GST Annual Return Filing

GSTR-9 is an annual GST return return filed by 31st December of the year following the particular financial year. GSTR-9 return contains sales, purchases and GST charged and paid on the same during the financial year. Registered taxpayers under GST must file GSTR-9 if their annual turnover limit exceeds Rs. 2 crores.

As a finance leader and professional, you must have known that filing GSTR-9 is more than just consolidating GSTR-1, GSTR-2B and GSTR-3B filed during a financial year. It involves rigorous reconciliations and any short paid tax or excess tax credit claims must be settled with the government.

What is GSTR 9?

GSTR-9 is a yearly report that registered taxpayers need to submit. This report contains everything they bought and sold throughout the year, including different taxes (like CGST, SGST, and IGST). It also covers their total sales and purchases and audit details for the year. In short, GSTR-9 summarizes a whole year’s business transactions and tax details. The GST annual return limit for businesses is Rs. 2 crore, but filing is optional for those with a turnover up to Rs. 2 crore.

GSTR 9 applicability: Who should file GSTR-9 annual return?

All GST registered taxpayers must file their GSTR 9. However, the following are NOT required to file GSTR 9:

Taxpayers opting composition scheme (They must file GSTR-9A)
Casual Taxable Person
Input service distributors
Non-resident taxable persons
Persons paying TDS under section 51 of CGST Act
person collecting TCS under section 52 of CGST Act

GSTR-9 types

The CGST Rule 80 covers the provisions pertaining to the annual return forms under the GST law. Annual returns in GST are of four types as follows–

GSTR 9– Regular GST taxpayers who file GSTR 1 and GSTR 3B must file this return, especially if they cross the GST annual return limit of Rs.2 crore turnover during the financial year.
GSTR 9A– Composition taxable persons had to file this annual return until FY 2018-19. However, from FY 2019-20 onwards, it is replaced with GSTR-4 annual return due for every financial year on 30th April of the following year.
GSTR 9B– This annual return is applicable under the GST law to e-commerce operators collecting tax TCS (tax at source) and filing GSTR 8 each month. However, the filing of this annual return is put on hold.
GSTR 9C– Annual Reconciliation Statement is an audit form that must be self certified and filed by all taxpayers whose aggregate turnover exceeds Rs.5 crores in a financial year.

Exclusions from Form GSTR 9 Filing

Casual Taxpayers: Those taxpayers who engage in sporadic or occasional business activities, everyday taxpayers, are exempt from filing the Annual Return in Form GSTR-9.
Non-Resident Taxpayers: Taxpayers who are not residents of the country and engage in taxable transactions within India, non-resident taxpayers, are not obligated to file Form GSTR-9.
Input Service Distributors (ISD) and OIDAR Service Providers: Entities functioning as Input Service Distributors or providing Online Information and Database Access or Retrieval services are also excluded from the requirement to file Form GSTR-9.

Filing GSTR 9A: Composition Scheme Participants

GST-registered taxpayers who have chosen to operate under the composition scheme as per the GST Act are obligated to file GSTR-9A. This return encompasses all the taxpayer previously submitted information in their quarterly returns throughout the specific fiscal year.

Eligibility Criteria Every taxpayer registered under the composition levy scheme in GST must fulfill the GSTR-9A filing requirement. However, the subsequent individuals are exempt from filing GSTR-9A:

Input Service Distributors
Non-resident taxable individuals
Individuals are subject to Tax Deducted at Source under Section 51 of the Income Tax Act.
E-commerce operators are subject to Tax Collected at Source under Section 52 of the Income Tax Act.
Casual Taxable Individuals

Filing GSTR 9C: Reconciliation Statement

Role and Requirement of GSTR-9C Form GSTR-9C serves the purpose of filing the reconciliation statement by taxpayers for a specific financial year. This form constitutes a reconciliation between the Annual Returns submitted in GSTR-9 and the figures outlined in the taxpayer’s Audited Financial Statements. The submission of this Chartered Accountant-certified form aligns with the filing of both the Annual Returns in GSTR-9 and the Audited Financial Statements. Taxpayers can fulfil this obligation through the GST portal or a designated Facilitation Centre.

Eligibility Criteria

GSTR-9C applies to taxpayers who are mandated to undergo an annual GST audit of their accounts. The form must be meticulously prepared and certified by a qualified Chartered or Cost Accountant.

GSTR 9 Format

Documents Required to File GSTR-9

Part-1: Basic Registration Details

Here, you’ll provide basic registration information. This includes the fiscal year, GSTIN, legal name, and trade name. These details will be automatically filled out when GSTR-9 is available on the GST portal.

Part 2: Details of Outward Supplies

In this part, you’ll consolidate details of outward supplies declared in your returns for the financial year. It’s further split into two sections:

Supplies on which tax is payable (4A to 4L): This covers taxable supplies, exports, supplies to SEZ, reverse charge, and advances received.
Supplies on which tax is not payable (5A to 5K): This includes exports, exempt supplies, nil-rated supplies, and non-GST supplies.

Part 3: Input Tax Credit (ITC)

This part has three sections:

ITC availed as declared in returns filed (6A to 6O): Breakdown of ITC availed on various inward supplies.
ITC reversed and ineligible ITC (7A to 7H): Details of ITC reversed and ineligible ITC.
Other ITC-related information (8A to 8J): Information related to ITC as per GSTR-2A, reclaimed ITC, and more.

Part-4: Tax Paid

Here, you’ll capture the tax paid as declared in the previous year’s returns. Breakup of tax payable, paid in cash, and paid through ITC is required.

Part-5: Transactions of Previous Financial Year

This part covers transactions from the previous financial year but is declared in the returns of April to September of the current financial year.

Part-6: Miscellaneous Details

In this part, you’ll provide details about demands, refunds, supplies from composition dealers, an HSN-wise summary of supplies, and late fee information.

NMonthly GST Returns (GSTR-1, GSTR-2A, GSTR-3B): These documents show your monthly sales, purchases, and tax calculations. They are essential to compile accurate data for the annual return filing.
Annual Financial Statements: Your yearly profit and loss statement and balance sheet provide an overview of your financial health and are required to match your GST returns.
Reconciliation Statement (GSTR-9C): This document helps reconcile your financial data with your GST returns, ensuring accuracy and compliance.

How to File GSTR 9?

Step 1: Login and Navigate to GSTR-9

Access the official GST website and log in using your credentials.
Go to the ‘Returns Dashboard’ and click on the ‘Annual Return’ option.

Step 2: Select the Financial Year

Choose the relevant financial year (2023-2024) from the ‘File Annual Returns’ page.
Click ‘Prepare Online’ after a message appears with instructions for filing GSTR 9 either online or offline.

Step 3: Nil Return

Decide whether you want to file a Nil return by selecting ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’
If you select ‘Yes,’ ensure all specific criteria are met (no outward supply, no receipt of goods or services, no credit claimed, no refund claimed, no other liability, no demand order, and no late fees required).
If these conditions are met, proceed to calculate liabilities and file a Nil GSTR-9.
If you select ‘No’ for a Nil return, move on to the next step.

Step 4: Filling in Details

On the ‘GSTR-9 Annual Return for normal taxpayers’ page, various sections will appear requiring specific information.
Click on all three tabs to download summary details that will assist in completing different parts of GSTR-9:
- GSTR-9 System Computed Summary
- GSTR-1 Summary
- GSTR-3B Summary
Enter the necessary details in the respective tables. The system will auto-populate data based on GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B information. If there is a +/- 20% variance in the auto-populated details, the cells will be highlighted, and a confirmation message will prompt further processing. Click ‘Yes’ to accept the details.

Step 5: Save the Data

Go back to the ‘GSTR-9 Dashboard’ and fill in all required information.
Save the data

Step 6: Preview the Draft GSTR 9

Preview the form in PDF or Excel format by clicking ‘Preview GSTR-9 (PDF)’ on the GSTR-9 dashboard.

Step 7: Computation of Liabilities and GSTR 9 Late Fees

Click ‘Compute Liabilities,’ and the GST portal will process the details provided in various tables, including calculating any GSTR 9 late fees if applicable.
Make the payment from the electronic cash ledger. If there are insufficient funds, an additional payment can be made via net banking, over the counter, or through NEFT/RTGS by creating an additional payment challan.

Step 8: Final Submission

Select the declaration check box.
Choose the authorized signatory.
A page will display two options for filing:
- File with DSC: Browse and select the digital signature certificate, sign, and submit.
- File with EVC: An OTP will be sent to the registered email and mobile number. Upon successful validation of the OTP, the return status changes to ‘Filed.’

FAQs

What is the GSTR 9 Turnover Limit?

GSTR-9, the Annual Return, is a mandatory filing requirement for all registered regular taxpayers whose annual turnover exceeds INR 2 crores. This GSTR 9 turnover limit or threshold ensures that businesses with significant economic activity accurately report their transactions and tax liabilities. For businesses with a turnover up to Rs. 2 crore, filing GSTR 9 is optional. Each year, the GST department notifies the threshold turnover limit above which GSTR-9 must be filed.

GSTR 9 Due Date for Filing?

The GSTR 9 due date for a particular financial year is 31st December of the subsequent financial year or as extended by the Government through notification from time to time.

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