The complete GST registration document checklist

Proprietorship

The simplest case, and the most common. Everything is in the proprietor's own name.

• PAN card of the proprietor
• Aadhaar card, linked to a mobile number that can receive OTP
• Recent passport-size photograph
• Proof of principal place of business — electricity bill, municipal tax receipt or registry copy
• Rent agreement plus owner's No Objection Certificate, if the premises are rented
• Cancelled cheque or bank statement showing name, account number and IFSC

Partnership firm and LLP

The firm needs its own PAN, and every partner's identity documents are required — not just the authorised signatory's.

• PAN of the firm and of each partner
• Aadhaar of all partners and of the authorised signatory
• Partnership deed, or LLP incorporation certificate and LLP agreement
• Photographs of all partners
• Letter of authorisation or board resolution for the authorised signatory
• Principal place of business proof and bank account proof

Private limited company and OPC

Companies additionally require a Class 3 Digital Signature Certificate — the application cannot be submitted without one, and obtaining it takes a day or two that people rarely factor in.

• Certificate of Incorporation and company PAN
• Memorandum and Articles of Association
• PAN, Aadhaar and photograph of every director
• Board resolution appointing the authorised signatory
• Class 3 DSC of the authorised director
• Registered office address proof and bank account proof

The five errors that cause most rejections

Eligibility is rarely the problem. These five document issues account for the overwhelming majority of queries we see:

• Address mismatch — the electricity bill is in a previous owner's or a relative's name with no supporting NOC
• Unsigned or undated rent agreement, or one that has expired
• Blurred or partially cut-off scans, particularly of the electricity bill
• Bank proof in a personal name when registering a firm or company
• Aadhaar not linked to an active mobile number, so authentication cannot complete

A note on home addresses

Registering from a residential address is entirely acceptable and extremely common for proprietorships, freelancers and consultants. You need the electricity bill or municipal tax receipt in the owner's name, plus a short No Objection Certificate if the property belongs to a parent, spouse or landlord.

The NOC does not need to be on stamp paper or notarised in most states — a plain signed letter stating that the owner has no objection to the business being registered at the address is sufficient. We provide a template.