Guide · 8 September 2026

Do you need GST to sell online in India? It depends on three things.

This is the question that stops more Indian sellers than any other, and the honest answer is "it depends" — on how much you sell, where your buyers are, and whether you sell on a marketplace or your own site. Below is the map, in plain words, with the rules as commonly applied in 2026. It is not tax advice. Take the specific questions at the end to a chartered accountant; a one-hour consultation costs less than a wrong assumption.

The three things that decide it

Turnover. GST registration becomes mandatory once your aggregate turnover in a financial year crosses the threshold: ₹40 lakh for goods in most states, ₹20 lakh for services and for goods in the special-category states (the North-East and a few others).
Where your buyers are. Selling goods to a buyer in another state (inter-state supply) has generally required registration regardless of turnover. Services have a ₹20 lakh inter-state exemption; goods are treated more strictly.
Where you sell. Selling through an e-commerce operator — Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho — has historically required registration regardless of turnover. Since October 2023 unregistered sellers may sell *within their state* through such operators under conditions (an enrolment number, intra-state only). Selling on your own website is not "through an operator" — the threshold rules apply.

This changes

Thresholds, the special-category list and the marketplace rules have all been amended in recent years. Treat the numbers above as the 2026 starting point and verify the current position on the GST portal or with a CA before deciding.

The common situations

You are…	GST registration
Selling handmade goods on Instagram/WhatsApp + your own site, ₹8 lakh a year, buyers mostly in your city	Generally not required (under threshold, intra-state). Many still register voluntarily to claim input credit and look established.
Same, but shipping to buyers across India	Inter-state supply of goods has generally required registration regardless of turnover. Ask a CA — this is the case most small sellers get wrong.
Selling on Amazon or Flipkart	Required, with the limited intra-state enrolment exception for unregistered sellers since 2023.
Selling digital products/services (courses, presets) across India, under ₹20 lakh	Services enjoy the ₹20 lakh threshold even inter-state; over it, register.
Turnover above ₹40 lakh (goods) in any case	Required.

What gateways and couriers actually ask for

Sellers often assume they need a GSTIN because a form asks for it. In practice: Razorpay, PhonePe and Cashfree onboard sole proprietors with PAN, bank details and identity proof; a GSTIN is optional for most small-merchant categories. Shiprocket, Shipmozo and Rehbar Post likewise let you ship without one. Some categories (certain regulated goods) and higher volumes trigger stricter checks. If a form marks GSTIN as required and you don't have one, the support chat usually has the answer for your category.

A store platform never needs your GSTIN to run the store. On SitesPlaced you add your UPI ID and bank details for invoices; a GSTIN is an optional line on the invoice.

Registering voluntarily — when it's worth it

You buy stock or materials with GST and want to claim input tax credit. Without registration that GST is a cost.
B2B buyers (boutiques, corporate gifting) will ask for a GST invoice.
You plan to cross the threshold this year — registering before you must avoids a scramble.
Marketplaces — you'll need it to sell inter-state on Amazon or Flipkart.

The cost of being registered is the compliance: monthly or quarterly returns (the QRMP scheme reduces the frequency for small taxpayers), and charging GST on every sale — which either raises your prices or comes out of your margin. For a ₹6 lakh-a-year hobby store shipping within one state, that overhead is why many stay unregistered until they must.

If you do register: the 30-minute version

Apply online on the GST portal with PAN, Aadhaar, a photo, bank proof and a business address proof (a rent agreement or electricity bill; a home address is fine for a proprietorship).
Approval usually takes a few working days; Aadhaar authentication speeds it up.
Pick the QRMP scheme if you qualify (turnover up to ₹5 crore) to file quarterly with monthly payments.
Update your invoices: your GSTIN, the buyer's state, HSN codes and the tax split. A store that generates PDF invoices with your tax details saves the manual work.
Put a line in your product prices: "inclusive of GST" is the norm for consumer goods in India.

Questions to take to a CA

Do my products count as goods or services (digital downloads, custom design work, courses)?
Am I making inter-state supplies, and does that make registration mandatory at my turnover?
Should I register voluntarily to claim input credit on my materials?
Do I qualify for the composition scheme or QRMP, and what do they cost me in credit?
What should my invoice carry, and do I need HSN codes at my turnover?

Take a print of your last three months of orders. The conversation is much shorter with numbers in front of you.

FAQs

Can I sell on my own website without GST?

Within the turnover threshold (₹40 lakh for goods in most states) and selling within your own state, generally yes. Inter-state sales of goods have usually required registration regardless of turnover — check that point specifically with a CA.

Do I need GST to sell on Instagram or WhatsApp?

Instagram and WhatsApp are not e-commerce operators in the GST sense — they don't process the sale. The same threshold and inter-state rules apply as for your own website.

Does Razorpay require a GSTIN?

For most small-merchant categories, no: a sole proprietor can onboard with PAN, bank details and identity proof. Some categories and volumes trigger extra checks. PhonePe and Cashfree are similar.

What happens if I cross the threshold and don't register?

You become liable for the tax you should have collected, plus interest and penalties. Register within 30 days of becoming liable.

Is this tax advice?

No. It is a plain-English map of the commonly applied rules in 2026, written to help you ask a chartered accountant the right questions. Rules change; verify before acting.