If you forget to charge GST/HST, you are still liable to pay the tax to the tax authority (e.g., ATO, CRA) out of your own pocket. You must report and pay the uncollected tax for the period it was due, which may involve issuing corrected invoices, paying interest, and potential penalties.
If you don't register for GST and are required to, you may have to pay GST on sales made since the date you were required to register. This could happen even if you didn't include GST in the price of those sales. You may also have to pay penalties and interest.
The taxpayer will be required to pay interest on late payment of GST at a rate of 18% annually in addition to the late payment penalty. Further, the period of interest payment will be calculated starting on the filing deadline and ending on the day that the payment is actually paid.
Grace periods typically range from 15 to 30 days. While technically a customer could wait until the exemption date to pay, insurers may still treat the premium as GST-inclusive based on the due date, not the payment date. ...
The penalty for late GST/HST filing is 1% of any amount you owe, plus an extra 0.25% for each full month your payment is overdue, up to 12 months. If the CRA issues a formal demand to file and you ignore it, they add another $250 penalty even if you don't owe any tax.
If you were required to charge the GST/HST, but did not charge it, you are still liable for the tax. You have to include the GST/HST that you should have charged in the reporting period during which you should have charged the tax.
For GST, the CRA filing and payment deadline is 3 months after your fiscal year end. For GST filed and paid annually, the CRA payment deadline is April 30 and the filing deadline is June 15. For GST filed and paid monthly and quarterly, the CRA filing and payment deadline is one month after the reporting period.
Penalties for a late GST return
GST returns are due every two months or six months, depending on the option you chose when you registered. You'll be charged a penalty for late filing – $50 if you're on the payments basis; $250 if you're on the hybrid or invoice basis.
CGST and SGST late fee is ₹50 per day per return, with a limit of ₹5,000 per type of return. 4. Can you waive or reduce the GST penalty? Yes, you can waive or reduce a GST default penalty in case of actual default on the basis of reasonable causes and for first-time offenders.
If a company's fiscal year-end is December 31 and they did have income for tax purposes that year, their payment deadline is April 30 and their filing deadline would be June 15. If a company's fiscal year-end is August 31, their payment and filing deadline would be November 30, whether or not they had taxable income.
Using the wrong tax codes or accounting method
Many GST mistakes are the result of using incorrect tax codes or the wrong accounting method: Tax codes: If a GST-free sale is coded as taxable in your accounting system, you'll pay GST unnecessarily. If a taxable sale is coded GST-free, you'll underpay.
Supplying goods and services in contravention to GST laws
Consequence: If the offender chooses to come forward voluntarily, they will be fined an amount equivalent to the tax evaded. Otherwise, they will be fined 50% of the value of the supply.
Can I file GSTR-1 after the due date? Yes, you can file the GSTR-1 even after the due date. However, you have to pay a late fee based on the delayed number of days.
Businesses that aren't registered for GST don't need to give regular (non-tax) invoices – but it's good practice to give one. By law, you must still give customers a receipt if the goods or services were over $75 or they ask for one.
GST Invoice Format and Mandatory Details It Must Include
The invoice number and the date of the invoice. Name, address, and GSTIN of the supplier. Name, address, and GSTIN of the recipient (if registered)
If your GST turnover is below the $75,000 threshold, you may choose to register. But if you do, regardless of your turnover, you must: include GST in the price of most goods and services you sell. claim GST credits for most business purchases you make.
Grace Period & Late Fees ⚠️
Most loans include a short grace period—typically 10–15 days after the due date—before a payment is officially considered late. If you miss this window, you'll likely be hit with a late fee, usually in the $25–$50 range or outlined in your loan agreement.
Where the payment has not been made, the ATO will contact you. Interest, currently 8.96% p.a. calculated on a daily rate, will be added to the overdue amount.
Example: If your GST liability is ₹50,000 and payment is delayed by 20 days: Interest = ₹50,000 × 18% × 20 ÷ 365 = ₹493.
– Time limit to issue notice: 3 years from the due date of filing annual return for the relevant year. – Time limit to pass the order: 3 years from the due date of annual return. Example: For FY 2021–22, the time limit to issue notice is 31st December 2025 (assuming annual return due date is 31st December 2022).
Where the late payment penalty is consideration for a financial supply (for example, a supply of an interest in a credit arrangement), there is no need for the supplier to account for GST for that supply. A charge for late payment penalty that is consideration for a financial supply is not an adjustment event.
The Tribunal concluded that interest on GST and GST late filing fee was not towards violation of any law and hence is allowable as a deduction under section 37.
For late payments, a penalty charge of 1% of the GST amount owed. This increases to 4% of the total amount after 7 days and 1% for every month after that. For under-declaring, penalties can range from 20-150% of the amount you owe, depending on how serious the issue is.
Generally, registered persons must file monthly returns in GSTR-3 and pay taxes by the 20th of the following month.
You have to start charging the GST/HST on your date of registration, including on the sale that made you exceed the $30,000 threshold.