Text
The text below is the section as served by the CBIC tax information portal on 22 September 2026, with the portal's own amendment footnote markers (shown as small numerals before a bracket) and its footnotes.[1] The Act as published in the Gazette of India is the legal source.
Section 13, verbatim (show)
Section 13
Section 13. Place of supply of services where location of supplier or location of recipient is outside India.-
(1) The provisions of this section shall apply to determine the place of supply of services where the location of the supplier of services or the location of the recipient of services is outside India.
(2) The place of supply of services except the services specified in sub-sections (3) to (13) shall be the location of the recipient of services:
Provided that where the location of the recipient of services is not available in the ordinary course of business, the place of supply shall be the location of the supplier of services.
(3) The place of supply of the following services shall be the location where the services are actually performed, namely:-
(a) services supplied in respect of goods which are required to be made physically available by the recipient of services to the supplier of services, or to a person acting on behalf of the supplier of services in order to provide the services:
Provided that when such services are provided from a remote location by way of electronic means, the place of supply shall be the location where goods are situated at the time of supply of services:
1[Provided further that nothing contained in this clause shall apply in the case of services supplied in respect of goods which are temporarily imported into India for repairs or for any other treatment or process and are exported after such repairs or treatment or process without being put to any use in India, other than that which is required for such repairs or treatment or process;]
(b) services supplied to an individual, represented either as the recipient of services or a person acting on behalf of the recipient, which require the physical presence of the recipient or the person acting on his behalf, with the supplier for the supply of services.
(4) The place of supply of services supplied directly in relation to an immovable property, including services supplied in this regard by experts and estate agents, supply of accommodation by a hotel, inn, guest house, club or campsite, by whatever name called, grant of rights to use immovable property, services for carrying out or co-ordination of construction work, including that of architects or interior decorators, shall be the place where the immovable property is located or intended to be located.
(5) The place of supply of services supplied by way of admission to, or organisation of a cultural, artistic, sporting, scientific, educational or entertainment event, or a celebration, conference, fair, exhibition or similar events, and of services ancillary to such admission or organisation, shall be the place where the event is actually held.
(6) Where any services referred to in sub-section (3) or sub-section (4) or sub-section (5) is supplied at more than one location, including a location in the taxable territory, its place of supply shall be the location in the taxable territory.
(7) Where the services referred to in sub-section (3) or sub-section (4) or sub-section (5) are supplied in more than one State or Union territory, the place of supply of such services shall be taken as being in each of the respective States or Union territories and the value of such supplies specific to each State or Union territory shall be in proportion to the value for services separately collected or determined in terms of the contract or agreement entered into in this regard or, in the absence of such contract or agreement, on such other basis as may be prescribed.
(8) The place of supply of the following services shall be the location of the supplier of services, namely:-
(a) services supplied by a banking company, or a financial institution, or a non-banking financial company, to account holders;
3[(b) ****]
(c) services consisting of hiring of means of transport, including yachts but excluding aircrafts and vessels, up to a period of one month.
Explanation . - For the purposes of this sub-section, the expression,-
(a) "account" means an account bearing interest to the depositor, and includes a non-resident external account and a non-resident ordinary account;
(b) "banking company" shall have the same meaning as assigned to it under clause (a) of section 45A of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934;
(c) "financial institution" shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in clause (c) of section 45-I of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934;
(d) "non-banking financial company" means, -
( i ) a financial institution which is a company;
(ii) a non-banking institution which is a company and which has as its principal business the receiving of deposits, under any scheme or arrangement or in any other manner, or lending in any manner; or
( iii ) such other non-banking institution or class of such institutions, as the Reserve Bank of India may, with the previous approval of the Central Government and by notification in the Official Gazette, specify.
(9) 2[* * * *]
(10) The place of supply in respect of passenger transportation services shall be the place where the passenger embarks on the conveyance for a continuous journey.
(11) The place of supply of services provided on board a conveyance during the course of a passenger transport operation, including services intended to be wholly or substantially consumed while on board, shall be the first scheduled point of departure of that conveyance for the journey.
(12) The place of supply of online information and database access or retrieval services shall be the location of the recipient of services.
Explanation .-For the purposes of this sub-section, person receiving such services shall be deemed to be located in the taxable territory, if any two of the following non-contradictory conditions are satisfied, namely:-
(a) the location of address presented by the recipient of services through internet is in the taxable territory;
(b) the credit card or debit card or store value card or charge card or smart card or any other card by which the recipient of services settles payment has been issued in the taxable territory;
(c) the billing address of the recipient of services is in the taxable territory;
(d) the internet protocol address of the device used by the recipient of services is in the taxable territory;
(e) the bank of the recipient of services in which the account used for payment is maintained is in the taxable territory;
(f) the country code of the subscriber identity module card used by the recipient of services is of taxable territory;
(g) the location of the fixed land line through which the service is received by the recipient is in the taxable territory.
(13) In order to prevent double taxation or non-taxation of the supply of a service, or for the uniform application of rules, the Government shall have the power to notify any description of services or circumstances in which the place of supply shall be the place of effective use and enjoyment of a service.
1. Substituted for " Provided further that nothing contained in this clause shall apply in the case of services supplied in respect of goods which are temporarily imported into India for repairs and are exported after repairs without being put to any other use in India, than that which is required for such repairs; " by s. 6 of the Integrated Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Act, 2018 (No. 32 of 2018) - Brought into force w.e.f. 01st February, 2019.
2. Omitted by s. 162 of The Finance (No. 8) Act, 2023 (No. 08 of 2023) - Brought into force w.e.f. 01st October, 2023 vide Notification No. 28/2023-C.T., dated 31st July, 2023.
3. Omitted by section 157 of The Finance Act, 2026 (No. 4) of 2026 dated 30.03.2026.
13(1) and (2)Scope and default
shall be the location of the recipient of servicesSection 13(1) and (2)
Either supplier or recipient location must be outside India. Unavailable recipient location in ordinary business gives supplier location, and the listed special services displace this default. A sub-section (13) notification can override the ordinary location outcome.
Questions to answer on the file3 questions
Sub-section (3)
13(3)(a) and provisosGoods-performance services
shall be the location where the services are actually performedSection 13(3)(a) and provisos
The goods must be physically made available for the service; remote electronic performance instead uses goods location. Qualifying temporary imports for repair, treatment or processing and re-export without other use are excepted. Sub-sections (6) and (7) qualify multi-location performance.
Questions to answer on the file12 questions
13(3)(b)Individual presence
which require the physical presence of the recipient or the person acting on his behalfSection 13(3)(b)
Actual performance governs services requiring the individual or representative to be present with the supplier. The multi-location rules in sub-sections (6) and (7) remain applicable.
Questions to answer on the file5 questions
13(4)Immovable property
shall be the place where the immovable property is located or intended to be located.Section 13(4)
The listed direct property services include experts, estate agents, accommodation, use rights and construction coordination. Sub-sections (6) and (7) qualify multiple locations. The law does not settle the required direct connection.
Questions to answer on the file5 questions
13(5)Events
shall be the place where the event is actually held.Section 13(5)
The rule covers admission, organisation and ancillary services for the listed events. Sub-sections (6) and (7) govern the stated multi-location cases.
Questions to answer on the file3 questions
13(6)Taxable-territory location
its place of supply shall be the location in the taxable territory.Section 13(6)
The services must fall under sub-section (3), (4) or (5) and span multiple locations including taxable territory. That location rule qualifies their ordinary performance, property or event treatment.
Questions to answer on the file4 questions
13(7)Multiple States
shall be taken as being in each of the respective States or Union territoriesSection 13(7)
The rule applies to services under sub-section (3), (4) or (5) in more than one State or Union territory. Values follow separate collection or agreement, otherwise the prescribed basis.
Questions to answer on the file10 questions
13(8) and ExplanationFinancial services and short hiring
shall be the location of the supplier of servicesSection 13(8) and Explanation
The remaining limbs cover specified financial bodies serving account holders and transport hire up to one month, including yachts but excluding aircraft and vessels. An account bears depositor interest and includes the stated non-resident accounts; banking company and financial institution adopt the named Reserve Bank Act meanings. Non-banking financial company covers the specified financial companies, deposit or lending businesses and notified classes with prior Government approval.
13(10)Passengers
shall be the place where the passenger embarks on the conveyance for a continuous journey.Section 13(10)
The embarkation event fixes passenger-transport place. A sub-section (13) notification may substitute effective-use treatment.
Questions to answer on the file3 questions
13(11)On-board services
shall be the first scheduled point of departure of that conveyance for the journey.Section 13(11)
The service is provided during passenger transport, including wholly or substantially on-board consumption. The first scheduled departure governs the journey.
Questions to answer on the file5 questions
13(12) and Explanation (a) to (g)Online services
shall be deemed to be located in the taxable territory, if any two of the following non-contradictory conditions are satisfiedSection 13(12) and Explanation (a) to (g)
Indicators cover presented address, card issue, billing address, device internet address, payment bank, subscriber-identity country code and fixed landline location. Two must be non-contradictory. The law does not settle how conflicting evidence or readings satisfy that requirement.
Questions to answer on the fileOnline information and database services: recipient location2 questions
Questions to answer on the fileOnline-service territorial indicators11 questions
13(13)Effective use and enjoyment
the Government shall have the power to notify any description of services or circumstancesSection 13(13)
The power serves prevention of double taxation or non-taxation, or uniform application. A qualifying notification substitutes effective use and enjoyment for the ordinary rules.
Questions to answer on the file6 questions
Other questions to answer on the file
Questions a reviewer answers from the engagement file, grouped by the part of the section they come from. They describe what the section asks; they do not decide it.
Default location and ordinary-business fallback 13(2) and proviso
Questions to answer on the file4 questions
Account-holder services and the institutional definitions 13(8)(a)
Questions to answer on the file15 questions
Short hiring of means of transport 13(8)(c)
Questions to answer on the file5 questions
Frequently asked questions
What if recipient location is unavailable in ordinary business?
Supplier location applies under the default proviso. The specified special-service rules still qualify the default.
Section 13(2)
Which goods services have the temporary-import exception?
Qualifying repairs, treatment or processing followed by export without other Indian use fall within it. Permitted use must relate to that work.
Section 13(3)(a), second proviso
How is conflicting online territorial evidence resolved?
The law does not settle which affirmative pair is non-contradictory where indicators or reliable contrary evidence conflict. The Explanation requires two non-contradictory conditions.
Section 13(12)
Amendment history
The CBIC text carries 3 footnotes. The table gives each in the source's own terms. Effective dates are as the footnotes state them.[1]
| Note | Effective from |
|---|---|
| 1 | 01st February, 2019 |
| 2 | 01st October, 2023 |
| 3 | Amendment dated 30.03.2026; source does not separately label commencement |
Relationship with other provisions
| Provision | Connection | Words that tie them |
|---|---|---|
| Section 2 of the CGST Act, 2017 | 13(1), 13(6), 13(12) defined by IGST section 2(22), (24), and CGST section 2(56) at Section 2 of the CGST Act, 2017 | 13(1) "outside India"; 13(6) "taxable territory" |
| Section 16 of the CGST Act, 2017, Section 17 of the CGST Act, 2017, Section 49 of the CGST Act, 2017, Section 77 of the CGST Act, 2017 | CGST input-tax-credit and wrong-tax-head records including Section 16 of the CGST Act, 2017, Section 17 of the CGST Act, 2017, Section 49 of the CGST Act, 2017, Section 77 of the CGST Act, 2017 requires Independently established service place from the applicable IGST rule | 13(1) "determine the place of supply of services"; contextual downstream relationship, not automatic credit eligibility |
Circulars and notifications
Circulars and notifications in the CBIC repository that cite this section, newest first, by number, date and subject. A listing here does not say what an instrument decides; read the instrument.
Circulars (9)
| Number | Date | Subject |
|---|---|---|
| Circular No. 230/24/2024-GST | 11 September 2024 | Clarification in respect of advertising services provided to foreign clients. |
| Circular No. 232/26/2024-GST | 11 September 2024 | Clarification on place of supply of data hosting services provided by service providers located in India to cloud computing service providers located outside India. |
| Circular No. 220/14/2024-GST | 26 June 2024 | Clarification on place of supply applicable for custodial services provided by banks to Foreign Portfolio Investors |
| Circular No. 203/15/2023-GST | 27 October 2023 | Clarification regarding determination of place of supply in various cases |
| Circular No. 159/15/2021-GST | 20 September 2021 | Clarification on doubts related to scope of "Intermediary" |
| Circular No. 118/37/2019-GST | 11 October 2019 | Clarification regarding determination of place of supply in case of software/design services related to Electronics Semi-conductor and Design Manufacturing (ESDM) industry. |
| Circular No. 103/22/2019-GST | 28 June 2019 | Clarification regarding determination of place of supply in certain cases-reg. |
| Circular No. 78/52/2018-GST | 31 December 2018 | Clarification on export of services under GST |
| Circular No. 2/01/2017-IGST | 27 September 2017 | Clarification on supply of satellite launch services by ANTRIX Corporation Ltd. |
Notifications (6)
| Number | Date | Subject |
|---|---|---|
| Notification No. 03/2021-Integrated Tax | 2 June 2021 | Seeks to amend Notification No. 4/2019-Integrated Tax dt. 30.09.2019 to change the place of supply for B2B MRO services in case of Shipping industry, to the location of the recipient. made under this section |
| Notification No. 02/2020-Integrated Tax | 26 March 2020 | Seeks to amend Notification No. 4/2019-Integrated Tax dt. 30.09.2019 to change the place of supply for B2B MRO services to the location of the recipient. made under this section |
| Notification No. 21/2019-Integrated Tax (Rate) | 30 September 2019 | Seeks to amend notification No. 10/2017- Integrated Tax (Rate) so as notify certain services under reverse charge mechanism (RCM) as recommended by GST Council in its 37th meeting held on 20.09.2019. |
| Notification No. 04/2019-Integrated Tax | 30 September 2019 | Seeks to notify the place of supply of R&D services related to pharmaceutical sector as per Section 13(13) of IGST Act, as recommended by GST Council in its 37th meeting held on 20.09.2019. amended by a later instrument made under this section |
| Notification No. 04/2018-Integrated Tax | 31 December 2018 | Seeks to amend the IGST Rules, 2017 so as to notify the rules for determination of place of supply in case of inter-State supply under sections 10(2), 12(3), 12(7), 12(11) and 13(7) of the IGST Act, 2017. made under this section |
| Notification No. 10/2017-Integrated Tax (Rate) | 28 June 2017 | To notify the categories of services on which integrated tax will be payable under reverse charge mechanism under IGST Act amended by a later instrument |
Unsettled questions
The words of section 13 do not answer these questions. Where one decides a matter on the file, the answer depends on the position taken on it.
- What connection makes a service directly in relation to immovable property under IGST section 12(3)(a) or section 13(4), applying the examples and context of the provision under examination?
- Where online-service territorial evidence conflicts, what makes a pair of affirmative conditions non-contradictory for section 13(12), including inconsistent readings of one indicator or reliable evidence pointing outside taxable territory?
See also
- Section 12 of the IGST Act, 2017: place of supply of services where location of supplier and recipient is in India
- Section 14 of the IGST Act, 2017: special provision for payment of tax by a supplier of online information and database access or retrieval services
- Section 77 of the CGST Act, 2017: tax wrongfully collected and paid to Central Government or State Government
References
- Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs. "Section 13. Place of supply of services where location of supplier or location of recipient is outside India". Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, CBIC tax information portal, with amendment footnotes 1 to 3. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
External links
- IGST Act, 2017, Section 13 on the CBIC tax information portal