VAT Registration — Value Added Tax Registration — was historically the indirect-tax registration every dealer needed to take under the state VAT Acts before GST rolled in on 1 July 2017. Post-GST, VAT continues to apply in a narrow but very important set of cases: petroleum products (petrol, diesel, ATF, crude, natural gas), potable alcohol (liquor for human consumption), and a few state-specific items that are still outside the GST framework. Dealers handling these goods are still required to obtain VAT / Sales Tax registration under the respective state’s VAT Act.
Businesses also frequently need support on old-regime VAT matters — closure of legacy VAT / CST registrations, handling of pending VAT assessments and appeals, CST C-Form / F-Form reconciliation, and availing state VAT amnesty / settlement schemes that governments keep rolling out to close open dossiers. Alongside domestic VAT, we also support VAT registration in cross-border jurisdictions — particularly UAE VAT (5%), UK VAT (20%), and EU VAT registrations — for Indian exporters, e-commerce sellers, and SaaS companies with overseas customers and warehouses.
We offer end-to-end VAT Registration services — from post-GST state VAT registration for petroleum and liquor dealers, legacy VAT compliance clean-up, CST form reconciliation, amnesty-scheme closure, to UAE / UK / EU VAT registration support for Indian businesses going global — so your VAT obligations are correctly identified, registered, and closed out wherever they arise.
State-Wise
VAT registration by each state
Post-GST
Petroleum & liquor still in VAT
Legacy
Pre-GST VAT / CST matters
Global
UAE, UK & EU VAT support
Laws & Frameworks We Work Under
State VAT Acts (Petro & Liquor)
CST Act, 1956 (Legacy)
Maharashtra VAT Act
Karnataka VAT Act
Delhi VAT Act
UAE VAT Law (FTA)
UK VAT (HMRC)
EU VAT Directive
FAQs on VAT Registration
Is VAT still applicable in India after GST?
Yes. While GST replaced VAT for most goods and services from 1 July 2017, state Value Added Tax continues to apply to a specific set of items that are outside GST — particularly petroleum products (petrol, diesel, aviation turbine fuel, crude oil, natural gas) and potable alcohol (liquor for human consumption). Dealers in these products are still required to obtain state VAT registration under the respective state’s VAT Act and comply with periodic returns, assessments, and payments. Additionally, legacy VAT / CST matters pre-dating GST continue to be relevant in assessments and appeals.
Who needs VAT Registration in India today?
Today, VAT registration is primarily needed by petroleum dealers and oil marketing companies (OMCs), liquor manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, bars, hotels, and distilleries, airlines purchasing ATF, and any business dealing in goods that have not been subsumed under GST. Businesses with pending pre-GST VAT / CST assessments or demands may also need to engage with VAT authorities despite not being active dealers. Registration is taken state-wise with the respective state’s Commercial Tax / Sales Tax Department.
How is VAT different from GST?
VAT is a state-level indirect tax administered separately by each state under its own VAT Act, with state-specific rates and forms. GST, introduced in 2017, is a unified Central + State indirect tax applicable across India on most goods and services, administered through a common portal (gst.gov.in) with CGST, SGST, and IGST components. GST replaced VAT for most supplies, but petroleum and liquor remain under VAT. In short — most of your business is now in GST, but a narrow, important slice may still be in VAT.
Do Indian businesses also need VAT registration abroad?
Yes, increasingly so. Indian e-commerce sellers, SaaS companies, exporters, and global groups often need VAT registrations in the UAE (5%), UK (20%), and EU countries based on local thresholds, warehouse presence, or direct sales to end-customers. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and other GCC countries also have VAT regimes. We help with UAE FTA VAT registration, UK HMRC VAT registration, EU One-Stop-Shop (OSS / IOSS) and country-wise EU VAT registrations, along with ongoing compliance, invoicing, and return filing in those jurisdictions.
Can you help with legacy VAT / CST assessments and appeals?
Yes. We regularly assist businesses with legacy VAT / CST matters from the pre-GST period — pending returns, assessment notices, demand orders, CST C-Form / F-Form / H-Form reconciliation, and appeals before appellate authorities and tribunals. We also help optimise outcomes under state amnesty or settlement schemes that governments launch periodically to close old VAT dossiers with reduced interest and penalty, freeing the business from long-pending exposure on acquisitions, mergers, or group restructuring.
How long does VAT registration take?
Domestic state VAT registration for petroleum or liquor dealers typically takes 10 to 30 working days, depending on the specific state, industry licensing (excise / PESO / dealership letters), and physical verification of premises. UAE VAT registration with the Federal Tax Authority usually takes 2 to 4 weeks, UK VAT with HMRC 2 to 6 weeks, and EU VAT registrations vary widely by country — some quick, others taking 6 to 8 weeks. Timelines improve significantly when documents are in order and licences are pre-approved.
Should I surrender my old VAT / CST registration?
If your business has fully migrated to GST and no longer deals in any product still under VAT (petroleum, liquor, ATF), keeping a legacy VAT / CST registration open serves no purpose and can attract default notices from the department. A clean surrender — filing all pending returns, paying off any dues, and formally cancelling the registration — avoids future compliance risk. We manage the entire surrender process, including coordination with the state department and closure of any pending assessments.
Can you handle both Indian VAT and overseas VAT under a single engagement?
Yes. For clients with a combined Indian and international footprint — Indian petroleum / liquor operations plus UAE, UK, or EU e-commerce and SaaS presence — we structure a single coordinated engagement covering all applicable VAT registrations, return filings, assessment support, and advisory. This gives the CFO and finance team one point of accountability across multiple VAT jurisdictions, instead of stitching together multiple advisors for each country and each compliance.