GST · 26 June 2026
Does a B2C Invoice Need a UPI QR Code Under GST?
A dynamic QR code on a B2C invoice is a scannable code that lets the customer pay digitally, usually over UPI, with the payment details already filled in. Under Notification 14/2020 – Central Tax and the sixth proviso to Rule 46 of the CGST Rules, it is mandatory only for registered persons whose aggregate turnover exceeds ₹500 crore, on invoices issued to unregistered (B2C) buyers. It is separate from the signed QR code an e-invoice carries, and a small business is not required to print one.
By Mrs. Swapna Patel
Last reviewed
26 June 2026
In this section
Answers
- Does a B2C Invoice Need a UPI QR Code Under GST?
- What Is GSTR-1, the GST Return of Outward Supplies?
- What Is GSTR-3B, the Monthly GST Summary Return?
- What Is the Time of Supply Under GST, and When Does Tax Become Due?
- Advance Receipt Under GST: When Do You Issue a Receipt Voucher?
- Credit Note vs Debit Note Under GST: When Do You Issue Each?
- What Is GSTR-2B, and Why Does It Now Decide Your Input Tax Credit?
- What Is the Value of Supply Under Section 15 of the CGST Act?
- What Are the GST Rate Slabs in India After the GST 2.0 Reform?
- Exempt vs Nil-Rated vs Zero-Rated Supply: What Is the Difference?
Every shop and freelancer must now print a UPI QR code on customer bills.
The dynamic QR code on B2C invoices is mandatory only for a registered person whose aggregate turnover crosses ₹500 crore, under Notification 14/2020 – Central Tax; smaller businesses are outside the rule.
What is the dynamic QR code mandate?
Short answer
It is the requirement, in Notification 14/2020 – Central Tax and the sixth proviso to Rule 46, to print a scannable payment QR code on invoices issued to unregistered consumers.
The code is called dynamic because it carries the specific payment details of that invoice, so a customer can scan it and pay the exact amount over UPI without typing anything. It applies to B2C supplies, meaning sales to buyers who are not GST-registered. The rule took effect from 1 December 2020, with a penalty waiver that ran during the early months.
Who has to print the payment QR code?
Short answer
Only a registered person whose aggregate turnover in any financial year from 2017-18 onward exceeds ₹500 crore, and only on B2C invoices.
- The ₹500 crore turnover trigger means the rule reaches large enterprises, not the typical freelancer or small shop.
- It applies to B2C invoices. Where the buyer is GST-registered, the e-invoicing QR rules apply instead.
- The turnover trigger has been set and revised by notification before, so confirm the figure in force for the relevant year.
What must the QR code contain?
Short answer
Enough to complete a digital payment: the supplier UPI ID and GSTIN, the invoice number and date, and the total amount payable, per Circular 146/02/2021-GST.
- Supplier GSTIN and the payee UPI ID or merchant code.
- Invoice number, invoice date, and the total invoice value.
- The aim is that one scan settles the bill, which is why a static printed QR that cannot capture the amount does not satisfy the rule.
Does a small business need a UPI QR code on its bills?
Short answer
No. Below the ₹500 crore turnover trigger there is no legal mandate, though a payment QR is still good practice for getting paid faster.
- A small business or freelancer can add a UPI QR voluntarily, but it is not a GST requirement on the invoice.
- This dynamic B2C QR is not the same as the signed QR an e-invoice carries with its IRN; the two come from different rules.
- What every tax invoice does need, regardless of size, is the Rule 46 field set.
References & related
Primary sources
- Notification No. 14/2020 – Central Tax — CBICRequirement of a dynamic QR code on B2C invoices for specified turnover.
- Rule 46, Central Goods and Services Tax Rules 2017 — CBICSixth proviso requiring a Quick Response (QR) code on the tax invoice in notified cases.
- Circular No. 146/02/2021-GST — CBICClarifications on the dynamic QR code requirement for B2C supplies.
Last reviewed: 26 June 2026