Section 44, Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 [S10-7E2]
As at 7 September 2026. In force from 1 July 2017 by Notification No. 9/2017-Central Tax, dated 28-6-2017 [N10-27X].
44. Annual return.—
(1) Every registered person, other than an Input Service Distributor, a person paying tax under section 51 or section 52, a casual taxable person and a non-resident taxable person shall furnish an annual return which may include a self-certified reconciliation statement, reconciling the value of supplies declared in the return furnished for the financial year, with the audited annual financial statement for every financial year electronically, within such time and in such form and in such manner as may be prescribed:
Provided that the Commissioner may, on the recommendations of the Council, by notification, exempt any class of registered persons from filing annual return under this section:
Provided further that nothing contained in this section shall apply to any department of the Central Government or a State Government or a local authority, whose books of account are subject to audit by the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India or an auditor appointed for auditing the accounts of local authorities under any law for the time being in force.
(2) A registered person shall not be allowed to furnish an annual return under sub-section (1) for a financial year after the expiry of a period of three years from the due date of furnishing the said annual return:
Provided that the Government may, on the recommendations of the Council, by notification, and subject to such conditions and restrictions as may be specified therein, allow a registered person or a class of registered persons to furnish an annual return for a financial year under sub-section (1), even after the expiry of the said period of three years from the due date of furnishing the said annual return.
Defined terms in this text (18)
Central Government: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): (8) "Central Government" shall,(a)in relation to anything done before the commencement of the Constitution, mean the Governor-General or the Governor-General in Council, as the case may be; and shall include,(i)in relation to functions entrusted under sub-section (1) of section 124 of the Government of India Act, 1935, to the Government of a Province, the Provincial Government acting within the scope of the authority given to it under that sub-section; and(ii)in relation to the administration of a Chief Commissioners Province, the Chief Commissioner acting within the scope of the authority given to him under sub-section (3) of section 94 of the said Act; and(b)in relation to anything done or to be done after the commencement of the Constitution, mean the President; and shall include,(i)in relation to functions entrusted under clause (1) of article 258 of the Constitution, to the Government of a State, the State Government acting within the scope of the authority given to it under that clause; * The word "and" omitted by the Adaptation of Laws(No.1) Order, 1956.(ii)in relation to the administration of a Part C State before the commencement of the Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956, the Chief Commissioner or the Lieutenant-Governor or the Government of a neighbouring State or other authority acting within the scope of the authority given to him or it under article 239 or article 243 of the Constitution, as the case may be;]and(iii)in relation to the administration of a Union territory, the administrator thereof acting within the scope of the authority given to him under article 239 of the Constitution;
Commissioner: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): (14) "Commissioner" shall mean the chief officer-in-charge of the revenue administration of a division;
Commissioner: 46 more definitions.
financial statement: Section 2(40), Companies Act: "financial statement" in relation to a company, includes— (i) a balance sheet as at the end of the financial year; (ii) a profit and loss account, or in the case of a company carrying on any activity not for profit, an income and expenditure account for the financial year; (iii) cash flow statement for the financial year; (iv) a statement of changes in equity, if applicable; and (v) any explanatory note annexed to, or forming part of, any document referred to in sub-clause (i) to sub-clause (iv): Provided that the financial statement, with respect to One Person Company, small company and dormant company, may not include the cash flow statement;
financial year: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): (21) "financial year" shall mean the year commencing on the first day of April; (22) a thing shall be deemed to be done in "good faith" where it is in fact done honesty, whether it is done negligently or not;
financial year: 22 more definitions.
Government: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): (23) "Government" or the Government shall include both the Central Government and any State Government;
India: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): (28) "India" shall mean,(a)as respects any period before the establishment 15th August, 1947. of the Dominion of India, British India together with all territories of Indian Rulers then under the suzerainty of His Majesty, all territories under the suzerainty of such an Indian Ruler, and the tribal areas;(b)as respects any period after the establishment of the Dominion of India and before the commencement 26th January, 1950. of the Constitution, all territories for the time being included in that Dominion; and(c)as respects any period after the commencement of the Constitution, all territories for the time being comprised in the territory of India;
local authority: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): (31) "local authority" shall mean a municipal committee, district board, body of port commissioners or other authority legally entitled to, or entrusted by the Government with, the control or management of a municipal or local fund;
local authority: 1 more definition.
person: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): "person" shall include any company or association or body of individuals, whether incorporated or not
person: 1 more definition.
registered: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): (49) "registered", used with reference to a document, shall mean registered in India under the law for the time being in force for the registration of documents;
registered person: Section 2(94), Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017: "registered person" means a person who is registered under section 25 but does not include a person having a Unique Identity Number;
resident: Section 2(96), Income-tax Act, 2025: "resident" means a person who is resident in India as per section 6;
section: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): (54) "section" shall mean a section of the Act or Regulation in which the word occurs;
section: 363 more definitions.
State: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): (58) "State"(a)as respects any period before the commencement of the Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956, shall mean a Part A State, a Part B State or a Part C State; and(b)as respects any period after such commencement, shall mean a State specified in the First Schedule to the Constitution and shall include a Union territory;](59)State Act shall mean an Act passed by the Legislature of a State established or continued by the Constitution;
State Government: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): (60) "State Government",(a)as respects anything done before the commencement 26th January, 1950. of the Constitution, shall mean, in a Part A State, the Provincial Government of the corresponding Province, in a Part B State, the authority or person authorised at the relevant date to exercise executive Government in the corresponding Acceding State, and in a Part C State, the Central Government, * The word "and" omitted by the Adaptation of Laws (No.1) Order, 1956.;(b)as respects anything done [after the commencement of the Constitution and before the commencement of the Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956], shall mean, in a Part A State, the Governor, in a Part B State, the Rajpramukh, and in a Part C State, the Central Government;(c)[ as respects anything done or to be done after the commencement of the Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956, shall mean, in a State, the Governor, and in a Union territory, the Central Government; and shall, in relation to functions entrusted under article 258-A of the Constitution to the Government of India, include the Central Government acting within the scope of the authority given to it under that article] ;
sub-section: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): (61) "sub-section" shall mean a sub-section of the section in which the word occurs;
taxable person: Section 2(107), Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017: "taxable person" means a person who is registered or liable to be registered under section 22 or section 24;
value: Section 2(41), Customs Act, 1962: "value", in relation to any goods, means the value thereof determined in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) of section 14;
year: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): "year" shall mean a year reckoned according to the British calendar
Made under this section, or naming it (18)
Notification No. 04/2021-Central Tax [N10-RQZ], 28 February 2021, in force. Recital: "In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 44 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (12 of 2017), read with rule 80 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017, the Commissioner, on the recommendations of the Council"
Notification No. 06/2020-Central Tax [N10-MYR], 3 February 2020, in force. Recital: "In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 44 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (12 of 2017) (hereafter in this notification referred to as the said Act), read with rule 80 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017 (hereafter in this notification referred to as the said rules), the Commissioner, on the recommendations of the Council"
Notification No. 10/2022-Central Tax [N10-WRH], 5 July 2022, in force. Recital: "In exercise of the powers conferred by the first proviso to section 44 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (12 of 2017), the Commissioner, on the recommendations of the Council"
Notification No. 14/2024-Central Tax [N11-38F], 10 July 2024, in force. Recital: "In exercise of the powers conferred by the first proviso to section 44 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (12 of 2017), the Commissioner, on the recommendations of the Council"
Notification No. 15/2020-Central Tax [N10-NBK], 23 March 2020, in force. Recital: "In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 44 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (12 of 2017) (hereafter in this notification referred to as the said Act), read with rule 80 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017 (hereafter in this notification referred to as the said rules), the Commissioner, on the recommendations of the Council"
Notification No. 15/2025-Central Tax [N11-6AZ], 17 September 2025, in force. Recital: "In exercise of the powers conferred by the first proviso to sub-section (1) of section 44 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (12 of 2017), the Commissioner, on the recommendations of the Council, in respect of filing of annual return for the financial year 2024-25 onwards"
Notification No. 31/2021-Central Tax [N10-T8C], 30 July 2021, in force. Recital: "In exercise of the powers conferred by the first proviso to section 44 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (12 of 2017), the Commissioner, on the recommendations of the Council"
Notification No. 32/2023-Central Tax [N11-0QR], 31 July 2023, in force. Recital: "In exercise of the powers conferred by the first proviso to section 44 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (12 of 2017), the Commissioner, on the recommendations of the Council"
Notification No. 41/2020-Central Tax [N10-PEN], 5 May 2020, in force. Recital: "In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 44 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (12 of 2017) (hereafter in this notification referred to as the said Act), read with rule 80 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017 (hereafter in this notification referred to as the said rules), and in supersession of notification No. 15/2020-Central Tax, dated the 23rd March, 2020, published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (i), vide number G.S.R. 198(E), dated the 23rd March, 2020, except as respects things done or omitted to be done before such supersession, the Commissioner, on the recommendations of the Council"
Notification No. 69/2020-Central Tax [N10-QHA], 30 September 2020, in force. Recital: "In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 44 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (12 of 2017), read with rule 80 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017, the Commissioner, on the recommendations of the Council"
Notification No. 80/2020-Central Tax [N10-R1P], 28 October 2020, in force. Recital: "In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 44 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (12 of 2017), read with rule 80 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017, the Commissioner, on the recommendations of the Council"
Notification No. 95/2020-Central Tax [N10-RKQ], 30 December 2020, in force. Recital: "In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 44 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (12 of 2017) (hereafter in this notification referred to as the said Act), read with rule 80 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017 (hereafter in this notification referred to as the said rules), the Commissioner, on the recommendations of the Council"
Circular No. 124/43/2019-GST [C10-4C1], 18 November 2019, in force. The text contains "sub-section (1) of section 44 of the said Act".
Notification No. 07/2023-CENTRAL TAX [N10-ZAW], 31 March 2023, in force. The text contains "section 44 of the said Act".
Notification No. 08/2025-CENTRAL TAX [N11-5K4], 23 January 2025, in force. The text contains "section 44 of the said Act".
Notification No. 09/2020-Central Tax [N10-N5F], 16 March 2020, in force. The text contains "section 44 of the said Act".
Notification No. 30/2019-Central Tax [N10-H5Z], 28 June 2019, in force. The text contains "sub-section (2) of section 44 of the said Act".
Notification No. 47/2019-Central Tax [N10-KC5], 9 October 2019, in force. The text contains "sub-section (1) of section 44 of the said Act".
Cited by (9)
Section 158A, Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 [S10-BCK], 12 April 2017, Band A. "section 44".
Section 168, Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 [S10-BP2], 12 April 2017, Band A. "section 44".
Section 46, Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 [S10-7GV], 12 April 2017, Band A. "section 44".
Section 47, Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 [S10-7HS], 12 April 2017, Band A. "section 44".
Section 48, Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 [S10-7JZ], 12 April 2017, Band A. "section 44".
Section 62, Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 [S10-831], 12 April 2017, Band A. "section 44".
Section 63, Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 [S10-84F], 12 April 2017, Band A. "section 44".
Rule 68, Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017 [S10-FE7], 19 June 2017, Band A. "section 44".
Rule 80, Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017 [S10-FTA], 19 June 2017, Band A. "section 44".
Not held (0)
none
Duties published under this section (1)
D12-1PH. Every registered person, other than an Input Service Distributor, a person paying tax under section 51 or 52, a casual taxable person and a non-resident taxable person: Furnish an annual return for every financial year; On or before the thirty-first day of December following the end of the financial year; Form GSTR-9. Published by GST Policy Wing, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (synthetic record).