Rule 87 of the CGST Rules, 2017

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GST›CGST Rules, 2017›Chapter IX, Payment of Tax

At a glance

Entitlement and conditions

  • Rule 87(14)A person may use FORM GST PMT-09 to transfer available cash-ledger amounts to the central- or integrated-tax cash ledger of a specified distinct person. Any unpaid liability in the transferor’s electronic liability register bars this transfer.

Bars, duties and time limits

  • Rule 87(3), provisosCounter deposits are limited to ten thousand rupees per challan per tax period, except the specified Government, notified-person, recovery and enforcement deposits. Specified offshore online suppliers may use the SWIFT network from the date notified by the Board.

Procedure, powers and definitions

  • Rule 87(1)–(3)FORM GST PMT-05 receives deposit credits and payment debits. FORM GST PMT-06 is valid for fifteen days. Permitted modes include authorised-bank internet or card payments, UPI, IMPS, NEFT, RTGS and counter payments. The payer bears any payment commission.
  • Rule 87(4)–(5)Unregistered persons pay through a portal-generated temporary identification number; the additional rule 16A reference is pending. NEFT, RTGS and IMPS require the portal mandate submitted to the bank, valid for fifteen days from challan generation.
  • Rule 87(6)–(8)Successful government-account credit generates a Challan Identification Number, whose receipt credits the cash ledger and produces a receipt. Bank debit without that confirmation permits FORM GST PMT-07 representation. A matching Reserve Bank e-Scroll may support updating the ledger where the bank fails to communicate details.
  • Rule 87(9)–(11), ExplanationsClaimed tax deductions and collections credit the ledger. A cash-refund claim debits it; rejected amounts are restored by FORM GST PMT-03. The rejection explanations refer to final appeal rejection or an undertaking not to appeal.
  • Rule 87(12)–(13)Ledger discrepancies are reported in FORM GST PMT-04. FORM GST PMT-09 permits transfers to the stated integrated, central, State, Union territory tax or cess cash ledgers.

Rule 87 governs deposits, payments, refunds and transfers through the electronic cash ledger. It specifies payment modes, challan validity and how bank confirmation becomes a ledger credit. Unregistered payers use temporary identification numbers, while the added rule 16A link remains pending. Transfers to a distinct person require absence of unpaid liability, and special restrictions apply to cash-counter deposits.[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 87, verbatim (show)

Rule 87

Rule 87. Electronic Cash Ledger.-

(1) The electronic cash ledger under sub-section (1) of section 49 shall be maintained in FORM GST PMT-05 for each person, liable to pay tax, interest, penalty, late fee or any other amount, on the common portal for crediting the amount deposited and debiting the payment therefrom towards tax, interest, penalty, fee or any other amount.

(2) Any person, or a person on his behalf, shall generate a challan in FORM GST PMT-06 on the common portal and enter the details of the amount to be deposited by him towards tax, interest, penalty, fees or any other amount:

1[Provided that the challan in FORM GST PMT-06 generated at the common portal shall be valid for a period of fifteen days.]

2[****]

(3) The deposit under sub-rule (2) shall be made through any of the following modes, namely:-

(i) Internet Banking through authorised banks;

3[(ia) Unified Payment Interface (UPI) from any bank;

(ib) Immediate Payment Services (IMPS) from any bank;]

(ii) Credit card or Debit card through the authorised bank;

(iii) National Electronic Fund Transfer or Real Time Gross Settlement from any bank; or

(iv) Over the Counter payment through authorised banks for deposits up to ten thousand rupees per challan per tax period, by cash, cheque or demand draft:

Provided that the restriction for deposit up to ten thousand rupees per challan in case of an Over the Counter payment shall not apply to deposit to be made by -

(a) Government Departments or any other deposit to be made by persons as may be notified by the Commissioner in this behalf;

(b) Proper officer or any other officer authorised to recover outstanding dues from any person, whether registered or not, including recovery made through attachment or sale of movable or immovable properties;

(c) Proper officer or any other officer authorised for the amounts collected by way of cash, cheque or demand draft during any investigation or enforcement activity or any ad hoc deposit:

1[Provided further that a person supplying online information and database access or retrieval services from a place outside India to a non-taxable online recipient referred to in 6[section 14, or a person supplying online money gaming from a place outside India to a person in India as referred to in section 14A,] of the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (13 of 2017) may also make the deposit under sub-rule (2) through international money transfer through Society for Worldwide Inter bank Financial Telecommunication payment network, from the date to be notified by the Board.]

Explanation . - For the purposes of this sub-rule, it is hereby clarified that for making payment of any amount indicated in the challan, the commission, if any, payable in respect of such payment shall be borne by the person making such payment.

(4) Any payment required to be made by a person who is not registered under the Act, shall be made on the basis of a temporary identification number generated through the common portal 7[as per rule 16A].

(5) Where the payment is made by way of National Electronic Fund Transfer or Real Time Gross Settlement, 3[or Immediate Payment Service] mode from any bank, the mandate form shall be generated along with the challan on the common portal and the same shall be submitted to the bank from where the payment is to be made:

Provided that the mandate form shall be valid for a period of fifteen days from the date of generation of challan.

(6) On successful credit of the amount to the concerned government account maintained in the authorised bank, a Challan Identification Number shall be generated by the collecting bank and the same shall be indicated in the challan.

(7) On receipt of the Challan Identification Number from the collecting bank, the said amount shall be credited to the electronic cash ledger of the person on whose behalf the deposit has been made and the common portal shall make available a receipt to this effect.

(8) Where the bank account of the person concerned, or the person making the deposit on his behalf, is debited but no Challan Identification Number is generated or generated but not communicated to the common portal, the said person may represent electronically in FORM GST PMT-07 through the common portal to the bank or electronic gateway through which the deposit was initiated.

5[Provided that where the bank fails to communicate details of Challan Identification Number to the Common Portal, the Electronic Cash Ledger may be updated on the basis of e-Scroll of the Reserve Bank of India in cases where the details of the said e-Scroll are in conformity with the details in challan generated in FORM GST PMT-06 on the Common Portal.]

(9) Any amount deducted under section 51 or collected under section 52 and claimed 2[****] by the registered taxable person from whom the said amount was deducted or, as the case may be, collected shall be credited to his electronic cash ledger 2[****].

(10) Where a person has claimed refund of any amount from the electronic cash ledger, the said amount shall be debited to the electronic cash ledger.

(11) If the refund so claimed is rejected, either fully or partly, the amount debited under sub-rule (10), to the extent of rejection, shall be credited to the electronic cash ledger by the proper officer by an order made in FORM GST PMT-03.

(12) A registered person shall, upon noticing any discrepancy in his electronic cash ledger, communicate the same to the officer exercising jurisdiction in the matter, through the common portal in FORM GST PMT-04 .

Explanation 1 .-The refund shall be deemed to be rejected if the appeal is finally rejected.

Explanation 2 . - For the purposes of this rule, it is hereby clarified that a refund shall be deemed to be rejected, if the appeal is finally rejected or if the claimant gives an undertaking to the proper officer that he shall not file an appeal.

4[(13) A registered person may, on the common portal, transfer any amount of tax, interest, penalty, fee or any other amount available in the electronic cash ledger under the Act to the electronic cash ledger for integrated tax, central tax, State tax or Union territory tax or cess in FORM GST PMT-09.]

3[(14) A registered person may, on the common portal, transfer any amount of tax, interest, penalty, fee or any other amount available in the electronic cash ledger under the Act to the electronic cash ledger for central tax or integrated tax of a distinct person as specified in sub-section (4) or, as the case may be, sub-section (5) of section 25, in FORM GST PMT-09:

Provided that no such transfer shall be allowed if the said registered person has any unpaid liability in his electronic liability register.]

1. Substituted vide Notification No. 22/2017 - CT dated 17.08.2017.

2. Omitted vide Notification No. 31/2019 - CT dated 28.06.2019.

3. Inserted vide Notification No.14/2022 - CT dated 05.07.2022.

4. Inserted vide Notification No. 31/2019 - CT dated 28.06.2019 with effect from 21.04.2020 as notified by Notification No. 37/2020 - CT dated 28.04.2020.

5. Inserted vide Notification No. 26/2022-CT dated 26.12.2022.

6. Substituted vide Notification No. 51/2023-CT dated 29.09.2023.

7. Inserted (w.e.f. yet to be notified) vide Notification No. 07/2025-CT dated 23.01.2025.

Not yet in force. Footnote 7 records a change with effect from a date yet to be notified: Inserted (w.e.f. yet to be notified) vide Notification No. 07/2025-CT dated 23.01.2025.. This page follows the text as the CBIC portal serves it.

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.

Electronic cash ledger maintained in PMT05 87(1)

Questions to answer on the file5 questions
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Challan generated in PMT06 87(2)

Questions to answer on the file4 questions
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Challan valid for fifteen days 87(2) proviso

Questions to answer on the file3 questions
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Deposit through stated modes 87(3)

Questions to answer on the file10 questions
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International money transfer through SWIFT 87(3) further proviso

Questions to answer on the file8 questions
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Commission borne by person making payment 87(3) Explanation

Questions to answer on the file2 questions
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Payment on temporary identification number 87(4)

Questions to answer on the file4 questions
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Temporary number as per Rule 16A 87(4) insertion

Questions to answer on the file3 questions
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Mandate generated and submitted to bank 87(5)

Questions to answer on the file6 questions
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Challan Identification Number generated 87(6)

Questions to answer on the file3 questions
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CIN receipt and cash-ledger credit 87(7)

Questions to answer on the file3 questions
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Electronic representation when CIN missing 87(8)

Questions to answer on the file7 questions
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Update based on Reserve Bank e-Scroll 87(8) proviso

Questions to answer on the file4 questions
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Deducted or collected amounts credited 87(9)

Questions to answer on the file3 questions
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Refund claimed from electronic cash ledger debited 87(10)

Questions to answer on the file3 questions
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Rejected refund amount recredited 87(11)

Questions to answer on the file8 questions
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Discrepancy communicated in PMT04 87(12)

Questions to answer on the file6 questions
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Transfer to integrated central State Union territory or cess ledger 87(13)

Questions to answer on the file6 questions
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Transfer to distinct person central or integrated ledger 87(14)

Questions to answer on the file8 questions
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Amendment history

The CBIC text carries 7 footnotes. The table gives each in the source's own terms. Effective dates are as the footnotes state them.[1]

Amendments to Rule 87 as footnoted in the CBIC text
NoteChange
1Substituted vide Notification No. 22/2017 - CT dated 17.08.2017.[2]
2Omitted vide Notification No. 31/2019 - CT dated 28.06.2019.[3]
3Inserted vide Notification No.14/2022 - CT dated 05.07.2022.[4]
4Inserted vide Notification No. 31/2019 - CT dated 28.06.2019 with effect from 21.04.2020 as notified by Notification No. 37/2020 - CT dated 28.04.2020.[3][5]
5Inserted vide Notification No. 26/2022-CT dated 26.12.2022.[6]
6Substituted vide Notification No. 51/2023-CT dated 29.09.2023.[7]
7Inserted (w.e.f. yet to be notified) vide Notification No. 07/2025-CT dated 23.01.2025.[8]
Provisions connected to Rule 87
ProvisionConnectionWords that tie them
Section 49 of the CGST Act, 2017Section 49 of the CGST Act, 2017 prescribed by this provision87(1) "under sub-section (1) of section 49"
Section 51 of the CGST Act, 2017this provision requires Section 51 of the CGST Act, 201787(9) "deducted under section 51"
Section 52 of the CGST Act, 2017this provision requires Section 52 of the CGST Act, 201787(9) "collected under section 52"
Section 25 of the CGST Act, 2017this provision requires Section 25 of the CGST Act, 201787(14) "sub-section (4) or, as the case may be, sub-section (5) of section 25"
Rule 16Athis provision requires Rule 16A87(4) "as per rule 16A"
Section 14 of the IGST Act, 2017this provision requires Section 14 of the IGST Act, 201787(3) further proviso "section 14"
Section 14A of the IGST Act, 2017this provision requires Section 14A of the IGST Act, 201787(3) further proviso "section 14A"

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. 3/03/2017-GST5 July 2017Proper officer relating to provisions other than Registration and Composition under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017-Reg.

Notifications (8)

NumberDateSubject
Notification No. 07/2025-Central Tax23 January 2025Central Tax Notification to amend CGST Rules, Central Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Rules, 2025
Notification No. 51/2023-Central Tax29 September 2023Seeks to make amendments (Third Amendment, 2023) to the CGST Rules, 2017 in supersession of Notification No. 45/2023 dated 06.09.2023
Notification No. 26/2022-Central Tax26 December 2022Seeks to make fifth amendment (2022) to CGST Rules
Notification No. 14/2022-Central Tax5 July 2022Seeks to make amendments (First Amendment, 2022) to the CGST Rules, 2017
Notification No. 31/2019-Central Tax28 June 2019Seeks to carry out changes in the CGST Rules, 2017. amended by a later instrument
Notification No. 22/2017-Central Tax17 August 2017Seeks to amend the CGST Rules, 2017
Notification No. 23/2017-Central Tax17 August 2017Seeks to notify the date and conditions for filing the return in FORM GSTR-3B for the month of July, 2017 amended by a later instrument
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

See also

References

  1. Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs. "Rule 87. Electronic Cash Ledger". Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017, CBIC tax information portal, with amendment footnotes 1 to 7. Retrieved 17 September 2026.
  2. Notification No. 22/2017-Central Tax, dated 17 August 2017: Seeks to amend the CGST Rules, 2017. Cited in CBIC footnote 1.
  3. Notification No. 31/2019-Central Tax, dated 28 June 2019: Seeks to carry out changes in the CGST Rules, 2017. Cited in CBIC footnotes 2 and 4.
  4. Notification No. 14/2022-Central Tax, dated 5 July 2022: Seeks to make amendments (First Amendment, 2022) to the CGST Rules, 2017. Cited in CBIC footnote 3.
  5. Notification No. 37/2020-Central Tax, dated 28 April 2020: Seeks to give effect to the provisions of rule 87(13) and FORM GST PMT-09 of the CGST Rules, 2017. Cited in CBIC footnote 4.
  6. Notification No. 26/2022-Central Tax, dated 26 December 2022: Seeks to make fifth amendment (2022) to CGST Rules. Cited in CBIC footnote 5.
  7. Notification No. 51/2023-Central Tax, dated 29 September 2023: Seeks to make amendments (Third Amendment, 2023) to the CGST Rules, 2017 in supersession of Notification No. 45/2023 dated 06.09.2023. Cited in CBIC footnote 6.
  8. Notification No. 07/2025-Central Tax, dated 23 January 2025: Central Tax Notification to amend CGST Rules, Central Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Rules, 2025. Cited in CBIC footnote 7.

External links