Under the GST Composition Scheme, taxpayers are required to file one annual return known as Form GSTR-4.
While you pay your taxes quarterly via a simple statement (CMP-08), GSTR-4 is the comprehensive yearly summary of your business activities.
1. Key Filing Details
| Feature | Details |
| Form Name | GSTR-4 (Annual Return) |
| Frequency | Once per financial year |
| New Due Date | June 30th (of the following financial year) |
| Pre-condition | You must have filed all 4 quarterly CMP-08 statements first |
2. Late Fees & Penalties
If you miss the June 30th deadline, the portal calculates late fees automatically:
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For Regular Returns: ₹50 per day (₹25 CGST + ₹25 SGST), capped at a maximum of ₹2,000.
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For Nil Returns: ₹20 per day (₹10 CGST + ₹10 SGST), capped at a maximum of ₹500.
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Interest: If there is any unpaid tax, interest is charged at 18% per annum.
3. What Information is Required?
GSTR-4 is relatively simple because much of the data is auto-populated from your quarterly filings. You generally need to provide:
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Aggregate Turnover: Your total sales for the previous financial year.
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Inward Supplies: Details of purchases made from registered and unregistered suppliers (including those under Reverse Charge).
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Summary of CMP-08: This section is auto-filled and shows the tax you already paid during the year.
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Tax Rate-wise Summary: A breakdown of your outward supplies (sales) based on your applicable composition rate (e.g., 1%, 5%, or 6%).
4. Who Must File?
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Any taxpayer who was registered under the Composition Scheme for even one day during the financial year.
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Businesses that opted out of the scheme mid-year (they must file GSTR-4 for the period they were under the scheme).
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Nil Filers: Even if you had zero business activity, filing a “Nil” GSTR-4 is mandatory to avoid penalties.
