GSTR 9 : Annual Return Filing
An Annual return has to be filed once in a year by the registered taxpayers under GST including those registered under composition levy scheme. All the registered taxable persons under GST as regular taxpayers filing GSTR 1, GSTR 2, GSTR 3 are required to file GSTR-9.
Who should file the GSTR-9 Annual return?
All the registered taxable persons under GST must file GSTR 9 form. However, the following persons are not required to file GSTR 9-
- Casual Taxable Person
- Input service distributors
- Non-resident taxable persons
- Persons paying TDSunder section 51 of GST Act.
What are different types of return under GSTR-9 form?
There are 4 types of return under GSTR 9 :
- GSTR 9 : GSTR 9 should be filed by the regular taxpayersfiling GSTR 1, GSTR 2, GSTR 3.
- GSTR9A: GSTR 9A should be filed by the persons registered under composition scheme under GST.
- GSTR9B: GSTR 9B should be filed by the e-commerce operatorswho have filed GSTR 8 during the financial year.
- GSTR9C: GSTR 9C should be filed by the taxpayers whose annual turnover exceeds Rs 2 croresduring the financial year. All such taxpayers are also required to get their accounts audited and file a copy of audited annual accounts and reconciliation statement of tax already paid and tax payable as per audited accounts along with GSTR 9C.
Due date of GSTR-9
GSTR-9 due date is on or before 31st December of the subsequent financial year. For instance, for FY 2017-18, the due date for filing GSTR 9 is 31st December 2018.
Penalty for the late filing of GSTR-9
Late fees for not filing the GSTR 9 within the due date is Rs. 100 per day per act up to a maximum of an amount calculated at a quarter percent of the taxpayer turnover in the state or union territory. Thus it is Rs 100 under CGST & 100 under SGST, the total penalty is Rs 200 per day of default. There is no late fee on IGST.
Online Filing Process Of Annual Return GSTR-9:
- Based on GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B filed during the year, facility to download system computed GSTR-9 as PDF format will be available.
- Based on GSTR-1 filed, consolidated summary of GSTR-1 will be made available as PDF download.
- Based on GSTR-3B filed, consolidated summary of GSTR-3B will be made available as PDF download.
- In each table of GSTR-9, values will be auto-populated to the extent possible based on GSTR-3B and GSTR-1 of the year. All the values will be editable with some exceptions (table 6A, 8A and tax payment entries in table 9).
- ‘ NIL ‘ return can be filed through single click.
- Offline tool to be downloaded from the portal.
- Auto-populated GSTR-9 (System computed json) to be downloaded from the portal before filling up values.
- Table 6A and table 8A will be non-editable. Other values will be editable barring tax payment entries in table 9.
- After filling up the values, json file to be generated and saved. After logging on the portal, the json file to be uploaded.
- File will be processed and error if any will be shown. Error file to be downloaded from the portal and opened in the Excel tool.
- After making corrections, file will again be uploaded on the portal.
- Corrections can be made online also except table 17 & 18 if the number of records exceeds 500 in each table.
- After filing, return can be downloaded as PDF and/or Excel.
- Revision facility is not there, therefore, return should be filed after reconciling the information provided in the return and in the books.
Payment while filing GSTR-9
- Except late fee, if any, no payment is to be made with annual return.
- Payment can be made on voluntary basis through GST DRC-03, if required.
The Annual Return under GST is a starting point for GST Reconciliation Statement and GST Audit as all the reconciliation in the GST Audit is to be done between GST Annual Returns and Books of accounts. It thereby carries utmost importance.