According to the CBDT directive, those who were assigned a PAN as of July 1, 2017, and have a valid Aadhaar, should link the two documents. Those who received their PAN before October 1, 2025, using an Aadhaar-enrolment ID (rather than their final Aadhaar number) are specifically subject to the new deadline of December 31, 2025.
Those who fail to complete the mandatory process by the December 31 deadline will find their PAN inoperative, leading to disruption in several financial transactions. If a PAN is not linked by the due date, it will become ‘inoperative’ from January 1, 2026. Inoperative PAN card holders may face several issues in filing Income Tax returns, getting refunds and disruptions in financial transactions.
Moreover, KYC-based activities that include investment, redemption, account opening and loan processing may be put on hold by banks, mutual funds and other financial intermediaries.
How to link PAN and Aadhaar: A step-by-step guide
The government has made the linking process simple and accessible online:
Visit the official Income Tax e-Filing portal (www.incometax.gov.in). On the homepage, click on “Link Aadhaar” under the “Quick Links” section.
Enter your 10-digit PAN, 12-digit Aadhaar number, and your name exactly as it appears on Aadhaar.
Check the details and then click the button to submit. An OTP will be sent to the mobile number linked with your Aadhaar. Enter the OTP to authenticate.
Upon successful submission, a confirmation message appears — linkage typically reflects on the portal within 3–5 working days.
Reactivating an inoperative PAN requires paying a fee of ₹1,000 via the e-Pay Tax facility before submitting the linkage request. The PAN may be reactivated after completion of the due process. However, it can take up to 30 days.
The income tax authorities have advised citizens to check the status of their PAN-Aadhaar link immediately and complete the process before the due date of December 31, 2025.
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