Who must file it
GSTR-9C is required where aggregate turnover exceeds ₹5 crore in the financial year. It is filed along with the GSTR-9 annual return. Since the change to self-certification, you no longer need a chartered accountant’s audit certificate on it, though professional help is still common given its complexity. Confirm the current ₹5 crore threshold.
What it reconciles
GSTR-9C is a reconciliation between your audited financial statements and your GST returns — explaining differences in turnover, tax paid and ITC between the books and what was declared. It surfaces mismatches the department would otherwise question, so getting it right reduces the chance of a scrutiny notice.
A worked example
Example: a company with ₹8 crore turnover files GSTR-9 and GSTR-9C together. The 9C reconciles its ₹8 crore book turnover to the turnover declared in returns, explaining (say) a ₹10 lakh difference due to year-end credit notes. A ₹3 crore business is below the limit and skips 9C. The reconciliation is detailed, so start early. Our team can prepare and file it.