Question 1

Are there any hidden charges for new GST registration?

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 is the process for new GST registration?

Accepted Answer

The process runs in clear stages: Document collection; Application preparation; Filing and Aadhaar authentication; Query handling. A senior consultant reviews your file at each stage rather than passing it to a data-entry desk, and you receive a confirmation with the filed documents once it is complete. You always know which stage your work is at — we update you on WhatsApp instead of leaving you to follow up.

Question 3

Will a GST officer visit my shop in Medavakkam before approving registration?

Accepted Answer

Not in every case. Physical verification of premises is typically ordered when Aadhaar authentication has not been completed, when authentication fails, or when the application is flagged as risky by the department's analytics. The officer visits the declared address, photographs the premises, and uploads a verification report on the portal. To pass smoothly, display your name board with GSTIN space, keep the rent agreement or ownership papers at hand, and ensure someone responsible is present. Verification can also happen after registration is granted. Genuine premises with matching documents have nothing to worry about during such visits.

Question 4

I am a consultant in Medavakkam with clients in Mumbai and Delhi. Does inter-state billing force GST registration?

Accepted Answer

Not for services. Although Section 24 makes registration compulsory for inter-state taxable supplies, Notification 10/2017-Integrated Tax specifically exempts persons making inter-state supplies of services from mandatory registration until aggregate turnover crosses Rs.20 lakh. So a freelancer or consultant in Medavakkam can bill clients anywhere in India without registering, as long as total turnover stays within the threshold. Note that this relief is only for services; inter-state supply of goods still requires registration from the first rupee. Once you do cross Rs.20 lakh, you must register within thirty days. Call +91 - 9600 606 444 to check your position.

Question 5

What proof do I give if I own the property where my business runs?

Accepted Answer

For owned premises, any one ownership document is sufficient: the latest property tax receipt, a municipal khata copy, or a copy of the electricity bill in the owner's name. If the property is in the name of a family member, treat it like consented premises and attach a consent letter or NOC from that relative along with their ownership proof. The GST portal accepts PDF or JPEG uploads within the prescribed size limits. Many home-based businesses in Medavakkam register at their residential address this way, since GST law does not require a commercial property for registration.

Question 6

My turnover just crossed the GST limit. How much time do I have to register?

Accepted Answer

You must apply for registration within thirty days of becoming liable, that is, within thirty days of the date your aggregate turnover crossed Rs.40 lakh for goods or Rs.20 lakh for services in Tamil Nadu. Registering late has consequences: tax becomes payable from the date liability arose, you cannot recover that GST from past customers, input credit for the unregistered gap is largely lost, and a penalty of Rs.10,000 or the tax evaded, whichever is higher, can apply. If your books show you crossed the limit recently, act now; our Medavakkam office can file within a day. Call +91 - 9600 606 444.

Question 7

Does a coaching centre in Medavakkam have to charge GST on its fees?

Accepted Answer

Yes, once registration is required. Commercial coaching and training, including NEET, JEE, banking and UPSC preparation, is taxable at 18 percent; the education exemptions cover only specified institutions, not private coaching. A coaching centre must register when aggregate fee collections cross Rs.20 lakh in a financial year, and within thirty days of crossing it. Fees collected in advance for a full course also attract tax at the time of receipt, which surprises many institutes during their first year. Our team registers coaching institutes across Medavakkam and sets up their invoicing correctly from day one; call +91 - 9600 606 444 to begin.

Question 8

Can I take GST registration using a virtual office address near me?

Accepted Answer

Yes, GST registration on a virtual office address is permitted provided you have valid documentation: an agreement with the virtual office provider, an NOC, and the provider's ownership proof such as an electricity bill. The premises must genuinely be accessible for departmental visits, and your name board and documents should be displayed there, because officers frequently conduct physical verification for virtual office applications. Choose a provider experienced with GST verifications, keep books or records accessible at the address, and respond promptly to any REG-03 query. We can advise on compliant virtual office setups in Medavakkam; call +91 - 9600 606 444 for guidance.

Question 9

Our institute charges one fee covering classes, study material and hostel. How is it taxed?

Accepted Answer

A single price for naturally bundled components is a composite supply, taxed at the rate of the principal supply. For a coaching institute, coaching is the principal supply, so the entire lump sum, including printed materials and boarding provided as part of the package, attracts 18 percent. Printing separate invoices for books at nil rate out of a bundled fee is a known audit red flag and is routinely rejected. If the institute genuinely sells optional printed books to anyone at a separate price, those standalone sales can take the book's own treatment. Structure the fee schedule deliberately, not after the demand arrives.

Question 10

A client paid me an advance. Do I raise an invoice or something else?

Accepted Answer

On receiving an advance, you issue a receipt voucher under Rule 50, not an invoice; the tax invoice follows when the service is actually supplied. GST is payable on advances received for services in the period of receipt, and the receipt voucher documents that liability. Advances for the supply of goods are not taxed at receipt for normal taxpayers under Notification 66/2017. If the rate is not determinable when the advance arrives, tax is paid at 18 percent, and if the nature of supply is not determinable, it is treated as inter-state. Service firms in Medavakkam with retainer billing should map this into their monthly cycle.

Question 11

Can our event company in Medavakkam claim ITC on catering we buy for client events?

Accepted Answer

Yes, in this specific situation. Section 17(5) blocks credit on food, beverages and outdoor catering, but the block does not apply where the inward supply is used for making an outward taxable supply of the same category or as part of a taxable composite or mixed supply. An event company that buys catering from a caterer and supplies it onward within its billed event package can therefore claim the credit. The corporate client receiving the event service faces its own credit analysis on the invoice it receives. Documenting the onward supply link in contracts and invoices is what sustains this credit in audit; call +91 - 9600 606 444 for a review.

Question 12

What GST rate applies to a goods transport agency: 5 percent or 18 percent?

Accepted Answer

Both exist, depending on the option exercised. The default position is 5 percent payable by the specified recipient under reverse charge, with no input tax credit to the GTA. Alternatively, a GTA may opt to pay tax itself under forward charge, either at 5 percent without input tax credit or at the higher rate with full credit, which was revised from 12 percent to 18 percent with effect from 22 September 2025. The with-credit option suits transporters with large spends on vehicles and tyres. Once the forward charge option is exercised for a year, it applies to all consignments of that year.

Question 13

What are the common types of GST notices a business can receive?

Accepted Answer

The frequent ones are: REG-03 seeking clarification on a registration application; GSTR-3A for non-filing of returns; ASMT-10 pointing out discrepancies found on scrutiny of returns; DRC-01A intimating an ascertained tax liability before formal proceedings; DRC-01, the show cause notice under Section 73 or 74; ADT-01 intimating a departmental audit; REG-17 proposing cancellation of registration; RFD-08 proposing rejection of a refund claim; and summons under Section 70. Each has its own reply form and deadline, ranging from seven working days to thirty days, so identifying the notice type correctly is the first step in responding. When in doubt, call +91 - 9600 606 444.

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

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 Medavakkam should be papered before the season starts, not after.

Question 16

What is the default place of supply rule for services within India?

Accepted Answer

Section 12(2) of the IGST Act sets the general rule for domestic services: if the recipient is registered, the place of supply is the recipient's location; if unregistered, it is the recipient's address on your records, and failing that, the supplier's own location. So a consultant in Medavakkam advising a registered company in Hyderabad charges IGST, while the same advice to a local walk-in individual attracts CGST plus SGST. This default yields only to the specific rules for immovable property, events, transportation, and a few other categories, so always check whether a specific rule captures your service before falling back on the general one.

Question 17

What is self-invoicing under RCM and is there a time limit for it?

Accepted Answer

When you receive supplies liable to reverse charge from an unregistered supplier, Section 31(3)(f) requires you, the recipient, to issue an invoice on yourself, because the supplier cannot issue a tax invoice. You must also issue a payment voucher when paying the supplier. From 1 November 2024, Rule 47A prescribes a firm deadline: the self-invoice must be issued within thirty days of receiving the supply. This document is not a formality; the time limit for claiming the RCM credit is reckoned from the self-invoice, and its absence can cost you the credit besides inviting penalty. Maintain a monthly self-invoice series covering rent, freight, legal fees and similar unregistered-supplier heads.

Question 18

Our security agency does not charge GST on its bills. Is that correct?

Accepted Answer

Quite possibly, yes. Since 1 January 2019, security services meaning supply of security personnel, when provided by any person other than a body corporate to a registered person, fall under reverse charge, so the agency correctly bills without tax and you pay 18 percent through GSTR-3B in cash, claiming ITC. If your security agency is a private limited company, however, RCM does not apply and it must charge GST on its invoice under forward charge. Composition taxpayers as recipients are excluded from this entry. Confirm the agency's constitution from its PAN, because paying under the wrong mechanism creates trouble for both sides.

Question 19

Can I get new GST registration 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 Medavakkam regularly complete GST registration 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 20

Do you provide new gst registration for small businesses and proprietorships in Medavakkam?

Accepted Answer

Yes. A large share of our clients in Medavakkam are proprietors, small traders, shop owners, freelancers and family businesses rather than large companies. The fee of Rs.1,499 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 new GST registration in Medavakkam?

Accepted Answer

For new GST registration you will generally need: PAN card of the proprietor, firm or company, Aadhaar card of proprietor, partners or directors, Passport-size photograph of proprietor, partners or directors, Business address proof such as electricity bill or property tax receipt, Rent agreement and owner NOC if premises are rented. 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
Due-date tracking	A maintained compliance calendar with internal cut-offs days before the 11th and the 20th; we chase you for data, not the other way around.	Deadlines remembered from memory or phone alarms; one busy week and the return slips past the due date.
Annual return preparation	Monthly reconciliations roll naturally into GSTR-9, filed comfortably before 31 December with figures already agreed through the year.	Twelve months of unmatched data reconstructed in December, with differences discovered too late to be corrected cleanly.
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.
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.
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.
Risk of notices	GSTR-1, GSTR-3B and GSTR-2B reconciled before filing, removing the mismatches that trigger most scrutiny notices.	Inconsistent figures across returns quietly build a mismatch history that surfaces later as ASMT-10 scrutiny or a demand notice.

New GST Registration for Shops and Offices on 5th Street, Medavakkam

Get a Free GST Consultation

Trade Profile and GST Jurisdiction for 5th Street, Medavakkam

Why 5th Street, Medavakkam Businesses Choose ChennaiGST

E-Invoice and E-Way Bill Fluency

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

Familiar with Chennai Jurisdictions and Officers' Expectations

GST Portal Expertise, Including the Difficult Days

Notice-Proof Filing Discipline

Experience Across Trades and Sectors

Our GST Registration Process

Document collection

Application preparation

Filing and Aadhaar authentication

Query handling

GSTIN delivery and handover

Documents Required for New GST Registration

What New GST Registration Costs in Medavakkam

What You Get

Advances Treated Correctly

Confidence During Officer Interactions

Lower Total Cost of Compliance

A Clean GSTIN That Stays Active

Smooth Scheme Transitions

Notices Answered Within the Time Limit

With ChennaiGST vs Doing It Yourself

GST Support on 5th Street, Medavakkam

GST Rulings and Notifications That Affect You — relevant to Medavakkam businesses

Concessional rate for petroleum and coal-bed methane operations raised to 12 per cent

Supreme Court holds branded software supplied on a medium is goods for tax purposes

Online gaming 28 per cent levy finalised on deposits; law amendments brought into force from 1 October 2023

Frequently Asked Questions

Related GST Services & Nearby Areas

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