GST Number Check: Free GSTIN Validator & Lookup

GSTIN (15 characters)

Match against a PAN (optional)

Enter a GSTIN to check it

Spaces and hyphens are ignored. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere until you press the lookup button.

One GSTIN per line (or separated by commas)

Up to 5,000 lines. Checked in your browser: nothing is uploaded.

What each part of a GSTIN means

Characters	Part	What it tells you
`1–2`	State code	The state or union territory of the registration, for example 27 for Maharashtra. A business registers separately in each state it operates from.
`3–12`	PAN	The holder's 10-character PAN. Its 4th character is the holder type (C company, P individual, F firm or LLP and so on) and its 5th is the first letter of the holder's surname for an individual, or of the name for anyone else.
`13`	Entity number	Counts registrations under the same PAN in the same state: 1 for the first, up to 9, then A to Z.
`14`	Default "Z"	Z on a normal taxpayer's GSTIN. Other letters appear on special registrations.
`15`	Check digit	Worked out from the first 14 characters. It catches a single mistyped character and most swaps of two neighbouring characters.

How the check digit is calculated

Each of the first 14 characters gets a value: 0–9 for digits and 10–35 for A–Z. Multiply the values by 1 and 2 alternately, starting with 1. Split each product into its quotient and remainder by 36 and add the two. Add everything up; the check digit is the character whose value is 36 minus the total's remainder by 36 (and 0 when the remainder is 0).

Worked through for the made-up number 22AAAAA0000A1Z?:

Character	2	2	A	A	A	A	A	0	0	0	0	A	1	Z
Value	2	2	10	10	10	10	10	0	0	0	0	10	1	35
× factor	1	2	1	2	1	2	1	2	1	2	1	2	1	2
Product	2	4	10	20	10	20	10	0	0	0	0	20	1	70
Quotient + remainder	2	4	10	20	10	20	10	0	0	0	0	20	1	35

Total 132; 132 mod 36 = 24; 36 − 24 = 12, which is C. So 22AAAAA0000A1ZC is well formed, and the same number ending in any other character is not.

What this check can and cannot tell you

A valid format means the number is well formed. It does not mean it is registered, active, or belongs to the business that gave it to you.
The check digit catches most typing mistakes, but not all: some errors in two or more characters still produce a valid-looking number.
For a supplier you claim input tax credit from, confirm the legal name and that the status is Active with the lookup above, or on the GST portal's Search Taxpayer page.
TDS deductors, TCS collectors (e-commerce operators), UN bodies and embassies (UIN) and non-resident registrations follow other patterns. This tool still checks their state code and check digit but does not decode the rest.

GST state codes

01Jammu and Kashmir
02Himachal Pradesh
03Punjab
04Chandigarh
05Uttarakhand
06Haryana
07Delhi
08Rajasthan
09Uttar Pradesh
10Bihar
11Sikkim
12Arunachal Pradesh
13Nagaland
14Manipur
15Mizoram
16Tripura
17Meghalaya
18Assam
19West Bengal
20Jharkhand
21Odisha
22Chhattisgarh
23Madhya Pradesh
24Gujarat
25Daman and Diu (retired)
26Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu
27Maharashtra
28Andhra Pradesh (before 2014) (retired)
29Karnataka
30Goa
31Lakshadweep
32Kerala
33Tamil Nadu
34Puducherry
35Andaman and Nicobar Islands
36Telangana
37Andhra Pradesh
38Ladakh
97Other Territory

PAN holder types (4th character of the PAN)

Letter	Holder
`P`	Individual (for example a proprietor)
`C`	Company
`H`	Hindu Undivided Family (HUF)
`F`	Firm or Limited Liability Partnership
`A`	Association of Persons (AOP)
`T`	Trust
`B`	Body of Individuals (BOI)
`L`	Local authority
`J`	Artificial juridical person
`G`	Government agency

Source: Income Tax Department, frequently asked questions on PAN.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check if a GST number is valid?▾

Paste it into the checker above. It confirms the 15-character format, the state code, the embedded PAN and its holder type, and the check digit, which catches a single mistyped character. To see who the number belongs to and whether it is active, use the name and status lookup or Search Taxpayer on the GST portal.

What is the format of a GSTIN?▾

Two digits for the state code, the holder's 10-character PAN, one character for the entity number, "Z" by default, and a check digit: 15 characters in all, for example 27 + ABCDE1234F + 1 + Z + the check character.

Can I find the business name from a GST number?▾

Yes. The legal name, trade name, status and registration date are public on the GST portal. The lookup on this page reads that public record through gstinapi.in, 10 times an hour per connection, and does not store the GSTIN.

What does the 13th character of a GSTIN mean?▾

It counts how many registrations the same PAN holds in that state: 1 for the first, 2 for the second, up to 9, and then A to Z.

Why does a GSTIN fail the check digit?▾

Almost always because one character was typed wrong or two neighbouring characters were swapped. Ask the party for the number again, or copy it from their GST registration certificate or a previous invoice.

Does a valid GSTIN mean I can claim input tax credit?▾

Not on its own. The supplier must be registered and active, the invoice must carry the correct GSTIN, and the supplier must report the invoice so that it appears in your GSTR-2B. A valid format is only the first of those checks.

GSTIN Checker: Check Any GST Number