Quick answer
Who must issue GST e-invoices?
Any business whose aggregate turnover crossed ₹5 crore in any year from 2017-18 onwards must e-invoice all B2B invoices. An invoice without a valid IRN is not valid, so your buyer cannot claim input tax credit on it.
E-invoicing is no longer just a large-enterprise concern. The threshold was lowered to ₹5 crore of aggregate turnover, which brings a lot of Chennai-based small and mid-sized businesses into scope.
Does this apply to you?
The trigger is aggregate turnover in any financial year from 2017-18 onwards, not just the previous year. If you crossed ₹5 crore even once in that window, e-invoicing is mandatory for all your B2B invoices going forward.
What you need to set up
- Register on the Invoice Registration Portal (IRP)
- Update your billing software to generate invoices in the prescribed format
- Connect to the IRP through your software, the offline tool, or a GST Suvidha Provider
- Train whoever raises invoices to check details before sending
The biggest mistake we see is businesses continuing to raise manual invoices and trying to report them later. That does not work. Every B2B invoice must be reported to the IRP before it is issued, and the resulting IRN and QR code must be printed on the invoice.
What if you miss it?
An invoice without a valid IRN is not treated as a valid invoice under GST. Your buyer cannot claim input tax credit on it, which often means they hold back payment until you re-issue it. You can also face a penalty for each such invoice, generally ₹10,000 or the tax involved, whichever is higher.
If you want help setting this up, reach out. We handle the portal registration and software setup as part of our GST work.
Need help with this?
Our gst return filing service covers exactly this. Free first consultation, and a clear quote before any work starts.
Keep reading
What is the GST registration limit in Tamil Nadu?
₹40 lakh for goods, ₹20 lakh for services, and the cases where you need GST from the first rupee.
Read article Income taxITR filing last date 2026: every due date for FY 2025-26
Every ITR due date for FY 2025-26, including the extension for tax audit cases, and what to do if you missed yours.
Read article