The last date for linking PAN and Aadhaar is December 31, 2025. PANs not linked by this date will be declared inoperative. The Income Tax Department has warned that failure to comply with this rule may result in delayed tax refunds and increased TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) rates.
Unlinked PANs to Become Inoperative from 2026
New Delhi: The last date for PAN-Aadhaar linking is December 31. If your PAN card is not linked to your Aadhaar card by this date, your PAN will be declared inoperative from January 1, 2026. This means you will not be able to use it for filing tax returns or any major financial transactions. The Income Tax Department has warned that delays in linking may result in financial penalties and higher TDS rates.
According to Notification No. 26/2025, individuals who obtained a PAN based solely on their Aadhaar Enrolment ID before October 1, 2024, are required to link it with their permanent Aadhaar number. PANs that are not linked by this date will be declared inoperative. Those who have not yet linked their PAN will also have to pay a fee of Rs 1,000.
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To link your PAN and Aadhaar, you need a valid PAN, Aadhaar number, and a registered mobile number to receive the OTP. If your PAN was issued before July 1, 2017, and is not yet linked, a fee of Rs 1,000 is mandatory.
First, you need to visit the Income Tax Department's e-Filing portal. Under 'Quick Links', select the 'Link Aadhaar' option and enter your PAN and Aadhaar number. Then, select the e-Pay Tax option and pay the Rs 1,000 fee. Payment can be made through net banking, debit card, or UPI. It may take 4-5 working days for the payment to be updated in the system.
Once the payment is confirmed, start the linking process. Go to the Link Aadhaar section and enter your PAN and Aadhaar details. An OTP will be sent to your mobile number. Enter the OTP to complete Aadhaar verification. If only the year of birth is mentioned in your Aadhaar, verify that as well.
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Taxpayers can check the linking status even without logging in. On the e-Filing portal, go to the ‘Link Aadhaar Status’ option and enter your PAN and Aadhaar number. A successful linking will be indicated by a green checkmark, while pending cases will show a message stating that the request has been sent to UIDAI for verification.
If your PAN and Aadhaar are not linked, your PAN will become inoperative from January 2026. This will affect your tax returns, income tax refunds, and financial transactions. Therefore, the department has advised all taxpayers to complete the linking process before the deadline.
Thus, PAN-Aadhaar linking is not only a legal requirement but also essential for financial convenience and tax compliance.
