Check E-way Bill Validity

An E-Way bill is a mandatory electronic document needed to move commercial goods whose value exceeds ₹50,000. It is applicable whether the move happens within or outside state borders. The E-Way bill validity time depends on the type of cargo being transported and the distance. 

 

One of the primary functions of the E-Way bill is to facilitate the computation of the applicable GST on goods after delivery. Similarly, it also helps the issuing authorities to keep track of all the taxable goods moving within and across state borders.

 

Read on to learn the E-Way Bill validity determinants, steps to extend E-Way Bill validity and more.

At the E-Way bill-generating toll booths on the state's borders, officials use the MAP feature of the E-Way bill system to measure the distance travelled for generating bills. The maximum allowable distance for an E-Way bill is 3,000 km.

 

E-Way bill-generating toll booths on state’s borders, officials measure the distance travelled through the MAP feature on the E-Way bill system.

Types of Cargo and Validity Period

• Over Dimensional Cargo

 

Validity: 1 day for up to 20 km, plus 1 additional day for every 20 km thereafter

• Standard Cargo (Non-Over Dimensional)

 

Validity: 1 day for up to 200 km, plus 1 additional day for every 200 km thereafter

 

The MAP feature of the E-Way bill system measures the approximated distance to generate a validity period.

 

An extension can be requested by the transporter or supplier, but it must be done 8 hours before or after the original validity expires.

 

Nevertheless, the goods can be transported to the recipient within the validity period, even if the distance travelled exceeds the 3,000 KM limit. This travelled distance is then used to calculate the validity of the Bill.

 

Let's take an example of a standard cargo to understand how to calculate the validity:

 

To calculate the validity, one day is added to the validity period for every 200 KMs the vehicle travels. For example, if the distance between the consignor and consignee’s locations is 465 KMs, the validity period will be 1+1+1 days before midnight or 3 days. 

 

So, if the E-Way bill is generated on 10th May, the transporter has to complete delivery before 12 AM on 13th May. 

 

Thanks to the online process, computing the distance has now become very quick and easy. With a simple input of a pin code, the system generates an approximate distance. However, the automated E-Way bill validity system has some drawbacks. 

 

With the E-Way bill system, the transporter is restricted to the limits of the distance computed by the MAP feature. If it computes a distance of 900 KMs, the transporter can only enter a maximum distance of up to 990 KMs. Thus, only get 10% more of the distance and 1-day additional validity. This can be a matter of concern when transporting fragile goods.

In instances where it is not possible to have the consignment transported within the due date, you can opt to extend the validity of an E-Way bill. However, only the assigned transporter or supplier may extend the validity of the E-Way bill at the time of expiry.

 

You may extend the validity of the E-Way bill if there is a vehicular breakdown, issues with the transport vehicle, and other such problems. You can extend the validity period at any time between 8 hours before and 8 hours after the specified validity duration.

Suppliers or transporters can extend the validity of the E-Way bill under unforeseeable circumstances like bad weather. The supplier or transporter can also extend an expired E-Way bill for a period of 8 hours either before or after the due date. 

 

Follow these steps to extend the validity of the E-Way bill:

• Step 1: Log in to the official E-Way bill portal, i.e., E-Way Bill System (ewaybillgst.gov.in) 

• Step 2: Fill the requested details along with the CAPTCHA code and click on ‘Login’

• Step 3: Click on the ‘Extend Validity’ option under ‘E-Way Bill’ on the dashboard

• Step 4: Input the E-Way bill number for which you need to extend the validity

• Step 5: Click ‘Yes’ when prompted to extend the validity

• Step 6: Input your reasons for the extension

• Step 7: Re-enter the details of the vehicle, choose the right options from the drop-down list, and fill in the mandatory requirements

 

Once completed, the service will automatically extend the validity of the E-Way bill based on the distance covered.

Since the validity of the E-Way bill depends on the distance travelled, approximating the distance between the supplier and recipient is important. Using the MAP feature, an E-Way bill’s approximated distance between the supplied pin code and the recipient pin code can be known. 

 

With this approximate distance, the validity of the E-Way bill is calculated for all vehicles. As of September 2024, every bill can be generated for a maximum distance of 3,000 km.