First, the very basic: All registered business owners come under the GST regime, and must furnish details about their sales and purchases on the GST portal. In other words, the process is online. And yes, this also holds true for businesses that had zero operations the previous month, the only difference being that they need to file a “NIL return”, just as it was under the earlier VAT and service tax laws.

The second point that needs to be noted, is that late filing is liable to a penalty of Rs. 100 every day of the delay – although there is a ceiling of Rs. 5,000.

Points to remember for filing the first GST Return GSTR-3B

1. It is Mandatory to file GSTR-3B and there is no exemption from filing GSTR-3B even if no business is carried in the month of July’2017. NIL GSTR-3B is also to be filed mandatorily.
2. GSTR-3B is the provisional return for the month of July’2017. Therefore all dealers who are required to file monthly returns under the GST Regime are required to file GSTR-3B. Composition dealers are required to file quarterly returns therefore dealers who have opted for composition scheme are not required to file GSTR-3B.
3. GSTR-3B is not the final return for the month of July’2017 this is only a provisional return. GSTR-1, GSTR-2, GSTR-3 for July’2017 are still required to be filed.
4. GSTR-3B cannot be revised. Any revision in the figures for July’2017 has to be done through GSTR-1, 2 and 3 to be filed later on.
5. Any taxes due for July’2017 have to be paid before filing GSTR-3B.
6. If there is any change in the figures at the time of filing forms GSTR-1,2 & 3 and if there is excess tax payable then the same will have to be paid with interest before filing GSTR-3 due in September.
7. If your input credits are more than your output in GSTR-3B then you need not pay any taxes before filing this return. However, it is to be noted that no refund can be claimed in form GSTR-3B and excess credit will be credited to the ITC Ledger.
8. The transitional credits available from the previous VAT/Service Tax/Excise regimes will not be available for credit and use in GSTR-3B. Any such credits have to be shown by filing form TRAN-1 and will be available for use only after filing TRAN-1.
9. GSTR-3B is a simplified return where only total figures of purchases, sales input tax credits and payments are to be entered. Individual entries for each sale invoice are not to be entered in this return.
10. GSTR-3B is to be filed from the period from which the registration is taken by the supplier. Therefore, if you have taken registration in the month of August’2017 the option for filing GSTR-3B for July’2017 will not be available and the no GSTR-3B is to be filed for July’2017.
11. GSTR-3B is to be filed through online mode on the GST Portal gst.gov.in
12. Following details are to be shown in the return GSTR-3B.
    1. GSTIN number of Registered Person
    2. Legal name of Registered Person
    3. Summary of Outward Supply & Inward Supply under Reverse Charge
    4. Bifurcation of Inter-state outward supplies as follows:
       • a) To unregistered Person
       • b) To Composite taxable Person
       • c) To UIN Holders
    5. Summary of eligible ITC available and the ITC to be reversed and ITC which is ineligible bifurcated into IGST, CGST & SGST/UTSGT and Cess
    6. Summary of Exempted, Nil rated and Non GST inward supplies
       • Interest and late fees payable
    7. Details of payment of tax, which includes Category wise tax payable, ITC availed , TDS credit and Tax paid in cash along with interest and late fees (Though it is not applicable for initial 2 return)
    8. Summary of tax category wise TDS/TCS credit
13. Remember the order for set-off eligible ITC. ITC of IGST, CGST and SGST must be set-off from themselves (intra-head) first before being set-off inter-head. Remember that GST and SGST cannot be set-off against each other.
14. Any amounts to be paid on reverse charges have also be shown and paid in GSTR-3B also. Please remember that amount payable under reverse charges will not be available to be paid by utilising input credit. Amount payable on reverse charges will have to paid by cash.
15. GSTR-3B can be submitted through digital signatures or Electronic verification code except for Companies where it has to be filed by digital signatures.

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