The deadline to link your Aadhaar (Unique Identification Number) with your PAN (Permanent Account Number) has now been extended to 31 December 2025 by the Income Tax Department. Previously, the final date to complete this mandatory linking was 31 May 2024, following an earlier cutoff of 30 June 2023. Failure to meet the updated deadline will result in your PAN becoming inoperative from 1 January 2026.
An inoperative PAN can significantly affect your financial activities. You may be subject to higher TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) and TCS (Tax Collected at Source) rates under Sections 206AA and 206CC of the Income Tax Act. This could also impact your ability to file income tax returns, open bank accounts, or conduct high-value transactions. To avoid these complications, ensure you complete the Aadhaar-PAN linking well before the due date.
However, if you have already attempted to link your Aadhaar with your PAN but are unsure if it was successful, you can verify your PAN Aadhaar link status by following a few simple steps. Let’s understand these steps in detail.
CBDT mandates PAN-Aadhaar linking for specific holders by 2025 end
In a significant update, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has announced a revised deadline for mandatory PAN-Aadhaar linking, extending the cut-off date to 31 December 2025. This move comes as part of the government's ongoing efforts to streamline taxpayer identification and curb fraudulent practices.
As per the updated directive, individuals who fail to link their Permanent Account Number (PAN) with their Aadhaar number by the new deadline will have their PAN cards rendered inoperative starting 1 January 2026. This could lead to several inconveniences, such as being unable to file income tax returns, restricted access to banking services, and being subject to higher TDS/TCS rates under Sections 206AA and 206CC of the Income Tax Act.
The mandate applies specifically to those individuals who are required to file income tax returns and whose PAN was issued before July 1, 2017. Non-resident Indians (NRIs), individuals above 80 years of age, and residents of Assam, Meghalaya, and Jammu & Kashmir are exempt from this rule.
With over 51 crore PANs already linked with Aadhaar (as per government reports), the CBDT urges all remaining individuals to complete the linking process at the earliest to avoid disruptions in their financial and tax-related transactions.
How to check Aadhaar card PAN card link status online?
You can check your PAN Aadhaar link status by following these two simple steps:
1. Check the PAN Aadhaar card link status without logging into the income tax portal
You can easily check your PAN-Aadhaar link status without logging into the income tax portal. Here are the steps:
- Step I: Go to the Income Tax e-filing website.
- Step II: Look for the ‘Quick Links’ section on the homepage and click ‘Link Aadhaar Status’.
- Step III: Enter your PAN and Aadhaar number in the provided fields and click the ‘View Link Aadhaar Status’ button.
- Step IV: Now, you can see three different types of messages depending on your current PAN-Aadhaar link status:
- If linked: You will see a message saying, "Your PAN is already linked to given Aadhaar.”
- If linking is in progress: You will see the message, "Your Aadhaar-PAN linking request has been sent to UIDAI for validation. Please check the status later."
- If not linked: If your Aadhaar is not linked to your PAN, you will see the message, "PAN not linked with Aadhaar. Please click ‘Link Aadhaar’ to link your Aadhaar with PAN.”
2. Check the Aadhaar PAN card link status by logging into the income tax portal
If you have already registered on the income tax portal, you can log in and check the Aadhaar-PAN link status. You just have to follow these steps:
- Step I: Login to the Income Tax e-filing portal using your credentials.
- Step II: Now, you can follow either of the two methods after logging in:
- Go to the ‘Dashboard’ on the homepage and click the ‘Link Aadhaar Status’ option.
- Alternatively, you can go to the ‘My Profile’ section and click the ‘Link Aadhaar Status’ option.
- Step III: Depending on your current PAN-Aadhaar link status, you will see three different messages:
- If linked: If your Aadhaar is linked to your PAN, your Aadhaar number will be displayed on the screen.
- Not linked: If your Aadhaar is not linked to your PAN, the status will show as ‘Link Aadhaar Status’.
- In progress: If your request to link Aadhaar with PAN is still being processed by UIDAI, you will need to check the status later.
3. Direct link to check Aadhaar card PAN card link status
Also, you can check the PAN Aadhaar link status by visiting this direct link - https://eportal.incometax.gov.in/iec/foservices/#/pre-login/link-aadhaar-status.
Let’s see how:
- Step I: Go to the direct link provided above.
- Step II: On this page, enter your PAN and Aadhaar number in the respective fields.
- Step III: Click the ‘View Link Aadhaar Status’ button.
- Step IV: The status of your PAN-Aadhaar linking will be shown on the screen.
How to check Aadhaar card and PAN card link status via SMS?
If you want to check your PAN-Aadhaar link status offline, you can do so by sending an SMS in the specified format to the provided official numbers (mentioned below). After sending an SMS, you can quickly check the Aadhaar-PAN link status based on the reply you receive. Let’s learn how:
- Step I: Write a message in this format:
- UIDPAN followed by your 12-digit Aadhaar number and your 10-digit PAN number.
- For example, UIDPAN 123456789012 ABCDE1234F.
- Step II: Send this SMS to either 567678 or 56161.
- Step III: Wait for a reply from the service.
- Step IV: After getting a reply, check the message:
- If linked: You will receive a message saying, "Aadhaar is already associated with PAN (your PAN number) in the ITD database. Thank you for using our services."
- If not linked: The message will say, "Aadhaar is not associated with PAN (your PAN number) in the ITD database. Thank you for using our services."
How to link Aadhaar with a PAN Card Online?
If your Aadhaar is not linked to your PAN card, you can still link them by paying a late fee of Rs. 1,000 on the Income Tax Department’s website. Follow these summarised steps to complete the process online:
- Visit the Income Tax e-filing portal.
- Under Quick Links, click on Link Aadhaar.
- Enter your PAN and Aadhaar number, then click Validate.
- Select Continue to Pay Through e-Pay Tax.
- Enter your PAN and mobile number, then click Continue.
- Under the Income Tax tab, click Proceed and pay the challan.
- After payment, return to the Link Aadhaar option under Quick Links.
- Re-enter your PAN and Aadhaar, then click Validate.
- Provide your Aadhaar number, mobile number, and OTP, then click Validate.
The request will be forwarded to the UIDAI for validation. Alternatively, you can submit the Aadhaar-PAN linking request form at a PAN card center.
Why PAN to Aadhaar card linking is important?
Linking your PAN (Permanent Account Number) with your Aadhaar is a critical compliance requirement set by the Income Tax Department of India. It serves multiple purposes beyond just avoiding penalties. Here's why it is important:
- Avoid PAN Inactivation: If not linked by the prescribed deadline (currently 31 December 2025), your PAN becomes inoperative, meaning it can’t be used for filing income tax returns or conducting certain financial transactions.
- Prevents Higher TDS/TCS: An inoperative PAN triggers higher tax deduction (TDS) and tax collection (TCS) rates under Sections 206AA and 206CC, which can reduce your net income unnecessarily.
- Ensures Seamless ITR Filing: The Income Tax Department requires Aadhaar-PAN linkage for filing your Income Tax Returns (ITR). Without it, your ITR may be deemed invalid or go unprocessed.
- Reduces Tax Evasion and Duplication: Linking helps eliminate duplicate PAN cards and prevents fraudulent activities, promoting a more transparent tax system.
- Mandatory for Financial Transactions: A linked PAN-Aadhaar is often necessary for opening bank accounts, mutual fund investments, and large-value transactions.
Fees for Aadhaar and PAN card linking
Linking your PAN with Aadhaar was free until 31st March 2022. However, if you linked your PAN with Aadhaar after 31st March 2022 but before 30th June 2022, a penalty of Rs. 500 was imposed. The penalty increased to Rs. 1,000 if the linking was done after 30th June 2022.
If you have not yet linked your PAN with Aadhaar, you must pay a penalty of Rs. 1,000 to complete the process. Also, if you had not done the linking before 30th June 2023, your PAN card must have become inactive or inoperative from 1st July 2023.
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Who should link their Aadhaar card with PAN card?
As per Section 139AA of the Income Tax Act, every individual holding a PAN (Permanent Account Number) is required to link it with their Aadhaar card. This linking is essential for filing income tax returns and completing various financial transactions.
Initially, the last date to link PAN with Aadhaar was 30 June 2023, after which unlinked PANs were marked as inoperative from 1 July 2023. The deadline was later extended to 31 May 2024.
Latest Update:
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has now further extended the deadline to 31 December 2025. This provides additional time for taxpayers to complete the PAN-Aadhaar linking process by paying a penalty of Rs. 1,000 as mandated under Section 234H.
If PAN remains unlinked after this deadline:
- It will continue to be treated as inoperative.
- The individual may face higher TDS and TCS deductions.
- It may also impact income tax filing and refund processing.
Not all PAN holders are required to link their Aadhaar. The following categories are exempt:
- Non-Resident Indians (NRIs)
- Individuals aged 80 years and above
- Residents of Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, and Meghalaya
These exemptions are granted based on specific demographic or geographic considerations.
Important Reminder:
To avoid inconvenience in tax-related services and banking transactions, it's strongly advised to link PAN with Aadhaar well before the 31 December 2025 deadline.
How many days for Aadhaar PAN Link?
The process of linking your PAN with Aadhaar typically takes 6-7 business days. Once you initiate the process, the Income Tax Portal verifies your details, and upon confirmation, the linking is successfully completed.
How to link Aadhaar with PAN to file Income Tax Returns
When filing your income tax return, linking Aadhaar and PAN is essential unless you are exempted in certain cases. Exemptions include:
- Non-Resident Indians (NRI), Persons of Indian Origin (PIO), and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI): Individuals in these categories conducting business in India do not need to link their PAN and Aadhaar.
- Foreign Nationals Residing in India: These individuals are not required to link their PAN with Aadhaar.
- Residents of Assam, Meghalaya, and Jammu & Kashmir: People living in these states are exempt from the mandatory linking of PAN and Aadhaar.
- Senior Citizens Above 80: Individuals over the age of 80 are not required to link their PAN and Aadhaar cards.
Conclusion
To remain compliant, all PAN card holders in India had to link their PAN with their Aadhaar by 31st May 2024 after paying a penalty of Rs. 1,000. If you have already linked your Aadhaar with your PAN but are unsure if it was successful, you can check the PAN-Aadhaar link status online and offline.
If you prefer to check the status online, go to the income tax e-filing portal. There, you can see your current linking status by logging in or without logging in. Also, you can access the direct link mentioned below to check your PAN Aadhaar link status. On the other hand, if you prefer offline mode, you can send an SMS in the prescribed format to the provided numbers.
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