Tax Invoice - Electronic Way Bill: formula sheet

Key formulas

Time of issue: supply of goods (normal case)

Issue invoice before or at the time of removal of goods (if movement is involved), or before or at the time of delivery or making goods available to the recipient (if no movement)

Where goods are sent on approval, issue the invoice before or at the time of supply, or within 6 months from the date of removal, whichever is earlier.

Time of issue: supply of services

Within 45 days from the date of supply of service

For an insurer, banking company, financial institution or NBFC, the period is 30 days.

Continuous supply of goods

Invoice on or before the date of each statement of accounts or each payment

Applies where goods are supplied continuously and the statement or payment dates are fixed.

Continuous supply of services

Due date of payment fixed in the contract: invoice on or before that due date. Due date not ascertainable: on or before actual payment is received. Payment linked to completion of an event: on or before completion

Choose the case from the contract wording.

Number of copies: goods

Three copies: Original for Recipient, Duplicate for Transporter, Triplicate for Supplier

Rule 46 requires a serially numbered invoice in triplicate for goods.

Number of copies: services

Two copies: Original for Recipient, Duplicate for Supplier

Rule 46 requires it in duplicate for services.

Mandatory particulars (Rule 46)

Name, address and GSTIN of supplier; consecutive serial number (max 16 characters, letters, numerals, hyphen or slash); date of issue; recipient name, address and GSTIN if registered; HSN code of goods or accounting code of services; description; quantity and unit for goods; total value; taxable value after discount; rate and amount of CGST, SGST/UTGST, IGST and cess; place of supply with state name if different from delivery state; address of delivery if different from place of supply; whether tax is payable on reverse charge; signature or digital signature of supplier or authorised person

Recipient details are needed in full when the recipient is registered. For an unregistered recipient, the rules set value-based conditions for including name and address.

Invoice number rule

Serial number must be unique for a financial year

It can contain a maximum of sixteen characters.

Tax invoice for goods

Issue before or at the time of removal (movement) or delivery/making available (no movement)

Section 31(1). It shows description, quantity, value and tax charged.

Tax invoice for services

Issue before or after the service, within the prescribed period

Section 31(2). The period is set by the Rules.

Bill of supply

Exempt supply or composition dealer (section 10) → bill of supply, not tax invoice

Section 31(3)(c). It may be skipped if value is below ₹200, subject to conditions.

Tax invoice may be skipped

Value of supply < ₹200 → tax invoice need not be issued

Section 31(3)(b), subject to prescribed conditions and manner.

Advance receipt

Advance received → receipt voucher

Section 31(3)(d).

No supply after advance

Receipt voucher issued, no supply, no tax invoice → refund voucher may be issued

Section 31(3)(e). The word is 'may'.

Reverse charge documents

Unregistered supplier: issue invoice on receipt, payment voucher on payment

Section 31(3)(f) and (g), for persons liable under section 9(3) or 9(4).

Continuous supply of goods

Invoice before or at the time each statement of account is issued or each payment is received

Section 31(4).

Continuous supply of services

Due date ascertainable: on or before due date. Not ascertainable: before or at time of receiving payment. Linked to event: on or before event completion

Section 31(5).

Supply ceases midway

Invoice at the time supply ceases, to the extent supplied

Section 31(6).

Sale on approval

Invoice before or at the time of supply, or within six months from removal, whichever is earlier

Section 31(7).

Revised invoice on late registration

Within one month of the registration certificate date, for supplies from the effective date to the certificate date

Section 31(3)(a).

Core duty under Rule 55A

Person in charge of conveyance → carries copy of tax invoice or bill of supply → during transport of goods

The duty is on the person in charge of the conveyance, not on the supplier. The supplier must still issue the document correctly.

Which document

Tax invoice (Rule 46) | Bill of supply (Rule 49)

Use the tax invoice where tax is charged. Use the bill of supply for exempt supplies or where the supplier is under composition. Rule 54 deals with certain other cases of invoices.

E-invoice proviso

E-invoice (Rule 48) → carry physical copy OR QR code with IRN (physical) OR IRN in electronic form

Any one of the three satisfies the officer. The IRN is the unique number generated by the Invoice Registration Portal.

Link with e-way bill

Rule 55A document + e-way bill (where required under Rule 138) = documents to be carried (Rule 138A)

Carrying an invoice does not replace the e-way bill where one is required.

Threshold (Rule 138(1))

E-way bill needed if consignment value > ₹50,000

Applies to a registered person moving goods for supply, for reasons other than supply, or on inward supply from an unregistered person. Exactly ₹50,000 is not covered.

Consignment value (Explanation 2)

Consignment value = section 15 value in the document + CGST + SGST/UTGST + IGST + cess charged − value of exempt goods in a mixed invoice

Taxes are included only if charged in the document.

Who generates by road (Rule 138(2), (3))

Consignor or consignee moving the goods → generates after Part B; goods given to transporter without a bill → transporter generates from Part A details

Transporter, e-commerce operator or courier agency may furnish Part A on authorisation.

Transport by rail, air or vessel (Rule 138(2A))

Supplier or recipient generates; Part B may be furnished before or after movement

For rail, the railways will not deliver goods unless the e-way bill is produced at delivery.

Job work, different States (third proviso)

Principal in one State sends goods to job worker in another State → bill by principal or job worker (if registered), irrespective of value

No ₹50,000 limit applies here.

Handicraft goods (fourth proviso)

Exempt-from-registration person moving handicraft goods inter-State → must generate e-way bill, irrespective of value

Applies to persons exempted under section 24(i) and (ii).

Voluntary generation (Rule 138(3) provisos)

Registered person or transporter may generate even if value is below ₹50,000; unregistered person may also opt

An unregistered person enrols using FORM GST ENR-03.

Transporter duty (Rule 138(7))

No bill by consignor/consignee and aggregate consignment value in conveyance > ₹50,000 → transporter generates for inter-State supply

Not for goods moved by railways, air or vessel.

Deemed acceptance (Rule 138(12))

No acceptance or rejection within 72 hours or by time of delivery, whichever is earlier → deemed accepted

Applies to the person to whom the details were made available.

Threshold

Consignment value > ₹50,000

Includes taxes and cess charged in the document; excludes exempt goods on a mixed invoice. Exceptions: job work by a principal to a job worker in another State, and handicraft goods moved inter-State by exempted unregistered persons, regardless of value.

Validity (normal cargo)

Up to 200 km: 1 day; each further 200 km or part: 1 more day

Days = 200 km blocks or part thereof. Counted from the time of generation, each day expiring at midnight of the day following the date of generation.

Validity (Over Dimensional Cargo or multimodal shipment with a ship leg)

Up to 20 km: 1 day; each further 20 km or part: 1 more day

Over Dimensional Cargo is a single indivisible unit exceeding limits in rule 93 of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989.

Cancellation

Within 24 hours of generation

Allowed if goods are not transported or not as per details. Not allowed once verified in transit under rule 138B.

Part A unique number

Valid for 15 days for updating Part B

Second proviso to sub-rule (9).

Extension

Within 8 hours from the time of expiry

Transporter may extend in exceptional circumstances, including trans-shipment, after updating Part B if required.

Consolidated e-way bill

FORM GST EWB-02, generated by the transporter

Under rule 138(6), when multiple consignments go in one conveyance, the transporter generates EWB-02 after the e-way bills for them have been generated, before the goods move. Under rule 138(7), if the consignor or consignee has not generated the e-way bill and the aggregate consignment value in the conveyance exceeds ₹50,000, the transporter (except for rail, air and vessel) must generate the e-way bill itself for inter-State supply, and may also generate EWB-02.

Short distance relief

Up to 50 km within the State or UT

Conveyance details in Part B may be omitted for movement from consignor to transporter's place of business, and from transporter's final place to the consignee.

Core documents (Rule 138A(1))

Invoice / bill of supply / delivery challan + e-way bill (physical copy OR number in electronic form OR RFID-mapped)

Both (a) and (b) must be carried. Clause (b) does not apply to movement by rail, air or vessel.

Imported goods (second proviso)

Above documents + copy of bill of entry; number and date in Part A of FORM GST EWB-01

The bill of entry is the one filed by the importer.

E-invoice (Rule 138A(2))

QR code with IRN may be produced electronically in lieu of physical tax invoice

Applies where invoice is issued under rule 48(4).

RFID (Rule 138A(4))

Notified class of transporters: unique RFID embedded on conveyance + e-way bill mapped before movement

Requires a notification by the Commissioner.

Substitute documents (Rule 138A(5))

Tax invoice / bill of supply / bill of entry, or delivery challan for non-supply movement, instead of e-way bill

Only when the Commissioner notifies it, where circumstances warrant.

Interception (Rule 138B)

Commissioner or empowered officer authorises proper officer to intercept any conveyance to verify e-way bill

Covers inter-State and intra-State movement. Physical verification is by the authorised proper officer.

Inspection report (Rule 138C)

Part A of FORM GST EWB-03 within 24 hours; Part B within 3 days

Part B time can be extended by up to 3 more days on sufficient cause. Time counts from midnight of the date of interception.

No repeat verification (Rule 138C(2))

Once physically verified in transit, no further physical verification again

Unless specific information on tax evasion is made available later.

Quick revision

• A tax invoice supports a taxable supply; a bill of supply is used where tax invoice is not applicable, as your study material explains.
• Credit notes and debit notes correct an earlier invoice; know which one reduces and which one increases the value.
• Rule 55A applies where the person-in-charge is not required to carry an e-way bill.
• Under Rule 55A, the person-in-charge carries a copy of the tax invoice or bill of supply.
• Rule 138A(1): carry the invoice, bill of supply or delivery challan, as the case may be.
• Rule 138A(1): also carry a copy of the e-way bill in physical form, or the e-way bill number in electronic form, or the number mapped to an RFID device embedded on the conveyance.
• The e-way bill requirement in Rule 138A(1)(b) does not apply to movement of goods by rail, air or vessel.
• For imported goods, the person-in-charge also carries a copy of the bill of entry and its number and date are shown in Part A of FORM GST EWB-01.
• Where an invoice is issued under Rule 48(4), the QR code with the embedded IRN may be produced electronically in place of a physical copy.
• The Commissioner may notify a class of transporters to obtain and embed an RFID device and map the e-way bill to it before movement.
• In notified circumstances, the person-in-charge may be required to carry the invoice, bill of supply, bill of entry or a delivery challan instead of an e-way bill.
• A delivery challan applies where goods move for reasons other than supply.

Common mistakes

• Writing 30 days as the time limit for all services. Fix: Use 45 days for normal service providers and 30 days only for insurers, banking companies, financial institutions and NBFCs.
• Giving three copies for services. Fix: Learn the pair: goods in triplicate, services in duplicate. The transporter's copy exists only for goods.
• Issuing a tax invoice for exempt supplies or by a composition dealer. Fix: Remember section 31(3)(c): exempt supply or section 10 payer issues a bill of supply.
• Saying a bill of supply allows input tax credit. Fix: Link to section 16(2)(a): credit needs a tax invoice, debit note or other prescribed tax paying document.
• Saying a delivery challan or a typed list is enough in place of the invoice. Fix: For a supply of goods, Rule 55A calls for the tax invoice or bill of supply. A delivery challan is used in cases the Rules specifically allow.
• Treating Rule 55A and the e-way bill as the same thing. Fix: Rule 55A is about the invoice or bill of supply. The e-way bill is a separate electronic document under Rule 138. Where required, both are carried.
• Treating ₹50,000 exactly as needing an e-way bill. Fix: The rule says "exceeding" ₹50,000. A consignment of exactly ₹50,000 does not require a bill, though it may be generated voluntarily.
• Computing value without the GST charged in the invoice. Fix: Consignment value includes CGST, SGST/UTGST, IGST and cess charged in the document. Add them before comparing with the limit.
• Applying ₹50,000 to the value before tax. Fix: Use the invoice value including CGST, SGST/UTGST, IGST and cess charged, less exempt goods on a mixed invoice.
• Using 100 km per day for validity. Fix: The rule now says 200 km. Use 200 km, and 20 km only for over dimensional cargo or multimodal shipment with a ship leg.

Exam tips

• Write goods and services side by side in a two-line comparison. Examiners give marks for each correct point on time and copies.
• In date questions, show the day count. Even if you slip, step marks may follow.
• Do not skip the composition and exempt supply exception. It is a favourite one-mark point.
• In contents questions, group the particulars under supplier, recipient, goods or services, tax and signature. A grouped list looks complete and is easier to check.
• For MCQs, read whether the question says goods or services before you pick the number of copies or days.
• In MCQs, key words decide the answer: exempt or composition means bill of supply. Advance means receipt voucher.
• Write 'shall' for receipt voucher and 'may' for refund voucher.
• Quote section 31 sub-section numbers only where sure: 31(1) goods, 31(2) services, 31(3) exceptions, 31(7) approval.