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Freedom251 › Blog › DRC-06

How to respond to a GST notice and verify it is genuine

By Freedom251 Team · · 10 min read

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Do not pay, click, or reply to an unexpected GST message until you have verified its issuing route. Preserve the email, SMS, PDF and attachments; identify whether it came through the GST Portal, a tax officer, or a DGGI-related office; verify the printed identifier with the matching official service; then sign in by navigating to the GST Portal yourself and inspect Services > User Services > View Additional Notices/Orders. Read the actual notice for its form, legal provision, tax period, allegations, documents requested and reply date. File the response through the channel stated in that notice and retain the acknowledgement.

A PDF without a visible digital signature is not, by itself, proof of forgery. GSTN’s 25 September 2024 advisory explains that portal-generated document data is stored with the issuing officer’s digital signature and can be checked through Verify RFN, both before and after login.

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How do I verify a GST notice is genuine?

Use more than one check. A GSTIN search confirms the identity of a registered taxpayer, but it does not authenticate a particular notice. The strongest practical check is to match the document’s identifier with the official verification service for the issuing route and then compare the result with the notice shown in your logged-in GST Portal account.

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1. Preserve the original communication

Save the email in its original form, take screenshots of an SMS or portal alert, download every PDF and attachment, and note when and how it was served. Keep the sender address, phone number, message headers where available, file names, reference numbers and any payment instructions. Do not edit the files before saving them. These details may be needed to establish service date or to explain a discrepancy to the authority.

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2. Do not use a link in a threatening message

Urgency, a demand for immediate payment, or a warning that your registration will be cancelled is not proof that a message is genuine. Do not open a login or payment link from the message, and never disclose your GST password, one-time password, digital-signature PIN or bank details. Open the GST Portal by typing its known address yourself or by using a trusted bookmark, then sign in normally.

3. Identify the issuing route and identifier

The correct verifier depends on who issued the communication. GST Portal-generated notices and orders generally use a reference number (RFN). DGGI guidance identifies DIN, GSTN RFN or an eOffice Issue Number, depending on the communication type and platform. An identifier that is valid for one route may not be valid for another.

Communication route Identifier to look for Verification route
GST Portal-generated notice or order RFN (reference number) Use Verify RFN before login or, after login, Dashboard > Services > User Services > Verify RFN.
DGGI or related communication DIN, GSTN RFN or eOffice Issue Number, as printed on the document Use the official DGGI Public Services verifier that matches the identifier and communication type.

DGGI’s public-services page says: “Do not act on suspicious communication unless the relevant DIN, RFN No., or eOffice Issue No. is validated.” Its guidance refers to CBIC Circulars 249/06/2025-GST and 252/09/2025-GST.

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4. Verify an RFN on the GST Portal

  1. Open the GST Portal independently, without following a message link.

  2. For a pre-login check, select the public Verify RFN facility and enter the reference number and other requested details exactly as printed.

  3. For an after-login check, sign in and go to Dashboard > Services > User Services > Verify RFN.

  4. Compare the returned document data with the PDF: reference number, issuing officer, purpose, taxpayer details and the type of communication.

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GSTN’s 25 September 2024 advisory states that the validity of a document, including who issued it and for what purpose, can be verified on the common portal before login and after login. Therefore, a downloaded portal PDF that has no visible signature should not be rejected solely for that reason. A failed RFN check or a result that conflicts with the document is a different matter and requires caution.

5. Check the notice after signing in

  1. Sign in through the independently opened GST Portal.

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  2. Go to Services > User Services > View Additional Notices/Orders.

  3. Open the matching entry and download the notice and all available attachments from the portal.

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  4. Compare the portal entry with the communication you received, including the GSTIN and legal name, reference number, issuing authority, tax period, subject, attachments and dates.

Portal presence is an important cross-check, but it does not replace route-specific verification. If the communication says it was issued by DGGI or another platform, validate it with that authority’s official service as well.

6. Use Search Taxpayer for identity, not authentication

Use the GST Portal’s Search Taxpayer facility and search by GSTIN or UIN. Confirm that the legal name and registration details correspond to the taxpayer named in the communication. This can expose a misaddressed or altered document, but a matching GSTIN alone does not prove that an authorised officer issued the notice.

What to do when verification fails

How do I respond to a GST notice?

There is no single GST-notice deadline or universal reply form. Start with the notice itself and record the service date, reply-by date, cited provision, tax periods, alleged tax, interest and penalty, factual allegations, documents requested, form and filing channel.

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1. Make a deadline and document record

Create a working copy of the notice and write down:

  • the date and method of service;
  • the date by which the authority requires a reply;
  • the issuing authority, officer and reference number;
  • the form named in the notice and the statutory section cited;
  • the tax periods and amounts for tax, interest and penalty;
  • each allegation or proposed adjustment;
  • each document or explanation requested; and
  • the portal menu, email address or other channel specified for filing.

Download the notice and attachments from the official portal where available. Keep the original files, a readable working copy and a calendar reminder several days before the stated deadline. Do not substitute a generic deadline chart for the date in your notice.

2. Determine whether DRC-06 applies

The official GST forms catalogue describes FORM GST DRC-06 as the taxpayer’s “Reply to the Show Cause Notice.” The same catalogue identifies DRC-01 as the officer’s summary of a show-cause notice. That does not make DRC-06 the answer to every document casually called a GST notice. Read the actual notice to determine whether it is a show-cause proceeding, whether DRC-06 is named, and whether an additional submission or hearing request is required.

Other communications may ask for information, seek clarification, communicate a rectification outcome, or convey an order. Use the form and process specified for that proceeding rather than filing DRC-06 automatically.

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3. Build a point-by-point factual response

Answer each allegation under a clearly numbered heading that corresponds to the notice. State whether you accept, partly accept or dispute the point, then give the factual explanation and the supporting record. Avoid a general statement that the demand is “wrong” without tying it to invoices, returns or payments.

Useful reconciliation records can include:

  • GST returns and electronic liability or credit ledgers;
  • tax invoices, debit notes, credit notes and purchase registers;
  • sales and general ledgers, trial balances and bank records;
  • payment challans and proof of tax, interest or fee payment;
  • e-way bills, delivery records and contracts;
  • input-tax-credit reconciliations and supplier correspondence;
  • earlier replies, audit submissions, orders or correspondence; and
  • working papers that explain calculations for each tax period.

Label attachments so the officer can connect each document to the relevant paragraph, for example, “Annexure 2 — invoice register supporting paragraph 4.” Remove duplicate files, check that scans are legible and ensure the totals in the response agree with the attached schedules.

4. Address legal and factual issues separately

Explain the transaction facts first, then identify the statutory or rule-based reason the proposed tax, interest or penalty does not apply. If a calculation is accepted but a penalty is disputed, say so explicitly. If records are incomplete, identify what is missing and give a supported explanation rather than supplying an estimate presented as fact.

5. File through the stated channel

  1. Use the portal workflow named in the notice, or the specified official email or other channel where the notice directs that route.

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  2. Upload the completed form and labelled evidence in the permitted file formats and size limits.

  3. Review the preview, taxpayer details, tax periods, amounts and attachments before submitting.

  4. Authorise the filing using the method requested by the portal, such as the applicable electronic verification or digital-signature process.

  5. Download the acknowledgement, ARN or other proof of delivery immediately.

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Keep the submitted form, final attachments, acknowledgement, submission timestamp and a screenshot of the successful filing. If a portal error prevents submission, capture the error, preserve the deadline evidence and use the alternative official contact or filing route stated in the notice; do not send sensitive credentials to an unverified address.

6. Prepare for a hearing or follow-up

A reply may not end the proceeding. Monitor the portal and official correspondence for a hearing notice, request for additional information, rectification communication or order. Use the same reference number in later correspondence and keep a chronology of every submission and response.

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What do sections 73 and 74 mean on a GST notice?

Section headings indicate the legal theory being used, but they do not establish that the department’s allegations are correct. Use the section and period printed on your actual notice and check the current amended law.

Provision shown on the notice What the current displayed Act text describes Qualification
Section 73 Tax not paid or short paid, erroneous refunds, or wrongly availed or utilised input tax credit for reasons other than fraud or wilful misstatement or suppression of facts. Read the notice’s facts, period and proposed calculation; the heading alone does not decide liability.
Section 74 Comparable tax, refund or input-tax-credit matters alleged to arise through fraud, wilful misstatement or suppression of facts to evade tax. The displayed section 74 text is expressly limited to periods up to FY 2023-24; confirm the current amended provision for the period in your notice.

Compare the allegation with your records and identify precisely whether the dispute concerns the transaction, classification, time of supply, valuation, input-tax-credit eligibility, payment, or the department’s assertion about intent. If the notice alleges fraud or suppression, the factual basis for that allegation deserves specific treatment in the reply.

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Is a notice reply the same as a GST appeal?

No. A reply to a show-cause notice is made before the adjudication decision. An appeal challenges a communicated order after that decision. Missing the response stage can leave fewer opportunities to correct the record, while treating an initial notice as an appeal can send the filing to the wrong form and deadline.

Issue Reply to a show-cause notice Appeal against a communicated order
Procedural stage Before the adjudicating authority decides the matter. After a decision or order has been communicated.
Form or route Use the form and channel named in the notice; DRC-06 is the catalogue entry for a taxpayer’s reply to a show-cause notice. The GST Portal FAQ describes filing through Services > User Services > My Applications > Appeal to Appellate Authority, using FORM GST APL-01 where applicable.
Time described in official FAQ Use the reply-by date printed in the notice and the applicable service rules. Ordinarily three months from communication of the decision or order, with up to one additional month potentially condoned for sufficient cause.
Payment condition described in official FAQ Follow any payment or security instruction in the notice; do not assume an appeal pre-deposit rule applies. The FAQ describes a minimum pre-deposit of 10% of disputed tax before the appeal, subject to the applicable law and proceeding.

The three-month period, possible one-month condonation and 10% pre-deposit are figures stated in the GST Portal appeal FAQ. Verify the current statute, order type and facts before relying on them. An appeal deadline is not a substitute for answering an unresolved notice.

Common mistakes that can make the situation worse

When should you obtain professional help?

Consult a qualified Indian GST practitioner or tax lawyer promptly when the alleged tax or penalty is substantial, the notice alleges fraud or suppression, records are missing, several periods or registrations are involved, the communication conflicts with portal data, or the reply or appeal deadline is close. A professional can assess the specific provision, limitation and evidence; general procedural guidance cannot determine whether a particular notice is legally valid or whether the department’s calculation is correct.

Bring the complete notice and attachments, RFN/DIN/eOffice verification results, portal downloads, returns, ledgers, invoices, payment records, earlier correspondence and a chronology of service and submissions. Do not share your portal password, OTP or digital-signature PIN with the adviser; provide documents through a secure, agreed channel and retain control of filing authorisation.

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