India’s GST system is moving towards a unified registration process, introducing a master temporary reference number for businesses operating across multiple states, potentially reducing duplication and simplifying compliance for large firms.
India’s Goods and Services Tax system is moving towards a more unified registration process for businesses that operate across several states, with the GST portal already introducing a facility that lets eligible applicants begin multiple state registrations through a single master temporary reference number. The development comes as the GST Council prepares to consider a broader overhaul designed to make the registration process simpler and more consistent for large businesses, according to The Hindu BusinessLine and portal updates reported by tax industry trackers.
Under the new portal flow, businesses using the same PAN can enter common details once, select the states or union territories where registration is needed, and receive a Master TRN that generates separate state-level reference numbers. The system still requires separate registrations in each state, but it reduces repeated data entry and is available at present only to normal taxpayers, according to reports on the GST Common Portal.
The council is also expected to examine a redesigned registration form for larger firms, along with a standardised list of documents that officers can request. That would mean applicants in different states face the same documentary demands, while the system itself carries forward information already submitted when a company applies elsewhere. Sources cited by The Hindu BusinessLine said the aim is to cut duplication and limit unnecessary officer interaction.
The move builds on an earlier simplified registration route for small and low-risk businesses, which the council approved in September 2025 and which began on November 1, 2025. That scheme allows qualifying applicants to receive registration within three days and, according to the report, covers about 61% of India’s roughly 1.68 crore GST registrations. Officials are now trying to extend similar efficiency gains to the rest of the taxpayer base.
Another change likely to be taken up by the council is automatic approval for many amendments to existing registrations. Backend data cited in the report suggests about 66% of change requests concern items such as a company name, a director or partner, or the address of an additional place of business. Of the roughly 16 lakh annual applications to amend registration details, around 10.5 lakh fall into those categories, while changes to the principal place of business would still require tax officer approval.
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