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Guide · GST

E-Way Bill Generation — Step-by-Step on the EWB Portal

When an e-way bill is required, how to generate it on ewaybillgst.gov.in with Part A and Part B, the validity period, extension and cancellation rules, and the common errors to avoid.

Written by
TaxClue Editorial Desk
Updated
18 August 2026
Reading time
5 min
Questions
16 answered
  • Updated for FY 2026-27
  • GST Expert Reviewed
  • ewaybillgst.gov.in
Quick Answer

An e-way bill (EWB) is required to move goods worth ₹50,000 or more in a single consignment. It is generated free on the EWB portal (ewaybillgst.gov.in) and has two parts — Part A (invoice & goods details) and Part B (transport & vehicle details). Validity is 1 day per 200 km. The supplier, recipient or transporter can generate it.

At a glance

When Is an E-Way Bill Required?

An EWB is generally needed once the consignment value crosses ₹50,000, but several movements need one at any value and some are fully exempt. Some states set higher intra-state thresholds.

Movement TypeEWB?ThresholdNotes
Inter-state — general goodsYes₹50,000+Registered to registered
Intra-state — general goodsYes₹50,000+**Some states set higher intra-state limits
Inter-state — notified / job workYesAny valueRegardless of invoice value
Supply by unregistered personYes₹50,000+Transporter / recipient generates; supplier can enrol
Non-motorised transportNo—Exempt regardless of value
Exempt goods (Rule 138(14) list)No—Fresh veg, fruit, milk, curd, etc.

Intra-state thresholds vary by state — always confirm the limit for your state on the EWB portal before dispatch.

Notified goods have no value limit

For inter-state movement of certain notified goods and for inter-state job-work movement, an e-way bill is mandatory even below ₹50,000 — the ₹50,000 threshold does not apply. Check the notified list before you dispatch low-value inter-state consignments.

Step by step

How to Generate an E-Way Bill

Log in to the EWB portal with your GSTIN, then fill Part A (invoice and goods) and Part B (transport). Part A and Part B can be filled separately — the EWB is only valid for movement once Part B carries the vehicle details.

  1. 1Log inGSTIN + password on the EWB portal
  2. 2Part AInvoice, HSN, value, consignor & consignee
  3. 3Part BMode, vehicle number, distance, transporter ID
  4. 4EWB number12-digit EWB generated; driver carries it

Part A — invoice & goods details

  • Transaction type (Outward / Inward) and sub-type (Supply, Export, Job Work, etc.)
  • Document type, number and date — Tax Invoice, Bill of Supply or Challan
  • Consignor (From) and consignee (To) GSTIN — auto-fills trade name, address, PIN
  • HSN code, product, quantity, unit, taxable value and GST rate
  • Total invoice value

Part B — transport details

  • Mode of transport — Road / Rail / Air / Ship
  • Vehicle number (road) or transport document number (other modes)
  • Approximate distance in km — this decides the validity period
  • Transporter ID (GSTIN) where goods are handed to a transporter
TaxClue Insight — Part A then Part B

You can fill Part A when the invoice is raised and let the transporter add Part B when a vehicle is assigned. The consignment cannot legally move until Part B is filled, so never dispatch on a Part-A-only EWB.

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Time limits

E-Way Bill Validity Period

Validity depends on distance. For normal cargo it is 1 day for every 200 km (or part thereof); over-dimensional cargo (ODC) gets 1 day for every 20 km. The day is counted from the time Part B is first entered.

DistanceNormal CargoExtension?
Up to 200 km1 dayYes
200–400 km2 daysYes
400–600 km3 daysYes
Each additional 200 km (or part)+1 dayYes
Over-dimensional cargo1 day / 20 kmYes

Extension is allowed within 8 hours before or after expiry. Confirm the current slab and any state variation on the EWB portal.

180-day and 360-day caps (since 1 Jan 2025)

A GSTN advisory effective 1 January 2025 restricts EWB generation to within 180 days of the document date, and caps total validity extensions at 360 days from the original generation date. Old invoices can no longer be used to raise a fresh e-way bill.

After generation

Cancel, Extend & Consolidate

  • Cancel: within 24 hours of generation, if the goods have not been verified in transit by an officer.
  • Extend validity: by the generator or transporter within 8 hours before or after expiry, updating the remaining distance.
  • Update vehicle: Part B vehicle details can be changed anytime within validity (e.g. vehicle breakdown or change).
  • Consolidated EWB (EWB-02): a transporter clubs several individual EWBs carried in one vehicle into a single document for the trip.
Expired EWB in transit = Section 129 penalty

Moving goods on an expired or missing e-way bill can trigger detention under Section 129 (penalty broadly equal to 200% of the tax on the goods) and possible confiscation under Section 130. Extend the EWB before it lapses rather than risk detention.

Avoid rejection

Common E-Way Bill Errors & Fixes

ProblemCauseFix
Invalid / mismatched GSTINTypo or cancelled registrationVerify the GSTIN on the GST portal and re-enter
HSN not matching the invoiceWrong HSN keyed in the EWBCancel within 24 hours and regenerate with the correct HSN
EWB expired in transitJourney longer than validityExtend on the portal within 8 hours of expiry
Wrong vehicle numberTypo or last-minute changeUpdate Part B vehicle details within validity
EWB raised but goods not movedOrder cancelled after generationCancel within 24 hours of generation

Always enter the actual route distance — under-stating it shortens validity and risks an expired EWB mid-journey.

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Sources
  1. EWB portal & user manual: ewaybillgst.gov.in
  2. Rates & rules: gst.gov.in
  3. CBIC: cbic-gst.gov.in
  4. EWB provisions: Rule 138 & Rule 138A, CGST Rules 2017; Section 129/130, CGST Act; GSTN advisory 17 Dec 2024

Disclaimer: This guide is general information based on the law and notifications in force when it was last updated. It is not professional advice for your case — rates, thresholds and due dates change, so check the current position with the official source before you act on it.

People also ask

Questions, answered

Short, direct answers to the 16 questions readers ask most on this topic.

An e-way bill (EWB) is an electronic document generated on the EWB portal (ewaybillgst.gov.in) for the movement of goods worth ₹50,000 or more in a single consignment. It records the goods, the invoice and the transport details, and carries a unique 12-digit EWB number. The person in charge of the vehicle must carry the e-way bill (physical or digital) during transit, and GST officers can verify it en route.

An e-way bill is generally required when the consignment value exceeds ₹50,000. However, inter-state movement of certain notified goods and inter-state job-work movement need an e-way bill at any value. Some states also set higher intra-state thresholds, so always confirm the limit applicable in your state before dispatch.

Yes, but the threshold can vary by state. Most states follow the ₹50,000 limit for intra-state movement, while some states have set higher intra-state thresholds. Check the current intra-state limit for your state on the EWB portal, as state governments notify these separately.

The supplier (consignor), the recipient (consignee) or the transporter can generate the e-way bill. Where the supplier is unregistered, the registered recipient or the transporter must generate it; an unregistered supplier can also enrol on the EWB portal using PAN and mobile number to generate e-way bills.

Log in to ewaybillgst.gov.in with your GSTIN and password, go to e-Waybill → Generate New, fill Part A (transaction type, document details, consignor/consignee GSTIN, HSN, quantity and value), then Part B (mode, vehicle number, distance and transporter ID). On submit the portal validates the details and issues a 12-digit EWB number, which you can print or share for the driver to carry.

Part A captures the invoice and goods details — document number, consignor and consignee GSTIN, HSN code, quantity and taxable value. Part B captures the transport details — mode, vehicle number and approximate distance. Part A can be filled when the invoice is raised, but the e-way bill is not valid for movement until Part B (vehicle details) is completed.

An unregistered person cannot generate an e-way bill using a GSTIN, but for a consignment of ₹50,000 or more the transporter or the registered recipient must generate it. Unregistered suppliers can enrol on the EWB portal with PAN and mobile number to generate e-way bills. Inter-state movement of notified goods needs an e-way bill regardless of value, even for unregistered persons.

No. Each e-way bill corresponds to a single invoice, challan or bill of supply — you cannot club multiple invoices under one EWB. To move several consignments in one vehicle, the transporter generates a Consolidated e-Way Bill (EWB-02) that references the individual e-way bills; each individual EWB must be valid at that time. The driver carries the consolidated EWB during transit.

For normal cargo the validity is 1 day for every 200 km (or part thereof) — so up to 200 km is 1 day, 200–400 km is 2 days, and so on. Over-dimensional cargo (ODC) gets 1 day for every 20 km. Validity is counted from the time Part B is first entered on the portal.

The portal calculates validity from the approximate distance entered in Part B. Normal cargo gets one day per 200 km or part of it; for example a 310 km trip gets 2 days (1 day for the first 200 km and 1 day for the remaining 110 km). Over-dimensional cargo gets one day per 20 km. Always enter the actual route distance, because under-stating it shortens validity.

Goods cannot legally move on an expired e-way bill. The generator or transporter can extend validity within 8 hours before or after expiry by updating the remaining distance and vehicle details on the portal. If an expired EWB is not extended and the goods are intercepted, the consignment can be detained under Section 129 (penalty broadly equal to 200% of the tax) with possible confiscation under Section 130.

An e-way bill can be cancelled within 24 hours of generation, provided the goods have not already been verified in transit by an officer. Log in to the EWB portal, go to e-Waybill → Cancel, enter the EWB number and select a reason (duplicate, order cancelled, wrong entry), and submit. After 24 hours cancellation is not possible on the portal; an expired EWB also cannot be cancelled.

Log in to the EWB portal, go to e-Waybill → Extend Validity, enter the EWB number and update the vehicle details and remaining distance. The system recalculates the new validity. Extension is allowed only within 8 hours before or after expiry. Since 1 January 2025, total extensions are capped at 360 days from the original generation date.

You cannot edit the core Part A details (invoice, HSN, value) after generation — if these are wrong you must cancel within 24 hours and regenerate. You can, however, update the Part B vehicle number any number of times within the validity period, which is useful for vehicle changes or breakdowns.

Moving goods without a valid e-way bill can lead to detention and seizure under Section 129 of the CGST Act, with a penalty broadly equal to 200% of the tax payable on the goods (or the applicable amount for exempt goods), and possible confiscation under Section 130. Both the transporter and the supplier are exposed, so keeping the EWB valid throughout transit is essential.

Yes. Since 1 January 2025, a GSTN advisory restricts e-way bill generation to within 180 days of the document (invoice) date. Invoices older than 180 days can no longer be used to raise a fresh e-way bill, so dispatch and EWB generation should not be delayed beyond that window.