How to Download GSTR-2B and GSTR-3B from the GST Portal

Both GSTR-2B and GSTR-3B are downloaded from the same place: the Returns Dashboard on the GST portal. GSTR-2B is the statement of input tax credit available to you, built from what your suppliers reported; you download it as a PDF summary or an Excel file with every invoice. GSTR-3B is your own summary return; once filed, you download it as a PDF.

Below are the steps for each, when the files become available, and which format to use for what.

Before you start

You need your own portal login. Neither return can be downloaded for another GSTIN; for a supplier, you can only see whether they have filed, not what they filed. The portal's menus are reorganised now and then, so the labels below may differ slightly from what you see, but the Returns Dashboard has been the starting point for both returns for a long time.

How to download GSTR-2B

1. Log in at gst.gov.in.
2. Go to Services > Returns > Returns Dashboard.
3. Select the financial year and the return filing period (month, or quarter if you are under QRMP), then click Search.
4. On the GSTR-2B tile (labelled auto-drafted ITC statement), click View.
5. On the GSTR-2B page, choose Download GSTR-2B Summary (PDF) for the summary, or Download GSTR-2B Details (Excel) for invoice-level data.

The summary shows ITC available and not available, split by IGST, CGST, SGST and cess, and by type: B2B invoices, credit notes, imports, ISD credits and so on. The Excel file breaks each of those down to individual supplier invoices.

If you are unsure how 2B differs from 2A, see GSTR-2A vs GSTR-2B. In short: 2A changes as suppliers file; 2B is a fixed statement for the period and is what your ITC claim in 3B should be based on.

When GSTR-2B is generated

Filer type	Generation
Monthly filer	On the 14th of the month after the tax period
QRMP (quarterly) filer	A quarterly statement after the quarter ends; monthly statements for the first two months are for information
With IMS actions	A draft 2B is generated on schedule and can be recomputed after you accept, reject or keep invoices pending, until GSTR-3B is filed

The Invoice Management System (IMS) changed how 2B behaves: you can now act on supplier invoices before the statement is final. See GSTR-2B and the Invoice Management System and IMS in 2026. If you download a 2B and then take IMS actions, download it again after recomputing; the old file is out of date.

How to download GSTR-3B

1. Log in and go to Services > Returns > Returns Dashboard.
2. Select the financial year and period, then click Search.
3. On the GSTR-3B tile, click View (or Prepare Online if it is not yet filed).
4. For a filed return, click Download Filed GSTR-3B to get the PDF.
5. For an unfiled return, use Preview Draft GSTR-3B to download the draft PDF.

You can also reach filed returns through Services > Returns > View e-Filed Returns, selecting the year, period and return type. This is handy when you need several months at once for a loan application or an audit.

For the filing itself, see the GSTR-3B filing guide and how to file a GST return online.

Filed GSTR-3B vs draft and system-generated 3B

Three different PDFs can come out of the GSTR-3B screen, and they are easy to mix up:

• System-generated GSTR-3B. The portal's auto-populated values, drawn from your GSTR-1 (outward supplies) and GSTR-2B (ITC). A useful check, not a return.
• Draft GSTR-3B. Whatever you have entered or saved so far. It changes until you file.
• Filed GSTR-3B. The return as submitted with EVC or DSC. This is the only one with legal standing. See EVC vs DSC for GST filing.

PDF, Excel or JSON: which to pick

Format	Available for	Use it for
PDF	GSTR-2B summary, GSTR-3B (draft, system-generated, filed)	Records, audits, sharing with banks
Excel	GSTR-2B invoice details	Reconciliation with the purchase register
JSON / API	Through GSP and accounting software integrations	Automated reconciliation in ERP or tax software

Most accounting and tax software can pull 2B data directly through a GST Suvidha Provider, which saves downloading Excel files every month. See GSP vs ASP.

Troubleshooting

GSTR-2B tile shows nothing. Check the date: before the 14th, the previous month's 2B may not exist yet. Also check that the period selected is right; QRMP filers should pick the quarter.

Excel download takes a long time or fails. Large statements are prepared in the background and can take a while, especially around due dates. Try again later. See GST portal not working for common portal issues.

A supplier invoice is missing from 2B. The supplier either has not filed GSTR-1 or IFF for that period, or filed it late, in which case it will show up in a later 2B. Check whether they are filing at all; see how to check a supplier's return filing status.

For many suppliers at once, our GSTIN verification API returns status and per-period filing history in one call.

Frequently asked questions

How do I download GSTR-2B from the GST portal?

Log in at gst.gov.in, go to Services, Returns, Returns Dashboard, select the financial year and the return period, and click View on the GSTR-2B tile. On the GSTR-2B page you can download the summary as a PDF or the full invoice-level details as an Excel file.

How do I download a filed GSTR-3B?

Go to Services, Returns, Returns Dashboard, select the financial year and period, and click View on the GSTR-3B tile. For a filed return the page offers a download of the filed GSTR-3B as a PDF. You can also find filed returns under Services, Returns, View e-Filed Returns.

When is GSTR-2B available each month?

GSTR-2B for a month is generated on the 14th of the following month. Quarterly taxpayers under QRMP get a quarterly GSTR-2B after the quarter ends. With the Invoice Management System, a draft GSTR-2B can be regenerated after you act on invoices, until you file GSTR-3B for that period.

Can I download GSTR-2B in Excel?

Yes. The GSTR-2B page offers an Excel download with invoice-level details from suppliers, split into tabs such as B2B invoices, credit and debit notes, imports and ITC not available. The PDF covers only the summary.

What is the difference between draft and filed GSTR-3B PDFs?

A draft or preview PDF shows the values entered so far and has no legal standing. The filed GSTR-3B PDF is the version that was submitted with EVC or DSC and is the one to keep for records, audits and loan files.

Why is the GSTR-2B download not showing?

Usually the statement has not been generated yet for that period, the wrong period or financial year is selected, or the portal is under load around due dates. Check the date, re-select the period, and try again later before raising a ticket.