E-Way Bill Online Validity Checker
Moving goods from one place to another in India then you will hear one word again and again: e-way bill. Truck drivers ask for it. GST officers check it on highways. Buyers want it before they accept delivery.
An e-way bill ( electronic way bill) is a digital document that shows what goods are moving, who sent them, who will receive them and which vehicle is carrying them. Under the GST law you need one when the goods are worth more than ₹50,000. You create it on the government’s GST e-way bill portal, and the whole process is done eway bill online, so no paper forms are needed.
Eway Bill Online is a private informational website and is not affiliated with the Government of India, GSTN or NIC. E-way bills can only be generated on the official portal at ewaybillgst.gov.in. We never ask for your login details.
What Is an E-Way Bill?
An E-Way Bill (Electronic Way Bill) is an electronic document required under India's Goods and Services Tax (GST) system for transporting goods from one place to another. Just like you carry a ticket on a train, goods carry an e-way bill while they travel on the road, by rail, by air or by ship.
Every e-way bill gets its own 12-digit number called the E-Way Bill Number (EBN). This number is linked to the seller's GSTIN, the invoice, the goods and the vehicle. When a GST officer stops a truck, they scan or type this number and can see all the details in seconds.
The e-way bill system started across India in 2018 as part of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Before that, each state had its own check posts and paper forms, and trucks often waited for hours at state borders. The digital system removed most of those check posts and made goods movement faster.
E-way bill generation in India rose 7.7 per cent year on year to 139.08 million in August 2026, the third-highest monthly level on record. The highest month so far was March 2026, with 140.60 million e-way bills. That means close to 14 crore e-way bills are created every month, which shows how much of India's trade depends on this one document.
About the E-Way Bill
Here is a short summary you can come back to anytime.
| Topic | What You Need to Know |
|---|---|
| Full name | Electronic Way Bill (EWB) |
| Law | Section 68 of the CGST Act and Rule 138 of the CGST Rules, 2017 |
| Official portal | ewaybillgst.gov.in (and the backup portal ewaybill2.gst.gov.in) |
| Built and run by | National Informatics Centre (NIC) |
| Basic limit | Consignment value above ₹50,000 |
| Validity (regular goods) | 1 day for every 200 km |
| Validity (oversized goods) | 1 day for every 20 km |
| Cancel within | 24 hours of creating it |
| Main form | FORM GST EWB-01 |
| Penalty for skipping it | ₹10,000 or the tax evaded, whichever is higher |
How the E-Way Bill System Works
Every e-way bill has two parts and it helps to understand both before you start.
Part A holds the details of the goods and the deal. This includes the GSTIN of the recipient the place of delivery (as a PIN code), the invoice or challan number and date, the value of the goods, the HSN code, the reason for moving the goods and the transport document number.
Part B holds the details of the vehicle. For road transport this is mainly the vehicle number. For rail, air or ship it is the transport document number such as a railway receipt or airway bill number.
An e-way bill becomes complete only when both parts are filled. The seller often fills Part A and the transporter fills Part B. This is useful because the seller knows the goods, while the transporter knows which truck will carry them.
The seller creates the invoice, fills Part A on the GST e-way bill portal and either adds the vehicle number or assigns the job to a transporter using their Transporter ID. Once Part B is added, the portal creates the e-way bill with its EBN. The driver carries a printout or the number, and the goods start moving.
When Is an E-Way Bill Required?
You need an e-way bill when goods with a consignment value of more than ₹50,000 are moved in a vehicle. The consignment value includes the value of goods shown on the invoice plus GST (CGST, SGST or IGST, and cess). It does not include the value of exempt goods that are billed together on the same invoice.
The e-way bill is needed for more than just sales. It also applies when goods move for these reasons:
A sale or purchase, a branch transfer or stock transfer, sending goods for job work, returning goods, sending goods for exhibition or moving goods on approval. if goods worth more than ₹50,000 move for any business reason, you most likely need an e-way bill.
E-Way Bill for Interstate Transport
When goods move from one state to another (interstate movement), the limit is the same across India: ₹50,000. There is no state-wise difference here.
There are also two special cases where you need an e-way bill for interstate movement even if the value is below ₹50,000. The first is when a principal sends goods to a job worker in another state. The second is when a handicraft seller who is exempt from GST registration moves handicraft goods to another state.
E-Way Bill for Intrastate Transport
When goods move within the same state (intrastate movement), each state can set its own limit. Most states use ₹50,000, but a few have kept it higher.
| State | Intrastate E-Way Bill Limit |
|---|---|
| Most states and UTs | ₹50,000 |
| Maharashtra | ₹1,00,000 |
| Delhi | ₹1,00,000 |
| Tamil Nadu | ₹1,00,000 |
| Punjab | ₹1,00,000 |
| Bihar | ₹1,00,000 |
| Rajasthan | ₹1,00,000 (₹2,00,000 within the same city for most goods) |
State limits can change through state notifications, so always check your state's latest rule before moving goods. Our calculator uses these limits to tell you whether your consignment needs an e-way bill.
Can You Create One Below the Limit?
Yes. The law allows a supplier or transporter to create an e-way bill even when the value is below ₹50,000. Many businesses do this on purpose because it avoids arguments at check points, especially when the value is close to the limit.
Who Should Generate the E-Way Bill?
The person who causes the goods to move is responsible. In real life, this works out in three ways.
The supplier (consignor) usually creates it when they send goods in their own vehicle or a hired one.
The recipient (consignee) can create it when they arrange the transport and pick up the goods themselves.
The transporter creates it when neither the supplier nor the recipient has done so. A transporter who carries goods for many small customers can also combine many e-way bills into one, which we explain later.
E-Way Bill for Unregistered Persons
If an unregistered person sells goods to a registered buyer, the registered buyer must make sure the e-way bill is created because the law treats the buyer as the supplier for this purpose. If an unregistered person moves goods on their own, they may choose to create one through the portal. Unregistered transporters can enroll on the portal to get a Transporter ID, so that sellers can assign e-way bills to them.
E-Way Bill Without GST
People often search for an e way bill without GST. There are two meanings here.
The first is an e-way bill created by someone who has no GSTIN, which we covered above. The second is goods on which no GST is charged. Many exempt goods, like fresh vegetables and fruits, milk, and household LPG, do not need an e-way bill at all. However, if exempt goods are billed along with taxable goods on one invoice and the total crosses the limit, check the rules carefully before moving them.
Requirements: What You Need Before You Start
You will need the right document, which is
- A tax invoice for a taxable sale
- A bill of supply if you sell exempt goods or are under the composition scheme
- Or a delivery challan when there is no sale, such as a stock transfer or job work.
You will also need
- The GSTIN of both the supplier and the recipient (or URP if the recipient is unregistered)
- The place of dispatch and place of delivery with PIN codes
- The HSN code of the goods
- The value of goods and the tax amount
- And the transport details.
For transport details, you need either
- The vehicle number (for road)
- Or the transport document number (for rail, air or ship).
If a transporter will add the vehicle later, you need their Transporter ID, which is a 15-digit number given to transporters.
One more thing matters a lot today. The portal checks the date of your document. Since 1 January 2025, an e-way bill cannot be generated against any invoice, credit note or delivery challan dated more than 180 days before the generation date, and the portal blocks the attempt. So always create your e-way bill soon after making the invoice.
E-Way Bill Format and GST Forms
The official e way bill format is FORM GST EWB-01. It is the form you fill on the portal, with Part A for goods details and Part B for vehicle details. You do not need to download or fill any paper form, because the portal shows the same fields on screen.
There are a few other forms in the e-way bill system. You will not use most of them yourself, but it is good to know what they mean.
| Form | What It Is Used For | Who Uses It |
|---|---|---|
| EWB-01 | The e-way bill itself (Part A and Part B) | Supplier, recipient or transporter |
| EWB-02 | Consolidated e-way bill for many consignments in one vehicle | Transporter |
| EWB-03 | Verification report after checking goods on the road | GST officer |
| EWB-04 | Report when a vehicle is held for more than 30 minutes | Transporter |
| EWB-05 | Request to unblock e-way bill generation | Taxpayer |
| EWB-06 | Order accepting or rejecting that request | GST officer |
The EWB-03 form has clear timelines. The officer must record a summary report in Part A of FORM GST EWB-03 within 24 hours of inspection and the final report in Part B within three days. If a vehicle is stopped and held for more than thirty minutes, the transporter may upload this information in FORM GST EWB-04. Many transporters do not know about EWB-04, but it is a useful way to put a long delay on record.
The EWB-05 and EWB-06 forms matter if your e-way bill access gets blocked. This usually happens when a business does not file its GST returns (GSTR-3B) for two tax periods in a row. Filing the pending returns is the fastest way to get access back.
E-Way Bill Validity and Distance Rules
The e way bill validity depends on how far the goods travel. This is also the most common source of penalties, so it is worth understanding properly.
| Type of Cargo | Distance | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| Regular cargo | Up to 200 km | 1 day |
| Regular cargo | Every extra 200 km or part of it | 1 more day |
| Over Dimensional Cargo (ODC) | Up to 20 km | 1 day |
| Over Dimensional Cargo (ODC) | Every extra 20 km or part of it | 1 more day |
Over Dimensional Cargo means goods that are too big to fit normal vehicle size limits, like large machinery or wind turbine blades.
There are two small details that confuse many people. First, validity starts when Part B (the vehicle details) is first entered, not when Part A is filled. Second, one day does not mean 24 hours. A day ends at midnight of the next day. So if you create an e-way bill at 10 AM on 1 October for a 150 km trip, it stays valid until 11:59 PM on 2 October.
Here is a simple example. A trader in Pune sends goods to Hyderabad, which is about 560 km by road. Dividing 560 by 200 gives 2.8, and any part of 200 km counts as a full day. So the e-way bill gets 3 days of validity. You do not need to work this out by hand every time, because our calculator on this page does it for you in one click.
E-Way Bill Distance
When you create an e-way bill, the portal calculates the eway bill distance between the two PIN codes on its own. You can enter a distance up to 10% more than what the portal shows, which helps when the actual route is longer because of detours or road work. If both PIN codes are the same, you can enter up to 100 km.
There is also a short distance relief. When goods move up to 50 km within the same state, from the seller's place to the transporter's place (or from the transporter's place to the buyer), you do not need to fill Part B. However, Part A is still required. This is often called the e way bill distance limit, and it helps small local deliveries.
Making Changes: Update, Cancel, Reject and Extend
Plans change. Trucks break down. Buyers cancel orders. The e-way bill system has an option for each of these situations.
Update Vehicle Number
If goods are moved from one truck to another, you must update Part B with the new vehicle number before the new truck starts moving. This is the e way bill update vehicle number option. The supplier, recipient or the assigned transporter can do it. You can update the vehicle as many times as needed during the trip.
E-Way Bill Cancellation
If goods do not move, or the e-way bill has wrong details, you can cancel it. An e-way bill may be cancelled within 24 hours if the goods have not been transported, but it cannot be cancelled after it has been verified in transit. After the 24 hour window closes, the cancel option disappears.
An e-way bill cannot be edited once created. If you made a mistake, such as a wrong invoice value, the only way to fix it is to cancel the old one within 24 hours and create a new one. This is why e way bill cancellation is one of the most searched topics.
Rejection by the Recipient
The recipient can reject an e-way bill created in their name, for example if they never ordered the goods. They must do this within 72 hours of the details being shared with them on the portal, or before the goods are delivered, whichever is earlier. If they do nothing, the e-way bill is treated as accepted.
E-Way Bill Extension
Sometimes a trip takes longer than planned because of a breakdown, an accident, bad weather or traffic. In that case, you can request an e way bill extension. The option opens 8 hours before the e-way bill expires and stays open until 8 hours after it expires. You must give a reason and the current location of the goods.
There is also an upper limit now. Since January 2025, the total life of an e-way bill, including all extensions, cannot go beyond 360 days from the date it was first created. Our calculator shows you the exact extension window for your e-way bill, so you know when to act.
E-Way Bill Print, Download and Status Check
Once your e-way bill is ready, the driver must carry it.
- They can carry a printout, or simply the EBN, because officers can check the number online.
- Many transporters prefer both to avoid any argument on the road.
To print or download the e-way bill, log in to the portal and use the print option.
- Enter the EBN, and the e-way bill opens on screen.
- From there, you can print it or save it as a PDF.
- This is how most people handle eway bill print and e way bill download.
- The printed copy has a QR code that officers can scan.
For an e way bill status check or e way bill number search, log in and use the search or reports options. You can
- Look up an e-way bill by its number
- See all e-way bills you created on a certain date
- And check whether a bill is active, cancelled or expired.
Many people also search for an e way bill by vehicle number or an e way bill by GST number.
- After you log in, the reports section lets you see e-way bills linked to your GSTIN, and transporters can see e-way bills assigned to them.
- Officers on the road use a special mobile app to check e-way bills by vehicle number, which is how e way bill verification happens during inspections.
E-Way Bill Penalty: What Happens If You Skip It
Moving goods without a valid e-way bill is a serious GST compliance problem, and the penalty can be much bigger than people expect.
Under Section 122 of the CGST Act, a person who transports taxable goods without the required documents, including an e-way bill, can face a penalty of ₹10,000 or the tax sought to be evaded, whichever is greater.
Officers can also stop the vehicle and hold the goods under Section 129. To get them released, the owner has to pay a penalty on top of the tax.
| Situation | Penalty to Release Goods |
|---|---|
| Owner comes forward (taxable goods) | 200% of the tax payable |
| Owner comes forward (exempt goods) | 2% of goods value or ₹25,000, whichever is lower |
| Owner does not come forward (taxable goods) | 50% of goods value minus tax paid |
| Owner does not come forward (exempt goods) | 5% of goods value or ₹25,000, whichever is lower |
The 200% rate came into effect from 1 January 2022, and it was 100% before that. To understand how large this is, imagine goods worth ₹5 lakh with 18% GST, which is ₹90,000 in tax. A 200% penalty would be ₹1,80,000, which is more than a third of the goods value
Latest E-Way Bill Updates in 2025 and 2026
The e way bill rules keep changing, so here are the recent updates that matter most.
- 180 day document rule (from January 2025). You cannot create an e-way bill for an invoice or challan older than 180 days.
- 360 day extension cap (from January 2025). An e-way bill cannot be extended beyond 360 days from the day it was first created.
- Two factor login (from April 2025). Every user must log in with an OTP in addition to the password.
- Ship-To GSTIN and closure facility (on hold). In 2026, GSTN announced that the Ship-To GSTIN would become mandatory for bill-to ship-to deals, along with a new option to close an e-way bill after delivery. However, GSTN put these enhancements on hold, removing the planned August 1, 2026 deadline, and advised businesses not to change their systems based on the earlier advisories. As of September 2026, no new date has been announced. We will update this page as soon as GSTN shares the next step
Final Thoughts
The e-way bill may look like one more GST task, but once you understand how it works, it takes only a few minutes. Keep your invoice, GSTIN, HSN code and vehicle number ready. Create the e-way bill before the goods move. Watch the validity, and extend it on time if the trip gets delayed.
Use the free calculator at the top of this page to check whether your consignment needs an e-way bill and exactly when it will expire. Then log in to the official portal to create it. Doing eway bill online the right way keeps your goods moving and your business safe from penalties.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the limit for an e-way bill?
For interstate movement, you need an e-way bill when the consignment value is more than ₹50,000. For intrastate movement, the limit depends on the state. Most states use ₹50,000, while states like Maharashtra and Delhi use ₹1,00,000.
Can I create an eway bill online without a GST number?
Yes, in some cases. If you are unregistered and sell to a registered buyer, the buyer is responsible for the e-way bill. Unregistered persons can also create one through the portal on their own if they choose, and unregistered transporters can enroll to get a Transporter ID.
How long is an e-way bill valid?
For regular goods, it is valid for 1 day for every 200 km. For over dimensional cargo, it is 1 day for every 20 km. Each day ends at midnight of the following day.
Can an e-way bill be edited after it is created?
No. Only the vehicle details in Part B can be updated. For any other mistake, cancel the e-way bill within 24 hours and create a new one.
What happens if my e-way bill expires during the trip?
You can extend it from 8 hours before expiry to 8 hours after expiry by giving a reason and the current location. If you miss this window, the goods travel without a valid e-way bill, and they can be held with a penalty.
Is a printed copy of the e-way bill compulsory?
No. The driver can carry the 12-digit e-way bill number or show it on a phone. A printed copy is still a good idea, as it makes inspections faster.
Is the e-way bill login the same as the GST portal login?
No. The e way bill login is linked to your GSTIN but uses its own username and password, which you create during e-way bill registration.
Who can generate an eway bill online?
The supplier, the recipient, or the transporter can generate an eway bill online, depending on who arranges the transport. A transporter can also create one when neither the supplier nor the recipient has done it.
Is an e-way bill needed for goods moved within the same city?
Usually yes, if the value crosses your state's limit. Distance does not remove the need for an e-way bill. However, Part B may not be needed for trips up to 50 km to or from a transporter within the state, and some states have special city-level rules.