← All Topics📅 Annual Return — GST Notes

📅 Annual Return — GST Reference Notes

IndIaTaxSim · indiataxsim.com · Free Study Materials · For educational use only
1. GSTR-9 — Who Files and When
Taxpayer TypeGSTR-9 Required?Exemption
Regular taxpayer with turnover > ₹2 croreYES — mandatoryNone
Regular taxpayer with turnover ≤ ₹2 croreOPTIONAL (exempt but can file voluntarily)Exempt by notification
Composition taxpayerNO — files GSTR-9A (discontinued for most; now files CMP-08 + GSTR-4)—
Input Service DistributorNO — exempt—
Casual / Non-Resident taxpayersNO—
GSTR-9C (turnover > ₹5 crore)YES (along with GSTR-9)—
Due Date31 December of the following financial yearE.g., GSTR-9 for FY 2023-24 is due 31 Dec 2024
2. GSTR-9 — Table-wise Structure
TableDescriptionSource / Purpose
Table 4Details of outward supplies declared in GSTR-1 (annual total)Reconcile with sum of 12 monthly GSTR-1 filings
Table 5Details of outward supplies declared in GSTR-3B (annual)Should match GSTR-1 after amendments
Table 6ITC availed as declared in GSTR-3B during the yearSum of Section 4 across all 12 GSTR-3Bs
Table 7ITC reversed during the yearSum of reversals (Rule 42/43, 180-day rule)
Table 8Other ITC-related information — GSTR-2A reconciliationCompare ITC in GSTR-2A vs what was actually claimed
Table 9Tax paid as declared in GSTR-3B (annual total)Sum of all GSTR-3B payments
Table 10Amendments to outward supplies of previous FYLate credit notes, amendments after 30 Sept
Table 11Amendments to ITC of previous FYITC claimed for prior year invoices
Table 12Late fee payable and paidAuto-computed based on filing record
Table 13Demand and refundsOutstanding demands and refund status
Table 14HSN-wise summary of outward suppliesAnnual HSN tally
Table 15Late fee, interest, penalty paid during the yearCash Ledger debits for these heads
3. Common Differences in GSTR-9 — Reconciliation Challenges
Difference TypeWhy It HappensHow to Resolve
Table 4 vs Table 5 (GSTR-1 vs GSTR-3B)Invoice declared in GSTR-1 but missed in GSTR-3B (or vice versa)Identify the period and amend GSTR-3B / GSTR-1A where possible; explain in GSTR-9
ITC in Table 6 vs GSTR-2A/2BYou claimed more ITC than shown in GSTR-2BReverse excess in Table 7; check if supplier filed late
Differences due to credit notes timingCDN in Dec but buyer claimed ITC in Jan (next FY)Adjust in Table 10/11 — allowed in GSTR-9
4. GSTR-9C — Reconciliation Statement

GSTR-9C reconciles the audited financial statements with GSTR-9. It requires:

•Turnover as per audited accounts (CA-certified)
•Turnover as per GSTR-9
•Reason for difference (if any)
•ITC as per books vs ITC as per GSTR-9
•Any additional liability arising from reconciliation

**Who files:** All taxpayers with aggregate turnover > ₹5 crore.

**Certification:** Self-certified by the taxpayer (since FY 2020-21) — no longer requires CA/CMA sign-off.

**Method:** Prepared in offline Excel tool downloaded from GSTN → saved as JSON → uploaded to portal.

ℹ️ Note
GSTR-9C is NEVER filled online on the GST portal directly. Always use the offline Excel tool, generate the JSON, and upload.
5. Late Fee for GSTR-9
🔢 Formula
Late Fee per day = ₹100 CGST + ₹100 SGST = ₹200/day
Maximum = 0.25% of state's turnover (capped per state)
Example: If Karnataka turnover = ₹4 crore and delay = 30 days:
Raw late fee = 30 × ₹200 = ₹6,000
0.25% of ₹4 crore = ₹1,00,000 → Maximum applicable is ₹1,00,000
Since ₹6,000 < ₹1,00,000, late fee payable = ₹6,000.
❓ Problem
PQR Ltd has turnover of ₹80 lakh for FY 2023-24. Is GSTR-9 mandatory? Is GSTR-9C required?
✅ Solution
GSTR-9: Turnover ₹80 lakh is BELOW ₹2 crore — GSTR-9 is OPTIONAL (exempt). PQR Ltd may file voluntarily to maintain a clean compliance record, but is not penalised for non-filing.
GSTR-9C: Not required — GSTR-9C is for turnover > ₹5 crore, and PQR Ltd is well below this.
❓ Problem
XYZ Enterprises (Karnataka, turnover ₹7 crore) files GSTR-9 for FY 2023-24 on 28 March 2025 (due date: 31 December 2024). Calculate the late fee.
✅ Solution
Days late: 1 January 2025 to 28 March 2025 = 31 (Jan) + 28 (Feb) + 28 (Mar) = 87 days.
Raw late fee = 87 × ₹200 = ₹17,400
Maximum = 0.25% of ₹7 crore = 0.25/100 × 7,00,00,000 = ₹1,75,000
Since ₹17,400 < ₹1,75,000, late fee payable = ₹17,400 (₹8,700 CGST + ₹8,700 SGST).
✏️ MCQ Practice — 50 Questions
1.GSTR-9 is the annual return filed by:
(A) All registered taxpayers (B) Regular taxpayers (not composition, TDS, TCS, OIDAR, NRTP) (C) Only exporters (D) Only taxpayers above ₹5 crore
2.GSTR-9 is due on:
(A) 31 March of the following FY (B) 30 June of the following FY (C) 31 December of the following FY (D) 30 September of the following FY
3.GSTR-9 is OPTIONAL (exempt from filing) for taxpayers with annual turnover up to:
(A) ₹1 crore (B) ₹2 crore (C) ₹5 crore (D) ₹10 crore
4.GSTR-9C (Reconciliation Statement) is mandatory for taxpayers with annual turnover above:
(A) ₹2 crore (B) ₹5 crore (C) ₹10 crore (D) ₹50 crore
5.GSTR-9C used to require a Chartered Accountant audit. Currently (FY 2021-22 onwards) it is:
(A) Still mandatory CA audit (B) Self-certified by the taxpayer (no CA required) (C) Filed online without any certification (D) Replaced by GSTR-9D
6.GSTR-9C is filed using:
(A) Online form on GST portal (B) Offline Excel tool uploaded as JSON on the portal (C) Sent by post to GST commissioner (D) Via CA portal directly
7.GSTR-9 late fee per day is:
(A) ₹50/day (₹25 CGST + ₹25 SGST) (B) ₹100/day (₹50 CGST + ₹50 SGST) (C) ₹200/day (₹100 CGST + ₹100 SGST) (D) ₹500/day
8.The maximum late fee for GSTR-9 is capped at:
(A) ₹5,000 (B) ₹10,000 (C) 0.25% of turnover in the state (D) ₹50,000
9.GSTR-9 Part II covers which information?
(A) ITC details (B) Details of outward and inward supplies declared during the FY (from GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B data) (C) Tax paid under RCM (D) Refunds claimed
10.GSTR-9 Table 4 asks for:
(A) Details of amendments made during the year (B) Outward taxable supplies and tax payable (from GSTR-1 data) (C) ITC details (D) Tax paid
11.GSTR-9 Part III covers:
(A) Outward supplies (B) ITC as declared in GSTR-3B returns during the FY (C) Tax paid details (D) Refund claims
12.GSTR-9 Part V is used to declare:
(A) Correct turnover for the FY (B) Particulars of transactions for the previous FY declared in returns of April to September (C) Refund of excess tax paid (D) List of all invoices
13.Composition dealers file which annual return?
(A) GSTR-9 (B) GSTR-9A (C) GSTR-4 (annual) (D) GSTR-9B
14.GSTR-9 requires reconciliation between data in GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B. If GSTR-1 outward supply is MORE than GSTR-3B:
(A) No action needed — differences are allowed (B) Tax difference must be paid in GSTR-9 (DRC-03 payment) (C) GSTR-1 is auto-corrected (D) GSTR-3B is revised
15.GSTR-9C Table 5 asks for:
(A) HSN-wise summary (B) Reconciliation of turnover (books vs GST returns) (C) ITC reconciliation (D) Tax paid reconciliation
16.GSTR-9C Table 12-14 asks for:
(A) Outward supply details (B) Reconciliation of ITC (books vs GSTR-2B vs GSTR-3B) (C) Late fee computation (D) TDS/TCS credit reconciliation
17.GSTR-9 auto-populates data from which returns?
(A) GSTR-2A and GSTR-2B only (B) GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B filed during the FY (C) e-Invoice portal data (D) Annual turnover from IT returns
18.Additional ITC that can be claimed in GSTR-9 (not claimed in any GSTR-3B) is:
(A) Not allowed — ITC must match GSTR-3B total (B) Allowed only if the FY's annual return deadline has not passed (C) Only allowed via DRC-03 (D) Allowed and the portal auto-credits the Credit Ledger
19.Excess ITC claimed in GSTR-3B over GSTR-9 (reconciliation) must be:
(A) Refunded by the taxpayer automatically (B) Paid along with interest via DRC-03 (C) Adjusted in next year's GSTR-9 (D) Reported to the officer only
20.GSTR-9 for FY 2023-24 is due on:
(A) 31 March 2025 (B) 30 June 2024 (C) 31 December 2024 (D) 31 March 2024
21.GSTR-9 Table 10 and 11 relate to:
(A) ITC reversal (B) Tax paid as declared in GSTR-3B (C) Supplies/tax declared in April–September of the next FY but pertaining to the previous FY (D) Amendments in HSN summary
22.Can taxpayers make additional ITC claims in GSTR-9 that were missed in GSTR-3B?
(A) Yes — up to the due date of GSTR-9 (B) No — once GSTR-3B period closes, no additional ITC allowed (C) Only for capital goods (D) Only with CA certification in GSTR-9C
23.GSTR-9C Part B contains:
(A) Reconciliation of turnover (B) Auditor's certification (pre-FY 2021-22) / Self-certification (from FY 2021-22) (C) HSN summary (D) Tax paid reconciliation
24.A taxpayer with ₹1.5 crore turnover is exempt from GSTR-9 only if the turnover is:
(A) Above ₹2 crore (B) Up to ₹2 crore (optional filing) (C) Below ₹1 crore only (D) Above ₹5 crore
25.ITC reversal that is required as per annual return but not done in GSTR-3B must be paid via:
(A) GSTR-9 directly (B) DRC-03 challan along with 18% interest (C) GSTR-1A amendment (D) Next year's GSTR-3B
26.GSTR-9 Part I contains:
(A) Annual ITC details (B) Basic information — GSTIN, legal name, trade name, return period, aggregate turnover (C) Tax paid summary (D) HSN details
27.GSTR-4 (annual return for composition dealers) is due by:
(A) 31 December (B) 30 April of the following FY (C) 31 March (D) 30 June
28.Which table in GSTR-9 shows HSN-wise summary of outward supplies?
(A) Table 4 (B) Table 17 — HSN summary of outward supplies (C) Table 9 (D) Table 12
29.Which table in GSTR-9 shows HSN-wise summary of inward supplies (ITC)?
(A) Table 6 (B) Table 18 — HSN summary of inward supplies (ITC) (C) Table 12 (D) Table 4
30.GSTR-9C offline Excel tool is available on:
(A) CA Institute website (B) GSTN portal under Offline Tools section (C) Income Tax portal (D) RBI website
31.The difference between annual return and monthly/quarterly returns is:
(A) Annual return is filed by the officer; periodic returns by taxpayer (B) Annual return consolidates all 12 months' data; periodic returns cover individual periods (C) Annual return replaces periodic returns (D) Annual return is filed before periodic returns
32.Taxpayer can add additional ITC in GSTR-9 Table 8 for:
(A) ITC from previous FY brought forward (B) ITC that became available late (supplier filed GSTR-1 late) and was not claimed in time (C) Only RCM ITC (D) Only import ITC
33.GSTR-9 Table 6A captures:
(A) Total ITC available as per GSTR-3B (B) Input tax credit as per GSTR-2A/2B (C) ITC availed on inputs (D) Total CGST ITC only
34.Filing GSTR-9 is not compulsory for:
(A) Exporters (B) Composition taxpayers (they file GSTR-4 instead) (C) Manufacturers (D) Service providers
35.GSTR-9 Table 5 captures:
(A) Tax paid on outward supplies (B) Outward supplies on which tax is NOT payable (exempt, nil-rated, zero-rated) (C) ITC details (D) Late fee paid
36.GSTR-9 must be filed before which return?
(A) Before GSTR-3B of the next year (B) GSTR-9C (which references GSTR-9 data) (C) Before GSTR-1 of April of the next year (D) It is independent — no sequence required
37.The ITC reversal details declared in GSTR-9 Table 7 cover:
(A) ITC on capital goods (B) Reversals due to Rule 42, 43, 17(5), 180-day non-payment, and others (C) TDS/TCS credits (D) Only export-related reversals
38.GSTR-9 for FY 2022-23 onward requires HSN-wise summary for:
(A) All taxpayers regardless of turnover (B) Taxpayers above ₹5 crore (mandatory 6-digit HSN); others optional (C) Only goods taxpayers (D) Only exporters
39.A penalty for not filing GSTR-9 (beyond late fee) can be levied as:
(A) No penalty — only late fee (B) ₹10,000 or 10% of tax — whichever is higher (C) 100% of unpaid tax (D) ₹1,000 per day
40.GSTR-9 Table 8 shows ITC reconciliation between:
(A) GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B outward data (B) GSTR-3B ITC vs GSTR-2A/GSTR-2B ITC and identifies excess/short claims (C) Cash Ledger vs Credit Ledger (D) CGST vs SGST ITC
41.GSTR-9 late fee is paid from:
(A) Credit Ledger (B) Cash Ledger (Fee sub-head under CGST + SGST) (C) Either ledger (D) Penalty head only
42.Which annual return covers Non-Resident Taxable Persons (NRTP)?
(A) GSTR-9 (B) GSTR-5 (filed periodically — no annual return for NRTP) (C) GSTR-9A (D) GSTR-4
43.GSTR-9 allows corrections of GSTR-3B ITC mistakes. True or False?
(A) True — corrections can be made within GSTR-9 deadline (B) False — GSTR-3B cannot be corrected via GSTR-9; only additional claims/reversals allowed (C) True — but only with officer permission (D) False — only GSTR-9C can correct GSTR-3B
44.From which FY was GSTR-9C made self-certified (no CA required)?
(A) FY 2019-20 (B) FY 2020-21 (C) FY 2021-22 (D) FY 2023-24
45.The GSTR-9 filing also includes data about:
(A) Outward supplies only (B) Inward supplies, ITC, tax paid, refunds, and demand/recovery information (C) Only tax paid details (D) Only GSTR-1 summary
46.GSTR-9 Table 14 asks about:
(A) Outward supply HSN (B) Differential ITC — ITC on inward supplies as per GSTR-2A vs ITC claimed in GSTR-3B (C) Tax paid on imports (D) Refunds sanctioned
47.Which section of CGST Act mandates annual return filing?
(A) Section 35 (B) Section 44 (C) Section 49 (D) Section 22
48.A taxpayer with ₹6 crore turnover must file both GSTR-9 and:
(A) GSTR-9A (B) GSTR-9C (C) GSTR-9B (D) No additional return
49.GSTR-9 Part IV covers:
(A) HSN details (B) Details of tax paid as declared in returns (CGST, SGST, IGST, CESS — with interest and late fee) (C) Refunds claimed (D) ITC reconciliation
50.The "Additional liability" in GSTR-9 (arising due to reconciliation) must be discharged via:
(A) Adding to next GSTR-3B (B) DRC-03 payment (voluntary tax payment form) (C) GSTR-9 itself — tax paid column in the return (D) Officer decree
51.GSTR-9 for FY 2023-24 (filed by 31 Dec 2024) consolidates data from which GSTR-3B returns?
(A) April 2024 to March 2025 (B) April 2023 to March 2024 (C) April 2023 to September 2024 (D) July 2023 to June 2024
Answer Key
1–B 2–C 3–B 4–B 5–B 6–B 7–C 8–C 9–B 10–B 11–B 12–B 13–C 14–B 15–B 16–B 17–B 18–B 19–B 20–C 21–C 22–A 23–B 24–B 25–B 26–B 27–B 28–B 29–B 30–B 31–B 32–B 33–A 34–B 35–B 36–B 37–B 38–B 39–B 40–B 41–B 42–B 43–B 44–C 45–B 46–B 47–B 48–B 49–B 50–B 51–B
indiataxsim.com — GST Reference Notes · Annual Return · Free for personal and educational use