As a dealer who is registered under the GST, you are need to offer bills or GST invoices to your customers.
What is meant by a GST Invoice?
A bill or GST invoice is a complete list of services provided or goods sent along with due payment amount.
Who can issue invoice of GST?
If your business is registered under the GST, then you require to give GST compliant invoices to your customers for sale or services of the goods.
Your vendor who is also registered under the GST will offer GST compliant invoices of purchase to you.
What are the essential fields a GST Invoice must have?
An invoice of tax is normally issued for imposing the tax and pass this tax on the input credit of tax. The GST invoice should have the following necessary fields.
If the value of the product is more than Rs. 50,000 and the recipient is not registered, then the invoice should contain:
When you must issue the GST invoices?
The act of the GST has provided limit of time for issuing credit note, debit notes, revised bills and GST tax invoices.
The following are dates which are due for issuance of customers invoice:
How GST Invoice can issue?
If there is supply of goods, then invoice need to be created in triplicate in the following way:
- You can mark triplicate copy as TRIPLICATE FOR SUPPLIER
- You can mark duplicate copy as DUPICATE FOR TRANSPORTER
- You can mark original copy as ORIGINAL FOR RECIPIENT
In case of services supply the invoice need to be created in duplicate in the following way:
After the issuance of invoice, the invoices serial number, which are issued in the period of tax must be electronically uploaded via the common website of the GST in form GSTR-1.
What are various kinds of invoices?
The various kinds of invoice are following:
Aggregate Invoice If the buyer is unregistered and multiple invoices value is not more than Rs. 200, then bulk or aggregate invoice is issued by the seller on a regular basis for the multiple invoices.
Invoice-cum-bill of supply If an unregistered person receives the supply of exempted as well as taxable services or goods from a registered person, then a single invoice-cum-bill of supply is issued by him for this type of supplies.
Bill of Supply The bill of supply is same as an invoice of GST. The only difference is that amount of tax is not given in the bill of supply as the buyer is not charged GST by the seller.
In some cases, tax is not levied, then a bill of supply is issued:
Debit and credit note
Can you revise those invoices which are issued before GST?
Yes, those invoices which are issued before GST, you can revise them easily. Under the regime of the GST, all dealers need to apply for registration on a provisional basis before receiving the certificate of permanent registration.
This will apply to all those invoices which are issued between the GST implementation date and the date of issue of certificate of registration
If you are a dealer, then all those already issued invoices, then against them you require to issue a revised invoice. Within one month the revised invoice must have issued from the issue date of certificate of registration.
How many invoices copies must be issued?
Two copies of invoice need to be issued for the services. Three copies of invoice are need to be issued for the goods. In the cases such as transport, passenger and banking, the government has offered some relaxations on the format of the invoice as issued by supplier.
Main differences between the old format of invoice and new format of GST invoice
Across the globe, the formats of invoice have some universal components which are similar such as final value, tax amount, rate of tax, taxable value of supply, total value of supply, quantity, description of goods, address and name of the recipient and the supplier, and date of invoice etc.
Under the GST, the supplier GSTIN is essentially needed for mentioning in the invoice of tax along with a succeeding serial number which is distinct for every financial year. Therefore, businesses require to follow that format of numbering of invoice which gives importance to the needs of the GST.
Small businesses need to use that format of invoice number which begins with the financial year such as 2018-XXXX, where the XXXX will be numerals for keeping a track of the invoices numbers in a financial year issued by the business.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between due date and invoice date?
Invoice date means that date when the invoice is made on the bill-book. Due date is that date when payment is pending on invoice.
Under reverse charge, how to issue an invoice?
Under the reverse charge, if the GST is payable, then you require to mention that on the reverse charge, the tax is paid on the invoice of the GST.
Is it necessary to maintain an invoice serial number?
Yes, it is necessary to maintain a serial number for the invoice. You can modify the format by giving a written application informing the officer of the GST department along with necessary reasons for that.
Can I sign digitally the invoice via DSC?
Yes, you can sign digitally the invoice via DSC (Digital Signature Certificate).
In few cases, the government has offered relief on the format in which a supplier issued the invoice.
ISD (Input Service Distributor) issued the invoice or a note of credit and it contains some details which are somehow different than the normal formats of the invoice.
In certain cases, when the input service distributor is a NBFC, a financial institution, or a banking company, the invoice of tax includes all those documents which are issued instead of invoice of tax. The document need to have following information.
In the banking and insurance sector, the suppliers issued the invoice.
The supplier can be
Must issue an invoice of tax or other documents instead of invoice of tax.
The invoice is issued by the supplier via electronically or physically. The invoice may not be or may numbered serially, and my not or may contain the taxable service recipient address. It must contain information as given in the tax invoice format.
GTA (Goods Transport Agency) issued the invoice
In case if the services supply is performed by GTA in affiliation to goods transportation in a carriage or goods by road, then the supplier must issue an invoice of tax or a same document. The document or invoice must include the following information:
The GSTIN of that person who is responsible for tax payment as a goods transport agency, consignee or consigner. It also contains the details given in the tax invoice format.
When passenger transporter issued the invoice
The passenger transportation service is given by the supplier and is needed to issue invoice of tax and ticket issue in various forms, whether serially numbered or not, and whether contains or not contains the service recipient address, but contains other details as given in the tax invoice format.
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