If you haven’t linked your Aadhaar card and PAN card yet, hurry up. You only have until December 31, 2025, to do so. If you don’t do so by the deadline, your PAN card will become inoperative from January 1, 2026. This means you won’t be able to file your Income Tax Return (ITR) and won’t receive any refunds. Furthermore, you may face problems with salary credits, and your SIPs may fail. Linking your Aadhaar and PAN doesn’t require any travel. You can link your PAN with your Aadhaar online from the comfort of your home.
Why is linking your Aadhaar and PAN cards so important
To promote accountability in tax filing, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has made it mandatory to link your Aadhaar with your PAN card. This is essential for filing your ITR. For those who received their PAN card on or before October 1, 2025, the last date for linking their Aadhaar with their PAN is December 31, 2025.
Who will need to re-link
Anyone who obtained a PAN using their Aadhaar enrollment ID will also need to re-link it. Such users can easily link their Aadhaar with their PAN online through the Income Tax e-filing portal.
What will happen if you don’t link your PAN with Aadhaar
If you don’t link your PAN and Aadhaar by December 31, 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 may be deducted or collected at a higher rate. When you link your PAN later, your PAN will usually be reactivated within 30 days.
How to Link PAN with Aadhaar
First, you need to visit the official Income Tax website.
You will then see the ‘Link Aadhaar’ option on your screen. Click on it.
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 will need to pay ₹1,000 first.
Then, go to ‘Link Aadhaar Status’ under ‘Quick Links’ and check the status.