How to prepare a GST show cause notice reply as a PDF that uploads

A show cause notice (often issued with a summary in form DRC-01) is answered on the GST portal, typically in form DRC-06, with your written reply and the documents that support it: invoices, ledgers, bank statements, contracts, reconciliations. The portal accepts attachments as PDF or JPEG files of up to 5 MB each, and only a limited number of files per reply.

This guide covers getting the documents into a shape the portal accepts. What the reply should say is a matter for you and your tax adviser.

1. 1Write the reply letter in Word and convert it with Word to PDF, so the formatting can't shift.
2. 2Group the annexures by topic (for example, all invoices together) and combine each group with Merge PDF, in the order your reply refers to them.
3. 3Add page numbers with Add page numbers, so your reply can point to “Annexure B, page 14”.
4. 4Run each PDF through GST filing prep with the 5 MB limit. It compresses first and splits only when it must.
5. 5Name the files clearly, such as “Reply.pdf”, “Annexure-A-Invoices-part1.pdf”, and upload them in order.

• Scan in black and white or grayscale at 150–200 DPI. Colour scans at 600 DPI are the usual reason files are huge.
• Straighten and crop pages so text isn't cut off at the edges.
• Open each final file and zoom in on a dense page, such as a ledger, before uploading.

For the full list of portal limits, see GST portal upload size limit.