When you ask what a GST notice reply costs in Kolkata, the answer is that the advocate's fee and the tax itself are two different things, and mixing them up is where people go wrong. The fee is professional work — reading the notice, examining your returns and ledgers, and drafting a reply that answers the specific show-cause. The tax, interest and penalty, if any, are set by statute and are payable to the government, not to the advocate. This page explains how the reply work is charged, what is outside the fee, and how to prepare. We handle notices and replies through our GST and tax law practice.
What a GST notice reply actually involves
Notices under the CGST Act, 2017 come in several forms — a scrutiny notice on your returns, a demand notice where the department thinks tax was short-paid, or a notice proposing a penalty. The reply is not a formality. It means reconciling what the notice alleges against your GSTR filings, your purchase and sales registers, your e-way bills and your payments, and then answering point by point. That reconciliation, and the drafting, is the professional work you are paying for — whether the notice is answered in writing or argued at a personal hearing. Depending on the provision under which the notice is issued, the reply may need to be filed within a stated period, and the demand, interest and penalty provisions are set out in the statute itself.
How advocates charge for tax notices in Kolkata
- A fixed fee per notice. A defined reply to a defined notice is exactly the kind of closed job that can be quoted up front, once the advocate has seen the notice and the volume of records involved.
- A fee per hearing or per hearing-conference. Where the officer lists a personal hearing, each appearance is a separate stage.
- A stage-wise fee. Reply, hearing, and, if it comes to it, appeal to the appellate authority, each a distinct stage with its own fee.
- A retainer. Businesses with ongoing compliance and recurring notices often prefer a monthly retainer rather than a fee per notice.
A first consultation means reading the notice and identifying what the department is actually alleging, the period covered, and whether there is a genuine demand, a records mismatch, or a wrong claim of input tax credit. Only after that reading can anyone estimate the work.
Tax, interest and penalty are separate — and set by statute
This is the point most people miss. Our fee is for professional work. The tax the department demands, the interest that may run on it, and any penalty are all fixed by the CGST Act, 2017 and by the rules under it. They are payable to the government, and their rates are prescribed by the statute — not by your advocate, and not negotiable with us. We cannot and will not quote you a rate here, and any page that does should be read with care. What we can do is read the notice, tell you whether the demand is well founded, and where it is not, set out the grounds in the reply.
What is not covered by the fee
- The tax, interest and penalty demanded or confirmed — these go to the government under the statute.
- Filing charges and portal fees where a reply or an appeal is filed electronically.
- Photocopying of the returns, ledgers and annexures that must accompany the reply.
- Travel to GST offices or hearings outside Kolkata.
- Chartered accountant or auditor costs where a certification or a reconciliation from your accountant is needed — that is a separate professional engagement.
What drives the cost up or down
- How many periods the notice covers. One quarter is far less work than three financial years.
- The size of the records trail. A single mismatch is quicker to reconcile than a full input tax credit reconciliation across registers and portals.
- Whether a personal hearing is listed. Argument at a hearing adds appearance work.
- Whether it escalates to appeal. Each appellate step is a fresh stage.
- How quickly you supply records. Late or incomplete records always increase the time and therefore the cost.
Questions to ask before you engage an advocate
- What exactly is the notice alleging, and under which provision of the CGST Act, 2017?
- Is there a genuine tax demand, or is it a records or credit mismatch?
- Is your fee fixed for the reply, or does it also cover a personal hearing?
- What is billed separately — filing charges, copying, travel, accountant's work?
- What is the deadline to reply, and what happens if we miss it?
- If the reply is not accepted, what does an appeal cost, and is it a new stage?
- What documents do you need from me, and in what form?
Our published fees
We do not quote our own amounts on this page. Our published consultation and appearance fees are set out on our pricing page, and a defined reply to a defined notice can be quoted to you as a fixed fee once we have seen the notice and the records. For anything that runs over several stages, expect an honest estimate rather than a flat number. To discuss your notice, contact us or read more about the GST and tax law service.
Frequently asked questions
Does your fee include paying the tax?
No. The tax, interest and penalty assessed under the CGST Act, 2017 are payable by you to the government. Our fee is only for the professional work of advising, drafting and appearing.
Can you tell me now how much tax I will have to pay?
Not honestly, without reading the notice and your records. The amount depends on the statute and on the facts, and any figure given before that reading would be a guess.
What happens if I ignore a GST notice?
Ignoring it is the worst option. The department can proceed to confirm a demand and penalty on the basis of its own material, which is far harder to undo than a reply filed on time. Bring the notice to an advocate as soon as you receive it.
Do you handle the reply or just the drafting?
We can do either. Some clients only want a carefully drafted reply to file themselves; others want us to appear at the personal hearing as well. The fee structure reflects which of these you choose.