What is the story about?
With just 9 days left until the deadline, taxpayers across India are being urged to link their Permanent Account Number (PAN) with Aadhaar by December 31, 2025. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has mandated this linkage for individuals whose PAN was issued based on an Aadhaar Enrolment ID filed before October 1, 2024.
Failure to comply will render the PAN inoperative from January 1, 2026, disrupting essential financial transactions and tax filings. The requirement to link a PAN with an Aadhaar number is not compulsory for NRIs, individuals aged 80 and above, and residents of Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, and Meghalaya.
Failure to link your PAN with Aadhaar can cause several disruptions:
Income tax returns cannot be filed, and refunds may be withheld.
KYC verification for bank accounts, investments, and loans may fail.
Tax deducted at source and tax collected at source rates may increase.
Routine transactions, such as SIP auto-debit and salary crediting, may be affected.
Common Issues and Solutions:
The mismatch of personal information between Aadhaar and PAN is a common stumbling problem for taxpayers, particularly differences in name spelling, date of birth, and gender. Even a missing middle name can result in a failed linking request.
To avoid issues:
- Verify your Aadhaar and PAN details carefully before linking.
- Update Aadhaar information online through the UIDAI portal.
- File correction requests for PAN cards through Protean (NSDL) or UTIITSL, if any changes are required
How to Link PAN and Aadhaar:
You can do it both online and offline.
Online:
- Visit the Income Tax e-Filing portal and select ‘Link Aadhaar’
- Enter yourPAN and Aadhaar numbers.
- Verify details using OTP sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile.
You can check your PAN-Aadhaar linking status on the Income Tax e-filing portal, and you'll see one of these messages:
Aadhaar already linked.
Linking request pending.
Aadhaar not linked.
Offline
SMS: Send UIDPAN 12-digit Aadhaar 10-digit PAN to shortcodes such as 567678 or 56161.
PAN Service Centres: Visit your nearest Protean (NSDL) or UTIITSL office with original documentation and self-attested copies. A small fee may apply.
Penalty for Late Linking
If you fail to link PAN and Aadhaar before the deadline, you will face a ₹1,000 penalty to reactivate your PAN and complete the linking process. Linking typically completes within days once the fine is cleared.
Failure to comply will render the PAN inoperative from January 1, 2026, disrupting essential financial transactions and tax filings. The requirement to link a PAN with an Aadhaar number is not compulsory for NRIs, individuals aged 80 and above, and residents of Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, and Meghalaya.
Failure to link your PAN with Aadhaar can cause several disruptions:
Income tax returns cannot be filed, and refunds may be withheld.
KYC verification for bank accounts, investments, and loans may fail.
Tax deducted at source and tax collected at source rates may increase.
Routine transactions, such as SIP auto-debit and salary crediting, may be affected.
Common Issues and Solutions:
The mismatch of personal information between Aadhaar and PAN is a common stumbling problem for taxpayers, particularly differences in name spelling, date of birth, and gender. Even a missing middle name can result in a failed linking request.
To avoid issues:
- Verify your Aadhaar and PAN details carefully before linking.
- Update Aadhaar information online through the UIDAI portal.
- File correction requests for PAN cards through Protean (NSDL) or UTIITSL, if any changes are required
How to Link PAN and Aadhaar:
You can do it both online and offline.
Online:
- Visit the Income Tax e-Filing portal and select ‘Link Aadhaar’
- Enter yourPAN and Aadhaar numbers.
- Verify details using OTP sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile.
You can check your PAN-Aadhaar linking status on the Income Tax e-filing portal, and you'll see one of these messages:
Aadhaar already linked.
Linking request pending.
Aadhaar not linked.
Offline
SMS: Send UIDPAN 12-digit Aadhaar 10-digit PAN to shortcodes such as 567678 or 56161.
PAN Service Centres: Visit your nearest Protean (NSDL) or UTIITSL office with original documentation and self-attested copies. A small fee may apply.
Penalty for Late Linking
If you fail to link PAN and Aadhaar before the deadline, you will face a ₹1,000 penalty to reactivate your PAN and complete the linking process. Linking typically completes within days once the fine is cleared.
