• A GST return serves as an official submission to tax authorities by businesses and individuals, detailing their revenue, costs, acquisitions, and the GST amounts collected and remitted. Put simply, GST functions as a levy on the consumption of goods and services.

   

  Generally, GST returns encompass the following details:

   

  – Output and Input Tax: Overview of GST collections (output tax) and GST payments on acquisitions (input tax) within the reporting timeframe.

  – Sales: Breakdown of all transactions or distributions conducted by the enterprise throughout a designated taxation interval.

  – Purchases: Documentation of eligible expenses or procurements entitled to input tax deductions.

In India, under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, there are various types of GST returns, each serving specific purposes. Here are some common types of GST returns along with their due dates:

• GSTR-1

  • Purpose: To report details of outward supplies of goods and services.
  • Frequency: Monthly (for businesses with turnover exceeding ₹1.5 crores) or Quarterly (for businesses with turnover up to ₹1.5 crores under the QRMP scheme).
  • Due Date:
    • Monthly: 11th of the following month.
    • Quarterly: Last day of the month following the quarter.

• GSTR-2A

  • Purpose: A read-only document for the recipient to verify details of inward supplies. It is auto-generated from the supplier’s GSTR-1.
  • Frequency: Monthly.

• GSTR-2B

  • Purpose: A static auto-drafted statement for input tax credit (ITC) for a particular month, based on the supplier’s GSTR-1 and other returns.
  • Frequency: Monthly.
  • Availability: 14th of the following month.

• GSTR-3B

  • Purpose: A summary return to declare summarized details of outward supplies, input tax credit claimed, and net tax payable.
  • Frequency: Monthly.
  • Due Date: 20th of the following month.

• GSTR-4

  • Purpose: For composition scheme taxpayers to file quarterly returns.
  • Frequency: Annually (after April 1, 2019).
  • Due Date: 30th of April following the financial year.

• GSTR-5

  • Purpose: For non-resident taxable persons to declare the details of inward and outward supplies.
  • Frequency: Monthly.
  • Due Date: 20th of the following month or within 7 days after the end of the period of registration, whichever is earlier.

• GSTR-6

  • Purpose: For input service distributors (ISD) to declare details of input credit distributed.
  • Frequency: Monthly.
  • Due Date: 13th of the following month.

• GSTR-7

  • Purpose: For authorities deducting tax at source (TDS) to declare details of TDS.
  • Frequency: Monthly.
  • Due Date: 10th of the following month.

• GSTR-8

  • Purpose: For e-commerce operators to declare details of TCS (Tax Collected at Source).
  • Frequency: Monthly.
  • Due Date: 10th of the following month.

• GSTR-9

  • Purpose: Annual return for regular taxpayers to provide consolidated details of all monthly/quarterly returns filed during the year.
  • Frequency: Annually.
  • Due Date: 31st December of the following financial year.

• GSTR-9A

  • Purpose: Annual return for composition scheme taxpayers.
  • Frequency: Annually.
  • Due Date: 31st December of the following financial year.

• GSTR-9C

  • Purpose: Reconciliation statement, certified by a CA, for taxpayers with turnover exceeding ₹2 crores.
  • Frequency: Annually.
  • Due Date: 31st December of the following financial year.

• GSTR-10

  • Purpose: Final return to be filed by taxpayers whose GST registration is cancelled.
  • Frequency: Once.
  • Due Date: Within 3 months of the cancellation date or the date of cancellation order, whichever is later.

• GSTR-11

  • Purpose: For persons with UIN (Unique Identification Number) to get a refund of taxes paid on inward supplies.
  • Frequency: Monthly.
  • Due Date: 28th of the month following the month for which statement is filed.