Companies can now receive their GST registration within 7 working days, according to the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).
However, applications from businesses considered risky will take longer—up to 30 days—as they will require physical verification of the business premises.
CBIC made this announcement after receiving complaints that field officers were asking applicants for unnecessary or unrelated documents.
In response, CBIC has released a clear list of acceptable documents and instructed officers to follow these guidelines strictly when processing GST registration requests.
CBIC’s Revised GST Registration Guidelines
CBIC’s new instructions state that officers must not ask for original physical copies of documents while processing applications. Instead, all required documents should be submitted online.
Many of the complaints CBIC received were about officers requesting additional documents that were not mandated. To prevent this, CBIC clarified exactly what documents are acceptable.
Documents Required for GST Registration
For the Principal Place of Business (PPOB), applicants must upload any one of the following:
Latest property tax receipt
Municipal account copy
Owner’s electricity bill
Any government-issued document (like a water bill) clearly showing ownership of the premises
If the premises are rented, the applicant must submit a valid rent or lease agreement along with one of the above PPOB documents.
To prove formation of the business, the applicant must upload a partnership deed (if applicable).
CBIC clearly stated that additional documents such as the Udyam Certificate, MSME Certificate, Shop Establishment Certificate, or Trade License should not be asked for.
Instructions to Field Officers
CBIC has instructed officers to check if applications are complete and to verify the authenticity of submitted documents using publicly available sources, such as:
Land registry records
Websites of power distribution companies
Municipal or local authority websites
If the application is not risky, has no missing information, and all documents are in order, it must be approved within 7 working days.
Applications considered high-risk or flagged for further verification may take up to 30 days, and a physical inspection of the premises will be conducted before approval.
With this streamlined process, CBIC aims to reduce delays and make GST registration easier for legitimate businesses, while ensuring strict checks for potentially fraudulent ones.
