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To find a GST classification, describe exactly what you supply, decide whether it is goods or a service, then search the GST Portal’s Search HSN Code service by description or known code. Treat the result as a candidate: check that its official description matches the actual supply before using it for registration or return reporting. Goods use an HSN code; services use the Service Classification Code field, commonly called SAC.
HSN or SAC: which code applies?
GST classification depends on what is actually supplied, not just the product’s trade name or the label a business uses internally. There is no single HSN or SAC code for all products or services.
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| Supply | Classification used in the GST Portal registration guidance | Where it appears in registration |
|---|---|---|
| Goods or commodities | HSN Code | Goods tab |
| Services | Service Classification Code, commonly referred to as SAC | Services tab |
The GST Portal’s registration guidance puts it this way: “In case you deal with Goods or Commodities, you need to mention the HSN Code in the Goods tab. In case you deal with services, you need to mention the Service Classification Code in the Services tab.”
How to find a candidate code
- Describe the supply precisely. For goods, note what the item is, what it does, and its material or composition where relevant. For a service, describe the activity actually delivered. Include technical as well as ordinary commercial wording if it helps distinguish the supply.
- Choose goods or services. Use HSN for goods and the service classification field/code for services.
- Open the GST Portal’s Search HSN Code service. Search either by a known code or by description. GSTN’s search guidance describes using trade, commercial, or technical descriptions and selecting whether the search is for goods or services.
- Compare the suggestions with the supply. Read each suggested description and choose only a candidate that fits the item or activity as actually supplied. Search-result proximity, a partial product name, or a similar-sounding item is not enough.
- Verify the classification before using it. Check current classification materials and any applicable notification or tariff material. If more than one entry still appears plausible, consult a qualified GST practitioner; the search tool is a lookup aid, not an item-specific ruling.
- Check the current reporting workflow. Registration and return reporting are separate tasks. Before filing, confirm the digit-length rules and selection method that apply to your return period and circumstances.
The GST Portal’s registration guide illustrates description searches with “cotton” for a goods classification and “other building” for a service classification. These are search examples, not classifications to apply to unrelated supplies.
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How to compare multiple search suggestions
When the portal returns nearby suggestions, compare the official descriptions against the real supply, paying attention to its nature and function and to the level of detail expressed in the code hierarchy. A familiar trade name can cover items that do not share the same classification. The search advisory describes multiple suggestions, but it does not settle the classification of a specific product or service without its facts.
Registration classification and GSTR-1 reporting are not the same step
For registration, the GST Portal guide directs businesses to list goods under the Goods tab with an HSN Code and services under the Services tab with a Service Classification Code. For outward-supply reporting, the GST Portal’s GSTR-1 materials describe HSN-wise reporting and an HSN/SAC code list for goods and services. Follow the workflow for the relevant return and period rather than assuming that a registration entry alone establishes every filing requirement.
What the GSTN Table 12 advisory says about reporting length
GSTN’s Table 12 advisory describes Phase 3 as applying from the May 2025 return period. Under the requirements set out in that advisory, mandatory reporting is at 4 digits for taxpayers whose preceding-financial-year aggregate annual turnover (AATO) is up to ₹5 crore, and at 6 digits for those above ₹5 crore. The advisory also describes selecting the HSN from a dropdown rather than entering it manually, separate B2B and B2C tabs, and a downloadable Excel list of updated HSN and SAC codes with descriptions.
Those requirements are tied to the advisory’s stated phase and period. Check current GST Portal instructions and subsequent amendments before filing a later return; do not assume that an older advisory captures every current validation or taxpayer-specific requirement.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why you should recheck a code before filing
Classification, reporting validations, and rates can change. IRIS IRP help documentation, powered by IRIS Business Services for GSTN, has dated release notes describing updates to rate and code masters. Confirm the current classification and reporting instructions for your supply and filing period instead of relying only on a saved spreadsheet, an old invoice, or a previous return.
An HSN or SAC lookup does not by itself establish the applicable GST rate. The precise supply and current applicable materials matter; no exact code or rate can be determined here without details of the product or service.
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