GST Knowledge Base

Last reviewed: 26 Jan 2026

GST Glossary A–Z

Simple, practical definitions of common GST terms used in India — with quick links to the right tools.

Showing 179 of 179 terms • Tip: diagrams are shown for ITC and RCM terms.

A

Aggregate Turnover

Business

Total value of taxable, exempt, export and inter-state supplies under the same PAN (all-India), used for thresholds.

Check eligibility

Aadhaar Authentication

Compliance

Optional/required identity verification step used in some GST processes.

Advance Ruling

Compliance

A formal decision by the authority on GST treatment for a specific transaction.

Agent

Business

A person who supplies or receives goods/services on behalf of another.

Amendment (Return)

Forms

Correction made in a GST return for previously reported details.

Annual Return (GSTR-9)

Forms

Yearly consolidated return summarizing filings for the financial year.

Check late fee

Assessment

Compliance

A process where tax liability is determined by the department (or self-assessment by taxpayer).

Availed ITC

Concepts

Input tax credit you have claimed/used, subject to conditions.

Reconcile ITC

Additional Place of Business

Business

Any additional premises declared under GST for carrying out business.

B

B2B

Concepts

Business-to-business supply made to a registered recipient.

B2B Invoice

Forms

Invoice issued to a GST-registered buyer; can enable ITC.

B2C

Concepts

Business-to-consumer supply made to an unregistered recipient.

B2C Invoice

Forms

Invoice issued to an unregistered buyer; generally reported in consolidated form.

B2CL

Forms

Business-to-consumer large inter-state sales above a prescribed limit (verify latest).

B2CS

Forms

Business-to-consumer small sales (often consolidated reporting).

Bill of Entry

Forms

Customs document for imports; commonly used for IGST credit on imports.

Bill of Supply

Forms

Document issued for exempt supplies or by composition taxpayers; no GST charged.

Blocked Credit (Section 17(5))

Concepts

ITC not allowed on specified items (e.g., some motor vehicles, personal use), subject to rules.

Brand Rate of Refund

Compliance

Refund rate fixed for specific export items in some scenarios.

C

Cess

Tax Component

Additional levy on certain goods/services over GST.

CIN (Challan Identification Number)

Forms

Unique number generated after successful tax payment challan.

CGST

Tax Component

Central GST on intra-state supplies.

Change in Constitution

Compliance

Registration update when business structure changes (e.g., proprietorship to LLP).

Challan (PMT-06)

Forms

Payment challan used to deposit GST via cash ledger.

Composite Supply

Concepts

Bundle of supplies naturally bundled and supplied together; taxed as principal supply.

Composition Scheme

Compliance

Simplified scheme with fixed rate on turnover, fewer compliances, no ITC.

Consideration

Concepts

Payment/value received for a supply; used in valuation.

Credit Ledger

Business

Electronic ledger showing ITC available for set-off.

Credit Note

Forms

Document to reduce invoice value/tax (returns/discounts).

Cross-utilization

Concepts

Using IGST/CGST/SGST credits for set-off as per rules.

Cancellation of Registration

Compliance

Process of cancelling GST registration due to closure/non-compliance or by request.

Casual Taxable Person

Compliance

Person supplying in a state where they have no fixed place of business; needs special registration.

Cash Ledger Balance

Business

Available cash balance deposited for GST payment.

CBIC

Business

Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs; key GST administrative body.

D

Debit Note

Forms

Document to increase invoice value/tax.

Defaulting Supplier

Compliance

Supplier whose non-compliance can impact recipient ITC (verify using 2B).

Check 2B

Deemed Export

Concepts

Supplies treated as exports for benefits even if goods do not leave India (specific cases).

Delivery Challan

Forms

Document used for transporting goods without invoice in specific cases.

Demand

Compliance

Tax amount determined as payable by department, often via notice/order.

Departmental Audit

Compliance

Audit conducted by GST authorities to verify compliance.

Differential Tax

Tax Component

Additional tax payable due to rate/valuation differences.

Due Date

Compliance

Last date to file return/pay tax to avoid late fee/interest.

See deadlines

DSC (Digital Signature Certificate)

Compliance

Digital certificate used to sign certain GST filings.

E

E-Invoicing

Compliance

System where invoice details are registered on IRP to generate IRN/QR code.

Check e-invoice applicability

E-Invoice IRN

Forms

Invoice Reference Number generated by IRP for an e-invoice.

E-Invoice IRP

Business

Invoice Registration Portal that generates IRN/QR for e-invoices.

E-Way Bill (EWB)

Compliance

Electronic document for movement of goods beyond prescribed limit (verify latest).

EWB Part A

Forms

E-way bill section with invoice/consignment details.

EWB Part B

Forms

E-way bill section with transporter/vehicle details.

EWB Number

Forms

Unique number generated after e-way bill creation.

Electronic Cash Ledger

Business

Ledger showing GST cash deposits used for payment.

Electronic Credit Ledger

Business

Ledger showing ITC credits available for set-off.

Electronic Liability Ledger

Business

Ledger showing tax/interest/late fee liability.

Eligible ITC

Concepts

ITC that can be claimed as per law and conditions.

Reconcile ITC

Exempt Supply

Concepts

Supply attracting nil rate or exempt under notification.

Export of Goods

Concepts

Supply of goods outside India (zero-rated).

Export of Services

Concepts

Service export meeting place/recipient/payment conditions (zero-rated).

EVC (Electronic Verification Code)

Compliance

OTP-based verification method for GST filings.

E-Invoice Cancellation

Compliance

Process to cancel an IRN within allowed time window (verify latest rules).

E-Invoice JSON

Forms

Standard invoice data format uploaded to IRP for IRN generation.

E-Invoice Schema

Forms

Standard structure/rules for e-invoice JSON fields.

E-Way Bill Cancellation

Compliance

Cancellation of an e-way bill within allowed time window (verify latest).

E-Way Bill Update Vehicle

Compliance

Facility to update vehicle details (Part B) when transport changes.

EWB Validity

Compliance

Time period for which an e-way bill remains valid, based on distance (verify latest).

E-Commerce Operator (ECO)

Business

Platform facilitating supply of goods/services; may have TCS obligations.

ECO TCS

Tax Component

TCS collected by e-commerce operators on net taxable supplies in specified cases.

Export LUT

Compliance

Export without payment of IGST using LUT, subject to conditions.

Export with Payment

Compliance

Export on payment of IGST and later claim refund (subject to process).

Export without Payment

Compliance

Export under LUT/bond without paying IGST upfront.

F

Financial Year (FY)

Business

Accounting year from 1 April to 31 March.

Filing

Compliance

Submitting GST returns on portal within due dates.

Fine Print

Compliance

Detailed rules/notifications that clarify headline changes.

Final Return (GSTR-10)

Forms

Return filed when registration is cancelled.

G

GST

Concepts

Goods and Services Tax, a unified indirect tax in India.

GST Council

Business

Constitutional body that recommends GST policy and rates.

GSTIN

Business

15-digit GST Identification Number assigned to a registered person.

Validate GSTIN

GST Practitioner (GSTP)

Business

Authorized professional who can assist with GST compliance.

GSTR-1

Forms

Return for outward supplies (sales) details.

GSTR-2A

Forms

Dynamic auto-draft inward supplies statement from suppliers' GSTR-1.

GSTR-2B

Forms

Static monthly ITC statement used for ITC claim/reconciliation.

Reconcile 2B

GSTR-3B

Forms

Monthly/quarterly summary return for tax payment and ITC claim.

GSTR-4

Forms

Annual return for composition taxpayers.

GSTR-5

Forms

Return for non-resident taxable persons.

GSTR-6

Forms

Return for Input Service Distributor (ISD).

GSTR-7

Forms

Return for GST TDS deductors.

GSTR-8

Forms

Return for e-commerce operators collecting TCS.

GSTR-9C

Forms

Reconciliation statement (where applicable) between financials and GST returns.

GST Rate

Tax Component

Applicable GST percentage on a supply.

Generate rate card

GST Return

Forms

Periodic statement filed to report supplies, ITC and tax payment.

GST Portal

Business

Official government portal used for registration, returns and payments.

GST Suvidha Provider (GSP)

Business

Authorized service provider that connects software to GST system APIs.

GST Amnesty

Compliance

Relief scheme reducing/waiving late fees for specified periods (announced occasionally).

GST Audit

Compliance

Examination of records to verify compliance; scope depends on current law/rules.

H

HSN

Business

Harmonized System of Nomenclature code for goods classification.

Search HSN

HSN Chapter

Business

Two-digit chapter grouping for HSN classification.

Browse chapters

HSN Summary

Forms

Return section summarizing HSN-wise outward supplies.

HSN vs SAC

Concepts

HSN classifies goods; SAC classifies services under GST.

Search HSN

HSN-wise Reporting

Compliance

Reporting outward supply values by HSN in returns/invoices as applicable.

I

IGST

Tax Component

Integrated GST on inter-state supplies and imports.

Import of Goods

Concepts

Bringing goods into India; IGST may apply at customs.

Import of Services

Concepts

Service received from outside India; may trigger RCM in some cases.

Check RCM

Ineligible ITC

Concepts

ITC that cannot be claimed due to restrictions/conditions.

Input Tax Credit (ITC)

Concepts

Credit of GST paid on purchases used to reduce GST on sales, subject to conditions.

Example: Input Tax Credit (ITC)

Purchase

You pay GST to supplier

Example: GST paid on raw materials = ₹12,000

Set-off

Use ITC to reduce GST payable

Output GST payable = ₹24,000 → After ITC = ₹12,000

Net Payable to Govt₹12,000

Reconcile ITC

Inter-state Supply

Concepts

Supply where location of supplier and place of supply are in different states/UTs.

Find place of supply

Intra-state Supply

Concepts

Supply where supplier and place of supply are in same state/UT.

Interest (Section 50)

Tax Component

Charge payable for delayed payment of GST, subject to rules.

Calculate interest

Invoice

Forms

Document for supply; a tax invoice shows taxable value, rate and GST amount.

Calculate GST

IRN (Invoice Reference Number)

Forms

Unique identifier for an e-invoice generated by IRP.

ITC Reversal

Concepts

Reduction of previously claimed ITC due to conditions not met.

IFF (Invoice Furnishing Facility)

Forms

Facility under QRMP to upload B2B invoices monthly even when filing GSTR-1 quarterly.

Import IGST Credit

Concepts

ITC of IGST paid on imports, typically based on Bill of Entry.

Inverted Duty Structure

Concepts

When output GST rate is lower than input rate; may allow refund of accumulated ITC (subject to rules).

Check inverted duty

Inward Supply

Concepts

Purchases/receipts of goods/services by a taxpayer.

ISD (Input Service Distributor)

Business

Office that distributes input service ITC to its units under GST rules.

ISD Invoice

Forms

Invoice/credit note used by ISD to distribute credit to recipients.

J

Job Work

Concepts

Processing of goods by a job worker on behalf of principal under GST provisions.

Jurisdiction

Compliance

GST office/authority assigned to a taxpayer for administration.

L

Late Fee

Tax Component

Penalty for delayed return filing, typically per day with caps (verify latest).

Calculate late fee

Liability

Concepts

Total tax/interest/penalty payable under GST.

LUT (Letter of Undertaking)

Compliance

Document to export without payment of IGST, subject to conditions.

Ledger Utilization

Concepts

Using cash/credit ledger balances to discharge liability as per set-off rules.

Liability Set-off

Concepts

Order/rules of utilizing credits and cash to pay tax.

M

Matching

Compliance

Process of matching purchase records with GSTR-2B for ITC accuracy.

Start reconciliation

Mixed Supply

Concepts

Two or more supplies made together not naturally bundled; taxed at highest rate among items.

Monthly Payment (QRMP)

Compliance

Monthly tax payment with quarterly return filing under QRMP.

Mismatch (2B vs Books)

Compliance

Difference between ITC in books and GSTR-2B; needs reconciliation.

Reconcile 2B

N

Nil Rated Supply

Concepts

Supply taxable at 0% GST; reported but no GST payable.

Non-GST Supply

Concepts

Supply not covered under GST (e.g., certain petroleum items), as per law.

Non-Resident Taxable Person (NRTP)

Compliance

Person supplying in India but residing outside; requires special registration/returns.

Notice

Compliance

Formal communication from department seeking info or proposing tax demand.

Nil Return

Forms

Return filed with nil values (no outward supply/ITC/liability).

O

Outward Supply

Concepts

Sales/supplies made by a taxpayer.

Overdue Return

Compliance

Return not filed by due date; may block filing of subsequent returns.

OIDAR

Concepts

Online Information and Database Access or Retrieval services; special GST rules may apply.

P

PAN

Business

Permanent Account Number; base identifier linked to GSTIN.

Penalty

Tax Component

Amount imposed for non-compliance under GST provisions.

Place of Supply (POS)

Concepts

Rule-based location used to decide IGST vs CGST+SGST.

Find place of supply

Principal Supply

Concepts

Main supply in a composite supply; determines GST rate for the bundle.

Provisional ITC

Concepts

ITC claimed subject to matching and conditions.

Provisional Attachment

Compliance

Temporary attachment of property/bank in specified cases.

Payment Voucher

Forms

Voucher issued when paying under reverse charge (where applicable).

Principal Place of Business

Business

Main declared business location under GST in a state.

Q

QR Code (E-Invoice)

Forms

Machine-readable code on e-invoices containing key invoice details.

QRMP

Compliance

Quarterly Return Monthly Payment scheme for eligible taxpayers.

R

RCM

Compliance

Reverse Charge Mechanism where recipient pays GST instead of supplier in specified cases.

Example: Reverse Charge Mechanism (RCM)

Supplier

Unregistered / Not liable

Issues invoice without GST

RCM Applies

Recipient

Pays GST directly to Govt

Can claim ITC (if eligible)

Calculate RCM

Rate of Tax

Tax Component

GST percentage applicable on taxable value.

Generate rate card

Refund

Compliance

Return of excess GST paid/accumulated credit under certain conditions.

Registration

Compliance

Process of obtaining GSTIN and being enrolled under GST.

Check eligibility

Regular Taxpayer

Business

Taxpayer not under composition; files regular returns.

Reverse Charge

Compliance

See RCM; recipient becomes liable for tax in specified scenarios.

Calculate RCM

RCM Self-Invoice

Forms

Self-invoice raised by recipient in certain RCM cases when supplier is unregistered.

Calculate RCM

Refund Voucher

Forms

Voucher issued when advance is received but supply is not made and advance is refunded (where applicable).

Revocation of Cancellation

Compliance

Restoring a cancelled GST registration within permitted timelines (verify latest).

S

SAC

Business

Services Accounting Code for services classification.

SCN (Show Cause Notice)

Compliance

Notice asking why tax/penalty should not be demanded.

SEZ

Business

Special Economic Zone; supplies to SEZ are treated as zero-rated subject to rules.

SGST

Tax Component

State GST on intra-state supplies.

Supply

Concepts

Core taxable event under GST: sale, transfer, barter, etc., as defined.

Supplier

Business

Person providing goods/services.

Summary Return

Forms

Return that reports totals rather than invoice-level details (e.g., 3B).

Suspension of Registration

Compliance

Temporary suspension during cancellation proceedings or for non-compliance.

T

Taxable Person

Business

Person liable to be registered and pay GST, subject to thresholds/rules.

Taxable Supply

Concepts

Supply on which GST is applicable.

Tax Invoice

Forms

Invoice that contains GST details; used for ITC by recipient.

TCS (GST)

Tax Component

Tax Collected at Source by e-commerce operators in specified cases.

TDS (GST)

Tax Component

Tax Deducted at Source by notified deductors on payments to suppliers.

Time of Supply

Concepts

Rules that decide when GST becomes payable for a supply.

Turnover

Business

Total sales value for a period; used for thresholds and reporting.

Taxable Value

Concepts

Value on which GST is calculated (after discounts, as per valuation rules).

Calculate GST

Transporter ID

Business

GSTIN/enrolment ID of transporter used in e-way bill system.

U

UIN

Business

Unique Identification Number for certain notified entities (e.g., embassies) for refunds.

UTGST

Tax Component

GST on supplies within Union Territories without legislature.

Utilization Order

Concepts

Priority/order for using IGST/CGST/SGST credits for payment.

V

Valuation

Concepts

Rules to determine taxable value when consideration is not straightforward.

Voluntary Registration

Compliance

Choosing to register under GST even if below threshold.

Voluntary Payment (DRC-03)

Forms

Making voluntary tax payment and intimation via DRC-03 (process term).

W

Works Contract

Concepts

Composite contract involving goods + services for immovable property; special GST treatment.

Z

Zero Rated Supply

Concepts

Exports and supplies to SEZ; eligible for refund/LUT route subject to rules.

Zero-rated vs Exempt

Concepts

Zero-rated (exports/SEZ) allows ITC/refund; exempt generally blocks ITC.

Most used tools

Jump from definition → action (calculations, search, verification).

GST Calculator

GST inclusive/exclusive

HSN Search

Find HSN chapters/codes

Quick note

This glossary is for learning and cross-checking. For filing, always verify the latest rules on the official GST portal.

Why this helps

• Understand return terminology faster
• Avoid mistakes in invoices and ITC
• Jump straight to tools when needed

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FAQs

Is this glossary official or legally binding?

▾

No. It’s a learning reference to help you understand GST terms faster. Always verify filings, due dates, and rules on the GST portal or with your CA for your specific case.

How do I share a specific term with my accountant?

▾

Use the “Link” button next to a term to copy a direct URL to that term (e.g., /glossary#itc). You can paste it into WhatsApp/email.

Does this page update automatically when laws change?

▾

We review and update glossary terms periodically. For the most time-sensitive items (due dates, notifications), always cross-check on the GST Portal and CBIC.

Which tools should I use after understanding a term?

▾

Most users go next to the GST Calendar (deadlines), HSN Search (classification), or the GSTR-2B Reconciler (ITC checks), depending on what they’re working on.

Sources & Verification

This glossary is a practical learning reference. For time-sensitive compliance items (due dates, filing rules, notifications), always verify on official sources.

Last reviewed: 26 Jan 2026

Next steps (popular tools)

Turn definitions into action: deadlines, classification, ITC checks.

View All

GST Calendar

Monthly due dates for GST returns & compliance.

HSN Code Search

Search HSN codes with chapter structure & notes.

GSTR-2B Reconciler

Upload Excel & match with Purchase Register. 100% Private.

RCM Liability Calculator

Check reverse charge applicability & liability estimate.