Question 1

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 2

Which GST office handles Sowcarpet businesses?

Accepted Answer

Businesses in Sowcarpet (PIN 600079) 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 3

I billed customers while my GST registration was being processed. What is a revised invoice?

Accepted Answer

Registration takes effect from the date you became liable, but your GSTIN arrives only when the certificate is issued. For supplies made between the effective date of registration and the date the certificate was granted, Rule 53 allows you to issue revised invoices against the original bills, within one month from the date of issuance of the certificate. The revised invoice carries your GSTIN, is marked as a revised invoice, and references the original invoice number and date. This lets your registered buyers in Sowcarpet claim input credit for that interim period. A consolidated revised invoice is permitted for unregistered buyers within a state.

Question 4

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 5

I am a freelancer in Sowcarpet. 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 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 Sowcarpet 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

I am below the GST threshold, but I pay freight under RCM heads. Must I register?

Accepted Answer

Section 24(iii) makes registration compulsory for persons required to pay tax under reverse charge, without any threshold benefit. So if you receive notified supplies such as GTA freight, advocate services or sponsorship, liability to register can arise even with modest turnover. Note, though, that where the relevant RCM entry itself exempts supplies made to unregistered recipients, no liability arises until you are otherwise registered. Composition dealers get no relief once registered: they must pay RCM at the full normal rates in cash and cannot claim any credit, making RCM a pure cost for them. Have your expense heads reviewed before assuming you are safe; call +91 - 9600 606 444.

Question 8

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 9

Have GST rates on televisions and air conditioners come down for electronics showrooms?

Accepted Answer

Yes. In the September 2025 rationalisation, air conditioners and dishwashers moved from 28% to 18%, and televisions of all screen sizes now attract 18%, ending the earlier position where sets above 32 inches were taxed at 28%. Refrigerators and washing machines were already at 18%. An appliance showroom therefore now runs on a substantially single-rate shelf, which simplifies billing, quotations and exchange-offer calculations. Stock purchased before the change with 28% tax retains its full input credit; you simply charge 18% on supplies made on or after 22 September 2025. Call +91 - 9600 606 444 for help updating rate masters and reprints.

Question 10

My bank account was debited for a GST challan but the cash ledger shows nothing. What do I do?

Accepted Answer

This is a payment-communication failure between the bank and the portal, and the prescribed remedy is Form PMT-07, filed under Services, then Payments, then Grievance against Payment. Quote the CPIN, bank name and debit details; the system takes up the discrepancy with the bank, and the amount either credits your ledger once the bank confirms, or is re-credited to your account if the transaction failed. Do not pay twice immediately; most cases resolve within a day or two. If a return due date is pressing, generate a fresh challan and later seek refund of the duplicate. Sowcarpet clients can call +91 - 9600 606 444 for urgent help.

Question 11

Is an ice cream parlour or sweet shop taxed like a restaurant at 5%?

Accepted Answer

Not automatically. CBIC Circular 164/20/2021 clarified that ice cream parlours selling already manufactured ice cream are supplying goods, not restaurant service, so the rate of the goods applies; ice cream itself moved to 5% in the September 2025 rate rationalisation. Sweets sold over the counter are likewise goods, with sweetmeats attracting 5%. However, where a sweet shop also runs a seating area serving prepared food, that portion can qualify as restaurant service at 5% without input credit. The distinction decides your input tax credit position, so classify each revenue stream correctly. ChennaiGST maps this for food businesses; call +91 - 9600 606 444.

Question 12

What falls under the 18 percent standard rate of GST now?

Accepted Answer

The 18 percent slab is the standard rate for most services and for goods that are neither essentials nor demerit items. Notably, several products that earlier suffered 28 percent moved down to 18 percent from 22 September 2025: air conditioners, televisions of all sizes, dishwashers, cement, small cars and motorcycles up to 350cc, and most auto parts. Apparel and footwear priced above Rs.2,500 per piece also fall at 18 percent. Most professional, business support and repair services billed by professional firms continue at 18 percent with full input tax credit.

Question 13

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 14

I am a composition dealer. Which returns apply to me and when?

Accepted Answer

Composition taxpayers do not file GSTR-1 or GSTR-3B. Instead, you pay tax every quarter through statement CMP-08, due by the 18th of the month following the quarter, and file one annual return, GSTR-4, by 30 June following the financial year. The scheme is available for turnover up to Rs.1.5 crore for goods, with a separate 6 percent scheme for service providers up to Rs.50 lakh. Missing CMP-08 for consecutive quarters can block your e-way bill facility. Our composition package covers all four CMP-08 filings and the annual GSTR-4 at Rs.1,499 per year.

Question 15

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 Sowcarpet 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 16

What are the GST rates on gold, silver and diamond jewellery?

Accepted Answer

The special rates on precious metals were retained in the GST 2.0 restructuring. Gold, silver and articles of jewellery attract 3 percent GST, rough and unworked diamonds attract 0.25 percent, and jewellery making charges billed separately attract 5 percent. When a jeweller bills a customer, the metal value and making charges can appear as separate line items with their respective rates on the same tax invoice. Old gold purchased from an unregistered customer in exchange transactions does not attract GST in the customer's hands, but valuation of the net supply must be documented carefully.

Question 17

My customer says he cannot claim ITC because of my late filing. Is that correct?

Accepted Answer

Yes, he is right. A buyer can claim input tax credit only for invoices appearing in his GSTR-2B, which is generated from suppliers' GSTR-1 and IFF filings. If you file GSTR-1 after the 11th, your invoices miss that month's GSTR-2B and your customer's credit gets pushed to the next month, straining his working capital. Repeated delays lead buyers to withhold the GST portion of payments or move to more compliant vendors. Timely GSTR-1 filing is therefore a commercial necessity, not just a legal one. ChennaiGST ensures clients in Sowcarpet never face this complaint.

Question 18

Why is my e-way bill generation blocked on the portal?

Accepted Answer

Under Rule 138E, the e-way bill facility is blocked when a taxpayer has not filed GSTR-3B (or CMP-08 for composition dealers) for two or more consecutive tax periods. Since an e-way bill is mandatory for moving goods worth more than Rs.50,000, blocking effectively halts dispatches. The remedy is straightforward: file the pending returns with late fee and interest, after which the facility unblocks automatically, usually the next day. Transporters and suppliers can also be affected when a counterparty GSTIN is blocked. We clear return backlogs for businesses in Sowcarpet on priority; call +91 - 9600 606 444.

Question 19

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 20

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 Sowcarpet 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 21

Is there a GST consultant near Sowcarpet for new gst registration?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We serve Sowcarpet and the surrounding areas from our office at Porur, Chennai - 600 116, Tamil Nadu, and most GST registration work is completed online — you send documents on WhatsApp and we handle the portal work. If you prefer in-person help, we offer doorstep document pickup across Sowcarpet and you are welcome to visit our office. Reach us on +91 - 9600 606 444 between 9 AM and 8 PM, Monday to Saturday.

Aspect	With ChennaiGST	DIY / Unattended
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

New GST Registration near Walltax Road, Sowcarpet, Chennai

Get a Free GST Consultation

Trade Profile and GST Jurisdiction for Walltax Road, Sowcarpet

Why Walltax Road, Sowcarpet Businesses Choose ChennaiGST

We Work with Your Existing Software

WhatsApp Updates at Every Stage

Ledger Housekeeping on the Portal

Free Health Check of Your Past Filings

Notice-Proof Filing Discipline

Reverse Charge Tracked, Not Forgotten

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 Sowcarpet

What You Get

Credit Notes That Actually Reduce Your Tax

Goods That Move Without Detention

Growth Without Compliance Anxiety

Compliance That Continues When You Travel

Faster GST Refunds

A Clean GSTIN That Stays Active

With ChennaiGST vs Doing It Yourself

GST Support on Walltax Road, Sowcarpet

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

Hospital room rent, patient food and doctors' retention money clarified

Compensation cess on tobacco and pan masala reduced to nil

Council adopts a fixed 14 per cent growth rate for compensation

Frequently Asked Questions

Related GST Services & Nearby Areas

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