GST Number Search by Name, PAN or GSTIN

What is a GST number (GSTIN)?

A GSTIN (Goods and Services Tax Identification Number) is the 15-character number given to every business registered under GST in India. It appears on tax invoices, e-way bills and GST returns, and it is how buyers claim input tax credit on what they pay a supplier.

A business gets one GSTIN for each state or union territory it is registered in, so a company operating in five states has five GSTINs — all built on the same PAN.

How to read a GSTIN — the 15 characters explained

Every GSTIN follows the same pattern, so you can tell a lot from the number alone. Take 27AAPFU0939F1ZV as an example:

• Characters 1–2 (27): the state code — 27 is Maharashtra.
• Characters 3–12 (AAPFU0939F): the PAN of the business. The 4th letter of the PAN shows the holder type — F is a firm, C a company, P an individual.
• Character 13 (1): the entity number — how many registrations this PAN has in that state (1–9, then A–Z).
• Character 14 (Z): 'Z' by default for regular taxpayers.
• Character 15 (V): a check character calculated from the first 14, which catches most typing mistakes.

How to search a GST number by business name

Type the legal name or trade name into the search box — for example "Mukkam Tyres" — and pick a state if the name is common. Results match partial words and small spelling mistakes, so you do not need the exact registered name.

The GST portal itself only looks up taxpayers by GSTIN or PAN, which is why a name search is the quickest way to find the GSTIN of a supplier or customer you only know by name.

How to find all GST numbers linked to a PAN

Enter a 10-character PAN such as AAPFU0939F to list every GSTIN registered under it, across all states, with the status of each. This is useful when onboarding a vendor that operates from several states, or when checking which registration an invoice should carry.

How to verify a GSTIN before you pay or claim ITC

Paste the 15-character GSTIN into the search box. We first check the format and the check character, then show the registration details. Before accepting an invoice, confirm that:

• the status is Active on the invoice date — tax paid to a cancelled or suspended registration can put your input tax credit at risk;
• the legal or trade name matches the name on the invoice;
• the state code matches the supplier's place of business shown on the invoice;
• the registration type is Regular if you expect to claim credit — composition taxpayers cannot charge GST on their invoices.

What GST registration statuses mean

Active means the registration is valid and the business can collect GST. Cancelled means the registration has ended, either on the taxpayer’s own application or by a tax officer (for example after returns were not filed for a long period); the cancellation date tells you from when. Suspended means cancellation proceedings are under way and the business should not issue tax invoices in the meantime.

Inactive or Provisional statuses usually point to a registration that was never completed or is pending verification. If a status looks unexpected, check the same GSTIN on the official GST portal before acting on it.