The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has announced a major compliance relief for small businesses under GST.
Key Highlights
✅ Permanent exemption for taxpayers with turnover up to ₹2 crore
✅ Effective from FY 2024-25 onwards
✅ No more yearly notifications required
✅ Reduced compliance load for small businesses
Through Notification No. 15/2025 – Central Tax, dated 17th September 2025, it has been declared that:
From Financial Year 2024-25 onwards, registered taxpayers with an aggregate turnover up to ₹2 crore will be exempted from filing the Annual Return (Form GSTR-9).
Earlier, this exemption was issued every year separately, covering FY 2017-18 to FY 2023-24.
Now, this exemption has been made permanent, so no fresh yearly notification will be needed.
This reform will reduce compliance costs and effort for small taxpayers, allowing them to concentrate on running and growing their businesses.
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FAQs on Permanent GSTR-9 Exemption
1. Who is eligible for this exemption?
Any registered taxpayer under GST with an aggregate turnover up to ₹2 crore in a financial year.
2. From which year is the permanent exemption applicable?
It applies from FY 2024-25 onwards.
3. What about earlier financial years?
For FY 2017-18 to FY 2023-24, exemption was granted through yearly notifications. Those remain valid for their respective years.
4. Do taxpayers above ₹2 crore turnover need to file GSTR-9?
Yes. Businesses with turnover above ₹2 crore must continue filing the Annual Return.
5. What benefit does this bring for small taxpayers?
It removes the repeated yearly compliance burden, saves professional costs, and provides long-term clarity in GST filing requirements.–
✅ In short, this step is a big relief for small businesses and a strong move towards ease of doing business under GST.