How to Generate an E-Way Bill: Step by Step

Learning how to generate an e-way bill is one of the most practical GST skills for any Indian business that ships goods. The process happens on the government e-way bill portal and, once you know the steps, takes only a few minutes per consignment. This guide walks you through what to prepare, how to complete e-way bill generation on the portal, how to fill Part A and Part B correctly, and how to fix the errors people run into most often.

Before you start (what you need)

Before you begin e-way bill generation, gather the details so you are not hunting for information mid-form:

• A registered login on the EWB portal at https://ewaybillgst.gov.in.
• The tax invoice, bill of supply, or delivery challan for the consignment, with its number and date.
• GSTIN of the supplier and the recipient (or the recipient's status if unregistered).
• The delivery pin code and dispatch pin code.
• HSN code, quantity, taxable value, and tax rates for the goods.
• Transport details: either the vehicle number (for road) or the transport document number (for rail, air, or ship), plus the transporter ID if a transporter is moving the goods.

If you are new to e-way bills altogether, start with our broader complete e-way bill guide to understand when one is required before you generate it.

Step-by-step: generating an e-way bill on the portal

The core flow on the EWB portal is straightforward:

1. Log in to https://ewaybillgst.gov.in with your username and password.
2. From the dashboard, choose E-Waybill and then Generate New.
3. Select the transaction type (outward for goods you are sending, inward for goods you are receiving) and the relevant sub-type (such as supply, export, job work, or stock transfer).
4. Choose the document type (tax invoice, bill of supply, delivery challan) and enter the document number and date.
5. Fill in the consignment details (Part A) and the transport details (Part B) as described below.
6. Click Submit. The portal validates the entry and generates the 12-digit e-way bill number (EBN) along with a printable bill.

Print or save the generated e-way bill so it can travel with the goods or be shared with the transporter.

Filling Part A (consignment details)

Part A is the commercial heart of the e-way bill. Enter the supplier and recipient GSTINs, the from and to pin codes, the document number and date, and the product lines. For each line, provide the product name, HSN code, quantity, unit, taxable value, and the applicable CGST/SGST or IGST rates.

Accuracy matters here: the figures in Part A should match your invoice exactly. A mismatch between the e-way bill value and the invoice value is a frequent trigger for questions during transit checks. Double-check the recipient GSTIN and the destination pin code in particular, since these drive validity and tax treatment.

Filling Part B (transport details)

Part B records how the goods actually move. For road transport, enter the vehicle number and select road as the mode. For rail, air, or ship, enter the transport document number and date instead. If a registered transporter is carrying the goods, you can enter the transporter ID so they can later update Part B if the vehicle changes.

An e-way bill is generally treated as valid for movement only once Part B is completed, with limited exceptions for very short distances. If the vehicle changes during the journey, Part B can be updated with the new vehicle number so the document stays accurate. The validity period itself depends on the distance to be covered, which we explain in our companion article on the e-way bill limit, validity and distance rules.

Generating from your invoicing software instead

Filling the portal by hand for every shipment is slow and error-prone, especially at volume. Modern GST invoicing software lets you generate e-way bills directly from the invoice you have already created, so Part A is populated from your existing data and you only confirm the transport details. This eliminates re-keying, reduces value and GSTIN mismatches, and keeps your invoices, e-invoices, and e-way bills consistent.

If you also fall under e-invoicing, the Invoice Reference Number (IRN) data can feed Part A of the e-way bill automatically, tightening the link between the two documents even further. Doing this from one connected system is far less error-prone than maintaining the portal separately.

Common errors and how to fix them

A few issues come up again and again during e-way bill generation:

• Invalid or mismatched GSTIN: re-verify the recipient GSTIN; an inactive or wrongly typed number will be rejected.
• Value mismatch with the invoice: ensure the taxable value, tax, and total on the e-way bill mirror the invoice line by line.
• Wrong pin code or distance: an incorrect destination pin code distorts the auto-calculated distance and validity; correct it before submitting.
• Part B not updated: if the vehicle number is missing or the vehicle changes en route, update Part B so the bill remains valid for movement.
• Expired bill: if the goods have not reached the destination in time, you may be able to extend validity within the permitted window rather than moving on a lapsed bill.

For the current validation rules, error codes, and any recent changes to the process, always confirm on https://ewaybillgst.gov.in or https://www.gst.gov.in.

Ready to stop juggling the portal for every shipment? Invodo lets you raise GST-compliant invoices and generate e-way bills from the same screen, with Part A filled from your invoice data automatically. Create your free Invodo account and turn e-way bill generation into a one-click step in your dispatch routine.