Received a GST Notice? Here's Your First 48 Hours.
Quick answer: First: log in to gst.gov.in → Services → User Services → View Additional Notices/Orders and identify the form number and reply-by date. ASMT-10 → reconcile and reply in ASMT-11. DRC-01C → only 7 days, act today. DRC-01 → serious; structured DRC-06 reply with professional help. Never pay before reconciling.
The clock started the day the notice was issued — not the day you read it. What you do in the first 48 hours decides whether this stays a manageable query or becomes a demand order with interest and penalty. Here is the exact sequence.
Hour 0–2: Verify and identify
- Verify it on the portal — GST portal → Services → User Services → View Additional Notices/Orders. If it is not there, treat any call or message about it as a potential fraud.
- Identify the notice type — the form number tells you the game:
- DRC-01 — show cause notice; a draft demand. Usually 30 days to reply in DRC-06.
- DRC-01C — auto-generated ITC mismatch intimation. Only 7 days.
- ASMT-10 — scrutiny discrepancy notice; answer it well and it ends here, badly and it becomes a DRC-01.
- Summons — investigation stage; personal appearance matters, get representation before you go.
- Circle the deadline — the reply-by date on the notice is the single most important line on the page.
Hour 2–24: Assemble the file
- Download the complete notice with annexures — the computation sheet shows exactly how the officer built the demand.
- Pull the relevant period's GSTR-1, GSTR-3B, GSTR-2B, purchase register, sales register and payment challans.
- Note the section invoked — Section 73 (non-fraud) and Section 74 (fraud/suppression) carry very different penalties and settlement options.
Hour 24–48: Get the strategy right
Run the reconciliation before forming any opinion: GSTR-1 vs GSTR-3B for turnover allegations, GSTR-2B vs GSTR-3B vs purchase register for ITC allegations. Many demands collapse or shrink at this step — supplier late-filing, timing differences and clerical mapping errors account for a large share of "mismatches".
What we do when you call
Same-day review of the notice, a clear read on exposure and options, then a complete defence: point-by-point DRC-06 reply with reconciliations and case law, personal hearing representation, and appeals if an order has already been passed. Bihar matter? See our Bihar GST practice.
The notice has arrived. The clock has started. Call now.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if a GST notice is genuine?
Log in to the GST portal → Services → User Services → View Additional Notices/Orders. Every genuine notice appears there with a reference number. Never act on a notice received only by phone call or WhatsApp without portal verification — GST frauds impersonating officers are common.
How many days do I get to reply to a GST notice?
It depends on the notice: DRC-01 show cause notices normally allow 30 days (reply in Form DRC-06); DRC-01C ITC-mismatch intimations allow only 7 days; ASMT-10 scrutiny notices state their own deadline. The exact date printed on your notice is the only one that matters.
Can I reply to a GST notice myself?
For small clerical issues, possibly. But an SCN cites legal provisions, computations and allegations — a vague or partial reply gets treated as admission. For any notice involving meaningful money or fraud allegations (Section 74), professional drafting pays for itself many times over.
Will paying the demand immediately close the matter?
Sometimes paying early reduces or eliminates penalty (especially under Section 73). But paying a wrong demand forfeits money you never owed. Have the computation verified first — many demands shrink dramatically on proper reconciliation.