 percent without ITC or 18 percent with ITC after the September 2025 rate rationalisation replaced the earlier 12 percent option, by filing the prescribed declaration for the financial year; the invoice should state this option. Transport by an individual lorry owner without a consignment note is not a GTA service and is exempt. Check each transporter's invoice wording before deciding who pays the tax.

Question 12

I buy electronics stock from distributors in other states. How does the IGST on purchases work for me?

Accepted Answer

Inter-state purchases carry IGST, which flows into your GSTR-2B once the distributor files GSTR-1, and it is fully available as input tax credit. When you sell locally in Tamil Nadu you charge CGST and SGST, and the law lets you use IGST credit against both, with the portal applying the set-off order automatically. There is no cost disadvantage in buying from out-of-state distributors, provided they are compliant filers; a distributor who files late delays your credit by a month. Track supplier filing discipline as part of vendor selection. Retailers in Park Town can call +91 - 9600 606 444 for a supplier compliance scorecard.

Question 13

Who must sign GST filings with a DSC, and who can use EVC?

Accepted Answer

Companies and limited liability partnerships must authenticate registration applications and returns with a Digital Signature Certificate of the authorised signatory; the Electronic Verification Code route is not ordinarily available to them, though the government has periodically allowed EVC for companies during specified relaxation windows. Proprietorships, partnerships, HUFs and trusts can freely use EVC, an OTP sent to the authorised signatory's registered mobile and email. The DSC must be a Class 3 signature registered on the portal against the signatory's PAN. If a company's filings fail at the signing step, an expired or unregistered DSC is the usual culprit.

Question 14

What are OIDAR services under GST and who pays the tax on them?

Accepted Answer

OIDAR means Online Information Database Access or Retrieval services, delivered over the internet, such as cloud services, e-books, streaming, online advertising and automated e-learning. When a foreign OIDAR provider supplies these to unregistered persons in India, the foreign provider itself must take a simplified registration in Form REG-10 and file monthly return GSTR-5A. From 1 October 2023, the definition was widened, so almost every unregistered Indian recipient is covered. When the Indian recipient is GST-registered, the tax instead falls on the recipient under reverse charge as an import of services.

Question 15

I hold stock purchased before the September 2025 rate cuts at higher tax rates. What happens when I sell it now?

Accepted Answer

You charge the rate in force on the date of supply, so goods sold on or after 22 September 2025 carry the new lower rate even if you bought them when the rate was 12% or 28%. The input tax credit you took at the old, higher rate remains fully intact in your credit ledger and is not restricted merely because output is now taxed lower; it simply sets off across your overall liability. No stock declaration was required for this transition. What traders in Park Town must avoid is selling old-MRP stock at prices that ignore the tax cut without reviewing pricing. Call +91 - 9600 606 444 for a transition check.

Question 16

I have taken a house on rent and I am GST registered. Does reverse charge hit my house rent?

Accepted Answer

Only in defined situations. From 18 July 2022, renting of a residential dwelling to a registered person attracts 18 percent under reverse charge in the tenant's hands. However, where a registered proprietor rents the dwelling in a personal capacity for use as his own residence, and on his own account rather than for the business, the exemption applies and no tax arises. If a company takes a flat as a guest house or for employee accommodation, RCM applies, and note that ITC on such rent may face challenge as a personal consumption expense. Document the purpose of the tenancy in the rent agreement so the correct treatment is defensible.

Question 17

Can I reduce GST for discounts given after the sale, like turnover incentives?

Accepted Answer

Only if three conditions in Section 15(3)(b) are met: the discount was established under an agreement that existed before or at the time of supply, it can be linked to specific invoices, and the recipient reverses the input tax credit attributable to it. If all three hold, you issue a GST credit note and reduce your output tax. If any condition fails, which is common for year-end volume incentives negotiated later, the adjustment must go through a commercial credit note without any GST effect. Distributor incentive schemes run from Park Town should be papered before the season starts, not after.

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 Park Town businesses repeated corrections; call +91 - 9600 606 444 for a setup review.

Question 19

Do you provide gst health check for small businesses and proprietorships in Park Town?

Accepted Answer

Yes. A large share of our clients in Park Town are proprietors, small traders, shop owners, freelancers and family businesses rather than large companies. The fee of Rs.2,999 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 20

Which GST office handles Park Town businesses?

Accepted Answer

Businesses in Park Town (PIN 600003) generally fall under the CGST Chennai North Commissionerate, with state-jurisdiction cases handled by the Tamil Nadu Commercial Taxes Department. Your exact division and range can be confirmed from your GSTIN on the GST portal. We regularly appear before this jurisdiction for registrations, clarifications and hearings, so we know the local practice and documentation preferences.

Question 21

How much does GST health check cost in Park Town?

Accepted Answer

Our fee for GST health check in Park Town starts at Rs.2,999 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.

Aspect	With ChennaiGST	DIY / Unattended
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.
When a notice arrives	A professional drafts the reply in the department's format and files it within the statutory window, such as thirty days for ASMT-11.	You face departmental language alone, and a missed reply deadline can convert a simple query into a demand with penalty.
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.
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.
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.
Keeping up with changes	Rate changes, portal updates and new thresholds such as the Rs.5 crore e-invoice limit are tracked by us and applied to your case proactively.	Changes are discovered after the fact — often through a rejected filing, a blocked e-way bill or a departmental letter.

GST Health Check in Park Town, Chennai

Get a Free GST Consultation

Trade Profile and GST Jurisdiction for Park Town

Why Park Town Businesses Choose ChennaiGST

Extra Hands During Filing Windows

Advisory, Not Just Data Entry

Every Return Reviewed by a Senior Consultant

We Work with Your Existing Software

Correct HSN Codes and Rates, Verified

Support in Tamil and English

Our Health Check Process

Scope and data collection

Return and turnover testing

ITC and RCM review

Findings and quantification

Report and fix-it plan

Documents Required for GST Health Check

What GST Health Check Costs in Park Town

What You Get

Export Benefits Fully Utilised

Smooth Scheme Transitions

Closure Without Loose Ends

No More Late Fees

Notices Answered Within the Time Limit

Correct Tax the First Time

With ChennaiGST vs Doing It Yourself

Recent Developments in GST — relevant to Park Town businesses

Gujarat AAR: no GST on canteen recovery, but canteen ITC blocked

Constitution Bench rules that ambiguity in an exemption notification favours the department

GST on apartment association maintenance charges above Rs 7,500 a month

Frequently Asked Questions

Related GST Services & Nearby Areas

Ready to Sort Out Your GST?