GST · SAC 999612 · FY 2026–27

SAC 999612: Film, video and programme production

SAC 999612 (Motion Picture, Videotape, Television and Radio Programme Production) is taxed at 18% GST: 9% CGST + 9% SGST when you and your client are in the same state, 18% IGST when you are not, and 0% on exports under a Letter of Undertaking (LUT). Covers: Producing films, videos, animation and TV or radio programmes.

Rate source: Notification 11/2017-Central Tax (Rate), Heading 9996

18%

Domestic
0% export (LUT)

Heading

9996 — Design & Creative

Domestic rate

18% (9+9 / IGST)

Export (LUT)

Reverse charge

No — forward charge

What falls under 999612

The CBIC Scheme of Classification defines 999612 as "Motion picture, videotape, television and radio programme production services". Its explanatory notes include producing promotional or advertising motion pictures, animated films, and television or radio programmes — the code for a freelance video producer, animator or ad-film maker. Verified 2026-09-24: this entry previously described live stage performance, which is not 999612 — the services of performing artists are 999631, and event videography is 998383.

Brand and explainer videos

Motion graphics and animation

Ad films

Corporate films

Not this code — studio and location recording of sound, words and music → 999611 · ad creation, campaign design and media placement → 998361

On the invoice

Invoice INV-0092SAC 999612

Brand and explainer videos₹1,50,000

CGST @ 9% + SGST @ 9% (same state — else IGST 18%)+ ₹27,000

Amount due₹1,77,000

Same work for a foreign client under LUT: IGST 0%, with the zero-rating declaration on the face of the invoice.

Riya, a Bengaluru-based motion designer (KA, state code 29), produces a 60-second product-launch film for a Hyderabad D2C brand (TS, state code 36). Rs. 1,50,000. Inter-state → IGST 18%.

Put this code on a real invoiceFree GST invoice generator — SAC prefilled, CGST-SGST vs IGST resolved from the client's state. No signup.

FAQ

Do I have to print the SAC code on my invoices?

Depends on turnover: up to Rs. 5 crore, the 4-digit SAC (9996) is enough on B2B invoices; above that, 6 digits are required. Printing the full 6-digit code (999612) everywhere is simplest and never wrong.

Under Rs. 20 lakh turnover — do I need to register and charge 18%?

Below Rs. 20 lakh aggregate turnover, registration is optional for pure service providers — you invoice without GST entirely. The Rs. 10 lakh threshold applies in only four special-category states (Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura), not the eleven usually listed online. Once registered, 18% applies to every domestic invoice regardless of turnover.

Wrong SAC code on past invoices — how bad is it?

If the rate charged was right, it is a clerical issue — fix it going forward. A wrong code with a wrong rate is the real problem; that needs a credit note and a corrected invoice. Mismatched SACs also cause GSTR-1 Table 12 disclosure issues and can trigger ITC audit queries at the client end.

Does SAC 999612 change under GST 2.0?

No. The September 2025 rate rationalisation reshuffled the goods slabs; professional and technical services stayed at the 18% standard rate, and export zero-rating under LUT is unchanged.

Notification reference: Notification 11/2017-CT(R) dated 28 June 2017 — the services rate table, at the serial for the code's heading (9982, 9983, 9985, 9992 or 9996 as applicable), as amended, including by Notification 15/2025-CT(R) (GST 2.0, from 22 September 2025).

For the CA reading this

The deadline sheet you already send, with your name on it

Every statutory date for the month — GST returns, advance tax, and the dates your client's own customers owe them: when the TDS they withheld must reach the department, and when the certificate is due. Add your firm's name and forward it as it stands. No signup, no email, nothing to accept.

Firm name (optional)Month

Download the image

The image is the one that travels on WhatsApp. Dates are statutory, not advice — the sheet says which rows bind whom.

Sources

Rates as notified for FY 2026–27 and can change. General information, not tax advice. Verify with your CA before you file.

Billing 999612 as a freelancer

Use Case

GST on Export of Services Without an LUT: What It Costs and What You Can Still Do

9 min read →Tax Guide

GST Registration Limit for Freelancers: Have You Already Crossed It?

9 min read →Tax Guide

Your Client Wants a GST Bill and You Have No GST Number

9 min read →

Related codes

The right SAC, the right rate, every invoice

GST that fills itself in.

HourSlip stores your SAC codes, resolves CGST-SGST vs IGST from each client's state, and zero-rates exports automatically.

• No card required• Export your data as CSV