There are some apprehensions in the trade circles that GST invoices have to be issued as per prescribed format and that issuing invoice is going to be burdensome process.This is not correct.Some important facts about GST provisions relating to invoice are highlighted for information of all stakeholders.

•   All GST taxpayers are free to design their own invoice format.

•   GST Law only requires that certain fields must mandatorily be in the invoice.

•   The time period prescribed for issuing invoice is different for goods & services.For goods,it is any time before its delivery and for services, it is within 30 days from the date of supply of services.

•   Small taxpayers, like small retailers, doing a large number of small transactions for upto value of Rs.200 per transaction to unregistered customers need not issue invoice for every such transaction.They can issue one consolidated invoice at the end of each day for all transactions done during the day. However, they should issue the invoice where the customer so demands.

•   In normal circumstances, one copy of invoice is required to be carried by the transporter.However, GSTN provides a facility to obtain an invoice refrence number and if a taxpayer has generated this number, his goods need not be accompanied by paper invoice during transportation.This mechanism helps to address frequently reported problems like paper invoices getting misplaced, mutilated, torn, or lost in course of transportation of goods.

•   In order to keep compliance burden low for small taxpayers, GST law provides that taxpayers with annual turnover of upto Rs.1.5crore need not mention the HSN Code of the goods in the invoice.

•   Keeping in view the large number of transactions in the banking, insurance and passenger transport sector, taxpayers need not mention the address of the customer and the serial number in their invoices.

•   Where the goods are transported for delivery but qauntity to be supplied is not known at the time of removal, the goods may be removed on delivery challan and invoice may be issued after delivery.

•   No need to issue separate Bill of supply if VAT invoice is issued for non-taxable supplies.

What is the need of GST invoice ?

From 1st July, 2017 GST will replace Central and State level indirect taxes like VAT, Service tax, Excise etc. Businesses that are registered under VAT or Service Tax need to migrate to GST as per the enrollment plan of State Government. Under this plan, iSPEEDTax GST experts will guide you on the applicability and compliances under GST for your business. They will assist you on the procedural formalities to get registered and secure your Goods and Service Tax Identification Number (GSTIN). Initially the applicants will be granted provisional registration under GST and later permanent registration will be granted in line with government guidelines.