BIG UPDATE! CBIC Launches Online Tool to Instantly Verify Unique Issue Numbers in GST & Customs Notices
The Central Board of Direct Taxes and Customs (CBIC) under the Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue) shared a circular (No. 252/09/2025)-GST on September 23, 2025 regarding communication to taxpayers via eOffice–requirement of Document Identification Number (DIN).
CBIC draws attention to Board’s Circular No. 122/41/2019-GST dated November 5, 2019 and 128/47/2019-GST dated December 23, 2019 regarding Generation and Quoting of Document Identification Number (DIN), initially on specified documents and subsequently expanded to all communications (including e-mails) sent to taxpayers and concerned persons.
However, CBIC also draws attention to the subsequent Board’s Circular No. 249/06/2025-GST dated June 9, 2025 clarifying that for communications via the GST common portal (in compliance with Section 169 of the CGST Act, 2017) having a verifiable Reference Number (RFN), quoting of Document Identification Number (DIN) is not required and such communication bearing RFN is to be treated as a valid communication.
Along the same lines, the Board has been informed that communications issued via the CBIC eOffice system carry an automatically generated unique ‘Issue Number’. However, there is currently no online mechanism to verify the authenticity of these communications using the Issue Number. As a result, it has been necessary to generate and reference a Document Identification Number (DIN) on such communications.
Whereas, now an online utility has been created and made functional in which taxpayers and others can verify online electronically the unique “Issue number” carried on communications dispatched using the public option in the eOffice application by CBIC officers.
Upon verification, this utility confirms the Issue number, and other major details and provides information to authenticate the document, including–
- File number,
- Date of issuing the document,
- Type of communication,
- Name of Office issuing the document,
- Recipient name (masked),
- Recipient address (masked),
- Recipient email (masked).
The office that issues the document is taken automatically from eOffice. But officers need to enter the document type, recipient’s name, address, and email in the metadata. Officers must make sure this information is correct before submitting the draft for approval.
Considering the above, quoting a separate DIN on such communications dispatched using the public option in the eOffice application, which already bears an issue number, will result in two different electronically generated verifiable unique numbers, such as Issue No. and DIN on the same communication, which renders the quoting of a separate DIN on such communication unnecessary. It is therefore decided that for communications dispatched using the public option in CBIC’s eOffice applicant, the verifiable eOffice ‘Issue number‘ will be deemed to be the Document Identification Number and such communication will be treated as a valid communication.
The DIN (Document Identification Number) from the DIN utility must be mentioned in all communications that are not sent through CBIC’s e-Office public option or do not have the GST portal’s Reference Number (RFN).
To this extent, Circulars No. 122/41/2019-GST dated 05 November 2019, No. 128/47/2019-GST dated 23 December 2019, and No. 249/06/2025-GST dated June 9, 2025 issued by the Board are hereby modified.