A Comprehensive Guide to File GSTR-9 for FY 2022-23

Introduction:

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime in India mandates businesses to file various returns, and among them, GSTR-9 (Annual Return) and GSTR-9C (Reconciliation Statement) returns are to be filed once for each financial year and are very critical for ensuring compliance. This comprehensive guide aims to demystify the complexities of GSTR-9 filing in India for the FY 2022-23. I have covered GSTR-9C filing in a separate article.

Table of Contents:

1. Understanding GSTR-9, its Due date and applicability for FY 2022-23

2. GSTR-9 – All aspects, Mandatory & Optional Tables for FY 2022-23

3. Prerequisites to prepare GSTR-9

4. Steps to prepare and file GSTR-9 return online

1.Understanding GSTR-9, its Due date and applicability for FY 2022-23

Type of Return	Aggregate Annual Turnover of FY 22-23 (PAN based- all branches)
GSTR-9 (Annual Return)	Above Rs. 2 Crore

• Relevant Provision: Sec 44 of the CGST Act
• GSTR-9 serves as an annual return summarizing the entire year’s transactions. It provides a consolidated view of outward and inward supplies, tax paid, and Input Tax Credit (ITC) claimed and its comparison with GSTR-2B, refund claimed or demand created. Etc.
• GSTR-9 is mandatory to be filed for FY 22-23 by taxpayers having aggregate annual turnover of FY 22-23 exceeding Rs. 2 Crore and optional for others.

(Notification No. 32/2023- Central Tax dated July 31, 2023)

• Due date for filing GSTR-9 for FY 2022-23 is 31^st Dec 2023 or the extended due date.
• Late fee if you missed the due date to file GSTR-9 of FY 22-23:-

• • 50 per day (CGST+SGST), Max 0.04% of turnover: Registered person having Turnover upto Rs. 5 crore of FY 22-23

Or

• • 100 per day (CGST+SGST), Max 0.04% of turnover: Registered person having Turnover is more than Rs 5 crores & up to Rs 20 crore of FY 22-23

or

• • 200 per day (CGST+SGST), Max 0.25% of turnover: Registered person having Turnover is more than Rs 20 crores of FY 22-23

(Notification no 07/2023–Central Tax, to reduce late fee for GSTR-9 from FY 2022-23 onwards)

• •  Belated GSTR-9 can be filed within three years from the due date unless extended. You cannot revise Form GSTR-9 return after filing

2. GSTR-9 – All aspects, Mandatory & Optional Tables for FY 2022-23

Annual Return is divided into VI parts and 19 Tables and relaxations are explained below: 

PART NO.	TABLE NO.	DESCRIPTION	REMARKS
Part I	1 to 3(d)	Basic Details : GSTIN, Legal name, Trade name and FY	Auto-populated data
Part II	Details of Outward and inward supplies made during the financial year
	4A to 4N	Details of advances, inward and outward supplies made during the financial year on which tax is payable Purpose : Matching of Taxable supplies	Auto-populated data as per GSTR-1 but can be edited.  Note : Tables 4I to 4L are to be shown separately from FY 21-22. 4N include Inward taxable supply under RCM.
	5A to 5N	Details of Outward supplies made during the financial year on which tax is not payable. Purpose: Matching of Total Turnover	Auto-populated data as per GSTR-1 but can be edited Note : Optional 5E:You can consolidate Exempted & Nil-rated in the “Exempted” (5D) column. Table 5F – Non-GST is to be displayed separately from FY 21-22 onwards. Match 5N with Turnover and Output Tax.
Part III	Details of ITC for the financial year
	6A to 6O	Details of ITC availed during the financial year Purpose: Bifurcation of ITC availed	Table 6A,6K, 6L auto-populated data. Fill details as per filed GSTR-3B.  Note : In table 6B to 6E, Breakup of Input of Capital Goods is Mandatory while Breakup of Input goods and Input Services Optional. Simply, you may consolidate all ITC of goods and services in “Input” tab only. Table 6C is optional, you may fill all RCM ITC in table 6D only.
	7A to 7J	Details of ITC Reversed and Ineligible ITC for the financial year Purpose : Bifurcation of ITC reversed	Fill details as per filed GSTR-3B. Note : Optional Table 7A to 7E, you may fill reversal in Table 7H only, but TRAN reversals are represented separately.
	8A to 8H	Other ITC related information Purpose : Reconciliation of ITC as per GSTR-3B vs Table 8A/GSTR-2B	Table 8A auto-populated data, you may refer Table-8A excel file downloaded for party wise ITC details and Table-8B is auto-populated as per Table 6B+6H. Table 8C, 8E, 8F, 8G to be filled. In table 8C, fill ITC shown in GSTR-2B of FY 22-23 but claimed in GSTR-3B of next year i.e. April’23 to Nov’23.
Part IV	Details of tax paid as declared in returns filed during the financial year
	9A to 9H	Details of tax paid as declared in returns filed during the financial year Purpose : Summary Of Tax, interest and late fee paid	Auto-populated data as per GSTR-3B
Part V	Particulars of the transactions for the financial year declared in returns of the next financial year till the specified period
	10 to 11	Supplies / tax declared and reduced through Amendments (+) (net of debit notes) Purpose: To rectify mistakes in GSTR-1 and 3B	To be filled as per filed amendments related to GSTR-1 of FY 22-23, declared in returns of next year i.e. in April’23 to Nov’23 GSTR-1 Note : GSTR-1 table no. 9A, 9B & 9C should be represented in tables 10 & 11 of GSTR 9.  Recent update : Vide notification no. 18/2022- Central Tax dated 28.09.2022, w.e.f. 01.10.2022, extended the time period for rectification/amendment of returns/ issuance of credit notes and for availment of input tax credit upto 30th day of November following the end of the financial year to which such details pertain. Earlier it was allowed upto Sep. So, for FY 22-23 cut off date is 30th Nov. 2023.
	12	Reversal of ITC availed during previous financial year	Optional to Fill Details of Reversal of ITC availed during previous financial year
	13	ITC availed for the previous financial year	Optional to Fill Details of ITC availed for the previous financial year
	14	Differential tax paid on account of declaration in 10 & 11 above	Fill payable and paid taxes and interest as per amendments and pay challan amount through DRC-03
Part VI	Other Information
	15	Particulars of Demands and Refunds	Optional, In case of disclosure, fill data on the basis of refunds claimed, any notice or order on the basis Scrutiny or audit conducted during the year
	16	Supplies received from Composition taxpayers, deemed supply by job worker and goods sent on approval basis	Optional
	17	HSN wise summary of Outward Supplies	Mandatory, refer filed GSTR-1 HSN summary. HSN disclosures: 6-digit HSN (when T/o > Rs. 5 crore) and 4-digit HSN (when T/o < =Rs. 5 crore) for all B2B supplies.
	18	HSN wise summary of Inward Supplies	Optional
	19	Late Fee payable and paid	Click on Compute Liabilities. If missed GSTR-9 due date, Late Fee will be auto-computed as per delay.

3. Prerequisites to prepare GSTR-9

i. All GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B returns should have been filed of FY 22-23 before preparing GSTR-9.

ii. Navigate Services > Returns > Annual Return > Form GSTR-9 (PREPARE ONLINE) > Download pdf of GSTR-9 System generated, GSTR-1 summary, GSTR-3B summary and Table-8A excel.

iii. To fill GSTR-9, first Prepare reconciliation charts in excel or any software of GSTR-3B vs GSTR-1 for Turnover, Output tax paid and ITC claimed during the year.

4. Steps to prepare and file GSTR-9 return online

Note : GSTR-9 can be filed online or through Offline Tool. In this article, I have covered step by step guide to file GSTR-9 through online mode.

i. To fil GSTR-9 online, Login GST portal of taxpayer, then Navigate to Services > Returns > Annual Return.

ii. Select Financial Year: 2022-23 and click on Search.

iii. Scroll down the page and Two tabs will be showing, click on Prepare online under Annual Return GSTR-9 tab and select No and then Click on Next button.

iv. It will show all the tables of GSTR-9 as discussed above in Step no. 3.

v. Fill all the tables one by one and don’t forget to click on save button inside the tables.

vi. You cannot claim ITC through Form GSTR-9, this is only a summary of filed returns.

vii. Additional liability not reported earlier at the time of filing Form GSTR-3B can be declared in Form GSTR-9. The additional liability so declared in Form GSTR-3B are required to be paid through Form GST DRC-03 challan.

viii. After filling all 18 tables, Click on Compute Liabilities; for computation of late fee, if any, it will auto-populate table no. 19;

ix. Please note that “Proceed to File button” would be enabled once late fee, if any is calculated by system;

x. Click on Proceed to File to pay liabilities and file the return;

xi. Click on ‘Preview Draft GSTR-9 PDF’ button to review the details entered.

xii. Click on declaration check box and select authorized signatory details from the drop-down list.

xiii. Additional details can be added even after clicking on Compute Liabilities or Proceed to file button, but before filing GSTR-9.

xiv. You can file Form GSTR-9 using DSC or EVC of Authorized Signatory.

xv. ARN is generated on successful filing of Form GSTR-9.

xvi. Filed form GSTR-9 will be available for view/download in PDF and Excel format.

Conclusion

GSTR-9 is a crucial annual return form and every registered taxpayer needs to file this return with the GST department in case of applicability to avoid penal provisions. When comparing the data shown in GSTR 9/9C Vs GSTR 3B, the council has initiated issuing the notices and has urged for the data. So, It is very important to submit accurate figures in this return. I hope this article has provided a comprehensive understanding of GSTR-9 and will facilitate you to file your return with ease.

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DISCLAIMER: This publication is merely a general guide meant for knowledge purposes only. All the references or content are for educational purposes only and do not constitute a legal advice. We do not accept any liabilities whatsoever for any losses caused directly or indirectly by the use/reliance of any information or conclusion contained in this publication. Prior to acting upon this publication, you’re suggested to seek the advice.