GSTR-9 is the annual return that must be filed by all GST-registered businesses. The return is a summary of a business’s GST liability for the year and must be filed by 31st December of the following year. GSTR-9 contains information on a business’s sales, purchases, input tax credit, and output tax liability for the year.

GSTR-9 can be easily filed electronically through the GST portal. GST registration number, filing period, and other information must be kept handy while filing GSTR-9. This blog breaks down every detail of GSTR-9 you need to keep in mind. Read on!

What is GSTR-9?

GSTR-9 is a statement of return that must be filed annually by taxpayers registered under the GST regime. It provides summarised details of outward supplies, input tax credits claimed, taxes paid, and the refund claimed in the fiscal year based on which such annual return is filed.

Form GSTR-9 annual return has to be filed by registered GST taxpayers, including those registered under the composition levy scheme. It contains information about the supplies made and received during the year under various tax heads, such as CGST, SGST and IGST. It compiles the information provided in the monthly/quarterly returns throughout the year. There are some exceptions to the requirement to file GSTR-9.

The following people do not have to file this form:

A taxpayer who falls into the category of ’Casual Taxable Person’.
A person who is not a resident of India, also known as a ’Non-Resident Taxable Person’.
The person in charge of tax deduction at the source.
Anyone who provides an input tax credit.
Any e-commerce website or portal that collects TCS.

What is the due date to file the GSTR-9?

Form GSTR-9 is to be filed by 31st December following the relevant financial year. The deadline for submitting the annual return in Form GSTR-9 and the self-certified reconciliation statement as a part of the Form GSTR-9C for the fiscal year 2020-21 was pushed from December 31, 2021, to February 28, 2022, according to the Central Tax Notification.

Types of GSTR-9

The GSTR-9 form has various types and sub-divisions with different eligibility criteria. These are:

• GSTR-9A – This form has to be filed by taxpayers who are part of the composition scheme.

• GSTR-9B – Any e-commerce company that has filed Form GSTR 8 during the fiscal year must file GSTR-9B as their annual return.

• GSTR-9C – Any taxpayer whose annual turnover exceeds Rs.2 crore must file GSTR-9C along with their annual returns.

Also Read: What Is GST On Personal Loans and How Does It Impact Borrowers?

Who should file GSTR-9?

Every taxpayer is required to file GSTR-9 and file the GSTR-9:

You have to be a GST-registered taxpayer with a 15-digit PAN-based GSTIN.
Intra-state suppliers and service-sector businesses with an annual turnover of over Rs.20 lakh, and goods-sector businesses with an annual turnover of over Rs.40 lakh have to mandatorily register for GST.
This return applies to all registered GST taxpayers, except those with a Unique Identification Number and all the non-resident taxpayers. For the entire year, you must record the details of all your transactions at the invoice level.

Who is required to file a GSTR-9A return?

Regular GST taxpayers who file GSTR-1, GSTR-2, and GSTR-3 must also file GSTR-9A, which consolidates information provided during the previous fiscal year.

Who is required to file a GSTR-9B return?

All eCommerce operators who collect tax at the point of sale must file a GSTR-9B return. In addition to the GSTR-9B return, all eCommerce operators must file GSTR-8 returns monthly.

Who is required to file a GSTR-9C return?

Regular taxpayers registered under GST, with an aggregate turnover of more than Rs.5 crore during a fiscal year, must audit their accounts and file a copy of the same with their GSTR-9C return. A practising Chartered Accountant or Cost Accountant can be contacted to audit the returns.

How to file GSTR-9 annual return

The GSTR-9 form collects a wide range of details about the taxpayer’s inward and outward supplies and several other factors affecting the taxpayer’s tax liability for the year. Here’s how to file your GSTR-9 annual return:

The first section of the GSTR-9 will ask you to enter your basic information like the fiscal year, your GSTIN and your legal name, along with the trade name.
The GSTR9 format’s second section is subdivided into two sections to collect information about several types of transactions.
The third section of the GSTR-9 form is divided into three questions about your ITC balance.
In the fourth section of the form, you can enter all the information about the taxes you paid and declared in the returns filed during that fiscal year.
The fifth section contains the particulars of the previous fiscal year’s transactions declared in your returns from April to September of the incumbent fiscal year, or up to the filing date of the last fiscal year, whichever is earlier.
The GSTR-9 form’s last section collects information not previously provided, such as demands and refunds, certain special types of supplies, and late fees.

How to File GSTR-9 Online

Once the GST Annual Return Form GSTR-9 is completed, it must be filed in the GST Portal. The steps to file GSTR-9 online are as follows.

Log in and go to Form GSTR-9 – Annual Return for regular taxpayers.
Fill out the details in the various tiles.
Preview the draft of the summary of the Form GSTR-9.
Click on the option to compute any liabilities and pay any due late fees.
Preview draft of Form GSTR-9.
Submit to successfully file GSTR-9 return.

How to Check GSTR-9 Filing Status

To check your filing status of Form GSTR-9, you, the taxpayer, must have access to your GST account to check the status of your GST return. Use the information on the return filing period and more to complete the following steps:

Step 1: Go to the GSTN official portal and log in with your credentials.

Step 2: Hover your mouse over the ‘services’ menu at the top of the screen and choose ’returns’.

Step 3: Now, in the search box, enter your ARN (Acknowledgement Reference Number) or the return filing period and click ’search’.

Step 4: You can now view the status of your GSTR-9.

What is the Due Date and Penalty for Late Filing of GSTR-9?

The deadline for filing GSTR-9 for a fiscal year is December 31st of the year following the relevant fiscal year. For example, the GSTR-9 due date for the fiscal year 2021-22 is December 31, 2022.

The late fee for GSTR-9 is Rs.200 per day for every day after the due date until the payment is made. In the event of a delay, late fees of Rs.100 under CGST and Rs.100 under SGST will apply, up to Rs. 5000. Only after filing all the GSTR-1, GSTR-2, and GSTR-3 returns will the taxpayer be able to file the GSTR-9 return on the GST Portal.

As a result, the total liability is Rs. 200 per day of noncompliance. This is limited to 0.25% of the taxpayer’s turnover in the applicable state or union territory.

Also Read: GST On Health Insurance: Impact, Benefits and Premium Calculation

Final Word

GSTR-9 is a yearly return that is required to be filed by all GST-registered businesses. In this form, you must include financial information such as outward and inward supply, GST applicable, and ITC for the previous fiscal year. Businesses must file these forms based on their annual revenue and the type of GST registration.

FAQs on GSTR9

Q1. Can I file Form GSTR-9 without paying the late fee (if any)?

Ans: No. You cannot file Form GSTR-9 if it is filed after the due date without paying the late fee. However, no late fee is charged if you file GSTR-9 before the due date.

Q2. Is there a late fee for filing Form GSTR-9 late?

Ans: Yes, there is a late fee for submitting Form GSTR-9 after the due date. This is charged at Rs. 200 per day after the due date, till the payment is made. The maximum amount of penalty that can be charged is Rs. 5,000.

Q3. What is the GST Audit Reconciliation Statement?

Ans: Along with the GST audit certification, the taxpayer must submit an annual audit in form GSTR-9C and a reconciliation statement. The reconciliation statement is the additional information provided with GSTR-9C that confirms the data reconciliation according to the GST annual return and the books of accounts.

Q4. Can GSTR-9 be filed even when there is no turnover?

Ans: Yes, all registered individuals must file GSTR-9 based on their annual income. However, if there is nil turnover, GSTR-9 can be submitted with a single click.