# How to claim GST input credit on Meta ads > Add your GSTIN to your Meta ad account, keep your receipts and give them to your accountant. The steps, the conditions in the GST Act and a TDS date to know. - **Author**: Marxx - **Published**: 2026-10-24 - **Category**: India - **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-guides/how-to-claim-gst-input-credit-on-meta-ads --- To claim GST input credit on Meta ads, add your GSTIN to your ad account, keep your receipts and give them to your accountant to claim in your GST return. Meta says a GSTIN is optional, so add it if you are registered and want the credit. This page is not tax advice. Ask your CA. ## What Meta says From [Meta's India GST page](https://www.facebook.com/business/help/1273346946097087), checked 2026-10-20: - Meta ads in India are sold by Meta India, billed in rupees and subject to GST and TDS. This applies to ad accounts whose business country is India. - GST and TDS are added whenever you are charged for your ads. - Entering a GSTIN is not mandatory. If you want input tax credit, "subject to the fulfillment of other criteria under applicable law", enter the GSTIN of your main state of operations or where your business is headquartered. - Meta cannot give tax advice. ## Steps 1. Be the **admin** of the ad account. Only admins can add a GSTIN. 2. In Ads Manager, open **Payment settings** and check that the business country is India. 3. Click **Edit** next to **Business info**. In the **Business info** section, type your 15-character GST number into the **GST number** field. Use no spaces or special characters, and match your registration document. Click **Save**. ([Meta's steps](https://www.facebook.com/business/help/1848545052064215)) 4. Go to **Billing and payments**, then **Payment activity**, and choose your dates. 5. Click **Download** beside a charge, or use **Download all transactions (PDF)** or the CSV report. This works on desktop only. ([Meta's steps](https://www.facebook.com/business/help/117335431685396)) 6. Send the files to your accountant each month. Check that each one shows your GSTIN. Meta says changes to your name, email or bill-to address apply only to future receipts, so set them before you spend. ## What your accountant checks Section 16 of the CGST Act sets the conditions ([text](https://taxinformation.cbic.gov.in/content/html/tax_repository/gst/acts/2017_CGST_act/active/chapter5/section16_v1.00.html), checked 2026-10-20). In plain words, you must: - be registered, and use the service in your business - hold a tax invoice from a registered supplier - see the supplier's invoice details in your records, because the supplier has reported them - have received the service, and have filed your return - claim before 30 November after the end of the financial year of the invoice, or the filing of the annual return, whichever is earlier The supplier must also have paid the tax to the government. The credit goes into your electronic credit ledger. Section 49 lets you use that ledger to pay output tax. ## A worked example Say your receipts for the month show INR 9,000 of GST on your Meta ads. Use the GST amount on your own receipts, not a rule of thumb. In the same month you collected INR 40,000 of GST from customers. If your accountant confirms the credit is allowed: - INR 40,000 owed - minus INR 9,000 credit - you pay INR 31,000 from your cash ledger ## TDS is separate Meta also lists TDS, and it refunds TDS as ad credit, not as GST credit. For a refund, Meta says you must add your TAN to the ad account and send your TDS certificate. Certificates for the previous financial year must reach Meta by 31 October. For 2025-26 that means 31 October 2026 ([source](https://www.facebook.com/business/help/571983419976170), checked 2026-10-20). ## Mistakes to avoid - **Entering the wrong state's GSTIN.** Use your main state of operations or headquarters. - **Leaving the field empty,** then asking for credit later. Add it before you spend. - **Boosting through the Instagram iOS app.** Meta says ads bought through the Apple App Store fall under Apple's terms and are not eligible for its TDS refund claim. See [how to boost an Instagram post the right way](/guides/how-to-boost-an-instagram-post-the-right-way). Set up billing first with [how to add a payment method to Meta ads in India](/guides/how-to-add-a-payment-method-to-meta-ads-in-india). For the wider plan, see [how to advertise a D2C brand in India](/guides/how-to-advertise-a-d2c-brand-in-india). Include these checks in your [Meta ad account audit](/guides/how-to-audit-a-meta-ad-account). ## FAQ ### Is a GSTIN mandatory for Meta ads? No. Meta says entering it is not mandatory, but it asks you to enter it if you are registered and want input tax credit. ### Can I claim credit without a GSTIN on the account? Ask your accountant. Meta asks you to add your GSTIN if you want the credit, and the Act asks for a tax invoice from a registered supplier. ### What if I pay by monthly invoicing? Meta has a separate GST page for monthly invoicing. This guide covers cards, bank accounts and manual methods like UPI. --- - [More India articles](https://marxx.ai/library-guides/category/india) - [All articles](https://marxx.ai/library-guides)