How can you search and verify if a GST No is Valid or Not?

Introduction

The GST registration provides every registered person with an unique Goods and Services Tax identification no as the business identification no registered on the GST portal. This no enables you to actually verify the very existence if the business is registered and if your paying the taxes in an ethical manner. Before making payment against a GST invoice it is always advisable to check and verify the GST no is registered and correct in order to avoid fake and fraudulent entries and bogus invoices.

This practice is carried on by some suppliers who collect taxes from customers and issue fake and bogus invoices to claim Input tax credit and thereby misuse the benefits under law.

Why is it important to verify the GST no?

1. To check the authenticity of the suppliers issuing the GST invoice and verify if the invoice is actually registered or not
2. To avoid frauds and bogus and fake invoices
3. To verify and pay taxes against unethical and illegal GST no which does not actually exist.
4. The verification enables to protect honest tax payers from illegal and mal practices carried on by fraudulent people  issuing such fake GST no in order to misuse the law and claim false ITC.
5. At times there is even a clerical or typo error and the taxpayer may have mismatch while filing returns in GSTR1 so it is advisable to verify the GST no before making payment against the tax invoice.

The GSTN portal in order to protect the interest of genuine taxpayers has provided an online facility to verify the GST no is correct and or not

Step wise process to verify and check if GST no is Valid or Not:

1.Login to https://www.gst.gov.in/ and select Search Taxpayer tab from the screen

2. The GSTN portal has provided facility to verify GST no by following 3 ways:

a. Search by GSTIN/UIN of the Taxpayer

b. Search by PAN

c. Search Composition Taxpayer

I. Search by GSTIN/UIN of the Taxpayer

If the GST No is Invalid : Enter the 15 Digit GST no and enter captcha and click on search in case the GST No is Invalid or wrong the following screen will appear stating that, “The GSTIN/UIN that you have entered is invalid. Please enter a valid GSTIN/UIN” and you can then intimate the same to the supplier and rectify the GST no and also verify the authenticity of the GST invoice.

If the GST no is Valid: Enter the 15 Digit GST no and enter captcha and click on search in case the GST No is a Valid one the following screen will appear stating the,

a. Legal Name of Business

b. Trade Name

c. Administrative Office

d. Other Office

e. Date of registration

f. Constitution of Business

g. Taxpayer Type

h. GSTIN / UIN Status- Whether Active or not

i. Effective Date of Cancellation

j. Principal Place of Business

k. Nature of Business Activities

l. Dealing in Goods or Services -HSN details and its description

You can check and verify all the details and thereafter proceed to pay tax against the invoice  raised.

II. Search by PAN of the Taxpayer

If PAN no is Valid: Enter the PAN no and enter captcha and click on search in case the PAN is a Valid one the following screen will appear stating the GST no and the Status reflecting active GST no or not. This search can be done when the person does not know the GSTN no but has the PAN no can also verify the authenticity of the PAN and check if the same is registered under GST.

If PAN no is Invalid: Enter the PAN no and enter captcha and click on search in case the PAN is  Invalid the following screen will appear stating that, “ No records found.”

III. Search taxpayers opted in/ out of composition

Where Opted In and GST No is selected: The taxpayer has two options under this Search option, firstly the taxpayer is to select if he has opted In/ out of composition scheme. Further, the search can either be done by entering selecting the GSTN no option or the state option as per the information available while the verification and search is performed. In case the GST No is invalid it shall state as “ No records found”. However,  where the option is selected for opted in and the option of search via GST no is selected than the following screen shall appear reflecting the GST No, Legal Name and Date on which the scheme was opted.

Where Opted In and State is selected: In case the state selected and other information does not match it shall reflect as “ No records found”. However,  where the option is selected for opted in and the option of search via State  is selected than the following screen shall appear reflecting the various GSTN No, legal name and date on which the composition scheme was opted for. All the records with the same legal name shall reflect with the respective GST no and date against it. You can verify from the details and the authenticity of registration by selecting the above option also.

Therefore, you can verify the GST no and check the authenticity of registration by any of the above methods available and be saved by frauds and mal practices. If you come across any fake GST no it is appreciated that the same is informed to the helpdesk email mentioned on the GST portal or call the no available on the portal and intimate about such malicious taxpayers carrying out illegal practices.

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