Eligibility and conditions for taking input tax credit
Section 16, CGST Act
Straight from CBIC
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You can claim input tax credit on business inputs/services/capital goods only if you hold the invoice, the supplier has filed it (so it shows in your GSTR-2B), it isn’t restricted there, the tax is actually paid to government, and you filed your return. Pay the supplier within 180 days or reverse with interest. Claim by 30 November of the next financial year.
What this means in practice
The parts that actually decide cases — the things a practitioner checks first.
Section 16(2) conditions are cumulative and the credit fails if any one fails: invoice held, supplier filed it (16(2)(aa)), not restricted in GSTR-2B (16(2)(ba)), tax actually paid to Government (16(2)(c)), and return filed.
The 16(2)(c) condition – tax actually paid by the supplier – is the department’s usual ground for reversal. The taxpayer’s answer is that he cannot police the supplier; several High Courts have read it down where the buyer proves genuine receipt and payment, but there is no Supreme Court ruling yet, so treat a 16(2)(c) demand as contestable, not hopeless.
The 180-day rule in the second proviso is on VALUE PLUS TAX, not just tax, and reversal carries interest under s.50. Re-avail in the month you actually pay – there is no time bar on re-availment.
16(4) bar: 30 November following the financial year, or the annual return, whichever is earlier. It applies to the DEBIT NOTE by its own date since 01-01-2021, not by the date of the original invoice.
16(5) is retrospective relief for FY 2017-18 to 2020-21 – credit taken in any return filed up to 30-11-2021 is protected. 16(6) protects credit where registration was cancelled and later revoked. Both were inserted by the Finance (No.2) Act 2024; a demand raised on 16(4) alone for those years should be met with 16(5).
Questions people actually ask
Real questions we get on this provision, answered straight.
My supplier has not filed his GSTR-1, so the invoice is not in my GSTR-2B. Can I still take the credit?+
No. Section 16(2)(aa) makes the supplier’s filing a condition, and 16(2)(ba) blocks credit that GSTR-2B restricts. Take the credit only when the invoice appears in your GSTR-2B; until then hold the tax back from the supplier or pursue him contractually.
I missed the November deadline for FY 2019-20 credit. Is it gone?+
Not necessarily. Section 16(5), inserted retrospectively by the Finance (No.2) Act 2024, allows credit for FY 2017-18 to 2020-21 in any return filed up to 30 November 2021. If your return was filed within that window the credit stands, even though 16(4) would have barred it.
I have not paid my supplier for eight months. What happens to the credit?+
It must be added back to your output tax liability with interest under section 50 once 180 days from the invoice pass, on the value plus the tax. You re-avail the same credit in the month you make the payment. Reverse-charge supplies are outside this rule.
How this provision is built
The skeleton, clause by clause — useful when a notice cites a specific sub-clause.
The exact words of the law
5,882 characters, uneditedReproduced from the CBIC text. We explain it above — but you should always be able to read it yourself.
Read the full provision+
(1) Every registered person shall, subject to such conditions and restrictions as may be prescribed and in the manner specified in section 49 , be entitled to take credit of input tax charged on any supply of goods or services or both to him which are used or intended to be used in the course or furtherance of his business and the said amount shall be credited to the electronic credit ledger of such person.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in this section, no registered person shall be entitled to the credit of any input tax in respect of any supply of goods or services or both to him unless,-
(a) he is in possession of a tax invoice or debit note issued by a supplier registered under this Act, or such other tax paying documents as may be prescribed ; 1 [(aa) the details of the invoice or debit note referred to in clause
(a) has been furnished by the supplier in the statement of outward supplies and such details have been communicated to the recipient of such invoice or debit note in the manner specified under section 37 ;]
(b) he has received the goods or services or both. 2 [ Explanation .- For the purposes of this clause, it shall be deemed that the registered person has received the goods or, as the case may be, services-
(i) where the goods are delivered by the supplier to a recipient or any other person on the direction of such registered person, whether acting as an agent or otherwise, before or during movement of goods, either by way of transfer of documents of title to goods or otherwise; (ii) where the services are provided by the supplier to any person on the direction of and on account of such registered person;] 3 [(ba) the details of input tax credit in respect of the said supply communicated to such registered person under section 38 has not been restricted;]
(c) subject to the provisions of 4 [ section 41 5 [***]], the tax charged in respect of such supply has been actually paid to the Government, either in cash or through utilisation of input tax credit admissible in respect of the said supply; and
(d) he has furnished the return under section 39 : Provided that where the goods against an invoice are received in lots or instalments, the registered person shall be entitled to take credit upon receipt of the last lot or instalment: Provided further that where a recipient fails to pay to the supplier of goods or services or both, other than the supplies on which tax is payable on reverse charge basis, the amount towards the value of supply along with tax payable thereon within a period of one hundred and eighty days from the date of issue of invoice by the supplier, an amount equal to the input tax credit availed by the recipient shall be 9 [paid by him along with interest payable under section 50], in such manner as may be prescribed : Provided also that the recipient shall be entitled to avail of the credit of input tax on payment made by him 10 [to the supplier] of the amount towards the value of supply of goods or services or both along with tax payable thereon.
(3) Where the registered person has claimed depreciation on the tax component of the cost of capital goods and plant and machinery under the provisions of the Income tax Act, 1961 (43 of 1961), the input tax credit on the said tax component shall not be allowed.
(4) A registered person shall not be entitled to take input tax credit in respect of any invoice or debit note for supply of goods or services or both after the 6 [thirtieth day of November] following the end of financial year to which such invoice or 7 [****] debit note pertains or furnishing of the relevant annual return, whichever is earlier. 8 [ Provided that the registered person shall be entitled to take input tax credit after the due date of furnishing of the return under section 39 for the month of September, 2018 till the due date of furnishing of the return under the said section for the month of March, 2019 in respect of any invoice or invoice relating to such debit note for supply of goods or services or both made during the financial year 2017-18, the details of which have been uploaded by the supplier under sub-section
(1) of section 37 till the due date for furnishing the details under sub-section
(1) of said section for the month of March, 2019.] 11 [
(5) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (4), in respect of an invoice or debit note for supply of goods or services or both pertaining to the Financial Years 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21, the registered person shall be entitled to take input tax credit in any return under section 39 which is filed up to the thirtieth day of November, 2021.
(6) Where registration of a registered person is cancelled under section 29 and subsequently the cancellation of registration is revoked by any order, either under section 30 or pursuant to any order made by the Appellate Authority or the Appellate Tribunal or court and where availment of input tax credit in respect of an invoice or debit note was not restricted under sub-section
(4) on the date of order of cancellation of registration, the said person shall be entitled to take the input tax credit in respect of such invoice or debit note for supply of goods or services or both, in a return under section 39,–
(i) filed up to thirtieth day of November following the financial year to which such invoice or debit note pertains or furnishing of the relevant annual return, whichever is earlier; or (ii) for the period from the date of cancellation of registration or the effective date of cancellation of registration, as the case may be, till the date of order of revocation of cancellation of registration, where such return is filed within thirty days from the date of order of revocation of cancellation of registration, whichever is later.]
High Court cases on this section
Judgments in our index that cite this provision. Being listed does not make a case good law — it may have been appealed or distinguished since. Read it before relying on it.
TVL SRI BABA PHARMA v. THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER (ST)
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Tvl. Sri Baba Pharma, v. THE DEPUTY STATE TAX OFFICER 1
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M/s. SS BAGS v. The Superintendent of CGST and Central Excise
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Neeyamo Enterprise Solutions Private Limited v. The Commercial Tax Officer, Madurai
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K.Pitchaipandi, v. The Deputy State Tax Officer -1
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Tvl. Sivasakthi Amman v. The Deputy State Tax Officer – 1
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SADA SHIV ALLOYS v. COMMISSIONER, CENTRAL GOODS AND SERVICES TAX AND ANOTHER
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Tvl.NEW KAVERI SUPER MARKET, v. The State Tax Officer (FAC)
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134 more on record. Search all GST case law →
What changed, and when
The amendment trail, newest first — because the version that applies to your case depends on the period.
2023-10-01 · Substituted
28/2023-C.T.
Substituted ( w.e.f. 1st October, 2023 vide Notification No. 28/2023-C.T. , dated 31st July, 2023 ) by s. 138 of The Finance Act 2023 (No. 8 of 2023) for "added …
2023-10-01 · Inserted
28/2023-C.T.
Inserted ( w.e.f. 1st October, 2023 vide Notification No. 28/2023-C.T. , dated 31st July, 2023 ) by s. 138 of The Finance Act 2023 (No. 8 of 2023).
2022-10-01 · Inserted
18/2022 – CT
Inserted ( w.e.f. 1st October, 2022 vide Notification No. 18/2022 – CT dated 28.09.2022. ) by s. 100 of The Finance Act 2022 (No. 6 of 2022).
2022-10-01 · Omitted
18/2022 – CT
Omitted “or section 43A” ( w.e.f. 1st October, 2022 vide Notification No. 18/2022 – CT dated 28.09.2022. ) by s. 100 of The Finance Act 2022 (No. 6 of 2022).
2022-10-01 · Substituted
18/2022 – CT
Substituted ( w.e.f. 1st October, 2022 vide Notification No. 18/2022 – CT dated 28.09.2022. ) by s. 100 of The Finance Act 2022 (No. 6 of 2022) for ”due date o …
2022-01-01 · Inserted
39/2021-C.T.
Inserted (w.e.f. 1st January, 2022 vide Notification No. 39/2021-C.T. , dated 21st December, 2021) by s. 109 of The Finance Act, 2021 (No. 13 of 2021).
2021-01-01 · Omitted
92/2020-C.T.
Omitted "invoice relating to such" (w.e.f. 1st January, 2021 vide Notification No. 92/2020-C.T. , dated 22nd December, 2020) by s. 120 of The Finance Act, 2020 …
2019-02-01 · Substituted
Substituted (w.e.f. 1st February, 2019) for "Explanation.-For the purposes of this clause, it shall be deemed that the registered person has received the goods …
2018-12-31 · Inserted
Inserted vide Order No. 02/2018 -Central Tax dated 31st December, 2018.
date not stated · Substituted
Substituted "section 41" (w.e.f. a date yet to be notified) by s. 8 of The Central Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Act, 2018 (No. 31 of 2018).
date not stated · Inserted
Inserted by section 118 of The Finance Act (No. 2) Act, 2024 No. 15 of 2024 dated 16.08.2024.
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Text reproduced from the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, as available on 2026-09-05. The explanation and practice notes above are GSTZone’s own, written for this hub. If you spot anything out of date, tell us and we’ll fix it — this hub is checked daily against CBIC.
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