If you want input tax credit (ITC) on purchases made in FY 2025-26, the cut-off under Section 16(4) of the CGST Act is 30 November 2026, or the date you file the annual return for that year if that is earlier. Miss it and the credit is generally lost for good, so the weeks before 30 November are the time to clean up your ITC claims.
This guide explains what the ITC time limit covers, which GSTR-3B is the last one that can still carry your claim, and a practical checklist to follow.
What the ITC time limit says
Section 16(4) says a registered person cannot take ITC on an invoice or debit note after 30 November following the end of the financial year to which the invoice or debit note pertains, or after the date of filing the relevant annual return (GSTR-9), whichever is earlier.
- Invoices and debit notes dated April 2025 to March 2026 belong to FY 2025-26, so the usual deadline is 30 November 2026.
- The limit is linked to the year of the invoice, not the month in which you received the goods or booked the bill.
- The "whichever is earlier" part matters: if you file GSTR-9 before 30 November, the window closes on that filing date.
Treat 30 November as the statutory default. Always check the GST portal and CBIC notifications for any change before relying on it.
Which GSTR-3B can still carry the claim
ITC is claimed in Table 4 of GSTR-3B. A claim is made only when you file that return, so the practical question is which return is the last one filed on or before the cut-off.
- Monthly filers: the GSTR-3B for October 2026, usually due on 20 November, is normally the last one that falls before 30 November.
- QRMP filers: the quarterly GSTR-3B for July–September 2026 is the last one due before 30 November. The next quarterly return is filed in January, which is too late for FY 2025-26 invoices.
Read our QRMP GSTR-3B checklist for July–September 2026 if you are on the quarterly scheme.
The other conditions you must still meet
The time limit is only one of the conditions in Section 16. Credit can still be denied if the others are not met:
- You hold a valid tax invoice or debit note.
- The invoice details appear in your GSTR-2B, which is the auto-drafted statement generated from your suppliers' returns.
- You have received the goods or services.
- The supplier has actually paid the tax to the government.
- You have filed your own GSTR-3B for the period.
Under Rule 37, if you do not pay the supplier within 180 days of the invoice date, you have to reverse the ITC with interest. You can claim it again once you pay.
A year-end checklist for ITC
1. Match your books with GSTR-2B
List every FY 2025-26 purchase invoice in your books that has not yet been claimed. Compare it with GSTR-2B. Our guide on GSTR-2B vs purchase register mismatches walks through this step by step.
2. Chase suppliers early
If an invoice is missing from GSTR-2B, the supplier may not have filed GSTR-1. Ask them to file or amend it well before 30 November, because their filing window and yours both close.
3. Check debit notes and credit notes
The time limit also applies to debit notes. Credit notes received also affect your ITC. See our article on GST credit notes under Section 34 for the matching deadline on the issuer's side.
4. Review old payables
Look at supplier invoices unpaid for more than 180 days. These may need ITC reversal under Rule 37. MSME suppliers have separate payment timelines; see Section 43B(h) and MSME payments.
5. Keep the proof
Keep the tax invoice, proof of receipt and payment records for every claim. They are what you will need if the department asks questions later.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Waiting until the return for the last month to start reconciling.
- Assuming the booking date decides the financial year instead of the invoice date.
- Claiming ITC on invoices that do not appear in GSTR-2B.
- Forgetting that filing GSTR-9 early can bring the deadline forward.
Key takeaways
- The default ITC cut-off for FY 2025-26 invoices is 30 November 2026, or the GSTR-9 filing date if earlier.
- Monthly filers' last usable return is October's GSTR-3B; QRMP filers' is the July–September quarterly return.
- ITC also needs GSTR-2B reflection, receipt of goods or services, and tax paid by the supplier.
- Start reconciling now and chase suppliers early.
Keeping purchase bills, payments and GST reconciliation in one place makes a deadline like this much easier to handle. Tools such as Smart Books are built for Indian small-business accounting. This article is general guidance, so please confirm the specifics for your business with your chartered accountant.
