October 26, 2025 · 12 mins read
Santosh Kumar
If you are just starting out your business journey in India and wondering, ‘what makes a business in India legal?’ The primary requirement to start a business in India legally is the GST Registration. The GST registration certificate is proof of registration. Without it, you cannot collect GST from your customers or claim input tax credits against your purchases.
This document validates your GST registration, but it also serves as your tax identity in India. Imagine running your business without proof of registration, risky, right? That’s why you should have a GST registration certificate at arm’s length every time you conduct business transactions. The GST certificate is one of the foremost legal documents that all businesses registered under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) system need to have. It testifies that such a company has been registered and contains important information like GSTIN, the name of the firm, as well as its address. The certificate is issued by the GST authorities after a successful registration process; without it, a company cannot operate within India legally.
It is compulsory for an enterprise operating in India to obtain a GST certificate. This document enables businesses to collect goods and services tax from their transactions, get credit for input tax, and abide by taxation rules. Lack of this document can make companies unable to issue genuine invoices bearing GST, which may be quite risky due to possible legal actions and loss of revenue associated with this mistake. Furthermore, it is often required for various official purposes, including getting loans, filing returns, or even tendering for government projects.
The recent amendment of the GST and Customs Registration Certificate, which is used in the calculation of taxes, has led to a new set of abbreviations and code words that are used all over the country. This has led to a lot of confusion and has even made it more difficult for businesses and individuals to understand what they are dealing with. This is where a sales tax registration in Chennai is beneficial, as this format clearly lays out all the abbreviations and codes that are associated with the transaction, which can be extremely confusing when one is looking at the form by itself. Most importantly, a format like this will ensure that all the abbreviations, and especially the ones that are not commonly used, are made explicit in the form so that it is clear to the trader. This will ensure that all confusion is removed and that the transaction runs without any errors.
The most common error that is made in calculations is the inclusion of a zero in the rate of taxation, and as such, this must be corrected immediately, as otherwise, the calculations will not be correct. An example of this would be a product that is manufactured in Chennai, is shipped to Delhi, and the retail price is computed based on the amount of raw material purchased minus the tax applicable to it. However, in this instance, the tax that is applied is nil. In order to avoid any kind of confusion with regard to the computation of taxes, it is advisable to procure the GST Registration Certificate form from the concerned department so that the transactions are handled accordingly. In fact, there are many websites that are dedicated to helping individuals understand the workings of these forms and are free to use for reference purposes.
There are times when you may not access the portal to log in your details at all costs. If you forget your login details or if there are issues with logging into the portal technically, downloading becomes hard. Also, it may happen that either the person who got registered is absent or his/her details that should be used to log in are missing too. In these cases, therefore, there must be another way out since it will call for knowing how you can get a copy without signing into your account first.
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Downloading your GST certificate even when not logged into your account can save both time and energy, more so during emergencies. Since you would not normally have access to some particular documents in such instances, this will enable you to do so with ease, sans any complications, whenever need be. This method gives a quick and efficient solution, especially during emergencies or when dealing with urgent matters. To add this, it makes the process simple, especially for people who find it hard to remember their login details or to operate a computer.
Start by going to the official GST website; type https://www.gst.gov.in in your browser's address bar and hit enter. This is a central point where all the activities and services related to Goods and Services Tax are carried out. Make sure you visit an authentic site, as there may be other websites running fraudulent schemes.
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On the main page of the GST portal, look for "Search Taxpayer". The option is usually available on the main menu or just on top of the homepage. Clicking on "Search Taxpayer" will take you to another screen where you can select one of them. In this way, you can search for any registered taxpayer through several parameters, including PAN, business name, etc.
In this section of "Search Taxpayer", please fill in the right details, such as Goods and Services Tax Identification Number (GSTIN), concerning the firm whose certificate you want to download. When unavailable, PAN or even a legal business name could be used instead of GSTIN. Ensure that the data given is correct so that search results do not contain mistakes.
Click the search button after entering all required data. The system will then display detailed information about the registered taxpayer for such submissions. Look for any option or link that allows you to see or download your GST certificate.
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Another option is to use third-party apps and services when accessing the GST portal is not feasible. These services usually come with user-friendly interfaces where one may provide their GSTIN number and other details to receive their certificates without much ado. For instance, there are popular mobile applications like ClearTax and myGSTcafe, among others, which are specifically designed for GST-related matters. However, it is necessary to check whether they are reliable enough before using them, as they require some sensitive data.
Convenience: The convenience provided by these platforms in simplifying processes, hence gaining access to your GST certificate quite fast.
User-Friendly: Many of these platforms have intuitive interfaces that assist those who lack technical skills.
Additional Features: Others go ahead and facilitate other aspects, such as GST return filing, while ensuring compliance management.
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Security Risks: It involves risk if untrusted parties are given access to the personal information of the people involved.
Cost: There are cases where payment should be made so that one can get access to his/her GST certificate through some service providers.
Reliability: Using a third-party service may also be problematic since sometimes the platform can go down or experience technical glitches.
1: Authorised by the Income Tax Department, "e-Return Intermediary (ERI)" is an entity that is authorised to e-file Income Tax Returns on behalf of taxpayers.
2: Registered with Startup India, it is duly certified under the GOI's Startup India scheme.
3: Supported by iStart (Government of Rajasthan, Initiative for Startups).
4: Supporting the Government Making India Digital.
5: 40,000+ partners across India, and the number is growing every day.
6: Covering 19,000+ Pincodes Across India.
7: Assistance in e-Verification of the Filed Returns.
8: Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST): This tax is levied by the Central Government on goods and services sold within a state. It replaces taxes like service tax and central excise.
9: State Goods and Services Tax (SGST): Charged by the State Government on the same intra-state sale. It replaces state taxes like VAT and entertainment tax.
10: Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST): Applied by the Central Government on inter-state sales and imports/exports. The amount is shared between the Centre and the destination state.
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Now that you understand how to download a GST certificate, let's take a look at the contents of a GST registration certificate PDF.
Form GST REG-06 or the GST registration certificate contains:
1: Registration number
2: Legal name
3: Trade name
4: Constitution of Business
5: Address of Principal Place of Business
6: Date of Liability
7: Date of Validity (this is not applicable, NA)
8: Particulars of Approving Authority
9: Date of Issue of Certificate
Annexture A
1: 15-digit GSTIN
2: Details of the address
3: Legal name and Trade name
Annexture B
1: GSTIN
2: Legal name and Trade name
3: Business address
4: Details of the proprietor
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The GST registration certificate comes with lifetime validity. It can be surrendered or cancelled (by GST). However, based on the nature of the taxpayer, the validity can differ. For example,
GST registration certificate of casual taxpayer – 90 days validity, but can be extended or renewed
After the GST certificate download, if you want to rectify an error or edit any detail, you will have to file an Application for Amendment of Registration. This can be for either the Core or Non-Core fields and must be done within 15 days of its occurrence.
Core fields: Requires approval of Tax Officials.
Non-core fields: Do not require the approval of the Tax Officials
Downloading a GST certificate without logging in is a simple process that can save time and anxiety. So all you need to do is access the official GST website and then click "Search Taxpayer". Once you have entered a firm's name or its respective identity number used within this system, there will appear an opportunity for you to take this document from the online database onto your computer. This method helps ensure that important papers may still be obtained even when one cannot successfully sign up with an online profile, thereby serving as a quick fix during emergencies.
In India, organisations need to have a GST certificate. Additionally, this document can be used as evidence of registration and assists in recovering the tax from customers, taking credit for the input tax, and paying the taxes accordingly. Legal and financial problems could be experienced by companies that do not have this certificate. A business runs smoothly with its obligations to regulators when you can retrieve your GST certificate anytime you want.
Different documents will be needed based on the business constitution or the GST registration type that is obtained. For complete details, read our article on “GST registration documents”.
One can get a GST login ID and password by applying for GST registration, providing details of the business, such as the name, PAN of the business, phone number and name of authorised person, address of principal place of business and supporting documents. Upon successful filing of the application, ID and password for GST login shall be granted.
If one is trying to find their existing GST login details, they can always reset their password by entering some basic details, such as their registered phone number or email address, to retrieve their forgotten password. If a person wants to newly obtain a GST login, they must apply for GST registration.
One can create a GST login ID and password by making an application for GST registration by providing business information such as the trade name, PAN of the business, phone number and name of authorised person, complete address of principal place of business, along with the supporting documents. Upon successful filing of the application, ID and password for GST login shall be granted.
Go to the GST login portal at gst.gov.in and click on the 'Login' button available at the top right corner. Under the first-time login tab, press 'click here to login' as a first-time user. Thereafter, enter the allotted ARN and password received at the email address for GST login.
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