How to Link Aadhaar with PAN Card 2026

₹1,000

Late linking fee

7–30 days

Activation after linking

Mandatory

Section 139AA — IT Act

incometax.gov.in

Official portal

Linking Aadhaar with PAN is mandatory under Section 139AA of the Income Tax Act for all eligible PAN holders. The original deadline was June 30, 2023. If you missed it, your PAN is inoperative — but you can reactivate it by paying ₹1,000 and completing the linking. New PAN applicants are automatically linked during application.

Why it matters

What Happens with an Inoperative PAN?

No Tax Refunds

Tax refunds due to you are blocked until PAN is reactivated — even if your ITR was correctly filed.

Higher TDS (20%)

TDS is deducted at 20% on interest income, FD returns and other payments instead of the normal 10%.

Cannot File ITR

Income tax return filing requires an operative PAN. Inoperative PAN blocks ITR submission completely.

Financial Transactions Blocked

Banks and brokers may block transactions above threshold limits that require valid PAN submission.

Complete process

5 Steps to Link Aadhaar with PAN Online

ℹ️ Important — Pay fee BEFORE linking

You must pay ₹1,000 on the income tax portal before submitting the link request. If you submit without paying, you'll see "Payment details not found." After payment, wait 4–5 working days before submitting the link request if it doesn't reflect immediately.

1

Pay the ₹1,000 Fee via e-Pay Tax

Go to incometax.gov.in → click e-Pay Tax under Quick Links (no login needed). Enter your PAN, confirm PAN, enter mobile number → verify OTP. Click Continue → select Income Tax → click Continue → select payment type as Other Receipts (500) → sub-type: Fee for delay in linking PAN with Aadhaar. Amount ₹1,000 is pre-filled. Pay via net banking or UPI.

💡 Save the challan — you may need to show it if the portal asks for payment proof during linking.
2

Click Link Aadhaar on the Portal

On incometax.gov.in homepage, click Link Aadhaar under Quick Links — no login required. Alternatively, login with your PAN and go to My Profile → Link Aadhaar. Both paths work the same.
3

Enter PAN, Aadhaar and Name Details

Fill in: your 10-digit PAN, your 12-digit Aadhaar number, your name exactly as on Aadhaar, and your mobile number. Tick the consent checkbox. Click Validate.

🚫 Name must match Aadhaar exactly — even one letter difference causes failure. If names differ, fix the mismatch first (see below).
4

Verify OTP and Submit Request

If payment is verified, you'll see "Your payment details are verified" — click Continue. Enter the 6-digit OTP sent to your Aadhaar-registered mobile. Click Link Aadhaar to submit. An acknowledgement number confirms successful submission.

💡 If you see "Payment details not found" even after paying, wait 4–5 working days and try again. Don't pay twice.
5

Check Link Status After 1–7 Days

On the portal homepage, click Link Aadhaar Status under Quick Links. Enter your PAN and Aadhaar number → click View Link Aadhaar Status. Status shows as Linked, Pending with UIDAI, or Not Linked. Most cases complete within 30–60 minutes; allow up to 7 working days.

Alternative method

Link via SMS — After Paying Fee

After paying the ₹1,000 fee online, you can also submit the link request via SMS from your Aadhaar-registered mobile:

UIDPAN <12-digit Aadhaar> <10-digit PAN>Example: UIDPAN 123456789012 ABCDE1234F — Send to 567678 or 56161

The SMS method requires the ₹1,000 fee to be paid first. It will not work otherwise.

Exemptions

Who is Exempt from Aadhaar-PAN Linking?

These categories are NOT required to link Aadhaar with PAN:

Residents of Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, and Meghalaya (per Notification 37/2017)
Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) — individuals not resident in India
Individuals who are not Indian citizens
Individuals aged 80 years or above at any time during the relevant previous year

⚠️ Name Mismatch — How to Fix

If your name differs between Aadhaar ("Rajesh Kumar") and PAN ("R. Kumar"), linking fails. Fix options: (1) Correct PAN name via NSDL or UTIITSL PAN correction form (submit online with supporting documents, takes 5–10 days); (2) Correct Aadhaar name at a nearby UIDAI Aadhaar Seva Kendra with original documents. Minor variations may still be accepted if date of birth matches exactly — try submitting once before making corrections.

✅ How to check if already linked

Go to incometax.gov.in → Quick Links → Link Aadhaar Status → Enter PAN + Aadhaar → Click View. No login required. If linked, a confirmation is displayed with your Aadhaar number partially masked.

Common questions

Aadhaar-PAN Linking FAQ

What is the fee to link Aadhaar with PAN in 2026?+

The fee is ₹1,000 for late linking after the June 30, 2023 deadline. Paid via Income Tax e-Pay Tax portal using net banking or UPI. The fee must be paid before submitting the link request — the portal will not process linking without verified payment. The fee is non-refundable.

What happens if I don't link Aadhaar with PAN?+

Your PAN becomes inoperative. Consequences: (1) Tax refunds are blocked; (2) TDS deducted at 20% instead of normal rates; (3) ITR cannot be filed; (4) Financial transactions requiring PAN may be blocked. Pay ₹1,000 and link — PAN reactivates within 7–30 days of successful linking.

How long does Aadhaar-PAN linking take after submission?+

UIDAI processes the request typically within 30–60 minutes in most cases. It can take up to 7 working days for full validation. Check status at incometax.gov.in → Link Aadhaar Status. If pending for more than 30 days, contact your jurisdictional Assessing Officer or raise a grievance on the portal.

Can I link Aadhaar with PAN via SMS?+

Yes — after paying the ₹1,000 fee. Send: UIDPAN [12-digit Aadhaar] [10-digit PAN] to 567678 or 56161 from your Aadhaar-registered mobile number. The SMS method does not work without prior fee payment on the income tax portal.

What if my name on Aadhaar and PAN don't match?+

Name mismatches block linking. Fix options: Correct PAN name via NSDL/UTIITSL PAN correction online form (5–10 days) or correct Aadhaar name at a UIDAI Aadhaar Seva Kendra with original documents (usually same-day for minor corrections). Try submitting once first — minor variations (initials vs full name) may still be accepted if date of birth and gender match exactly.