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Check whether GSTR-9 applies to you
GSTR-9 consolidates a financial year’s supplies, tax liability, tax paid and input tax credit (ITC). Its figures should be prepared from your periodic GST returns and accounting records, rather than treated as a separate set of numbers.
Applicability and deadlines depend on the financial year and current rules. ClearTax’s FY 2024-25 guidance states that taxpayers with aggregate turnover up to ₹2 crore were exempt from filing GSTR-9 for that year, and gives 31 December 2025 as the deadline for other required filers. These are FY 2024-25-specific figures; check the applicable notification and current GST portal instructions for the year you are filing. ClearTax’s annual-return guide provides its applicability guidance.
Complete these checks before starting
File all due periodic returns
File all due GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B returns for the financial year first. GSTN’s FAQ for FY 2024-25 says that GSTR-9/9C is enabled automatically once all due GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B returns for that year have been filed. If the annual-return option is unavailable, check for an outstanding periodic return. GSTN’s official site publishes the FY 2024-25 GSTR-9/9C FAQ.
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Gather records and reconcile figures
Have filed returns and accounting records ready. Reconcile annual sales and other outward supplies, purchases and inward supplies, ITC claimed or reversed, tax paid, refunds, demands and adjustments. Do not accept an auto-populated figure without checking that it agrees with the underlying records.
Use the nil-return option only when every condition is met
ClearTax’s guidance describes a nil-return questionnaire. Answer yes only if all of its stated conditions apply: no outward supplies, no receipt of goods or services, no other liability, no ITC claimed, no refund claimed, no demand order and no late fee payable. If any condition is not met, continue with the return containing data. See ClearTax’s filing walkthrough.
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Prepare and file GSTR-9 through the GST portal
- Open the annual-return service. Log in to the GST portal and go to Services > Returns > Annual Return. Select the financial year and choose the online preparation route or the offline utility.
- Choose the correct return route. If the nil questionnaire appears, use it only when every nil condition above is satisfied. Otherwise proceed with the data return.
- Review the annual-return tables. Compare the portal’s populated figures with filed returns and books. Resolve discrepancies before relying on the values or moving to filing.
- Preview the draft. Use the available draft preview, including PDF or Excel where offered, and check the tables against your reconciliations. If the review identifies additional liability, address it through the appropriate GST portal process; ClearTax’s walkthrough describes payment through the electronic cash ledger before submission.
- Submit and file. Complete submission and filing using the authentication method currently offered by the GST portal. Save the filed return and relevant confirmation for your records.
FY 2024-25 auto-population details to check
GSTN’s FY 2024-25 FAQ describes specific treatment that should not automatically be assumed for other years:
- Table 8A: It includes relevant FY 2024-25 invoices appearing in GSTR-2B from FY 2024-25, and invoices for FY 2024-25 appearing from April through October 2025. It excludes specified FY 2023-24 invoices appearing from April through October 2024.
- GSTR-1A: Supplies reported through GSTR-1A are considered in Tables 4 and 5 for FY 2024-25.
These rules make it especially important to compare portal values with the correct year’s records rather than rely on assumptions based on an earlier return.
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Online preparation or the offline utility?
| Route | How it works | What to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Online preparation | Prepare the annual return through the GST portal’s online workflow. | Lets you work in the portal workflow; you still need to reconcile figures and review the draft before filing. |
| Offline utility | Use the GST portal’s offline utility, then work with the resulting data and upload it as directed by the portal. | Involves downloading and uploading portal data or JSON; check validations and reconcile the resulting tables before submission. |
ClearTax also has product help describing a ClearGST workflow, but the available guidance does not establish current pricing, subscription terms, the exact extent of automation or whether every filing step is completed inside ClearTax. Confirm those details directly before choosing a product workflow. ClearTax’s GSTR-9 product help describes its product-related workflow.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Review carefully: a filed return cannot be revised
ClearTax says GSTR-9 cannot be revised once filed. Before final submission, check each table against your filed returns and books, confirm that the financial year is correct, and resolve discrepancies. If reconciliations reveal complex differences, consider seeking help from a qualified GST practitioner; the need for that assistance depends on your circumstances.
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