If someone has a gst number from may 2018 and he has not filed any gst returns till date , but now he want to continue with the same GST number then what will be his late fees and interest? Please guide me.
30 October 2020
You had a great chance to get the late fee waiver if you filed all your pending returns by Setpember,2020.Interest will be payable @ 18%.
20 July 2025
Since September 2020 has passed and the late fee waiver window is no longer available, here’s what happens now if someone wants to continue using their existing GST registration (which has been inactive due to non-filing since May 2018):
✅ Steps to Continue with Same GSTIN: File All Pending Returns from May 2018 to Current Month. Pay Late Fees and Interest as per applicable rules. If the registration has been suspended, you will need to revoke suspension after filing returns. 💸 Late Fees: For NIL returns (no sales or purchases): ₹20 per day (₹10 CGST + ₹10 SGST) Maximum: ₹500 per return (₹250 CGST + ₹250 SGST) For returns with turnover: ₹50 per day (₹25 CGST + ₹25 SGST) Maximum: ₹10,000 per return (₹5,000 CGST + ₹5,000 SGST) ⚠️ This is per return, so if you missed, say, 30 returns (GSTR-3B), the penalty can be substantial.
💰 Interest: Interest @18% p.a. on net tax liability (i.e., cash portion) from due date till date of payment. If no tax is payable (or if you filed NIL return), interest is not applicable. ✅ What You Should Do Now: Login to GST portal Start filing old returns (GSTR-3B and GSTR-1) Calculate late fee based on date and return type (portal auto-calculates) Pay interest via electronic cash ledger Once all dues are cleared, you can continue using your existing GSTIN