GST Portal Notices Tab: View, Reply and Track Online

A GST notice can sit quietly in your portal dashboard until the reply date is close. If you file your own returns, the hardest part is often not the tax issue but finding the notice, opening the right GSTIN, and discovering that the reply button is not where you expected. This guide walks through the portal-side workflow: where notices appear, how to check the DIN, how to upload a reply and annexures, and how to save the acknowledgement so you can prove what you filed. It uses the phrase GST portal notice reply in the practical sense: the screen, the upload and the record.

Where GST notices appear on the portal

Log in at the GST portal and check the GSTIN selector at the top. A notice for one registration will not appear under another. The usual path is Services > User Services > View Notices and Orders. The dashboard may also show a pending notice count, and return-related communications can appear inside the returns screen. Portal labels change, so look for the notices link rather than relying on memory.

Open the notice subject, not just the PDF. The subject line usually carries the form type, tax period and reference. Download the notice and keep the portal copy. An email or SMS alert is only a prompt; the portal record is what you should rely on. If a consultant files for you, still check the notices tab for every GSTIN you handle, because some notices need action from the registered signatory.

Checking DIN and notice authentication

Open the first page of the notice and check the GSTIN, taxpayer name, notice reference, tax period, name of the proper officer, provision quoted, demand or discrepancy, and due date. A portal-generated notice normally carries a Document Identification Number, or DIN. CBIC's 2019 DIN circular asked GST officers to quote a DIN on notices, orders and letters, with limited exceptions. The CBIC GST portal carries the department's circulars and forms; use it to check the current position rather than relying on a forwarded WhatsApp copy.

Do not treat every communication without a DIN as genuine, and do not treat every email with a government logo as genuine. Compare the PDF with the notice on the portal. A portal notice may be digitally signed, and a printout may not show a visible signature; a wet signature is not the test. If the DIN is missing from a notice that should carry one, raise a grievance and ask the jurisdictional officer. Never pay money based only on a bank account mentioned in an email. Match the demand, GSTIN and reference with the portal record.

The GST portal notice reply: upload and submit

Click Reply against the notice. If the notice has several issues, answer each paragraph separately. Use a short covering text and a numbered annexure list. Upload PDFs where the portal accepts them. The portal may limit file type and size, so keep each annexure legible and within the limit. Name files clearly, for example 'ASMT-10 reply covering letter', 'GSTR-1 FY 2023-24' and 'invoice list March 2024'.

Sign the reply with DSC or EVC as the portal requires. Companies and LLPs normally use DSC, while proprietors and firms may use EVC where allowed. Check that the DSC is registered on the portal and valid on the date of submission. If the DSC fails, do not create a new login. Use the primary authorised signatory or follow the portal's DSC reset process.

Take a simple case. Meera Apparels, a proprietorship in Jaipur with GSTIN 08ABCDE1234F1Z5, received an ASMT-10 notice dated 12 February 2026 for 2023-24. Its GSTR-1 showed taxable supplies of Rs 48,20,000, while GSTR-3B showed Rs 46,80,000. The difference was Rs 1,40,000, mainly four invoices dated 28 March 2024 that were reported in GSTR-1 but missed in GSTR-3B. Tax at 5% came to Rs 7,000. The notice allowed 30 days. Meera downloaded the notice, checked the DIN, prepared a reconciliation, paid the tax and applicable interest through DRC-03, and uploaded the challan, GSTR-1, GSTR-3B, invoice list, ledger and bank statement. She filed the reply on 25 February 2026 and saved the acknowledgement.

Saving the acknowledgement and tracking status

After submission, download the acknowledgement PDF and note the portal reference number, date and time. Save it with the notice, the reply text and every annexure. The acknowledgement is your proof of what was filed and when. Do not rely on a browser confirmation screen alone.

Track the notice under Notices and Orders. The status may show that a reply has been filed, that the notice is pending or that it has been closed. A change in status is not the same as an order. If the portal shows no movement, check again after a reasonable interval and keep the acknowledgement ready. If you need the final order, download it from the portal when it appears and store it with the same file set.

What to do when the reply button is unavailable

First check the GSTIN and the login. The reply option usually appears for the primary authorised signatory; a secondary user may be able to view but not reply. Next check the due date. Once the reply period expires, the portal may lock the reply. Check whether you already replied, because the button may change to a view option. Some notices are intimation only and do not invite a reply. If an order has already been passed, the reply route may close. Technical glitches also occur.

• Raise a ticket under Help or Grievance on the portal and save the ticket number.

• Download the notice and any prior acknowledgement before the screen changes.

• Write to the jurisdictional officer quoting the DIN, GSTIN, notice reference and due date.

• If the deadline is close, file a holding reply through the available channel and seek an extension in writing.

• Keep proof of delivery, including the portal ticket, email and courier receipt.

Do not ignore a notice because the button is missing. A missing button is a portal problem or a procedural signal, not a legal defence.

Common mistakes and documents to keep

The common mistakes are replying only by email, ignoring additional notices, uploading blurry files, replying under the wrong GSTIN, letting the DSC expire, and waiting for a reminder that never comes. Keep the reply factual and tie every document to a paragraph in the notice.

• Downloaded notice PDF with DIN, GSTIN and due date

• GSTR-1, GSTR-3B and reconciliation for the tax period

• Sales and purchase invoices, e-way bills and ledgers

• DRC-03 challan and bank statement for any payment

• Portal acknowledgement with reference number and date

• Grievance ticket and officer correspondence, if the reply button was unavailable

Next action: log in to the GST portal today, open Notices and Orders for every GSTIN you handle, and download any open notice with its DIN. This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. Consult a qualified professional for your specific facts.