GST Scheme Guide · FY 2025-26
GST Composition Scheme —
Is It Right for You?
The composition scheme lets small businesses pay a flat 1–6% on turnover with quarterly filing. Know the rates, turnover limits, who can opt, the returns you file and the trade-offs before you switch.
Updated for FY 2025-26 GST Expert Reviewed Small Business & Trader Guide
1%Traders / manufacturers
5%Restaurants
6%Service providers
Rs1.5crTurnover cap (goods)
Quick Answer
The GST Composition Scheme lets a small business pay a flat tax on turnover instead of the regular GST regime: 1% for traders and manufacturers, 5% for restaurants and 6% for other service providers. The turnover limit is Rs1.5 crore for goods (Rs75 lakh in special-category states) and Rs50 lakh for services. You file quarterly CMP-08 and annual GSTR-4, but cannot charge GST on your bill, issue a tax invoice or claim Input Tax Credit.
Trader / manufacturer 1%
Restaurant 5%
Other services 6%
ITC None
At a glance
Composition Scheme Rates & Limits
Tax is charged on total turnover in the state, not on profit and not only on taxable supplies. The rate splits equally into CGST and SGST.
| Type of dealer | Turnover limit | GST rate | CGST + SGST | ITC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traders & manufacturers | Rs1.5 crore | 1% | 0.5% + 0.5% | No |
| Restaurants (no alcohol) | Rs1.5 crore | 5% | 2.5% + 2.5% | No |
| Other service providers | Rs50 lakh | 6% | 3% + 3% | No |
| Special-category states (goods) | Rs75 lakh | 1% / 5% | As above | No |
Rate is on aggregate turnover. GST 2.0 (eff 22 Sep 2025) restructured regular slabs but did not change composition rates or limits. Confirm on gst.gov.in before opting.
Tax comes out of your own pocket
A composition dealer cannot collect GST from customers and cannot issue a tax invoice — only a Bill of Supply. The 1–6% is paid from your margin. It also means your B2B buyers get no ITC on purchases from you, so the scheme suits B2C and local trade, not businesses selling to other GST-registered firms.
Who qualifies
Eligibility — Who Can and Cannot Opt
Any registered person whose aggregate turnover in the preceding financial year was within the limit may opt, provided they are not in an excluded category. GST registration is a prerequisite.
- Traders & manufacturers up to Rs1.5 crore
- Restaurants not serving alcohol up to Rs1.5 crore
- Service providers up to Rs50 lakh
- Businesses within a single state (intra-state only)
- Mainly B2C / local walk-in customers
- Small dealers who value simple quarterly filing
The scheme is barred for the following, however small the turnover:
- Suppliers making inter-state outward supplies
- Businesses supplying goods or services through an e-commerce operator (Amazon, Flipkart, etc.) that collects TCS
- Manufacturers of notified goods — ice cream, pan masala, tobacco, aerated water, fly-ash bricks
- Casual taxable persons and non-resident taxable persons
- Suppliers of non-taxable / exempt goods outside the scheme scope
Not sure if your business qualifies for composition?
Check My Eligibility →Compliance
Returns a Composition Dealer Files
Composition dealers skip the monthly GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B cycle. Instead they pay quarterly and file one annual return.
Pay quarterlyCMP-08 self-assessed tax
→
File annualGSTR-4 by 30 June
→
Bill of SupplyNo tax invoice, no GST collected
→
RCMPay tax on reverse-charge inward supplies
| Return / form | Frequency | Due date | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| CMP-08 | Quarterly | 18th of month after quarter (Jul 18, Oct 18, Jan 18, Apr 18) | Self-assessed tax payment statement |
| GSTR-4 | Annual | 30 June of the following FY | Annual return — turnover & tax summary |
| CMP-02 | On opting in | Before 31 March of preceding FY | Intimation to opt into the scheme |
| CMP-04 | On opting out | Within 7 days of becoming ineligible | Intimation to withdraw / on crossing limit |
GSTR-4 annual due date moved from 30 April to 30 June from FY 2024-25 (Notification 12/2024-CT, 10 Jul 2024). Late fee Rs50/day (Rs20/day nil), plus 18% interest under Section 50.
TaxClue Insight — RCM still applies
Being in composition does not exempt you from reverse charge. On specified inward supplies (e.g. from an unregistered supplier where notified, or GTA freight), a composition dealer must pay GST at the normal rate under RCM — over and above the 1–6% on turnover — and cannot claim it as credit.
The trade-off
Should You Opt for Composition?
Consider it if
- Turnover is small and mostly B2C / local walk-in
- You want simple quarterly filing instead of monthly
- You don’t rely on input-tax credit
- Your customers don’t need ITC on your invoices
- You supply only within your own state
Be careful if
- You sell B2B and buyers expect ITC
- You make inter-state supplies
- You sell through Amazon / Flipkart / other TCS e-commerce
- You have large input GST you could otherwise credit
- You are near the turnover ceiling
Switching
How to Opt In or Opt Out
- Opt in: file CMP-02 on the GST portal before 31 March of the preceding financial year (or at the time of new registration). The scheme applies for the whole year.
- Opt out: file CMP-04 if turnover crosses the limit or you choose to move to the regular scheme; you then file GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B and can claim ITC on stock held on the switch date via ITC-01.
- Auto exit: crossing the turnover limit makes you ineligible from that day — regular-scheme rules apply immediately.
Want us to file your CMP-02 / CMP-08 and keep you compliant?
Talk to a GST Expert →Government sourcesComposition scheme: Section 10, CGST Act 2017 & Rule 7 CGST Rules · Rates & forms: gst.gov.in · CBIC: cbic-gst.gov.in · GSTR-4 due date: Notification 12/2024-CT (10 Jul 2024)
People also ask
Frequently Asked Questions
Eligibility
Who can opt for the GST Composition Scheme?
The scheme is open to (1) traders and manufacturers with aggregate turnover up to Rs1.5 crore (Rs75 lakh in special-category states); (2) restaurants not serving alcohol up to Rs1.5 crore; and (3) other service providers up to Rs50 lakh. The business must supply only within its own state. It is barred for inter-state suppliers, e-commerce sellers (via TCS operators), casual and non-resident taxable persons, and manufacturers of notified goods such as ice cream, pan masala and tobacco.
What is the turnover limit for the composition scheme?
Rs1.5 crore of aggregate turnover for goods (traders, manufacturers and restaurants), reduced to Rs75 lakh in special-category states (most North-Eastern states, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand). For pure or mixed service providers the separate composition limit is Rs50 lakh. Turnover is computed PAN-wide across all your GST registrations.
Can a service provider opt for the composition scheme?
Yes. A service provider (other than a restaurant) can opt under the special provision if aggregate turnover is up to Rs50 lakh, paying a flat 6% (3% CGST + 3% SGST). This is separate from the Rs1.5 crore goods limit. A dealer of goods may also supply services up to 10% of turnover or Rs5 lakh, whichever is higher, and stay in the Rs1.5 crore track.
Who cannot opt for the composition scheme?
Inter-state suppliers, businesses selling through e-commerce operators that collect TCS (Amazon, Flipkart), casual taxable persons, non-resident taxable persons, and manufacturers of notified goods (ice cream, pan masala, tobacco, aerated water, fly-ash bricks) cannot opt, regardless of turnover. Suppliers of goods that are wholly exempt or outside GST also cannot use the scheme.
Rates
What is the GST rate for a composition dealer?
It depends on the type of business: 1% (0.5% CGST + 0.5% SGST) for traders and manufacturers, 5% (2.5% + 2.5%) for restaurants not serving alcohol, and 6% (3% + 3%) for other service providers. The rate is applied to total turnover in the state, not to profit or to taxable supplies alone.
Is composition tax calculated on profit or turnover?
On turnover, not profit. The 1%, 5% or 6% is charged on the aggregate turnover of taxable supplies of goods and services in the state during the quarter. Because it is a turnover-based flat tax, a low-margin business can end up paying more than its actual margin if it is not careful — a key point to model before opting.
Did GST 2.0 change the composition scheme rates?
No. The GST 2.0 rationalisation effective 22 September 2025 restructured regular goods and services into a two-slab 5% / 18% system (plus a 40% demerit rate), but it did not change composition scheme rates or turnover limits. Composition dealers continue at 1% / 5% / 6% on turnover.
Invoicing & ITC
Can a composition dealer issue a tax invoice?
No. A composition dealer must issue a Bill of Supply, not a tax invoice, and cannot show or collect GST separately from customers. The bill must carry the words "composition taxable person, not eligible to collect tax on supplies". The dealer pays the composition tax out of its own margin.
Can a composition dealer claim Input Tax Credit?
No. Composition dealers cannot claim ITC on their purchases — this is the trade-off for the lower flat rate and simpler compliance. GST paid on inputs, rent and equipment becomes an embedded cost. Equally, buyers who purchase from a composition dealer cannot claim ITC, which is why the scheme suits B2C rather than B2B businesses.
Does a composition dealer have to pay GST under reverse charge?
Yes. The composition scheme does not remove reverse-charge liability. On notified inward supplies (for example goods transport agency freight, or specified supplies from unregistered persons), the composition dealer must pay GST at the normal applicable rate under RCM, in addition to the flat composition tax on turnover, and cannot claim it as credit.
Returns
What returns does a composition dealer file?
A composition dealer files CMP-08 quarterly — a self-assessed statement and payment of tax, due by the 18th of the month after each quarter — and GSTR-4 annually, due by 30 June of the following financial year. They do not file the monthly GSTR-1 or GSTR-3B that regular taxpayers file.
What is the due date for GSTR-4?
From FY 2024-25 onwards, GSTR-4 is due by 30 June of the following financial year, extended from the earlier 30 April by Notification 12/2024-Central Tax dated 10 July 2024. The quarterly CMP-08 remains due by the 18th of the month following each quarter (18 Jul, 18 Oct, 18 Jan, 18 Apr).
What is the late fee for CMP-08 and GSTR-4?
Late filing attracts a late fee of Rs50 per day (Rs25 CGST + Rs25 SGST), or Rs20 per day for a nil return, subject to caps, plus interest at 18% per annum under Section 50 on any unpaid tax. Filing CMP-08 and GSTR-4 on time avoids both the fee and the interest.
Opting In / Out
How do I opt into the composition scheme?
File Form CMP-02 on the GST portal before 31 March of the preceding financial year, so the scheme applies for the whole of the next year; a person taking new registration can opt at the time of registration. Once opted in, you charge no GST on your bills and pay the flat rate quarterly through CMP-08.
How do I opt out of the composition scheme?
File Form CMP-04 to withdraw voluntarily, or within 7 days if your turnover crosses the limit and you become ineligible. After opting out you move to the regular scheme — filing GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B — and can claim ITC on inputs and stock held on the date of switch by filing Form ITC-01.
What happens if my turnover crosses Rs1.5 crore?
You become ineligible for the composition scheme from the day the limit is crossed. You must file CMP-04, switch to the regular scheme, start issuing tax invoices with GST, file monthly GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B, and you may claim ITC on stock held on the switch date via ITC-01. The composition rate cannot be applied to turnover after the limit is breached.
Done-for-you
Related TaxClue Services
GST RegistrationGet your GSTIN and opt into composition with CMP-02 online.Explore →CMP-08 & GSTR-4 FilingQuarterly CMP-08 and annual GSTR-4 filed for you, on time.Explore →GST Return FilingSwitching to regular? Monthly GSTR-1 & 3B handled end-to-end.Explore →ITC AdvisoryClaim ITC on stock when you move out of composition.Explore →
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