How Much Does GST Registration Cost? Fees and Timeline Explained
GST registration has no government fee — filing Form REG-01 on the GST portal is free. What businesses actually pay for is professional assistance: document preparation, accurate HSN/SAC classification, Aadhaar authentication support, and a Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) if the applicant is a company or LLP.
What you might pay for
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| GST portal application (REG-01) | Free (government) |
| Digital Signature Certificate (company/LLP) | ₹1,000–₹1,500 |
| Professional/service fee | Varies by provider |
Timeline
With complete documents and successful Aadhaar e-KYC, GSTIN is typically issued within 3–7 working days. If the officer requires physical verification of the premises (common for new businesses without a strong document trail), it can take up to 30 days.
Why businesses still pay a service fee
Incorrect HSN/SAC selection, mismatched address proof, or skipping Aadhaar authentication are the top causes of rejection or delay — each restart adds days. A service fee buys accuracy and speed, not the registration itself, which is free.
Ongoing GST compliance cost
The real recurring cost is monthly/quarterly return filing (GSTR-1, GSTR-3B) and annual return (GSTR-9), which most businesses outsource to avoid late fees of ₹50/day (₹20/day for nil returns) plus 18% annual interest on unpaid tax.
Get a clear, upfront quote from our GST registration and filing service.