As a taxpayer under GST, you have specific responsibilities that involve complying with various regulations. Periodically, you are required to provide information through returns and statements monthly, quarterly or annually. These GST returns are submitted through the GSTN portal. These are the details of what you’ve sold and the taxes paid on those sales. The GST returns include all the information about your purchases and the tax credits you’ve claimed. The statements and returns help tax authorities monitor your business activities. They provide a snapshot of your business’s financial transactions during specific tax periods. The GST returns serve as a comprehensive guide for understanding and fulfilling the requirements of providing statements and returns under GST law. In this article, we will discuss the complete details of all GST returns like sales, purchases, GST payments, GST Payable etc.
What Are GST Returns?
When an individual obtains GST registration for engaging in business activities, they are referred to as a taxable person under the GST Act. Subsequently, upon acquiring GST registration, they become obligated to submit details of sales and purchases to the GST department. This process is known as filing GST returns. The individual is also required to remit any GST to the GST department if there is a liability at the end of the taxable period, which may occur monthly, quarterly, or yearly. Different types of GST return forms exist, depending on outward supplies, inward supplies, and the carry-forward or set-off of input tax credit against GST outward. In the following sections, we will delve into a detailed discussion about these forms and the respective tax periods during which you are obligated to submit them through the GST portal to the GST department.
GST Returns
| Sl. No. | Form Type | Description | Periodicity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Form GSTR-1 | Details of outward supplies | Monthly/Quarterly |
| 2. | Form GSTR-2A | Details of auto-drafted supplies | Not to be furnished (Auto drafted) |
| 3. | Form GSTR-2B | Auto-drafted ITC Statement | Not to be furnished (Auto drafted) |
| 4. | Form GSTR-3B | Return | Monthly/Quarterly |
| 5. | Form GSTR-4 | Return for taxpayers who have opted for composition scheme or availing benefits under Notification no 02/2019 – Central Tax (Rate) | Annually |
| 6. | Form GSTR–5 | Return for Non-resident taxable person | Monthly |
| 7. | Form GSTR–5A | Details of supplies made by overseas suppliers of online information and database access or retrieval (OIDAR) services or overseas suppliers of online money gaming located outside India made to non-taxable persons in India | Monthly |
| 8. | Form GSTR–6 | Return for Input Service Distributor | Monthly |
| 9. | Form GSTR–6A | Details of supplies auto-drafted form | Not to be furnished (Auto drafted) |
| 10. | Form GSTR–7 | TDS Return | Monthly |
| 11. | Form GSTR–7A | Tax Deduction at Source Certificate | The certificate is made available to the deductee on the basis of the return furnished in Form GSTR-7 |
| 12. | Form GSTR–8 | TCS Return | Monthly |
| 13. | Form GSTR–9 | Annual Return | Annually |
| 14. | Form GSTR–9A | Annual Return (For Composition Taxpayer) | Annually |
| 15. | Form GSTR–9B | Annual Return by every electronic commerce operator | Annually |
| 16. | Form GSTR–9C | Reconciliation Statement | Annually |
| 17. | Form GSTR-10 | Final Return | Upon cancellation of registration |
| 18. | Form GSTR-11 | Statement of inward supplies by persons having Unique Identification Number (UIN) | Quarterly [In case of claiming refund] |
GSTR -1 – Details of Outward Supplies
- It’s a statement mandated for all registered individuals to file their outward supplies electronically on the GSTN portal, encompassing various aspects such as invoices, debit/credit notes, and revisions.
- If you’re registered under GST, you must share details about what you’ve sold. This includes invoices, debit/credit notes, and any changes made to these documents for the things you’ve sold in a specific time, all documented in a form called GSTR-1.
- Even if you haven’t made any sales of goods or services in a particular month or quarter, you’re still required to fill out Form GSTR-1 with details of your outward supplies. So, regardless of whether you’ve had sales or not, the form needs to be submitted.
GSTR-2A Details of auto-drafted supplies
- When a supplier fills out Form GSTR-1 with details of what they’ve sold, it generates an auto-drafted statement for the buyer called Form GSTR-2A. This statement is essential for buyers to match their purchase records in their books with the information in GSTR-2A. This reconciliation is crucial because buyers can only claim input tax credits when their purchases are reflected in GSTR-2A.
- Any discrepancies, like invoices in the buyer’s records not appearing in GSTR-2A, should be followed up by the buyer with their suppliers. They can ask suppliers to update these invoices in their GSTR-1 in the next tax period to ensure the buyer can claim their credits within the timelines specified in the GST law.
- Form GSTR-2A is continuously updated whenever the supplier makes changes or updates in their Form GSTR-1. So, it’s a dynamic document that keeps evolving as the supplier adds or modifies their supply details.
Form GSTR 2B – Auto-drafted ITC statement
- Just like Form GSTR-2A, Form GSTR-2B is an auto-generated statement showing what you’ve bought, based on the information your suppliers provide in their Form GSTR-1. However, unlike GSTR-2A, GSTR-2B doesn’t change—it’s fixed for a month and includes details of your purchases based on your supplier’s filings until the 13th of the following month.
- GSTR-2B not only displays the details of what you’ve bought but also specifies which purchases allow you to claim the input tax credit and which ones don’t meet the conditions specified by the law for claiming that credit.
Form GSTR 3B – Furnishing return of inward and outward supplies
- Form GSTR-3B is like a comprehensive summary report of what a registered person has bought and sold. They need to submit this report electronically on the GSTN Portal.
- If you’re registered under GST (except for certain cases), you need to report what you’ve bought and sold, claim the tax credits, and show how much tax you owe or have paid. This information has to be submitted electronically on the GSTN portal regularly, either every month or every quarter. This report you submit is called Form GSTR-3B.
- The document provides all the rules and instructions about how to fill out and submit Form GSTR-3B according to the GST laws.
Form GSTR-4 – Return under Composition Scheme
- The persons registered under the composition scheme need to submit details regarding their sales, purchases, tax payments, and tax due annually through Form GSTR-4.
- This form is their annual filing requirement under the composition scheme. Even, if a composite taxpayer hasn’t made or received any supplies of goods or services in a specific tax period, they’re still required under the GST law to submit Form GSTR-4 for that period.
- This form needs to be filed regardless of whether there are any details to report about inward or outward supplies during that time in the relevant financial year.
- While businesses can report zero or ‘Nil details’ via SMS for forms like GSTR-3B, GSTR-1, and GST CMP-8, this option isn’t available for Form GSTR-4. For GSTR-4, even if there are no details to report, the registered person must submit a Nil return online directly through the GSTN portal.
Form GSTR-5 – GST Return of Non-Resident Taxable Person
According to the GST law, every Non-Resident Taxable Person (NRTP) must report their outward and inward supplies using Form GSTR-5. Additionally, they’re responsible for paying the tax, interest, penalty, fees, etc., for the relevant tax period on the GSTN portal.
When applying for NRTP registration, an advance tax equivalent to the estimated tax liability for that period must be paid. This advance payment can later be used to cover the GST liability when submitting Form GSTR-5.
Form GSTR-5A: GST Return of NRI supplying OIDAR services or online money gaming
According to the GST law, any registered person located outside India providing Online Information Database Access and Retrieval (OIDAR) services to a non-taxable online recipient in India must file a monthly return through Form GSTR-5A on the GSTN portal.
Additionally, starting from 01-10-2023, any registered person offering online money gaming services from outside India to someone in India is also obligated to file a monthly return using Form GSTR-5A.
Form GSTR-6 – Furnishing Return by Input Service Distributor
An Input Service Distributor (ISD) is an office responsible for distributing tax credits from input services among its branches or units sharing the same PAN. The GST law mandates that every ISD needs to report details of tax invoices from which credit has been received and distributed during a specific tax period.
For filing these details, ISDs use Form GSTR-6, following legal provisions that specify the time limit, required information, and instructions for submission. Additionally, ISDs receive information about outward supplies from suppliers in Form GSTR-1, accessible to them through Form GSTR-6A on the GSTN portal. Using the data from GSTR-6A, ISD furnish the necessary details in Form GSTR-6.
Form GSTR-7 – GST Return for Tax Deducted at Source (TDS)
According to the GST law, every person deducting Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) under GST should submit a TDS return using Form GSTR-7 through the GSTN portal. This return, Form GSTR-7, needs to be filed on a monthly basis. The TDS amount deducted by the deductor can be claimed by the deductee in their electronic cash ledger based on the information provided in Form GSTR-7.
Form GSTR-8 – Collection of Tax at Source (TCS)
Under the GST law, every individual collecting tax at source (TCS) is obligated to provide a TCS statement using Form GSTR-8 on a monthly basis through the GSTN portal. The tax collected by the TCS collector can be claimed by the supplier, from whom the tax is collected, based on the information submitted by the TCS collector in Form GSTR-8. The supplier can claim the TCS credit in their electronic cash ledger by either requesting a refund or offsetting it against their tax liability.
Form GSTR-9 – GST Annual Return
According to the GST law, almost all registered individuals are obliged to submit an annual return using Form GSTR-9 by December 31st following the conclusion of each financial year. However, there are exceptions, including Input Service Distributors, Non-resident taxable persons, Casual Taxable Persons, those registered as TDS Deductors, TCS Collectors, and individuals registered for providing OIDAR services.
Furthermore, for financial years 2017-18 to 2022-23, the government has granted an option for taxpayers with an aggregate turnover of up to Rs. 2 Crores to file Form GSTR-9. It’s important to note that filing Form GSTR-9 for a particular financial year is only permissible once all submissions of Form GSTR-1 and Form GSTR-3B have been completed for that specific financial year.
Form GSTR-9A – GST Annual Return (for composite dealers)
According to GST regulations, certain specified registered individuals must file an annual return using Form GSTR-9. However, those registered under the composition scheme have an obligation to furnish an annual return specifically using Form GSTR-9A.
It’s important to note that for financial years 2017-18 through 2019-20, registered individuals with an aggregate turnover of up to Rs. 2 crores were given the choice not to file the annual return. Similarly, for the subsequent financial years – 2020-21, 2021-22, and 2022-23 – these taxpayers have been exempted from filing annual returns. Notably, since individuals under the composition scheme consistently maintain an aggregate turnover below Rs. 2 crores, there hasn’t been a requirement for them to furnish Form GSTR-9A to date.
Form GSTR-9B – Annual Return
According to GST regulations, every e-commerce operator collecting TCS (Tax Collected at Source) under GST needs to submit an annual statement, Form GSTR-9B, before the 31st of December following the conclusion of the financial year. This statement is expected to include information about the outward supplies conducted through the platform, details of returned supplies, and the total TCS amount collected throughout the financial year.
It’s important to note that despite this requirement being outlined in the GST law, the Government has not yet officially notified Form GSTR-9B for use.
Form GSTR-9C – Reconciliation Statement
As per GST regulations, any registered person with an aggregate turnover exceeding Rs. 5 Crores is mandated to provide a self-certified reconciliation statement in Form GSTR-9C, along with the annual return. This statement reconciles the value of supply declared in the financial year’s return with the audited annual financial statement, done electronically.
However, there are specific categories exempted from furnishing this reconciliation statement:
(a) Input Service Distributor
(b) Non-resident taxable person
(c) Casual Taxable Person
(d) Person registered as a TDS Deductor
(e) Person registered as a TCS Collector
(f) Person registered for providing OIDAR services
Until the financial year 2019-20, registered persons were also obligated to have their accounts audited by a Chartered Accountant or a Cost Accountant, and they had to provide the audited annual accounts along with the reconciliation statement, duly certified by these professionals. However, starting from the Financial Year 2020-21, Form GSTR-9C is required to be furnished based on self-certification.
Form GSTR-10 – Final Return
When someone was previously obligated to submit Form GSTR-3B under the GST regulations and their registration has been cancelled, they are responsible for providing a Final Return in Form GSTR-10. This requirement applies even if their registration was cancelled by the proper officer without their request. Form GSTR-10 demands details about the remaining inputs, capital goods, and other items held in stock at the time of registration cancellation. The specifics related to how these details need to be submitted in Form GSTR-10, who needs to provide this form, the late fees for delays, notifications to those who fail to submit the form on time, and interest charges for late payments related to Form GSTR-10.