Here’s How to Link Your PAN with Aadhaar Easily
PAN-Aadhar Linking: If you have a PAN card and it is not yet linked to your Aadhaar card, this news is for you. Linking your PAN and Aadhaar is mandatory under the income tax law. If this is not done by the deadline, your PAN may become inoperative, which could disrupt many of your essential financial services.
Why is linking PAN and Aadhaar necessary? According to Section 139AA of the Income Tax Act, any person who has a PAN and is eligible to obtain an Aadhaar number must link their PAN with their Aadhaar. If the PAN is not linked to Aadhaar, it will become inoperative. The good news for new PAN applicants is that the Aadhaar-PAN linking is done automatically at the time of application.
PAN-Aadhaar Linking Deadline: According to the new guidelines from the CBDT, individuals who obtained their PAN using their Aadhaar enrollment ID must link their PAN and Aadhaar by December 31, 2025. Failure to do so may result in their PAN becoming inoperative from January 1, 2026.
How to link PAN and Aadhaar?
-Visit the Income Tax e-filing portal (www.incometax.gov.in).
-Go to Quick Links and click on Link Aadhaar.
-Enter your PAN number, Aadhaar number, and the name as written on your Aadhaar card.
-An OTP will be sent to the mobile number linked to your Aadhaar; enter it.
-If you are linking after the previous deadline, a fee of ₹1,000 will have to be paid through e-Pay Tax.
-Submit the form after making the payment.
-The linking status is usually updated within 3–5 business days.
How to check PAN-Aadhaar linking status via SMS?
-Send this message from your mobile phone:
-UID PAN <Aadhaar Number> <PAN Number>
-Send it to 567678 or 56161.
What problems will you face if your PAN and Aadhaar are not linked?
-You won’t be able to file your ITR (Income Tax Return)
-Your tax refund may be delayed
-Form 15G/15H will not be valid
-Opening a demat account or conducting transactions may be restricted
-You won’t be able to invest in RBI bonds
-Several SEBI-related services will be affected
-Is linking PAN and Aadhaar free?
-No. Currently, linking PAN and Aadhaar requires a non-refundable fee of ₹1,000.
How to check PAN-Aadhaar linking status online?
-Select the ‘Link Aadhaar Status’ option on the Income Tax portal
-Enter your PAN and Aadhaar number
-The status will be displayed on the screen.
Name or details don’t match?
If the name or date of birth is different in your PAN and Aadhaar, please get it corrected on the UIDAI or Protean eGov website first, and then link them.
