The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has issued a fresh clarification regarding the use of Document Identification Number (DIN) in official communications, marking a significant procedural shift in how taxpayers and stakeholders verify documents issued by the department.
As per Circular No. 252/09/2025-GST, communications dispatched using the public option in CBIC’s eOffice application will no longer require a separate DIN. Instead, the electronically generated “Issue Number” on such documents will be treated as a valid DIN, thereby eliminating duplication and simplifying verification for taxpayers.
Background of DIN Requirement
The DIN system was introduced through earlier circulars (Circular No. 122/41/2019-GST dated November 5, 2019, and Circular No. 128/47/2019-GST dated December 23, 2019). It was mandated to ensure transparency, accountability, and traceability in official communications with taxpayers. Over time, the scope of DIN was expanded to cover all communications, including those sent via email.
In June 2025, CBIC further clarified through Circular No. 249/06/2025-GST that communications issued through the GST common portal, which carry a verifiable Reference Number (RFN), do not require a DIN since the RFN itself acts as an authentic identifier.
Introduction of Online Verification Utility
The latest circular addresses the gap in verifying communications issued via eOffice. While these communications bore an automatically generated “Issue Number,” no online mechanism existed to check their authenticity.
To resolve this, CBIC has launched an online verification facility at https://verifydocument.cbic.gov.in, enabling taxpayers and other stakeholders to confirm details of any document generated through eOffice. The utility validates the Issue Number and provides key information such as:
- File number,
- Date of issue,
- Type of communication,
- Name of issuing office,
- Masked recipient details (name, address, email).
Key Directive
CBIC officers issuing communications through eOffice must ensure correct metadata entry—including document type and recipient details—at the drafting stage. Once validated, the eOffice Issue Number will serve as the sole verifiable unique identifier, removing the need to generate a separate DIN for the same document.
Continued Relevance of DIN
The circular clarifies that the DIN utility will remain mandatory for communications not dispatched via eOffice public option, and documents not carrying a verifiable RFN from the GST common portal.
Notification Details
Circular No. 252/09/2025 -GST
Date: 23rd September 2025
