GST registration overhaul: Businesses may soon apply for multiple states at once

New Delhi: The GST Council is likely to consider a proposal to allow businesses to file for GST registration in multiple states through a single application process and also list out a unified set of documents that tax officers may ask for.

In a move aimed at bringing about ease of doing business, the council, at its October 7 meeting, is likely to deliberate on a redesigned and simpler GST registration form for large businesses.

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Currently there are over 1.68 crore businesses registered under Goods and Services Tax (GST).

The new registration form will be easier to fill and will be accompanied by guidance at all stages. Besides, the form would also list the documents that need to be uploaded.

Sources said once the redesigned registration system kicks in, the details provided by businesses would be carried over when applying for registration in other states.

If the business applies for registration in multiple states, the applications can be filled together.

The GST system will determine which office has jurisdiction based on the location given when filling the form, sources said.

The council is also likely to approve a set of guidelines for officers specifying which documents may be called for, for what purpose and when they are enough.

"This would bring about consistency across states for GST registration. An applicant in one state will be asked for the same things as an applicant in another," the source added.

The GST Council in its September 2025 meeting had approved a simplified GST registration scheme for small and low-risk businesses and this was rolled out from November 1, 2025. Under the scheme, such businesses are granted registration within 3 days.

Small and low-risk businesses applicants whom the GST system identifies based on data analysis, or those applicants who self-assess that their output tax liability does not exceed Rs 2.5 lakh per month (inclusive of CGST, SGST/UTGST) can opt for the scheme. This covers 61 per cent of the about 1.68 crore GST registrations.

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The GST registration changes to be placed before the GST Council, comprising Union and State Finance Ministers, will now cover the remainder of the businesses, sources added.

AMRG Global Managing Partner Rajat Mohan said allowing an applicant to apply for GST registrations in several states through a single application process is an important step towards simplifying the registration framework.

"It is important to clarify that this does not yet introduce a single, pan-India GST registration; separate state-wise registrations will continue to exist. However, the ability to apply for registrations across multiple states together, with the system carrying forward existing details and determining the appropriate jurisdiction, represents a clear move towards a more centralised and seamless registration architecture," Mohan added.

While the legal structure of State-wise GST registrations remains intact, the administrative process is increasingly being brought onto a common technology-driven platform.

If this approach is progressively expanded, it could eventually pave the way for a much more integrated national registration framework, where businesses can obtain and manage registrations across India with significantly less duplication, delay and officer interaction, Mohan added.

The council is also likely to consider a proposal on streamlining changing major fields in GST registration and giving automatic approvals.

As per GST backend technology analysis, about 66 per cent of applications for changing GST registration comes in the fields of change in company's name, change in director, partner or 'karta', and change in address of an additional place of business.

Of the 16 lakh yearly applications for changing registration documents, roughly about 10.5 lakh are for making changes in these fields.

Only a change in the main place of business would need approval of the concerned tax officer.

However, for those businesses who were given GST registration within 3 days under automatic route, such a request would be granted automatic approval as well.