GST Registration: Documents, Biometric Aadhaar Verification, and Why Applications Get Rejected or Cancelled

You applied for GST registration two weeks ago. Now there is a REG-03 sitting in your portal asking for something you thought you already uploaded. Or the application came back rejected with one line of reason. Or the registration you have had since 2019 is showing as cancelled because returns stopped during a bad year. All three are fixable. All three have a clock running.

Short answer: GST registration is applied for in Form GST REG-01. Where Aadhaar authentication succeeds and you are not flagged as risky, the officer should act within 7 working days. Otherwise it can take 30 days with physical verification. Queries come as REG-03, you reply in REG-04 within 7 working days, and the certificate is REG-06.

This article is about getting approved and staying registered. If your question is whether you need GST at all, read our separate article on the registration threshold and then come back here.

What GST registration documents do I need?

The list changes with your constitution. Get the right set before you start, because half-uploads are the reason files sit for weeks.

Proprietorship

PAN and Aadhaar of the proprietor
Recent passport size photograph
Proof of principal place of business
Bank proof: cancelled cheque, bank statement or the first page of the passbook

Partnership firm

PAN of the firm
Partnership deed
PAN, Aadhaar and photograph of every partner
Authorisation letter naming the authorised signatory
Proof of principal place of business and bank proof

LLP

PAN of the LLP and the certificate of incorporation
LLP agreement
PAN, Aadhaar and photograph of every designated partner
Authorisation letter or board resolution for the authorised signatory
Proof of principal place of business and bank proof

Private limited company

PAN of the company and the certificate of incorporation
Memorandum and articles
Board resolution appointing the authorised signatory
PAN, Aadhaar, photograph and DIN of every director
Proof of principal place of business and bank proof

The authorised signatory's Aadhaar must be linked to a working mobile number. The entire OTP chain runs through it. If the number in the Aadhaar record belongs to an old SIM lying in a drawer, sort that out first.

What counts as proof of principal place of business?

This single item causes more rejections than everything else put together. Get it right and most of the risk goes away.

You own the premises: the latest electricity bill, property tax receipt or municipal khata in your name.
You rent: the rent or lease agreement, plus the owner's electricity bill or ownership document.
Premises shared or given free: a consent letter or NOC from the owner, plus the owner's identity proof, plus the owner's electricity bill.

Three things must line up: the name on the electricity bill, the name of the person signing the rent agreement or NOC, and the address as you typed it into REG-01. Officers compare all three. If the bill says "Plot 14, GIDC Phase 2" and you typed "Shop 14, GIDC", that alone can trigger a query.

The document people always get wrong is the NOC. They send a signed consent letter and stop there. An NOC without the owner's PAN or Aadhaar copy attached is an incomplete document, and the officer will ask for it in REG-03. We see it weekly on godown registrations around Veraval and the Gir Somnath belt, where the premises belong to a relative and nobody thinks the owner's ID is needed.

What is biometric Aadhaar authentication for GST registration?

Under Rule 8 of the CGST Rules, an applicant must go through Aadhaar authentication. Most people get an OTP link on the Aadhaar-linked mobile and email, complete it in a minute, and move on.

Some applicants are instead selected for biometric-based Aadhaar authentication. The portal sends a link to book an appointment at a GST Suvidha Kendra, where your photograph is taken, your fingerprints or iris are captured, and your original documents are verified across the counter. Gujarat was one of the first states where this was rolled out, and it is now in place across many states.

Selection is decided by the system on risk parameters. You do not get to choose. If you are selected, carry these to the Kendra:

The appointment confirmation email, printed or on your phone
Original Aadhaar and PAN of the person named in the application
The original documents you uploaded, including the rent agreement, NOC and electricity bill
The jurisdiction details from the email

Do not skip the appointment. In a biometric case the ARN is generated only after the visit is completed, so a missed slot does not delay your application, it holds it in place with nothing moving. Rebook rather than reapply.

Got a REG-03 and not sure what it is actually asking for? WhatsApp the notice to +91 82005 28355. The first consultation is free. We will read it and tell you the same day what document will close it.

How long does GST registration approval take?

It depends entirely on the authentication route and whether the system has flagged you.

Aadhaar authentication done, not flagged as risky: the officer should approve within 7 working days of submission, without a site visit.
Aadhaar authentication not done, failed, or the applicant flagged for physical verification: up to 30 days, with a site visit before approval.
If a REG-03 notice is issued: the clock restarts. You reply in REG-04 within 7 working days, and the officer then has 7 working days from your reply to approve or reject.

These day counts were amended more than once and sources still quote older versions, so confirm the current Rule 9 position before you rely on a date.

Illustrative timeline, straightforward proprietor file with OTP Aadhaar authentication: Day 0, Part A of REG-01 and TRN generated. Day 0 to 1, Part B submitted with documents. Day 1, Aadhaar OTP completed. Day 2 to 7, officer review. Around day 7, REG-06 certificate issued. Add roughly 7 to 10 days if a REG-03 query comes. Add up to 30 days if physical verification is ordered.

Why do GST registration applications get rejected?

Compare your own file against this list before you submit. These are the reasons we see in practice.

Address proof blurred, cropped or a photograph of a screen instead of a scan
Electricity bill older than the accepted period, or in a name nobody can explain
Rent agreement in one name, electricity bill in another, with no link between them
NOC uploaded without the owner's identity proof
Photograph that does not match the Aadhaar photo, or is taken in poor light with a cap or sunglasses
Principal place of business typed differently from the address on the proof
Business activity or HSN or SAC code that does not fit the documents, for example a trading HSN with a consultancy rent agreement
A promoter or partner who already has a cancelled registration at the same premises
Bank proof not in the name of the applicant entity
Signature by a person not named in the authorisation letter or board resolution

On the photograph: officers do compare it with the Aadhaar image. A dark selfie in a shop doorway gets queried more often than people believe. Take it against a plain wall in daylight. It takes two minutes and it saves a week.

On the HSN, if you are unsure which code fits what you actually sell, use our HSN and SAC code finder tool before you fill the form rather than guessing.

What do I do when I get a REG-03 notice?

Read what it asks for, exactly. REG-03 is a notice seeking clarification, information or documents. It is not a rejection.

Reply in Form GST REG-04 within 7 working days of the notice. Upload the specific document asked for, not your whole file again. If the officer asked for the owner's identity proof, send the owner's Aadhaar, not another copy of the rent agreement.

If you do not reply, or the officer is not satisfied with the reply, the application is rejected in Form GST REG-05. A rejection is not the end, you can apply again, but a fresh application starts the whole clock over. Answering the notice properly the first time is much faster.

Cancelled registration and pending returns piling up? Call +91 82005 28355. Tell us the cancellation date. We will work out whether you are still inside the revocation window or whether it has to go to appeal.

What happens during physical verification of the premises?

Under Rule 25, the officer can verify the place of business. The verification report, with photographs, is uploaded in Form GST REG-30 on the portal within fifteen working days of the verification.

What the officer actually looks at when he stands there: is the name board up, does the address on the board match the application, is there real stock or real equipment, is somebody sitting there, and does the photograph he takes show a place that could plausibly run the business you described. A locked shutter on a random weekday afternoon is the commonest cause of an adverse report.

Keep somebody at the premises once you have applied. Keep the file of uploaded documents there too, so whoever is present can show it.

My GST registration was cancelled for non-filing. How does revocation work?

Under Section 29 and Rule 21, a registration can be cancelled where a normal taxpayer has not filed returns for a continuous period of six months, or a composition taxpayer has defaulted for the prescribed continuous period. The wording on the composition side has been amended, so check the current notified period for your case.

The sequence is: show cause notice in Form GST REG-17, your reply in Form GST REG-18 within the time stated, and the cancellation order in Form GST REG-19. If you apply for cancellation yourself, that is Form GST REG-16.

To get it back, apply for revocation in Form GST REG-21 within 90 days from the date the cancellation order was served. The Commissioner, or an officer not below the rank of Joint Commissioner, may extend that by a further period not exceeding 180 days where you show sufficient cause. Sources differ on how the extension is applied in practice, so confirm your position early.

The condition that trips most people: all pending returns must be filed and all dues, interest and late fees paid before the revocation application will go through. If you stopped filing in 2024, you file every return from then to now, with late fee, and only then does REG-21 move. There is no shortcut around it.

If the cancellation stands and the revocation window has closed, the route is an appeal in Form GST APL-01 under Section 107, within three months of the order, with the prescribed pre-deposit. Also remember the final return in Form GSTR-10, due within three months of the cancellation date or the cancellation order, whichever is later.

Operating without registration when you are liable is not a quiet option. Penalty follows under Section 122, and every rupee of GST you charge is money your customer cannot claim as input tax credit, which is usually how the customer finds out. If a notice has already reached you, our article on ASMT-10, DRC-01A and DRC-01 covers the notice and litigation side.

What we do for you

Free first call to look at your rejection reason, REG-03 notice or cancellation order
Full document check before filing, including the NOC, rent agreement and electricity bill match
REG-01 Part A and Part B prepared and filed, with the correct HSN or SAC codes
Aadhaar authentication handled, and your GST Suvidha Kendra appointment booked and briefed if you are selected for biometric verification
REG-03 replies drafted and filed in REG-04 inside the 7 working day window
Site visit preparation, so the premises and the file are ready when the officer comes
Pending return backlog cleared, with late fee and interest worked out first so you know the number
REG-21 revocation applications, and REG-18 replies to show cause notices
GSTR-10 final return where the registration is closing for good
Section 107 appeals in APL-01 when revocation is no longer available
Monthly GST return plans on a fixed fee, so this does not happen again

Gadhia Associate has been practising since 2007 and serves more than 7,000 clients across Saurashtra and Gujarat, with a 5.0 Google rating from over 100 reviews. The Junagadh office offers same-day appointments. We handle registrations and notices for clients in Rajkot, Porbandar, Amreli, Veraval and the Gir Somnath district, and we work digitally with clients anywhere in India.

Send us your file today. WhatsApp your REG-03, REG-05 or cancellation order to +91 82005 28355, or call for a free first consultation. The sooner we see the date on the order, the more options you still have.

Frequently asked questions

How long does GST registration take if my Aadhaar is authenticated?

Where Aadhaar authentication succeeds and the system has not flagged you as risky, the officer should approve within 7 working days of submitting Form GST REG-01, with no site visit. If authentication is not done or fails, or physical verification is ordered, it can run to 30 days. A REG-03 query restarts the review clock, so the total is longer.

What happens if I miss my biometric appointment at the GST Suvidha Kendra?

The application stalls. In biometric cases the process completes only after the visit, so a missed slot leaves the file sitting with nothing moving forward. Rebook the appointment using the link in your email rather than filing a fresh application. Carry the confirmation email, original Aadhaar and PAN, and the original documents you uploaded with the application.

My GST registration was rejected in REG-05. Can I apply again?

Yes. A rejection under REG-05 does not bar a fresh application. Fix the reason first, because the same defect will be caught again. Most rejections come from address proof that does not match, an NOC without the owner's identity proof, or a photograph mismatch. The clock starts over with a new application, so it is faster to answer a REG-03 properly than to be rejected.

Can I get my cancelled GST registration back after a year?

Possibly. Form GST REG-21 must be filed within 90 days of service of the cancellation order, extendable by up to a further 180 days by the Commissioner or an authorised officer on sufficient cause. Beyond that, the route is an appeal in Form GST APL-01 under Section 107 within three months. In every case, all pending returns and dues must be cleared first.

Do I have to file returns before applying for revocation?

Yes. This is a condition, not a suggestion. Every return for the period up to the cancellation must be filed, with late fees and interest paid, before the revocation in Form GST REG-21 can be granted. Work out the total late fee before you start so the number does not surprise you halfway through. Only then does the application move.

This article states the position as of September 2026. Fees, forms, day limits and stamp duty change through MCA notifications, CBIC circulars and state notifications, and the Income-tax Act, 2025 has renumbered the income tax provisions with effect from 1 April 2026. Confirm the current position before acting.