GST in Bengaluru: CGST, Karnataka SGST, and IGST — FY 2025-26 Guide
Goods and Services Tax (GST) in Bengaluru, Karnataka operates under a dual structure administered jointly by the Government of India and Karnataka state government. Whether you are a business owner in the MG Road / UB City area, a consumer buying services inBengaluru, or a freelancer invoicing clients across India, the applicable GST component — CGST + Karnataka SGST or IGST — depends on whether the supply is intra-state or inter-state. Despite being India's IT capital and one of the fastest-growing cities, Bengaluru is classified as non-metro for HRA purposes — the 50% basic salary HRA exemption applies only to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata. Bengaluru residents get only the 40% cap, a major surprise for lakhs of IT professionals.
CGST vs Karnataka SGST vs IGST: How It Works in Bengaluru
The fundamental rule:
- Intra-state supply (supplier and recipient both in Karnataka): GST = CGST (central government) + Karnataka SGST (Karnataka government), each at half the total GST rate. On a Rs 1,00,000 invoice at 18%: CGST Rs 9,000 (9%) + Karnataka SGST Rs 9,000 (9%).
- Inter-state supply (supplier in Karnataka, recipient in another state, or vice versa): GST = IGST at the full rate. Same Rs 1,00,000 invoice at 18%: IGST = Rs 18,000 (18%), all to central government (then apportioned to destination state).
- Import of services: IGST under Reverse Charge Mechanism (RCM) — the recipient in Bengaluru pays GST to the government. Common for Bengaluru's businesses using foreign software, cloud services, or overseas consultants.
GST Rates Applicable to Bengaluru's Economy
The four main GST rate slabs apply uniformly across Bengaluru:
- 5% GST: Essential goods and basic services. For Bengaluru: non-AC restaurant meals (no ITC for restaurant), economy hotel stays (room rate below Rs 7,500/night), packaged foods with certain HSN codes, economy air travel (excluding fuel surcharge), electric vehicles, and textile goods below Rs 1,000.
- 12% GST: Mid-range goods and services. Relevant for Bengaluru: hotel stays Rs 7,500–12,000/night, processed food, computers and laptops (with exceptions), smartphones above Rs 20,000 category, business class air travel, construction of affordable housing.
- 18% GST: Most services and manufactured goods. This is the dominant GST rate for Bengaluru's IT/Software sector — IT services, consulting, financial services, insurance (excl. life insurance), telecom, steel, chemicals, paints, AC restaurants, hotel stays above Rs 12,000/night.
- 28% GST: Luxury and demerit goods. Bengaluru: automobiles (plus cess), luxury hotels, tobacco products, gambling and racing activities, luxury cement. Plus additional cess on many 28% items.
IT/Software Sector GST in Bengaluru
Bengaluru's dominant IT/Software sector — represented by employers like Infosys, Wipro, TCS — operates primarily under 18% GST for domestic B2B service invoices. Key GST considerations for Bengaluru IT businesses:
- Software services export (zero-rated): IT exports from Bengaluruto overseas clients are zero-rated with a Letter of Undertaking (LUT). No GST is charged on the invoice, and businesses can claim refund of Input Tax Credit on inputs used. Filing monthly LUT for exports is critical for Bengaluru IT exporters.
- Domestic IT B2B invoices: 18% GST applies. On a Rs 10L monthly invoice to a Karnataka client: CGST Rs 90,000 + Karnataka SGST Rs 90,000 = Rs 1.8L total GST. This is fully recoverable as Input Tax Credit by the recipient if they are GST-registered.
- SaaS and software products: 18% GST on perpetual licences, 12% on some packaged software. Cloud-based SaaS services are 18% regardless of how subscription is structured.
- Professional and consulting services: 18% GST under SAC 9983/9985. Freelancers and consultants in Bengaluru billing above Rs 20L/year must register for GST and charge 18% CGST + Karnataka SGST on domestic invoices.
- Commercial property rent: If annual commercial rent in Bengaluruexceeds Rs 20L and the landlord is a GST-registered entity, 18% GST applies. At estimated commercial rents of Rs 75,000/month in Bengaluru, annual commercial rent is Rs 9,00,000. Annual commercial rent is below Rs 20L — GST on rent may not apply if the landlord is under threshold.
Input Tax Credit (ITC) for Bengaluru Businesses
GST-registered businesses in Bengaluru can claim Input Tax Credit on GST paid for goods and services used in their business. ITC rules in Karnataka:
- CGST paid can offset CGST or IGST liability; Karnataka SGST paid can offset Karnataka SGST or IGST; IGST can offset any GST liability (IGST first, then CGST, then SGST).
- Conditions for ITC: Valid tax invoice, goods/services received, GST filed by supplier (reflected in GSTR-2B), and payment made to supplier within 180 days.
- ITC blocked items: Motor vehicles (for personal use), employee-related food and beverages, club memberships, health insurance for employees (unless mandatory under law), works contract for immovable property.
- ITC reconciliation: GSTR-2B (auto-populated) vs your purchase register must be reconciled monthly. Mismatch can lead to ITC disallowance and penalty — a critical compliance task for Bengaluru's MSMEs and large businesses alike.
GST Registration Threshold and Compliance for Bengaluru
GST registration is mandatory in Karnataka when aggregate turnover exceeds:
- Rs 40 lakh/year for goods suppliers (Rs 20L for special category states — not applicable to Karnataka).
- Rs 20 lakh/year for service providers.
- Any threshold for inter-state supplies, e-commerce operators, or businesses with taxable supplies despite low turnover.
Bengaluru freelancers and consultants in the IT/Software sector who provide services to clients in other states must register for GST irrespective of turnover — even a single inter-state invoice triggers mandatory registration. Return filing: GSTR-1 (monthly/quarterly for outward supplies) + GSTR-3B (monthly summary + tax payment) + GSTR-9 (annual reconciliation). Businesses in Bengaluru with turnover above Rs 5 crore must file GSTR-1 monthly. Below Rs 5 crore, quarterly GSTR-1 filing is available under the QRMP scheme.
Composition Scheme: For Small Bengaluru Businesses
Small Bengaluru businesses with annual turnover below Rs 1.5 crore (goods) or Rs 50 lakh (services) can opt for the Composition Scheme — pay a fixed percentage of turnover as GST (1% for goods, 6% for services including restaurants) without ITC. Composition dealers cannot raise a tax invoice or collect GST from customers, and cannot supply inter-state. This suits small retailers, restaurants, and service providers inBengaluru's Whitefield and Electronic City local markets who do primarily local business.
Disclaimer
GST rates and rules are based on notifications effective as of FY 2025-26. Specific HSN/SAC codes may attract different rates. Special economic zone (SEZ) supplies are zero-rated. E-invoicing is mandatory above certain turnover thresholds. Consult a GST practitioner or Chartered Accountant in Bengaluru for business-specific compliance guidance.