At the end of each financial year, a GST-registered business consolidates its monthly and quarterly returns into an annual return, GSTR-9, and, where required, a reconciliation statement, GSTR-9C. Both are due by 31 December of the following year. Samkhya prepares and files your GST annual return accurately.
The GST annual return brings the whole year’s filings together. GSTR-9 is the annual return that consolidates the GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B filed across the year, reporting the total outward and inward supplies, the tax paid, and the input tax credit claimed. It is mandatory for businesses with an aggregate turnover above Rs. 2 crore and optional below that. A business with turnover exceeding Rs. 5 crore must also file GSTR-9C, a self-certified reconciliation statement that reconciles the annual return with the audited financial statements. Both are filed on the GST portal by 31 December of the year following the financial year. The annual return is where any differences across the year are reconciled and disclosed, so accurate monthly filing makes it straightforward.
The annual return serves several purposes:
The annual filing involves:
The annual return depends on turnover:
The annual return applies:
The annual return is prepared by consolidating the year’s returns. The business pulls together its GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B for all periods, reconciles them with its books of account, and compiles GSTR-9, reporting the year’s outward and inward supplies, tax paid, and input tax credit. Where turnover exceeds Rs. 5 crore, it also prepares GSTR-9C, reconciling the annual return with the audited financial statements and self-certifying the reconciliation. Any differences between the returns and the books are identified and disclosed. Both forms are filed on the GST portal, digitally authenticated, by 31 December of the year following the financial year. Accurate periodic filing through the year makes the annual return a reconciliation rather than a reconstruction.
For GSTR-9:
For GSTR-9C:
The annual return follows a clear sequence:
Filing your GST annual return with Samkhya Corporate Services is simple. Just follow these easy steps:
From there, our team handles the consolidation, reconciliation, and GSTR-9 and 9C filing.
Once the annual return is filed:
The GST annual return is due by 31 December of the year following the financial year. Filing GSTR-9 late carries a late fee, broadly Rs. 200 per day (Rs. 100 each under CGST and SGST), subject to a cap linked to turnover, so timely filing matters. Two points are worth noting. First, the GSTR-9 threshold means the return is mandatory above Rs. 2 crore and optional below, while GSTR-9C applies above Rs. 5 crore. Second, the annual return is the place where the year’s differences are reconciled, so it should be prepared carefully against the audited accounts. Because it consolidates returns already filed, accurate monthly and quarterly filing through the year is the key to a smooth annual return.
| Feature | Detail |
| Annual Return | GSTR-9. |
| Reconciliation | GSTR-9C. |
| GSTR-9 Threshold | Mandatory above Rs. 2 crore. |
| GSTR-9C Threshold | Above Rs. 5 crore. |
| Due Date | 31 December of next year. |
| Portal | GST portal. |
What is the GST annual return?
GSTR-9 is the annual return that consolidates the GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B filed across the year, reporting the total supplies, tax paid, and input tax credit.
Who must file GSTR-9?
GSTR-9 is mandatory for businesses with an aggregate turnover above Rs. 2 crore, and optional for those below that threshold.
What is GSTR-9C?
GSTR-9C is a self-certified reconciliation statement, required where turnover exceeds Rs. 5 crore, reconciling the annual return with the audited financial statements.
When is the annual return due?
Both GSTR-9 and GSTR-9C are due by 31 December of the year following the financial year.
What is the late fee for GSTR-9?
The late fee is broadly Rs. 200 per day (Rs. 100 each under CGST and SGST), subject to a cap linked to turnover.
Does accurate monthly filing help?
Yes. Because the annual return consolidates the periodic returns, accurate monthly and quarterly filing makes it a reconciliation rather than a reconstruction.
