The Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime have completed its five years of successful implementation on Jul 1, 2022. This single tax is applicable all over India and has replaced multiple taxes that were levied by the State and Central governments to ensure ease in tax compliance. While most businesses have adopted the new tax regime, many of them still find it difficult to file GST returns. One of the critical aspects is GSTR 1 which is one of the necessary forms.
In this blog post, we will cover GSTR 1 meaning in detail.
What is GSTR 1?
GSTR 1 refers to the monthly or quarterly return to be filed by almost every GST-registered taxpayer. It contains details of outward supplies (sales) of goods and services made by the taxpayers during that period.
It also means that every businessman involved in the supply of goods/services needs to specify the recipient and supply details. This way, the returns for the inward supply will be auto-populated with GSTR 1 details. Since GSTR 1 serves as the foundation for many other GST forms, it should be filled with utmost care.
You should also know that this return is not applicable to non-resident foreign taxpayers, composition vendors, and those having a Unique Identification Number.
Different sections of GSTR 1
The following table specifies 13 sections included in GSTR 1:
| GSTR 1 Section | Description |
| Table 1, 2, & 3 | GSTIN, legal and trade name, and aggregate turnover in the previous year |
| Table 4 | Taxable outward supplies to registered individuals excluding deemed exports and zero-rated supplies |
| Table 5 | Taxable outward supplies (inter-state) to unregistered persons having an invoice value of more than Rs. 2.5 Lakh |
| Table 6 | Zero-rated supplies and deemed exports |
| Table 7 | Taxable supplies to unregistered persons (other than those covered in Table 5) |
| Table 8 | Outward supplies that are exempted, nil-rated, and non-GST in nature |
| Table 9 | Amendments to taxable outward supplies reported in Tables 4,5, and 6 of GSTR 1 return of earlier tax periods |
| Table 10 | Credit note and debit note issued to unregistered person |
| Table 11 | Information about the advances adjusted or received in the current tax period or amendments reported in the earlier tax period |
| Table 12 | Summary of outward supplies based on HSN codes |
| Table 13 | Documents issued during the period |
What are GSTR 1 Due Dates?
The due date for filing GSTR 1 is based on your aggregate turnover. If your business has sales of up to Rs. 5 crores, you have the option to file quarterly returns under the QRMP (Quarterly Return Filing and Monthly Payment of Taxes) scheme. On the other hand, if you do not opt for this scheme or have a total turnover of more than Rs. 5 crores, you must file the return per month on or before the 11th of the following month.
The following table indicates the due dates for GSTR 1 return filing:
| Aggregator Turnover | Month/Quarter | Due Date |
| More Than Rs. 5 crore | Oct 2021 | Nov 11, 2021 |
| Nov 2021 | Dec 11, 2021 | |
| Dec 2021 | Jan 11, 2022 | |
| Jan 2022 | Feb 26, 2022 | |
| Feb 2022 | Mar 11, 2022 | |
| Mar 2022 | Apr 11, 2022 | |
| Up to Rs. 5 crore | Oct-Dec 2021 | Jan 13, 2022 |
| Jan-Mar 2022 | Apr 13, 2022 |
Who should file GSTR 1?
Every registered individual is required to file GSTR 1 no matter whether there are any transactions during a specific period. If you want to file nil GSTR 1, there is a facility to file it through an SMS. However, there are a few exceptions.
The following individuals do not need to file GSTR 1:
- Composition dealers
- Input service distributors
- Non-resident taxable person
- A taxpayer who is liable to deduct TDS
- A taxpayer who is liable to collect TCS
- Supplier of OIDAR who has to pay tax themselves
How to revise GSTR 1?
If you have filed a return under GST, it cannot be revised. However, a mistake made in the return can be rectified in the GSTR 1 filed for the next month or quarter. For example, if you made a mistake in GSTR 1 of Feb 2022, you can rectify the same in GSTR 1 of Mar 2022 or subsequent months.
Late fees and penalties
For nil GSTR 1 filing
| Act Name | Late fee per day of delay | Maximum late fee |
| CGST Act, 2017 | Rs. 10 | Rs. 250 |
| Respective SCGT Act, 2017 / UTGST Act, 2017 | Rs. 10 | Rs. 250 |
| Total fees to be paid | Rs. 20 | Rs. 500 |
For other than nil-GSTR 1 filling
| Act Name | Late fee per day of delay | Max. late fee if the annual turnover in the previous financial year is up to Rs. 1.5 crore | Max. late fee if the annual turnover in the previous financial year is between Rs. 1.5 crore to Rs. 5 crore | Max. late fee if the annual turnover in the previous financial year is more than Rs. 5 crore |
| CGST Act, 2017 | Rs. 25 | Rs. 1,000 | Rs. 2,500 | Rs. 5,000 |
| Respective SCGT Act, 2017 / UTGST Act, 2017 | Rs. 25 | Rs. 1,000 | Rs. 2,500 | Rs. 5,000 |
| Total fees to be paid | Rs. 50 | Rs. 2,000 | Rs. 5,000 | Rs. 10,000 |
Prerequisites for GSTR 1 return filing
- You must be a registered taxpayer under the GST regime and have a 15-digit PAN-based GSTIN.
- You need to maintain detailed invoices having unique serial numbers for all your transactions (both intra-state, inter-state, B2B, and B2C).
- You will need either an OTP on the registered mobile number to verify the return using an Electronic Verification Code (EVC) or a digital signature certificate.
- You can also file GST returns using Aadhar-based e-sign.
What should you keep in mind while filing GSTR 1?
Filing GSTR 1 for your business can be quite tricky sometimes. Given below are certain things you should keep in mind to avoid making common mistakes:
- Ensure that you have entered the correct HSN codes and GSTIN
- Confirm whether different transactions fall under the inter-state and intra-state category
- You are allowed to change uploaded bills multiple times until the return has been submitted
- You need not pay taxes until you file GSTR-3B
- Upload invoices during the month to avoid bulk upload
- Suppliers, including partnerships, proprietors, and HUFs can e-sign the GSTR 1
FAQs
Do I need to file GSTR 1 even if there are no sales in a particular month?
GSTR 1 filing is mandatory even if there are no sales in a month or quarter. You can file nil GSTR 1 in such cases.
Can I only upload invoices at the time of filing the returns?
You can upload the invoices anytime. To avoid bulk upload, it is advisable to upload invoices at regular intervals during the month.
Is it possible to file GSTR 1 after the due date?
You can file GSTR 1 after the due date but with a late fee based on the delay in terms of number of days (see the table above).
Do I need to file GSTR 1 if I have opted for the composition scheme?
You should not file GSTR 1 in this case. However, you must use Form CMP-08 to pay taxes per quarter.
