Service tax is a tax on services provided in India. Service tax is levied under the Finance Act, 1994 on certain services as specified by the Government.

Service tax is to be paid by the receiver of the service. However, service tax is a form of indirect taxation. Therefore, the person who provides the taxable service on receipt of service charges along with the service tax is responsible for paying the service tax portion to the Government. Also, small scale service providers who provide less than Rs.10 lakhs of taxable service a year is exempt from service tax.

Almost all services provided in India are taxable. To find the complete list of taxable services, refer to Section 65(105) of the Finance Act, 1994. All taxable services as on 1.5.2011 is listed in Appendix-1.

The effective rate of Service Tax is 10.3% on the value of the taxable service. In addition education cess @ 2% on the service tax amount and secondary and higher education cess @1% is levied on the service tax amount. Hence, Service Tax is normally levied at 12.36%

Service tax registration is a mandatory registration for service providers who have taxable service of value exceeding Rs.9 lakhs, in the previous financial year. Service tax registration facilitates in the identification of assesse, payment of service tax and filing of service tax returns.

Any person who has provided taxable service of value exceeding Rs.9 lakhs in the preceding financial year is required to obtain service tax registration. When a person commences a new business, he/she is required to obtain service tax registration within 30 days of commencement, if the business will have taxable service in excess of Rs.9 lakhs.

To obtain service tax registration, a copy of PAN Card, proof of address of business and constitution of the business [Partnership deed, Incorporation Certificate, etc.,] is required.

Service tax registration certificate must be issued by the Government within a period of seven days from the date of submission of application ST-1 along with all the relevant documents. In case the registration certificate is not issued within seven days, the registration applied for is deemed to have been granted.

Failure of registration may attract a penalty of upto Rs.10,000/- or Rs.200/- for every day during which the failure continues, whichever is higher.

Service tax payments can be made at specified branches of designated banks. The list of designated banks can be obtained from the Central Exicise or Sales Tax office. Sales tax payments should be made using Form G.A.R.7.

Service tax payments must be deposited by Proprietary Firms and Partnership Firms quarterly. Companies, Societies, Trust, etc., are required to make service tax payments monthly.

Service Tax Return ST-3 must be filed twice in a financial year. Return for half year ending 30th September and 31st March are required to be filed by 25th October and 25th April, respectively.