Question 1

How much does new GST registration cost in Santhome?

Accepted Answer

Our fee for new GST registration in Santhome starts at Rs.1,499 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

What documents are required for new GST registration in Santhome?

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.

Question 3

I am a freelancer in Santhome. At what turnover do I need GST registration for services?

Accepted Answer

For service providers in Tamil Nadu, GST registration becomes mandatory when aggregate turnover crosses Rs.20 lakh in a financial year. This is a PAN-level, all-India figure covering taxable and exempt services together. Freelancers billing foreign clients should note that export income also counts towards the Rs.20 lakh threshold, although exports themselves can be made tax-free under a LUT after registration. If you supply both goods and services, the Rs.20 lakh service threshold applies to you, not the Rs.40 lakh goods threshold. Call +91 - 9600 606 444 if you want us to assess exactly when your registration obligation starts.

Question 4

We have branches in three states. What is ISD registration and do we need it?

Accepted Answer

An Input Service Distributor is a head office that receives invoices for common input services, such as audit fees or software subscriptions, and distributes the input tax credit to branches with separate GSTINs. ISD requires a separate registration in Form REG-01, distinct from your normal registration on the same PAN, and the ISD files monthly GSTR-6 by the 13th to distribute credit. Following amendments made effective from 1 April 2025, distributing common input service credit through the ISD mechanism is mandatory for multi-state businesses, so head offices in Santhome with out-of-state branches should obtain ISD registration without delay.

Question 5

How many days does it take to get a GST number?

Accepted Answer

If you complete Aadhaar authentication and the officer raises no query, registration is generally approved within seven working days of submission. If you skip Aadhaar authentication, or the application is flagged for risk, the officer may direct physical verification of your premises and the timeline can extend up to thirty days. If the officer seeks clarification through Form REG-03, you must reply in Form REG-04 within seven working days, after which the application is either approved or rejected. Keeping documents clean and consistent with your PAN records is the single biggest factor in fast approval.

Question 6

Is Aadhaar authentication compulsory for GST registration?

Accepted Answer

Aadhaar authentication is not compulsory, but it is strongly recommended. When the promoter and authorised signatory complete Aadhaar OTP authentication, the application is processed on the fast track and deemed approval applies if the officer does not act within seven working days. Without Aadhaar authentication, the department treats the application as higher risk, physical verification of the business premises is usually ordered, and approval can take up to thirty days. Most applicants in Santhome finish the OTP step in minutes, so there is rarely a reason to skip it unless the Aadhaar-linked mobile number is inactive.

Question 7

Is PAN compulsory for GST? Do I need separate GSTINs for different states?

Accepted Answer

Yes, PAN is mandatory for normal GST registration; the GSTIN itself embeds your PAN in characters three to twelve, with the first two digits denoting the state, which is 33 for Tamil Nadu. Registration is state-wise, so if you have a fixed place of business in Tamil Nadu and another in Karnataka, you need a separate GSTIN in each state under the same PAN. Merely selling to customers in other states does not require registration there; it is having an establishment in that state that triggers it. Within Tamil Nadu, you may also take separate registrations for distinct places of business.

Question 8

I run a cloud kitchen from Santhome selling only through delivery apps. How is GST applied to me?

Accepted Answer

CBIC Circular 164/20/2021 clarified that food supplied by cloud kitchens and central kitchens is restaurant service, so the 5% rate without input tax credit applies just as it does to a dine-in restaurant. Because restaurant services supplied through platforms like Swiggy and Zomato are taxed in the hands of the e-commerce operator under Section 9(5), a small cloud kitchen below the Rs.20 lakh service threshold can even operate without registration. Once you cross the threshold or want your own billing, registration becomes necessary. Our Santhome team sets up cloud kitchens end to end; call +91 - 9600 606 444.

Question 9

What is the due date for GSTR-3B in Tamil Nadu?

Accepted Answer

For monthly filers, GSTR-3B is due on the 20th of the following month. If you are registered in Tamil Nadu and have opted for the QRMP scheme, your quarterly GSTR-3B is due on the 22nd of the month following the quarter. GSTR-3B is the summary return through which you actually pay tax, so missing it attracts a late fee of Rs.50 per day (Rs.20 for nil returns) plus interest at 18 percent per annum on tax paid late.

Question 10

What is the current GST rate on readymade garments after the September 2025 changes?

Accepted Answer

From 22 September 2025, following the 56th GST Council's rate rationalisation, apparel and made-up textile articles with a sale value up to Rs.2,500 per piece attract 5% GST, while pieces priced above Rs.2,500 attract 18%. The earlier structure of 5% up to Rs.1,000 and 12% beyond no longer applies, since the 12% slab itself was largely abolished. The threshold is tested piece-wise on sale value, so one invoice can carry both rates for different items. Garment retailers should update billing software rate masters accordingly; call +91 - 9600 606 444 if your POS still carries the old 12% slab.

Question 11

Can I reply to a GST notice myself, or should I hire a professional?

Accepted Answer

For simple defaults, such as a GSTR-3A non-filing notice where you only need to file the pending return, you can manage yourself. For anything involving discrepancies or demands, ASMT-10, DRC-01A, DRC-01 or audit observations, professional drafting usually pays for itself, because your first reply frames the entire case; admissions or vague explanations made now are hard to retract at the appeal stage. A practitioner also knows which circulars and precedents apply, how to structure reconciliations officers accept, and when to pay strategically through DRC-03. Weigh the tax at stake against the fee; when the demand exceeds a few thousand rupees, hire help.

Question 12

What is the GST rate on a works contract for a commercial building?

Accepted Answer

Under GST, a works contract relating to immovable property is treated wholly as a supply of services, and the standard rate is 18 percent on the contract value, with the contractor eligible for input tax credit on cement, steel and other inputs. This applies to construction, fabrication, erection, repair and renovation contracts for factories, offices and commercial buildings. The old VAT-plus-service-tax splitting of material and labour is gone; one rate applies to the whole consideration. Contractors should also note that free-issue materials supplied by the client can affect valuation, so contract drafting deserves attention before quoting.

Question 13

Is GST charged before or after the discount shown on my invoice?

Accepted Answer

Discounts given before or at the time of supply and recorded on the face of the invoice are excluded from the value of supply under Section 15(3)(a). You therefore charge GST on the net amount after discount. For example, a Rs.10,000 item with a 10 percent trade discount shown on the invoice is taxed on Rs.9,000. The condition is documentation: the discount must appear on the invoice itself. Informal reductions settled outside the bill do not reduce taxable value. Retail schemes such as festival discounts and trade margins should always be structured to print on the invoice.

Question 14

The GST rate on my product changed. Which rate applies to pending orders and invoices?

Accepted Answer

Section 14 of the CGST Act decides this by looking at three events: the date of supply, the date of invoice and the date of payment. Broadly, if any two of the three events fall after the rate change, the new rate applies; if two fall before, the old rate applies. So goods delivered in Santhome before 22 September 2025 but invoiced and paid for afterwards attract the new rate, while goods delivered and invoiced earlier keep the old rate even if payment came later. Document dates carefully during any transition window, because officers test these invoices in scrutiny.

Question 15

We sponsored a trade event. Does reverse charge apply to the sponsorship amount?

Accepted Answer

If your business is a body corporate or partnership firm, sponsorship services received are notified under Section 9(3) and you must pay 18 percent GST under reverse charge, with ITC available since sponsorship is a marketing expense. One recent change matters: with effect from 16 January 2025, sponsorship services provided by a body corporate were moved to forward charge, so if the event organiser billing you is a company, it now charges GST on its invoice and RCM does not apply. Where the provider is a proprietor, trust or society, RCM continues. Verify the organiser's constitution before booking the entry, and raise a self-invoice where the provider is unregistered.

Question 16

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

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 Santhome 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 17

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 Santhome 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 18

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 Santhome 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 19

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 20

Do you provide new GST registration for businesses on Nochikuppam Road?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We serve businesses on and around Nochikuppam Road in Santhome — shops, offices, godowns and home-run businesses alike. Document pickup can be arranged at your premises, or you can send everything on WhatsApp and complete GST registration without leaving your counter. Call +91 - 9600 606 444 and mention your location; a consultant will confirm the fee and timeline immediately.

Question 21

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 Santhome 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.

Aspect	With ChennaiGST	DIY / Unattended
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.
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.
Record keeping	Every return, challan, acknowledgement and working paper archived in an organised folder, retrievable in minutes years later.	Documents scattered across email, downloads and old phones; assembling records for a bank or an audit takes days.
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.

New GST Registration on Nochikuppam Road, Santhome

Get a Free GST Consultation

Trade Profile and GST Jurisdiction for Nochikuppam Road, Santhome

Why Nochikuppam Road, Santhome Businesses Choose ChennaiGST

Proactive Alerts Before Problems Become Notices

Free Health Check of Your Past Filings

A Real Local Office You Can Walk Into

Handholding for First-Time Registrants

Notice Support Does Not Stop at Filing

E-Invoice and E-Way Bill Fluency

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 Santhome

What You Get

Closure Without Loose Ends

Every Eligible Rupee of ITC Claimed

Audit-Ready Records at All Times

Peace of Mind Around Due Dates

Compliance That Continues When You Travel

Bank and Tender Readiness

With ChennaiGST vs Doing It Yourself

GST Support on Nochikuppam Road, Santhome

What the Department and the Courts Have Said — relevant to Santhome businesses

No second levy of IGST when goods leave a Free Trade Warehousing Zone

No claim bonus in insurance and entity-wise exemption from e-invoicing

CBIC answers on what counts as pre-packaged and labelled

Frequently Asked Questions

Related GST Services & Nearby Areas

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