BI CFO / Notice Desk / Guide
GSTR-3A: notice for not filing GST returns
| What it is | A notice that one or more GST returns are not filed |
| Deadline | 15 days from the notice |
| Risk | High: the officer can assess your tax on best judgement, and registration can be cancelled |
| Our fee | ₹2,500, plus filing the pending returns |
Send your notice to a CA Free first look within 1 working day.
What happens if you ignore it
The officer can pass a best-judgement assessment, estimating your tax. Continued non-filing can lead to suspension and cancellation of registration.
If you file the pending returns within 30 days of a best-judgement order, the order is generally withdrawn.
How to respond
- File every pending return, with late fee and interest.
- Check that GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B match for each month.
- Keep the acknowledgements; no separate reply to the notice is usually needed once returns are filed.
Common questions
How much is the late fee?
For GSTR-3B, ₹50 a day (₹20 for nil returns), capped by turnover. Use our free GST late fee calculator.
My business was closed. Do I still file?
Yes, until the registration is cancelled. File nil returns and apply for cancellation.
Got this notice?
Upload it and a CA tells you what it means, the deadline, the risk and the fixed fee to reply, within 1 working day. The first look is free. Send your notice to a CA.
Related guides
- Section 143(1) intimation: what it means and what to do
- Defective return notice under section 139(9)
- Section 245: refund adjusted against an old demand
- Section 148A notice: before your assessment is reopened
- Section 143(2) scrutiny notice: what happens next
- GST ASMT-10: discrepancies found in your returns
- GST DRC-01A and DRC-01: before a demand is confirmed
- GST registration query, suspension or cancellation notice
- TDS default notice under section 200A
General information as of October 2026, not advice on your case. Rules change; check the notice and current law, or ask us.