GeM
GeM seller registration: documents, charges and steps
Register as a seller on GeM for free: the documents you need, each step, what GeM really charges now that caution money is gone, and how to find bids.
By GovtTenderHub editorial teamUpdated 7 min read
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In short
- Registering as a seller on GeM is free, and it happens only on gem.gov.in. Sites with similar names that charge a "registration fee" are private consultants.
- You need: the Aadhaar or personal PAN of the person registering (the authorised signatory of the firm's ITR), a mobile number, an email ID, the firm's PAN, bank account and address, and documents such as CIN, Udyam and ITR depending on the kind of firm.
- Caution money was discontinued in 2025. If you paid it earlier, you can withdraw it from your dashboard.
- GeM charges nothing until your orders in a financial year reach ₹20 lakh. Then there's a one-time ₹10,000 + GST for that year, and 0.30% on each order above ₹10 lakh (flat ₹3 lakh on orders of ₹10 crore or more).
- To sell your own brand as a manufacturer (OEM), you need a vendor assessment unless you're exempt. Resellers need the OEM's authorisation for many categories.
GeM, the Government e-Marketplace, is where central ministries must buy goods and services that are listed on it, and many states and PSUs buy there too. For a small firm it's often the easiest way into government business: no paper tenders, standard terms, and payment through the portal. This guide covers what you need to register, the steps, what it costs, and what to do once you're in.
Who can register
Any Indian business or individual with a valid PAN can register as a seller or service provider: proprietorships, partnerships, LLPs, companies, trusts, societies, startups and government bodies. One registration covers both goods and services.
The primary user must be an authorised person of the organisation: GeM asks for the authorised signatory of the firm's income tax return, such as a director, partner or proprietor. That person can later add secondary users for staff.
Documents you need
Keep these ready before you start:
| For | What to keep ready |
|---|---|
| The person registering | Aadhaar number (or virtual ID) with its linked mobile number, or personal PAN, date of birth and a mobile number; an active email ID |
| The organisation | PAN, and depending on the type of firm: CIN (companies), DPIIT recognition number (startups), Udyam number (MSEs), ITR details |
| Address and bank | Registered office address, and a bank account in the firm's name |
| Selling products | Brand details; the OEM's authorisation if you resell another company's product in a category that needs it |
GeM checks what you enter against the Income Tax, MCA21, Udyam and GSTN records, so use exactly the details on those registrations.
How to register, step by step
- Open gem.gov.in, click Login, then Sign up, and choose Seller / Service Provider.
- Select your business or organisation type, read the list of documents it needs, accept the terms and continue.
- Enter your organisation's name twice.
- Verify the primary user: either your Aadhaar number with the OTP sent to its linked mobile, or your personal PAN and date of birth with an OTP to your mobile.
- Choose your role in the organisation and confirm you're its key person.
- Verify your email with the OTP GeM sends.
- Create your user ID and password. Registration is done and you land on your seller dashboard.
- Complete the profile: organisation details, PAN, CIN or Udyam where it applies, ITR details, office addresses and the bank account (it must be verified before you can be paid).
- Add your catalogue: list the products or services you offer, with brand and pricing. You can only bid in categories you have offered.
After the profile is complete, you can start adding products and taking part in bids in your categories.
OEM or reseller, and vendor assessment
On GeM every product seller is either an OEM (the manufacturer, or the owner of the brand) or a reseller.
- OEMs need a vendor assessment report from GeM's designated agency to be recognised, unless GeM's vendor assessment policy exempts them. The assessment checks documents and may include a visit to see your manufacturing facilities. GeM names RITES Ltd as the assessing agency.
- Resellers list another brand's products. Depending on the product category, you may need the OEM's authorisation to sell it, and some bids accept only authorised resellers.
Vendor assessment has a second benefit: GeM exempts sellers with a valid assessment from EMD in bids.
What GeM costs sellers
| Charge | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | Free | Always |
| Caution money | None | Discontinued in 2025; it was ₹2,000, ₹10,000 or ₹25,000 by turnover, and refundable |
| Annual milestone charge | ₹10,000 + GST, once a year | When your orders in the financial year reach ₹20 lakh |
| Transaction charge on orders up to ₹10 lakh | None | Always |
| Transaction charge on orders above ₹10 lakh and below ₹10 crore | 0.30% of the order value | After the ₹20 lakh milestone |
| Transaction charge on orders of ₹10 crore or more | Flat ₹3,00,000 | After the ₹20 lakh milestone |
These are the rates in GeM's revenue policy version 1.6, in force for bids opening on or after 26 August 2025. Orders you win before crossing ₹20 lakh in a year carry no transaction charge. Charges are due within 15 days of the award, before your first invoice or before the first delivery date, whichever comes first, and an unpaid charge can get your account suspended.
How government offices buy on GeM
Rule 149 of the General Financial Rules, as revised in July 2024, sets how central buyers purchase on GeM:
| Order value | How the buyer purchases |
|---|---|
| Up to ₹50,000 | Direct purchase from any seller that meets the quality, specification and delivery period |
| Above ₹50,000 up to ₹10 lakh | L1 purchase: the lowest price among sellers of at least three different manufacturers |
| Above ₹10 lakh | Bid or reverse auction, compulsory |
Buyers can also run bids below ₹10 lakh, and GeM's terms call bidding the preferred mode above ₹50,000. For small orders your catalogue price and delivery terms are what win; for bids, you respond to a bid document.
Finding and bidding on GeM bids
GeM lists open bids on BidPlus (bidplus.gem.gov.in). Each bid has a PDF bid document with the item, quantity, eligibility, EMD, performance security (ePBG), delivery locations and additional terms (ATC). You can see live GeM bids on GovtTenderHub by state and category; each bid page shows the key terms from its bid document, so you can decide quickly whether to bid.
What the live GeM bids we've read ask for:
- EMD in 46% of bids. None is needed for bids under ₹5 lakh, and MSEs, startups and vendor-assessed sellers can claim exemption. See EMD in tenders.
- ePBG (performance security) in about half, most often 5%.
- Experience in 53%, most often three years, and turnover in 43%.
- Relaxation of experience and turnover for MSEs in 36%, and for startups in 33%.
- Reverse auction after the bid in 36%. How that works is in how bids are evaluated.
Common questions
Is GeM registration free?
Yes. There is no fee to register on gem.gov.in, and caution money has been discontinued. GeM charges sellers only after their orders in a financial year reach ₹20 lakh.
Is Aadhaar mandatory for GeM registration?
No. You can verify with the personal PAN of the authorised signatory instead.
Can a trader or reseller register on GeM?
Yes, as a reseller. Some categories and bids ask for the OEM's authorisation. Note that the MSE procurement policy's benefits, such as EMD exemption under that policy, cover goods an MSE makes, not goods it trades.
Do I need GST registration to sell on GeM?
GeM validates your details against GSTN, and government buyers pay against GST invoices, so in practice sellers need GST registration unless the law exempts their supplies.
How long does GeM registration take?
Signing up takes minutes once your documents are ready. Completing the profile and catalogue takes longer, and vendor assessment for OEMs takes the longest, since it can involve a visit to your facilities.