If you haven’t yet linked your PAN card with Aadhaar, you have very little time left. According to the Income Tax Department’s new guidelines, if PAN-Aadhaar linking isn’t completed by January 1, 2026, your PAN card will become inoperative. For citizens whose Aadhaar was issued on or before October 1, 2024, the December 31, 2025, deadline is of utmost importance.
Failure to do so on time will not only halt banking transactions but also result in a hefty fine of ₹1,000. In this article, we’ll explore why linking is necessary and how to complete it from home in just two minutes.
What are the disadvantages of not linking PAN-Aadhaar
An inoperative PAN card can create significant obstacles in your financial life. According to government regulations, if your PAN is not active, you won’t be able to file your Income Tax Return (ITR). Additionally, investments like the stock market, mutual funds, bonds, and insurance may be completely blocked.
The biggest setback will be when you need to take out a personal loan or home loan from banks, as banks will not process your file with an inactive PAN. Furthermore, if your PAN card is inactive, the TDS rates on your income will be significantly higher. Overall, this small negligence can be very costly.
What is the penalty for missing the deadline?
The Income Tax Department has set strict rules to make the linking process transparent. If a taxpayer fails to link their PAN and Aadhaar by the deadline, they will have to pay a penalty of ₹1,000 to reactivate the PAN.
This payment must be made through the ‘e-Pay Tax’ feature on the Income Tax portal. Keep in mind that simply submitting the challan will not suffice; after making the payment, you will need to resubmit the linking request on the portal before the process is considered complete.
What to do if there’s a mistake in the name or date of birth?
It’s often seen that linking requests fail due to mismatches in the spelling of the name, date of birth, mobile number, or gender in the PAN and Aadhaar. In such cases, correcting the data should be a top priority. To make corrections to your PAN, you can use the Protean (NSDL) or UTIITSL websites, while to make corrections to your Aadhaar, you’ll need to visit the UIDAI portal or the nearest Aadhaar center.
If you still experience problems with linking after online corrections, you can opt for biometric authentication at any authorized PAN service provider center. You’ll need to be present at the center with your PAN, Aadhaar, and a fee of ₹1,000.
The easiest way to link PAN-Aadhaar online
You no longer need to visit a cyber cafe or agent. You can complete this task in just 2 minutes using your smartphone. First, go to the Income Tax e-filing portal and select the ‘Link Aadhaar’ option. Enter your PAN and Aadhaar number and validate them. If the details are correct, an OTP will be sent to the mobile number linked to your Aadhaar. You can enter it and submit it. If you are doing this after the deadline, first pay the penalty and then repeat the linking process after 4-5 days.
How to check your linking status
Checking your status is very simple. Go to the Income Tax portal and click on ‘Link Aadhaar Status’. Once you enter your PAN and Aadhaar number, a message will appear on the screen indicating whether your Aadhaar is already linked or the request is pending. This will give you a clear idea of your next steps.
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