The Indian government has made it mandatory to link your PAN and Aadhaar cards. If you haven’t yet linked your PAN with your Aadhaar card, this news is very important for you. According to the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), those who fail to link their PAN with Aadhaar by December 31st, 2025, their PAN cards rendered inoperative, i.e., deactivated, from January 1st, 2026. This will directly impact your income tax return filing, tax refunds, and other financial activities.
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Why is it important to link PAN and Aadhaar?
A PAN card is a 10-digit unique identification number issued by the Income Tax Department. It helps the government track an individual’s tax payments, income details, and financial transactions. Meanwhile, the Aadhaar card is a biometric identification number that verifies a citizen’s identity and address.
The purpose of linking the two is to bring transparency to the tax system and curb problems like fake PAN cards and tax evasion. The government has extended the deadline for this process several times in the past so that all citizens can easily complete it. Currently, the deadline is December 31, 2025
Disadvantages of Not Linking PAN-Aadhaar
If an individual does not link their PAN and Aadhaar by December 31, 2025, their PAN card will become inactive from the next day, i.e., January 1, 2026. After this, the individual will neither be able to file income tax returns nor will their pending refunds be issued. Furthermore, their TDS or TCS credits will not be reflected in Form 26AS.
Once the PAN card is deactivated, activities such as stock market trading, new investments, or banking transactions will be affected. However, once the linking process is completed, the PAN card will be reactivated, but it may take at least 30 days.
Who is exempted from PAN-Aadhaar linking?
The Income Tax Department has exempted certain categories of citizens from PAN-Aadhaar linking. These include residents of Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, and Meghalaya, senior citizens aged 80 years or above, NRIs (Non-Resident Indians), and foreign nationals. These individuals are not required to link.
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How to Link PAN and Aadhaar Online
- The process of linking PAN with Aadhaar is very simple.
- First, visit the Income Tax Department’s official website, www.incometax.gov.in.
- Click on “Link Aadhaar” in the “Quick Links” section.
- Now, enter your PAN number, Aadhaar number, and mobile number and click “Validate.”
- If your PAN is not yet linked to Aadhaar, an OTP will be sent to your registered mobile number.
- Upon entering the OTP, your PAN card will be linked to Aadhaar, and a confirmation message will appear on the screen.