PAN Card and Aadhaar Linking: Last Date, Process, and Importance
Linking your PAN card with your Aadhaar card is now mandatory for most taxpayers in India. The government has set deadlines to ensure your PAN remains operative and you can file your income tax returns, complete financial transactions, and avail refunds without complications. Missing the deadline could render your PAN inoperative, affecting banking, investments, and other financial activities. In this guide, we explain the last date to link PAN and Aadhaar, the step-by-step linking process, exemptions, and consequences of non‑linking.
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PAN Card and Aadhaar Linking: Last Date, Process, and Importance |
Learn how to link your PAN card with Aadhaar before the last date. Check the deadline, step-by-step online process, exemptions, and consequences if you fail to link your PAN with Aadhaar. Ensure your PAN remains operative and compliant with income tax rules.
What is the Aadhaar‑PAN Link and Why It Matters
The Aadhaar card is a 12‑digit unique ID issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to residents of India, which holds biometric and demographic data. CBDT under the Income‑tax Act to track financial transactions, tax filings, etc.
Linking Aadhaar with PAN means that your PAN number is linked/seeded with your Aadhaar number. The objective:
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Prevent duplication and misuse of PANs. Improve tax compliance, ensure proper KYC in financial services.
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Ensure your PAN is operative (valid) for filing returns, making investments, doing financial transactions.
In short: if you hold a PAN and an Aadhaar, you are required to link them (unless specifically exempted).
Deadlines for Linking and Latest Update
Over the years the deadlines have shifted. Here are the key timeline points:
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Initially, under section 139AA of the Income‑tax Act, the requirement was that individuals allotted PAN as of 1 July 2017 who had an Aadhaar number or were eligible for one, had to intimate their Aadhaar to the prescribed authority within the timeline.
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On 28 March 2023 the Ministry of Finance announced a notification extending the date to 30 June 2023 for linking PAN with Aadhaar.
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Subsequently, for most taxpayers, the effective deadline of linking without further penalty or complications was set as 30 June 2023.
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However, for a specific group of PAN holders — those who obtained their PAN on the basis of an Aadhaar enrolment ID (i.e., they may have applied for PAN citing an Aadhaar‑enrolment) before 1 October 2024 — the final extended deadline to link Aadhaar with PAN is 31 December 2025. If these PANs are not linked by that date, they will become inoperative from 1 January 2026.
Therefore:
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If you are a “regular” PAN holder and haven’t linked by June 2023, your PAN may already be marked inoperative.
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If you are in the category of PAN issued via Aadhaar enrolment ID before Oct 2024, you have till 31 Dec 2025.
Who Must Link and Who Is Exempt
Who must link?
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Any individual who has been allotted a PAN as on 1 July 2017 and is eligible to obtain an Aadhaar number must link with Aadhaar.
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Essentially, most Indian residents holding both Aadhaar and PAN must link.
Who is exempt?
Some categories are exempt from linking. These include:
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Individuals residing in the States of Assam, Meghalaya and the former State of Jammu & Kashmir.
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Non‑resident taxable persons as per the Income Tax Act.
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Persons aged 80 years or more at any time during the relevant year.
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Persons who are not citizens of India.
Always verify your status if you think you might be exempt.
What Happens If You Do Not Link PAN with Aadhaar
Failing to link by the prescribed deadline carries significant consequences:
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PAN becomes inoperative
If Aadhaar is not linked, your PAN may be classified as “inoperative” (essentially invalid for purposes of many transactions). -
Inability to file Income Tax Return (ITR)
An inoperative PAN means your ITR may be rejected or you cannot properly file. -
Higher TDS/TCS rates
When PAN is invalid/inoperative, tax deducted at source (TDS) or collected at source (TCS) may be at higher rates under sections 206AA/206CC. -
No tax refunds / no interest on refunds
If your PAN is inoperative, pending refunds may not be processed, and interest on those refunds may be forfeited. -
Limitations in financial services
You may face restrictions in opening new bank accounts, investing in mutual funds, purchasing high value items, or carrying out large cash transactions. -
Services linked with PAN may be suspended
Demat account transactions, issuance of credit cards, certain investments — many of these depend on an operative PAN.
In other words: linking is critical if you want your PAN to remain valid for tax and financial services.
How to Link Your Aadhaar with PAN: Step‑by‑Step
The process is relatively simple and can be done online. Here are the key steps:
Online (Pre‑Login method)
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Visit the Income Tax e‑filing portal (or go to the “Link Aadhaar” page).
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Enter your 10‑digit PAN, 12‑digit Aadhaar number, name as per Aadhaar, and mobile number (mobile number must be the one registered with Aadhaar).
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Tick the declaration “I agree to validate my Aadhaar details with UIDAI”.
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You will receive an OTP on the mobile number registered with Aadhaar. Enter the OTP to validate.
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Once validated, the PAN‑Aadhaar linking request is submitted; you can check the status through the portal.
Online (Login method)
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Log into your account on the e‑filing portal.
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Navigate to My Profile → Link Aadhaar.
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Enter Aadhaar number, validate using OTP, submit.
SMS Method
You can also link via SMS:
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Send an SMS to 567678 or 56161 in the format:
UIDPAN <12‑digit Aadhaar> <10‑digit PAN> -
Example:
UIDPAN 123456789012 ABCDE1234F
Important: Ensure Details Match
If the name, date of birth or gender on your Aadhaar and PAN don’t exactly match, linking will fail. In such cases you may need to update either your Aadhaar or PAN details to ensure they match.
What to Do Now – A Simple Checklist
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Check if your PAN is already linked with Aadhaar. Use the “Link Aadhaar Status” option on the e‑filing portal.
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If not linked and you have a PAN + Aadhaar, link them immediately (especially if you fall in the 31 December 2025 deadline group).
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Make sure your mobile number registered with Aadhaar is active and correct, so you can receive OTPs.
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If name/date of birth/gender mismatch between Aadhaar and PAN, get them corrected (either via UIDAI for Aadhaar or NSDL/UTI‑PAN portals for PAN) before attempting linking.
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Save or take screenshot of confirmation after linking.
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If your PAN is already inoperative because you missed an earlier deadline, follow the process on the portal to reactivate (which may involve payment of a late fee) and then link.
Final Thoughts
Linking your Aadhaar with your PAN is one of those tasks that might seem like just another formality — but it carries real consequences. If you let your PAN become inoperative, you risk losing the ability to file your taxes properly, get refunds, do KYC for banks or mutual funds, and perform many financial transactions.
The good news: the process is online and simple — usually just entering your PAN, Aadhaar and OTP. The trick is not to delay, especially given that for many taxpayers the final deadline is 31 December 2025 (for the specific group) and for most others the date has already passed.
If you act now, you’ll avoid last‑minute stress, penalties, and the cascade of problems that an inoperative PAN can bring. Think of it as insurance for your financial and tax compliance. Once linking is done, you can breathe easier, knowing your PAN remains valid and fully functional.
PAN-Aadhaar Linking FAQ
1. What is PAN-Aadhaar linking?
Linking means connecting your Permanent Account Number (PAN) with your Aadhaar number. It allows the Income Tax Department to verify your identity, prevent duplicate PANs, and ensure compliance with tax laws.
2. Who needs to link PAN with Aadhaar?
All Indian residents holding a PAN who also have an Aadhaar are required to link both, unless exempted. Exemptions include residents of Assam, Meghalaya, and Jammu & Kashmir, non-resident taxpayers, and persons aged 80 years or above.
3. What is the last date to link PAN with Aadhaar?
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For most PAN holders: the last official deadline was 30 June 2023.
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For PANs issued using Aadhaar enrolment before 1 October 2024: the final deadline is 31 December 2025.
Failing to link will render your PAN inoperative from 1 January 2026.
4. What happens if I don’t link PAN and Aadhaar?
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Your PAN will become inoperative, meaning it cannot be used for filing taxes or KYC.
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Higher TDS/TCS rates may be applied on transactions.
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You may face difficulties in banking, investments, and obtaining refunds.
5. How can I link PAN with Aadhaar?
Online (via Income Tax e-filing portal):
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Go to the e-filing portal.
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Enter your PAN, Aadhaar number, name as per Aadhaar, and OTP.
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Submit to complete linking.
SMS Method:
Send SMS to 567678 or 56161 in this format:
6. What if my PAN and Aadhaar details do not match?
If your name, date of birth, or gender differs between PAN and Aadhaar, linking will fail. You must update your PAN or Aadhaar details so they match exactly.
7. How can I check if my PAN is already linked with Aadhaar?
You can check the status online on the Income Tax e-filing portal:
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Log in → My Profile → PAN-Aadhaar Link Status.
8. Can minors link PAN and Aadhaar?
Minors who have been issued a PAN but do not have an Aadhaar are exempt until they obtain an Aadhaar after reaching the eligible age.
9. Is there a fee for linking PAN and Aadhaar?
No, the linking process is free of charge when done online or via SMS.
10. Can I link PAN with Aadhaar offline?
No, currently PAN-Aadhaar linking is online via e-filing portal or SMS only. There is no offline submission process for linking.
11. How long does it take for PAN-Aadhaar linking to reflect?
Once submitted successfully, linking is usually instant or takes a few hours to update in the Income Tax database. You will receive a confirmation message on successful linking.
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