After the introduction of Negative List, department has prescribed single accounting code for payment of service tax vide Circular 161/12/2012 dated 6th July, 2012. In Service Tax Registration also only one description of service is available. However after examination of suggestions from field formation, department vide Circular No. 165/16/2012-ST dated 20th November, 2012 has issued a list of 120 descriptions of services for the purpose of registration and accounting codes corresponding to each description of service for payment of tax is provided (for list please refer Annexure A). It has been also clarified that descriptions of taxable services given in the annexure are solely for the purpose of statistical analysis.

Registrations obtained under the positive list approach continue to be valid. Where registrations have been obtained under the description ‘All Taxable Services’, the taxpayer should file amendment application online in ACES and opt for relevant description/s from the list of 120 descriptions of services given in the Annexure- A attached herewith.