Linking your PAN and Aadhaar is crucial for Indian citizens, with the deadline being December 31, 2025. If you don’t do so within this deadline, your PAN card will become inoperative from January 1, 2026. The consequences of an inactive PAN can be serious—your income tax return (ITR) can’t be filed, refunds may be blocked, salary credits may be disrupted, and even your SIPs may fail. Linking your PAN with Aadhaar doesn’t require you to travel anywhere; you can complete the process online from the comfort of your home.
PAN-Aadhaar linking mandatory
To promote accountability in tax filing, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has made linking your PAN with Aadhaar mandatory. This is required for filing your Income Tax Return (ITR). For those who received their PAN card on or before October 1, 2025, the deadline for linking your PAN with Aadhaar is December 31, 2025.
For your information, those who obtained their PAN using their Aadhaar enrollment ID will also need to re-link it. Such users can easily link their PAN with Aadhaar online through the Income Tax e-filing portal.
What will be the major loss if you don’t link
If you don’t link your PAN and Aadhaar by December 31st, your income tax return will not be filed or verified. Your refund will be withheld, pending returns will not be processed, and TDS/TCS credits will not be reflected in Form 26AS. Additionally, TDS/TCS deductions or collections may be made at higher rates. Once you re-link, your PAN usually becomes functional again within 30 days.
How to link PAN with Aadhaar online
You can link your PAN card with Aadhaar by visiting the Income Tax Department’s website. You need to follow a few simple steps:
First, visit the Income Tax Department’s official website.
Next, you’ll see the ‘Link Aadhaar’ option on the screen. Click on it.
Now enter your PAN, Aadhaar, and mobile number.
After doing so, an OTP will be sent to your number. Verify with the OTP.
If your PAN is already inactive, you’ll first need to pay ₹1,000.
After making the payment, check the status by going to ‘Link Aadhaar Status’ under ‘Quick Links’.
Keep these things in mind
When linking your PAN with Aadhaar, keep these things in mind:
Your name, date of birth, and mobile number on your PAN and Aadhaar cards must match exactly.
Don’t wait for the deadline; the website may be slow on that day.
Once the linking is complete, save a screenshot for future reference.
If you are facing any issue in linking PAN with Aadhaar online, you can follow the instructions given on the Income Tax Department website or seek help from a tax professional.
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