✅ What is PSR?
Proof of Submission of Return (PSR) is an official acknowledgment that a taxpayer has submitted their income tax return to the National Board of Revenue (NBR). It serves as legal evidence of tax compliance and is required to access a wide range of public and private services.
⚖️ Legal Context: Income Tax Act, 2023
Under the Income Tax Act, 2023, the PSR plays a vital role in formalizing compliance and expanding the tax base. This law replaces the older 1984 Ordinance and focuses more heavily on digitization, enforcement, and linking tax returns to service access.
Section 75 and Section 83 of the Act, along with accompanying SROs issued by the NBR, mandate the PSR for a growing list of official activities.
📂 Which Documents Are Accepted as PSR?
According to the Income Tax Act, 2023 and NBR guidelines, the following documents are considered valid Proof of Submission of Return (PSR):
- Acknowledgment Receipt (Generated from e-return portal)
- Issued upon successful online return submission via the NBR eReturn Portal.
- Includes Taxpayer’s TIN, name, assessment year, and a submission reference number.
- Manually Signed Acknowledgment Copy (for offline submissions)
- Provided by the tax circle office when a return is submitted manually.
- TIN Certificate Updated with Submission Status
- TIN Certificate indicating latest submission year (visible in NBR database) may also be accepted in some cases.
Important Note: The Acknowledgment Receipt from the e-return system is the most widely accepted and verifiable form of PSR.
🏛️ 43 Services Where PSR is Mandatory
The PSR is compulsory for the following 43 services, grouped into categories:
💰 Financial and Licensing
- Applying for a loan exceeding Tk. 20 lakh
- Becoming a director or sponsor shareholder of a company
- Obtaining/renewing Import Registration Certificate (IRC)
- Obtaining/renewing Export Registration Certificate (ERC)
- Obtaining/renewing a trade license
- Registering a cooperative society
- Applying as a general insurance surveyor
🏠 Property & Vehicle Transactions
- Registering land/buildings/apartments over Tk. 10 lakh
- Registering a motor vehicle
- Renewing vehicle fitness certificate
- Transferring vehicle ownership
⚙️ Utility Services (Commercial/Industrial)
- Applying for gas connection
- Applying for electricity connection
- Applying for water connection
- Applying for telephone connection
📑 Public & Private Tenders
16–24. Participating in tenders from:
- Government/semi-government bodies
- Educational or healthcare institutions
- Banks/insurance companies
- NGOs/cooperatives
- Companies under the Companies Act
🪪 Licenses, Permits, and Registrations
- Any government-issued license or permit
- Professional licenses (doctor, lawyer, engineer)
- Hospital/clinic/diagnostic center licenses
- Coaching center registrations
- Travel or recruiting agency licenses
- Licenses for hotels, restaurants, guest houses
- Transport and construction licenses
- Manufacturing or trading business licenses
- Any other professional/business license
📌 Other Service Requirements
- Mobile banking/economic platform commissions
- Renting property in city corporation areas
- Membership in clubs or trade associations
- Selling via online platforms
- Opening savings accounts above Tk. 5 lakh
- Bank accounts with balance over Tk. 10 lakh
- Maintaining a credit card
- Purchasing Sanchayapatra above Tk. 5 lakh
- Receiving MPO benefits over Tk. 16,000/month
- Submitting building plans to development authorities
🧭 How to Obtain a PSR (Step-by-Step)
🔗 For Online Submission:
- Log in to https://etaxnbr.gov.bd/
- Submit your income tax return
- Download the Acknowledgment Receipt (PSR)
- Print or store digitally for future use
🧾 For Manual Submission:
- Visit your local tax circle office
- Submit your return and collect the signed acknowledgment
🏁 Final Thoughts
The PSR is more than a formality—it’s a legal requirement for accessing a broad range of services in Bangladesh. Whether you’re starting a business, applying for a license, or registering property, PSR is essential.