How to Download Income Tax Return File Online

You can download your filed Income Tax Return (ITR) and acknowledgement through the official Income Tax Department e-filing portal.

• The portal provides access to filed returns for the current and previous assessment years.
• The navigation path is e-File > Income Tax Returns > View Filed Returns.
• You can download the complete return in PDF format and the ITR-V acknowledgement.
• Uploaded JSON files and intimation orders are available where applicable.
• Acknowledgement of filing does not necessarily mean that your return has been verified.
• The applicable period for ITR verification is 30 days from filing.
• Filed returns and income records may be useful when preparing Home Loan documentation.

Choose the file that matches your purpose before downloading. A complete return, acknowledgement and assessment intimation contain different information and should not be treated as interchangeable.

You can download your filed Income Tax Return by signing in to the official e-filing portal and opening the View Filed Returns section.

Follow these steps:
 

1. Visit the Income Tax Department e-filing portal.
2. Sign in using your registered user ID, usually your Permanent Account Number (PAN), and password.
3. From the dashboard, open e-File > Income Tax Returns > View Filed Returns.
4. Find the return for the required assessment year or use the available filters.
5. Select the download option for the complete ITR form.
6. Download the return in PDF format.
7. Save the file securely and check that the assessment year and taxpayer details are correct.

The portal may also provide options to download the acknowledgement, uploaded JSON and intimation order, depending on your filing record.

Source: Income Tax Department, Know Your ITR Status User Manual.

The e-filing portal provides different documents relating to a submitted return. The correct choice depends on why you need the file.

Source: Income Tax Department, ITR Status FAQs.

If you need a detailed copy of declared income, select the complete ITR rather than only the one-page acknowledgement.

If you need the acknowledgement number or want to check whether the return was verified, the ITR-V and status information are more directly relevant. The availability of each document can depend on whether the return was filed, uploaded through the offline utility or processed by the department.

ITR-V stands for Income Tax Return – Verification. It records details of the return submitted to the department and supports the verification process.

You can download ITR-V by opening the filed-return record for the relevant assessment year and selecting the acknowledgement download option.

The steps are:
 

1. Sign in to the official e-filing portal.
2. Open e-File > Income Tax Returns > View Filed Returns.
3. Locate the required return.
4. Select Download Receipt or the corresponding ITR-V acknowledgement option.
5. Save the PDF and confirm the acknowledgement details.

An ITR-V acknowledgement is not the same as the complete filed return.

It is also important to distinguish a submitted return from a verified return. If verification is pending, downloading the acknowledgement does not complete the required verification.
 

Source: Income Tax Department, ITR Status FAQs.

You can access earlier filed returns through the same View Filed Returns section of your e-filing account. The Income Tax Department's service allows taxpayers to view their previous return records along with current filings.

For example, if you need a return for income earned during FY 2024–25, look for AY 2025–26.

For income earned during FY 2025–26, the corresponding return is for AY 2026–27.

The Income-tax Act, 2025 introduced tax-year terminology for income earned from 1st April, 2026. Older return records continue to use the assessment-year labels relevant to their filing periods.

Source: Income Tax Department, Know Your ITR Status.

After downloading your Income Tax Return, check that the file relates to the correct taxpayer and reporting period.

Important details include:

A pre-filled return can contain missing or mismatched information, so it is useful to compare the filed document with your Form 16, Annual Information Statement (AIS) and other available records.

If you discover an error, downloading the return again will not correct the filing. You must examine the appropriate return revision, rectification or other statutory procedure.

You can check whether your ITR is verified on the Income Tax Department’s e-filing portal, either after logging in or without logging in. A return counts as filed only after verification, so check the status within 30 days of filing.

There are two ways to check:

• After logging in: go to e-File > Income Tax Returns > View Filed Returns and select View Details against the return. The page shows each stage of your return with its date.

• Without logging in: use the ITR Status service on the portal’s home page. Enter your acknowledgement number and mobile number, then the OTP sent to that number.

  
  

Each status tells you what to do next:

If verification is still pending, complete it with Aadhaar OTP, an electronic verification code (EVC) or net banking. You can also send the signed ITR-V by speed post to the Centralised Processing Centre in Bengaluru. Downloading the ITR-V acknowledgement does not complete verification.

Source: Income Tax Department, Know Your ITR Status User Manual.

The Income Tax Department specifies 30 days from filing for e-verification or submission of ITR-V under the applicable rules.

This applies to returns covered by the current 30-day verification requirement.

Last updated: 20th October, 2026

Source: Income Tax Department, ITR-V and 30-Day Verification FAQs.

Example: What happens if you verify late?

Priya submits her ITR on 5th July, 2026. If she completes verification on 10th July, 2026, the return is verified within the prescribed 30-day period.

If she completes verification on 10th August, 2026, the 30-day period has already passed. The applicable filing-date consequences and delay procedures must then be considered.

This matters because submitting a return before the filing deadline does not necessarily protect you from consequences if verification is delayed beyond the prescribed period.

Do not rely on older instructions referring to a general 120-day verification period for current filings.

You can verify your filed return electronically through the methods supported by the Income Tax Department.

Source: Income Tax Department, How to e-Verify.

For example, when verifying through Aadhaar OTP, select the relevant verification option, receive the OTP on the registered mobile number and complete the confirmation on the portal.

After verification, check that your return status has changed accordingly. The appropriate method depends on your account settings and the facilities available to you.

If you choose physical verification, you must send a duly signed ITR-V to the Income Tax Department's Centralised Processing Centre (CPC) in accordance with the prescribed instructions.

The process generally involves:

1. Downloading the ITR-V acknowledgement.
2. Printing and signing the form.
3. Checking the latest official submission address and mailing instructions.
4. Sending it using an accepted postal method.
5. Ensuring the signed form reaches CPC within the applicable period.
6. Checking the return's verification status afterwards.

The Income Tax Department's guidance specifies a 30-day period and accepts prescribed postal submission methods. Because postal instructions and address details must be exact, use the current official guidance when sending the form rather than relying on an address copied from an older article.

Online verification can avoid postal delivery delays when an appropriate electronic method is available.

Source: Income Tax Department, ITR-V Verification FAQs.

If the download option is missing or your return cannot be found, first confirm that you are signed in to the correct account and viewing the appropriate reporting period.

Avoid repeatedly filing a new return merely because the original download cannot be located. If you need a previously filed return, the correct action is to retrieve its existing record. A fresh filing or revision serves a different purpose and may have legal consequences.

Retaining filed ITRs helps you review earlier declarations, reconcile tax records and provide income documentation when required. An organised set of returns can also make it easier to identify differences in reported income from one year to another.

For example, a self-employed person preparing a Home Loan application may need to provide income-tax returns and supporting financial records for the periods requested during eligibility assessment.

However, a downloaded ITR is not proof that the income shown has been independently verified by a lender, nor does it guarantee loan approval. Keep the returns together with the relevant acknowledgements, tax-payment information and supporting income documents.

A filed ITR can help document declared income when a lender assesses a Home Loan application, particularly for self-employed applicants.

Bajaj Finance reviews the income, occupation, existing obligations and other information required for the relevant borrower profile.

Example: Preparing income records for a home loan

Arjun, a self-employed professional in Mumbai, is preparing to purchase an apartment. He needs to organise the income records requested during his home loan assessment.

Arjun should download the specific returns requested instead of assuming that a single acknowledgement contains all his income details.

The loan assessment may require additional documents and checks depending on his occupation and financial profile. You can review the home loan eligibility requirements to understand the income and documentation criteria applicable to your profile.

Most problems with a downloaded ITR come from picking the wrong document, the wrong year or the wrong next step. Avoid these six mistakes:

• Downloading ITR-V when a full return is needed: the ITR-V is a one-page acknowledgement. When a lender or authority asks for your return, download the complete filed ITR in PDF format.
• Selecting the wrong assessment year: income earned in FY 2025-26 sits under AY 2026-27. Check the year on the file before you share it.
• Treating the acknowledgement as proof of verification: a downloaded ITR-V confirms filing only. Check that your return status shows “Successfully verified” within 30 days of filing.
• Following older guides: portal menus and the verification deadline changed in 2022, when the limit fell from 120 days to 30 days. Use the current path: e-File > Income Tax Returns > View Filed Returns.
• Sharing returns without a clear need: an ITR carries your PAN, income, bank and address details. Send it only to a lender, employer or authority that has asked for it, and only the year and document they need.
• Expecting a fresh download to fix an error: downloading again shows the same filed data. Correct a mistake through a revised return under Section 139(5), filed by 31 December of the assessment year, or a rectification request under Section 154 after processing.

Check the reporting period, acknowledgement number, declared income and verification status after downloading your return. Keep a secure copy of the complete ITR and its acknowledgement. If verification is still pending, complete it within the applicable 30-day period.

If you are preparing a Home Loan application, organise the income statements, bank records and filed returns required for your employment or business profile. For an eligible residential property purchase, you can check your home loan eligibility for a Bajaj Finance Home Loan once your income and property documentation is ready.