Is GST registration compulsory for every freelancer?
Short answer: No. A freelancer who only supplies services must register once aggregate turnover in a financial year crosses Rs 20 lakh, or Rs 10 lakh in Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. Some situations make registration compulsory regardless of turnover, so check those too.
Your aggregate turnover is the total of all your fees under the same PAN across India, including exports of services and exempt services.
Registration can be compulsory below the threshold in some situations, for example if you also sell goods across state lines, supply through certain online marketplaces, or are a casual taxable person. Whether freelancers who only export services must register below the threshold is a point on which published guidance differs, so confirm it with a GST practitioner.
Read our full guide: GST registration for freelancers.
Official sources
- CGST Act, 2017 and notifications, CBIC
- GST portal, Goods and Services Tax Network
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