Rule 46 - Tax invoice
CGST Rules, 2017
OMITTEDDIRECT_OFFICIAL_RULE_PAGEindex,follow
Source control: The text/status on this page is tied to the official source gateway and the Phase 1 legal-review register.
Open official source.
Finin2min Summary - Rule in 2 Minutes
Paragraph / test Plain-language meaning
Core purpose Lists the minimum legal content of a GST tax invoice.
Unregistered recipient Address rules depend on value and service/platform facts.
E-invoice
IRN/QR and declaration requirements apply only to notified
classes and exclusions.
Export/SEZ Use the prescribed endorsement and destination details.
Operational map
Control Result
Linked law CGST Act section 31; rule 48; export/SEZ invoice requirements
Forms / documents FORM GST INV-01 for notified e-invoice cases under rule 48(4)
Timeline
At the time prescribed by section 31 and rules 47/47A,
depending on the supply.
Exact operative text
Subject to rule 54, a tax invoice referred to in section 31 shall be issued by the registered person containing the following
particulars, namely:-
(a) name, address and Goods and Services Tax Identification Number of the supplier;
(b) a consecutive serial number not exceeding sixteen characters, in one or multiple series, containing alphabets or
numerals or special characters - hyphen or dash and slash symbolised as "-" and "/" respectively, and any combination
thereof, unique for a financial year;
(c) date of its issue;
(d) name, address and Goods and Services Tax Identification Number or Unique Identity Number, if registered, of the
recipient;
(e) name and address of the recipient and the address of delivery, along with the name of the State and its code, if such
recipient is unregistered and where the value of the taxable supply is fifty thousand rupees or more;
(f) name and address of the recipient and the address of delivery, along with the name of the State and its code, if such
recipient is unregistered and where the value of the taxable supply is less than fifty thousand rupees and the recipient
requests that such details be recorded in the tax invoice:
Provided that in cases involving supply of online money gaming, or where any taxable service is supplied by or through
an electronic commerce operator, or by a supplier of online information and database access or retrieval services to a
recipient who is unregistered, irrespective of the value of such supply, a tax invoice issued by the registered person shall
contain the name of the State of the recipient and the same shall be deemed to be the address on record of the recipient;
(g) Harmonised System of Nomenclature code for goods or services;
(h) description of goods or services;
(i) quantity in case of goods and unit or Unique Quantity Code thereof;
(j) total value of supply of goods or services or both;
(k) taxable value of the supply of goods or services or both taking into account discount or abatement, if any;
(l) rate of tax (central tax, State tax, integrated tax, Union territory tax or cess);
(m) amount of tax charged in respect of taxable goods or services (central tax, State tax, integrated tax, Union territory
tax or cess);
(n) place of supply along with the name of the State, in the case of a supply in the course of inter-State trade or
commerce;
(o) address of delivery where the same is different from the place of supply;
(p) whether the tax is payable on reverse charge basis;
(q) signature or digital signature of the supplier or his authorised representative;
(r) Quick Response code, having embedded Invoice Reference Number (IRN) in it, in case invoice has been issued in the
manner prescribed under sub-rule (4) of rule 48;
(s) the following declaration, where applicable: "I/We hereby declare that though our aggregate turnover in any
preceding financial year from 2017-18 onwards is more than the aggregate turnover notified under sub-rule (4) of rule
48, we are not required to prepare an invoice in terms of the provisions of the said sub-rule."
Provided that the Board may, on the recommendations of the Council, by notification, specify- (i) the number of digits of
Harmonised System of Nomenclature code for goods or services that a class of registered persons shall be required to
mention; (ii) a class of supply of goods or services for which specified number of HSN digits shall be required to be
Finin2min | P0-R02
Finin2min.com | Finance & Law Explained in 2 Minutes | Educational and professional reference
mentioned by all registered taxpayers; and (iii) the class of registered persons that would not be required to mention the
HSN code for goods or services.
[A former proviso permitting a monthly consolidated invoice for specified section 9(4) supplies was omitted with
effect from 1 November 2024.]
Provided further that, in the case of export of goods or services or supply to an SEZ unit or SEZ developer for authorised
operations, the invoice shall carry the endorsement "SUPPLY MEANT FOR EXPORT/SUPPLY TO SEZ UNIT OR SEZ
DEVELOPER FOR AUTHORISED OPERATIONS ON PAYMENT OF INTEGRATED TAX" or "SUPPLY MEANT FOR
EXPORT/SUPPLY TO SEZ UNIT OR SEZ DEVELOPER FOR AUTHORISED OPERATIONS UNDER BOND OR LETTER OF
UNDERTAKING WITHOUT PAYMENT OF INTEGRATED TAX", as the case may be, and shall, in lieu of the details specified
in clause (e), contain: (i) name and address of the recipient; (ii) address of delivery; and (iii) name of the country of
destination.
Provided also that a registered person, other than a supplier engaged in making supply of services by way of admission
to exhibition of cinematograph films in multiplex screens, may not issue a tax invoice under section 31(3)(b) where the
recipient is not registered and does not require such invoice, and shall issue a consolidated tax invoice for such supplies
at the close of each day.
Provided also that signature or digital signature of the supplier or authorised representative shall not be required where
an electronic invoice is issued in accordance with the Information Technology Act, 2000.
Provided also that the Government may, by notification, on the recommendations of the Council and subject to notified
conditions and restrictions, specify that the tax invoice shall have a Quick Response (QR) code.
Paragraph-wise decode
Paragraph / test Plain-language meaning Core purpose Lists the minimum legal content of a GST tax invoice. Unregistered recipient Address rules depend on value and service/platform facts. E-invoice IRN/QR and declaration requirements apply only to notified classes and exclusions. Export/SEZ Use the prescribed endorsement and destination details. Operational map Control Result Linked law CGST Act section 31; rule 48; export/SEZ invoice requirements Forms / documents FORM GST INV-01 for notified e-invoice cases under rule 48(4) Timeline At the time prescribed by section 31 and rules 47/47A, depending on the supply.
Section-Rule-Form-Notification bridge
No direct Rule certified in Phase 1. Check notifications, circulars, forms and corresponding State law.
The mapping is a legal concordance, not a round-robin related-link list. It is limited to instruments certified in this phase.
Practical example
A notified supplier issues an e-invoice to a registered customer. The document must carry the normal rule 46 particulars and an embedded IRN QR code.
Professional alert
• Do not use the omitted pre-1 November 2024 monthly consolidated RCM proviso. • The invoice particulars do not themselves decide e-invoice applicability. • Place of supply, delivery address and recipient State are distinct fields.
Finin2min | P0-R02 Finin2min.com | Finance & Law Explained in 2 Minutes | Educational and professional reference
Implementation checklist
- Fix the transaction, taxable period and jurisdiction.
- Read every subsection, proviso, explanation and omission marker.
- Open the mapped Rule, form, notification and circular.
- Test State/UT variation and portal version.
- Preserve evidence, approvals, working papers and acknowledgements.
- Record the conclusion, assumptions, source date and reviewer.
Evidence and retention checklist
- Contract, purchase order, invoice or underlying transaction document.
- Registration, return, ledger, challan and portal acknowledgement.
- Official Act/Rule/notification version used and effective date.
- Internal tax position paper, computation and management approval.
- Correspondence, notices, replies, orders and appeal papers where applicable.
Practical Q&A
- What does rule 46 regulate?
- It regulates tax invoice. Read the exact text, conditions, exceptions and transaction date together.
- Which subordinate law should be checked?
- No direct CGST Rule has been certified in this phase. Notifications, circulars, forms and the corresponding SGST/UTGST layer may also apply.
- What evidence should be retained?
- Preserve the contract or transaction record, invoice or form, portal acknowledgement, payment/ledger evidence, correspondence, legal working and the official source version used.
- Can portal behaviour override the statute?
- No. Portal functionality is operational evidence; legal entitlement and liability remain controlled by the Act, Rules, notifications and binding decisions.