Persons or entities in India involved in the supply of goods or services must obtain GST registration when the threshold limit for registration is crossed.
In most states, GST registration is mandatory when a person supplies services or goods over Rs.20 lakhs per year.
In addition to the turnover limit, GST registration is compulsory for all persons undertaking eCommerce sales.
Everybody need to file GST?
- Yes, all taxpayers having GST registration should file GST returns on the 10th, 15th and 20th of each month.
- Even if there was no business activity or transaction during a month, the taxpayer must still log in to the GST portal and file NIL GST return to avoid penalty.
Who should file GST Return?
GST registration holders are required to file GSTR-3B return every month providing details of sales and purchases made in a month to the Government. GSTR-3B return is due on the 20th of each month. Form GSTR-3B is a simplified summary return and the purpose of the return is for taxpayers to declare their summary GST liabilities for a particular tax period and discharge these liabilities. A normal taxpayer is required to file Form GSTR-3B returns for every tax period.
Note : Taxpayer has to file Form GSTR-3B even if there is no business activity. (Nil Return).
Amendment of Form GSTR-3B is not allowed.
In addition to GSTR-3B return, businesses registered under GST must file GSTR-1 return. GSTR-1 return must be filed every month by businesses having annual revenue of over Rs.1.5 crores. In case a business has a yearly revenue of less than Rs.1.5 crores, GST return should be filed every quarter. For the taxpayers who have opted to file Form GSTR-1 on monthly frequency, the system computed GSTR-3B will be generated and will be available on their GSTR-3B dashboard page after Form GSTR-1 has been filed by them.
This facility at present, has been enabled only for those taxpayers who have opted to file Form GSTR-1 at monthly frequency. GSTR-1 is a monthly Statement of Outward Supplies to be furnished by all normal and casual registered taxpayers making outward supplies of goods and services or both and contains details of outward supplies of goods and services.
Every registered taxable person, other than an input service distributor/composition taxpayer/persons liable to deduct tax u/s 51 persons liable to collect tax u/s 52 is required to file GSTR-1, the details of outward supplies of goods and/or services during a tax period, electronically on the GST Portal.
Annual GST return must be filed by all GST entities having GST registration. The due date for filing GST annual return for FY 2018-19 is 31st December 2020. The due date for filing GST annual return for FY2018-19 is 31st March 2020.
GST Return Due Dates
The following are upcoming GST return due dates:
- December GSTR-3B will be due on 20th of January 2021.
- December GSTR-1 return for persons having annual revenue of more than Rs.1.5 crores will be due on 11th January 2021.
- October - December GSTR-1 return for persons having annual revenue of less than Rs.1.5 crores will be due on 31st January 2021.
- Keep watching this page for the latest updates to GST return due dates.
Late Fees, Penalty & Interst on GST Returns
GST Cancellation
Failure to file GST returns on time to can lead to penalties and cancellation of GST registration. If GST return is continuously not submitted for six months, then the GST registration would be cancelled, and the person would not be able to obtain another GST registration - unless all the late filing penalty is paid.
Filing NIL GST Return
In case a person has no business, NIL GST return must be filed. Failure to file NIL GST return can lead to a penalty of Rs.20 per day for each of the GSTR-3B return and GSTR-1 return. Penalty of Rs. 50 applicable if there are any sales liability.
Interest Applicable on GST Late Payment
In addition to the above late filing fees, the person would also have to pay interest at the rate of 18% on GST payment remitted late to the Government. Subscribe to our accounting services to avoid late penalty fees in GST.
Composition Scheme Return Filing
All persons registered under the Composition Scheme are require to pay taxes using CMP-08 every quarter and GSTR 4 to be filled annually through the GST Common Portal or through a GST Facilitation Centre. GST return for those enrolled under Composition Scheme is due on the 18th of the month, succeeding a quarter. Hence, GST return for composition scheme would be due on April 18th, July 18th, October 18th and January 18th. The GST return filed by a Composition Scheme supplier must include details of:
- Invoice wise inter-State and intra-State inward supplies received from registered and unregistered persons.
- Consolidated details of outward supplies made.
- If a registered person opted to pay tax under composition scheme from the beginning of a financial year, then the taxpayer must file monthly GST returns on the 10th, 15th and 20th of each month and monthly returns till the due date of furnishing the return for the month of September of the succeeding financial year or furnishing of annual return of the preceding financial year, whichever is earlier. Hence, even if a taxable person under GST opted for composition scheme from April onwards, the taxpayer must continue filing monthly GST returns until September.
Find GST Filing Return Due Dates for GSTR 1 to GSTR 9
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1
GSTR-1 (Monthly)
11th of every month
Monthly GSTR 1 returns must be filed by taxpayers having a turnover of more than Rs.1.5 crores on 11th of every month.
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2
GSTR-1 (Quarterly)
13th of every quarter
Quarterly returns must be filed by taxpayers having a turnover of less than Rs.1.5 crores on 13th of every quarter.
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3
CMP-08- Quarterly-Composition Scheme
18th of every quarter
CMP-08 must be filed by taxpayers registered under the GST composition scheme having a turnover of upto Rs.1 Crore on 18th of every quarter.
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4
GSTR-4- Annual-Composition scheme
30th April
The due date for filing GSTR 4 is 30th of the month succeeding the financial year for which the composite taxpayer is filing the annual return.
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5
GSTR-9- Annual returns
31st December
Annual GST return filing for the financial year is due on 31st December. This is mandatory for all entities.
Staggered Return of GSTR-3B
| Turnover |
Deadline for Dec 2020 |
Applicable to |
| More than 5 crores |
20th of Every month |
All the states and UTs |
| Less than 5 crores |
22nd of Every month
for Group A States |
Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, Lakshadweep, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh |
| Less than 5 crores |
24th of Every month
for Group B States |
Jammu and Kashmir, Laddakh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, Assam, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who should file GST returns?
Under GST, every person or entity registered under GST would be required to file a GST return for the prescribed period. Even those entities having a GST registration but no activity would be required to file a GST Nil Return to stay compliant with GST regulations.
How often would I have to file GST Returns?
Regular taxpayers would have to file GSTR-1 (details of outward supplies), GSTR-2 (details of inward supplied) and GSTR-3 (monthly return). GSTR-1 would be due on the 10th of each month, GSTR-2 would be due on the 15th of each month and GSTR-3 would be due on the 20th of each month. Compounding taxpayers must file GSTR-4 every quarter, on 18th of the month next to the quarter.
In addition to the monthly or quarterly returns, an annual return must be filed by all persons or entities registered under GST. The due date for filing of annual GST return would be 31st of December following the end of financial year. In case of assesses having to complying with auditing requirements, the GST reconciliation statement must be duly certified by a Chartered Accountant.
How to file GST Returns?
GST Returns must be filed online. There would also be a facility to prepare the returns offline and upload the same into an online portal.
Can GST Return be Revised?
There would be no procedure or revision of a GST Return. All unreported invoices of the previous tax period must be included in the return for the current month and interest, if any would be applicable.
What is penalty for not filing GST Returns?
All GST Return non-filers will be tracked by the GST Department and a list of GST return defaulters will be provided to the respective GST authorities for followup and enforcement action. The GST law would also include an imposition of automatic late fee for GST Return non-filers and late filers.
Who should file GSTR1 return?
Under GST, all taxpayers, other than an input service distributor, a non-resident taxable person, casual taxable person and a person paying tax under the GST composition scheme are required to file GSTR1 return.
What is the time limit for filing GSTR1 return?
The due date for filing GSTR1 return is usually the 10th of every month. However, for the month of July 2017, the due date for filing GSTR1 return is 10th of October. The due date for filing all other GSTR1 return is yet to be announced by the GST Council.
What information is required to be filed in GSTR1?
In GSTR1 return, the following information is filed by the taxpayer:
- Basic details of the taxpayer with GSTIN.
- Period to which the Return pertains.
- Invoice level information
- B2B invoices
- B2C invoices over Rs.2.5 lakhs in value
- B2C invoices less than Rs.2.5 lakhs in value
- Export invoices
- Summary of Documents Issued
- HSN Code wise summary of sales
What is the meaning “details of outward supplies”?
Under GST, the expression “details of outward supplies” means information pertaining to sales transaction in a month like invoices issued, debit notes, credit notes and revised invoices.
Can GSTR1 return be rectified?
Yes, any registered taxable person, who has filed GSTR1 return can rectify the return if there is a discovery of any error or omission. The rectification can be filed in the tax period in which such error or omission is noticed. In case there is any short payment of tax, the payment of tax and interest can also be made during the period of discovery of error or omission.
What is the time limit for filing GST return rectification?
GST return can be rectified by a taxpayer until the month of September following the end of the financial year to which the details pertain or furnishing of the relevant annual return, whichever is earlier.
What invoices should be uploaded to GST Portal?
For all B2B supplies (whether inter-State or intra-State), invoice level details like customer GSTIN, the item-wise value of supply, amount of tax applicable, place of supply, date of invoice and invoice number should be uploaded.
For all B2C supplies (including non-registered Government entities, Consumer/person dealing in exempted/NIL rated/non-GST goods or services), the suppliers should upload invoice level details similar to B2B invoices, when the value of supply is more than Rs.2.5 lakhs.
For invoices with a value of less than Rs.2.5 lakhs, State-wise summary of supply statement should be filed. The address of the buyer has to be mandatorily reflected in every invoice having a value of Rs.50,000/- or more.
How to mention HSN Code in Invoice?
HSN code (4-digit) for Goods and Services Accounting Codes (SAC) for Services must be compulsorily mentioned by all taxpayers with turnover in the preceding financial year above Rs. 5 Crore (For the first year of operations of GST, self-declaration of turnover of previous financial year will be taken as the basis as all India turnover data will not be available in the first year. From the 2nd year onwards, turnover of previous financial year under GST will be used for satisfying this condition.
For taxpayers with turnover between Rs. 1.5 Crores and Rs. 5 Crores in the preceding financial year, HSN codes may be specified only at 2-digit chapter level as an optional exercise to start with. From second year of GST operations, mentioning 2-digit chapter level HSN Code will be mandatory for all taxpayers with turnover in previous financial year between Rs. 1.5 Crores and Rs. 5.0 Crores.
All taxpayers, irrespective of his turnover, can use HSN code at 6-digit or 8-digit level if desired.
To start with, compounding dealers may not be required to specify HSN at 2 digit level also.
HSN Codes at 8-digit level and Accounting Codes for services will be mandatory in case of exports and imports.
The taxpayers who have turnover below the limit of Rs. 1.5 Crore will have to mention the description of goods/service, as the case may be, wherever applicable. In order to differentiate between the HSN code and the Service Accounting Code (SAC), goods will be denoted by G and services will be denoted by S.