Rule 54 of the CGST Rules, 2017

From the IndiaAuditLens Law Library

GST›CGST Rules, 2017›Chapter VI, Tax Invoice, Credit and Debit Notes

At a glance

Entitlement and conditions

  • Rule 54(2)Insurers and specified financial institutions may issue a month-end consolidated invoice or substitute for that month’s services, without serial numbering or recipient address but with other rule 46 information. A document compliant with the Information Technology Act need not carry a signature.

Bars, duties and time limits

  • Rule 54(1)Distributor invoices and credit notes contain issuer and recipient identities, registration numbers, date, distributed credit and signature. The consecutive serial number is unique for the financial year and limited to sixteen characters. A banking or financial-institution office may use a substitute document without serial numbering but with the other information.
  • Rule 54(3)A road goods transport agency’s invoice or substitute adds consignment weight, consignor and consignee, vehicle registration, goods, origin, destination and the tax-liable person’s registration number to the other rule 46 information.

Procedure, powers and definitions

  • Rule 54(1A)A registrant with the distributor’s Permanent Account Number and State code may transfer common-service credit by invoice or note. It identifies both parties, the original supplier and invoice, date, serial number, taxable value, rate, credit and signature. Taxable value equals the common-service value.
  • Rule 54(4)–(4A)Passenger tickets may omit serial numbering and recipient address but retain other rule 46 particulars; qualifying electronic tickets need no signature. Multiplex film admissions require electronic tickets treated as invoices without recipient details; other screens may choose that route.
  • Rule 54(5)The financial-service and passenger-transport provisions apply with corresponding changes to documents under rules 49 to 53. The law does not settle the specific changed particulars or procedures for each document.

Rule 54 adapts invoice requirements for Input Service Distributors and specified service businesses. It permits substitute documents or simplified particulars in stated cases, while retaining the other required information. Financial-service suppliers can consolidate a month’s services, passenger tickets can serve as invoices and multiplex admissions require electronic tickets. Some electronic documents need no signature, and specified adaptations extend to other transaction documents.[1]

Text

The text below is the rule as served by the CBIC tax information portal on 17 September 2026, with the portal's own amendment footnote markers (shown as small numerals before a bracket) and its footnotes.[1] The Rules as published in the Gazette of India is the legal source.

Rule 54, verbatim (show)

Rule 54. Tax invoice in special cases.-

(1) An Input Service Distributor invoice or, as the case may be, an Input Service Distributor credit note issued by an Input Service Distributor shall contain the following details:-

(a) name, address and Goods and Services Tax Identification Number of the Input Service Distributor;

(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 -"-'', "/" 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 of the recipient to whom the credit is distributed;

(e) amount of the credit distributed; and (f) signature or digital signature of the Input Service Distributor or his authorised representative:

Provided that where the Input Service Distributor is an office of a banking company or a financial institution, including a non-banking financial company, a tax invoice shall include any document in lieu thereof, by whatever name called, whether or not serially numbered but containing the information as mentioned above.

1[(1A) (a) A registered person, having the same PAN and State code as an Input Service Distributor, may issue an invoice or, as the case may be, a credit or debit note to transfer the credit of common input services to the Input Service Distributor, which shall contain the following details:- i. name, address and Goods and Services Tax Identification Number of the registered person having the same PAN and same State code as the Input Service Distributor; ii. 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; iii. date of its issue; iv. Goods and Services Tax Identification Number of supplier of common service and original invoice number whose credit is sought to be transferred to the Input Service Distributor; v. name, address and Goods and Services Tax Identification Number of the Input Service Distributor; vi. taxable value, rate and amount of the credit to be transferred; and vii. signature or digital signature of the registered person or his authorised representative.

(b) The taxable value in the invoice issued under clause (a) shall be the same as the value of the common services.]

(2) Where the supplier of taxable service is an insurer or a banking company or a financial institution, including a non-banking financial company, the said 2[supplier may issue] a 3[consolidated tax invoice] or any other document in lieu thereof, by whatever name called 4[for the supply of services made during a month at the end of the month], whether issued or made available, physically or electronically whether or not serially numbered, and whether or not containing the address of the recipient of taxable service but containing other information as mentioned under rule 46.

5[Provided that the signature or digital signature of the supplier or his authorised representative shall not be required in the case of issuance of a consolidated tax invoice or any other document in lieu thereof in accordance with the provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (21 of 2000).]

(3) Where the supplier of taxable service is a goods transport agency supplying services in relation to transportation of goods by road in a goods carriage, the said supplier shall issue a tax invoice or any other document in lieu thereof, by whatever name called, containing the gross weight of the consignment, name of the consigner and the consignee, registration number of goods carriage in which the goods are transported, details of goods transported, details of place of origin and destination, Goods and Services Tax Identification Number of the person liable for paying tax whether as consigner, consignee or goods transport agency, and also containing other information as mentioned under rule 46.

(4) Where the supplier of taxable service is supplying passenger transportation service, a tax invoice shall include ticket in any form, by whatever name called, whether or not serially numbered, and whether or not containing the address of the recipient of service but containing other information as mentioned under rule 46.

5[Provided that the signature or digital signature of the supplier or his authorised representative shall not be required in the case of issuance of ticket in accordance with the provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (21 of 2000).]

6[(4A) A registered person supplying services by way of admission to exhibition of cinematograph films in multiplex screens shall be required to issue an electronic ticket and the said electronic ticket shall be deemed to be a tax invoice for all purposes of the Act, even if such ticket does not contain the details of the recipient of service but contains the other information as mentioned under rule 46:

Provided that the supplier of such service in a screen other than multiplex screens may, at his option, follow the above procedure.]

(5) The provisions of sub-rule (2)or sub-rule (4) shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the documents issued under rule 49 or rule 50 or rule 51 or rule 52 or rule 53.

1. Inserted vide Notification No. 03/2018- CT dated 23.01.2018.

2. Substituted for "shall" vide Notification No. 55/2017-CT dated 15.11.2017.

3. Substituted vide Notification No. 45/2017-CT dated 13.10.2017.

4. Inserted vide Notification No. 45/2017-CT dated 13.10.2017.

5. Inserted vide Notification No. 74/2018 CT dated 31.12.2018.

6. Inserted vide Notification No. 33/2019- CT dated 18.07.2019 with effect from 01.09.2019.

Questions to answer on the file

Questions a reviewer answers from the engagement file, grouped by the part of the rule they come from. They describe what the rule asks; they do not decide it.

ISD document identity and mandatory particulars 54(1)(a),(c)–(f)

Questions to answer on the file12 questions
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ISD numbering and banking-office exception 54(1)(b), proviso

Questions to answer on the file7 questions
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Optional transfer of common input-service credit to ISD 54(1A)(a)

Questions to answer on the file5 questions
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Transfer-document identity, original invoice link and authentication 54(1A)(a)(i),(iii)–(v),(vii)

Questions to answer on the file11 questions
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Transfer-document serial number 54(1A)(a)(ii)

Questions to answer on the file5 questions
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Credit-transfer value, rate and amount 54(1A)(a)(vi),(b)

Questions to answer on the file6 questions
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Optional monthly financial-service document 54(2)

Questions to answer on the file10 questions
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Financial document signature exception 54(2) proviso

Questions to answer on the file3 questions
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GTA route and additional consignment particulars 54(3)

Questions to answer on the file13 questions
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Passenger ticket as invoice 54(4)

Questions to answer on the file3 questions
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Passenger ticket signature exception 54(4) proviso

Questions to answer on the file3 questions
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Electronic cinema ticket and optional other-screen route 54(4A), proviso

Questions to answer on the file6 questions
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One imported Rule 46 particular for the financial-service document 54(2)

Questions to answer on the file7 questions
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One imported Rule 46 particular for the GTA document 54(3)

Questions to answer on the file3 questions
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One imported Rule 46 particular for the passenger-ticket document 54(4)

Questions to answer on the file7 questions
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One imported Rule 46 particular for the cinema-ticket document 54(4A)

Questions to answer on the file4 questions
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Amendment history

The CBIC text carries 6 footnotes. The table gives each in the source's own terms. Effective dates are as the footnotes state them.[1]

Amendments to Rule 54 as footnoted in the CBIC text
NoteChange
1Inserted vide Notification No. 03/2018- CT dated 23.01.2018.[2]
2Substituted for "shall" vide Notification No. 55/2017-CT dated 15.11.2017.[3]
3Substituted vide Notification No. 45/2017-CT dated 13.10.2017.[4]
4Inserted vide Notification No. 45/2017-CT dated 13.10.2017.[4]
5Inserted vide Notification No. 74/2018 CT dated 31.12.2018.[5]
6Inserted vide Notification No. 33/2019- CT dated 18.07.2019 with effect from 01.09.2019.[6]
Provisions connected to Rule 54
ProvisionConnectionWords that tie them
Section 31 of the CGST Act, 2017Section 31 of the CGST Act, 2017 (1),(2) prescribed by this provision31(1), (2) "such other particulars as may be prescribed"
Section 20 of the CGST Act, 201754(1A) requires Section 20 of the CGST Act, 201754(1A)(a) "transfer the credit of common input services to the Input Service Distributor"
Rule 4654(2) requires Rule 4654(2) "other information as mentioned under rule 46"
Rule 4954(5) requires Rule 4954(5) "to the documents issued under rule 49 or rule 50 or rule 51 or rule 52 or rule 53"
Rule 5054(5) requires Rule 5054(5) "to the documents issued under rule 49 or rule 50 or rule 51 or rule 52 or rule 53"
Rule 5154(5) requires Rule 5154(5) "to the documents issued under rule 49 or rule 50 or rule 51 or rule 52 or rule 53"
Rule 5254(5) requires Rule 5254(5) "to the documents issued under rule 49 or rule 50 or rule 51 or rule 52 or rule 53"
Rule 5354(5) requires Rule 5354(5) "to the documents issued under rule 49 or rule 50 or rule 51 or rule 52 or rule 53"

Circulars and notifications

Circulars and notifications in the CBIC repository that cite this rule, newest first, by number, date and subject. A listing here does not say what an instrument decides; read the instrument.

Circulars (1)

NumberDateSubject
Circular No. 242/36/2024-GST31 December 2024Clarification on place of supply of Online Services supplied by the suppliers of services to unregistered recipients

Notifications (10)

NumberDateSubject
Notification No. 12/2024-Central Tax10 July 2024Seeks to make amendments (Amendment, 2024) to the CGST Rules, 2017.
Notification No. 26/2022-Central Tax26 December 2022Seeks to make fifth amendment (2022) to CGST Rules
Notification No. 13/2020-Central Tax21 March 2020Seeks to exempt certain class of registered persons from issuing e-invoices and the date for implementation of e-invoicing extended to 01.10.2020 amended by a later instrument
Notification No. 14/2020-Central Tax21 March 2020Seeks to exempt certain class of registered persons capturing dynamic QR code and the date for implementation of QR Code to be extended to 01.10.2020. superseded by a later instrument
Notification No. 33/2019-Central Tax18 July 2019Seeks to carry out changes in the CGST Rules, 2017.
Notification No. 74/2018-Central Tax31 December 2018Fourteenth amendment to the CGST Rules, 2017. amended by a later instrument
Notification No. 03/2018-Central Tax23 January 2018First Amendment 2018, to CGST Rules
Notification No. 55/2017-Central Tax15 November 2017Twelfth amendment to CGST Rules, 2017
Notification No. 45/2017-Central Tax13 October 2017Seeks to amend the CGST Rules, 2017
Notification No. 10/2017-Central Tax28 June 2017Seeks to amend CGST Rules notification no 3/2017-Central Tax dt 19.06.2017 amended by a later instrument

Unsettled questions

The words of Rule 54 do not answer this question. Where one decides a matter on the file, the answer depends on the position taken on it.

  1. Which corresponding changes to Rule 54(2) or (4) apply to the selected document under Rules 49–53? Rule 54(5) says mutatis mutandis without enumerating the changed particulars or procedures. Authorities unverified; no firm position adopted.

See also

References

  1. Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs. "Rule 54. Tax invoice in special cases". Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017, CBIC tax information portal, with amendment footnotes 1 to 6. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
  2. Notification No. 03/2018-Central Tax, dated 23 January 2018: First Amendment 2018, to CGST Rules. Cited in CBIC footnote 1.
  3. Notification No. 55/2017-Central Tax, dated 15 November 2017: Twelfth amendment to CGST Rules, 2017. Cited in CBIC footnote 2.
  4. Notification No. 45/2017-Central Tax, dated 13 October 2017: Seeks to amend the CGST Rules, 2017. Cited in CBIC footnotes 3 and 4.
  5. Notification No. 74/2018-Central Tax, dated 31 December 2018: Fourteenth amendment to the CGST Rules, 2017. Cited in CBIC footnote 5.
  6. Notification No. 33/2019-Central Tax, dated 18 July 2019: Seeks to carry out changes in the CGST Rules, 2017. Cited in CBIC footnote 6.

External links