PAN and Aadhaar Link – How to Link PAN Card with Aadhaar Online (2026)

Linking PAN and Aadhaar is mandatory under Section 139AA of the Income Tax Act, 1961. All PAN cardholders in India must complete their PAN Aadhaar link to ensure their PAN card remains operative for tax filing, investments, and banking transactions. As of 2026, a penalty of ₹1,000 applies to delayed PAN-Aadhaar linking requests. 

Key Highlights

• Process to link PAN-Aadhaar: Online via the Income Tax e-filing portal or via SMS.
• Last date to link PAN-Aadhaar: 31 May 2024 or 31 December for PAN holders who obtained their card on or before 1 October 2024 using Aadhaar enrolment ID.
• Penalty for PAN-Aadhaar linking after deadline: ₹1,000
• Penalty collected for delayed PAN-Aadhaar linking: The Government has collected ₹600 crore in penalties for delayed PAN-Aadhaar linking.

What is PAN and Aadhaar Link?

PAN-Aadhaar linking is the mandatory integration of a 10-digit Permanent Account Number (PAN) with a 12-digit Aadhaar number, as required by Section 139AA of the Income Tax Act. This process prevents tax evasion, duplicate PAN cards and allows the Income Tax Department to track financial transactions efficiently.

Who is Exempt from PAN-Aadhaar Linking?

The following need not link their Aadhaar with PAN cards since they come under the exempt category:

• Non-Residents Indians (NRIs).
• Individuals who are not citizens of India.
• Citizens aged above 80 years.
• Residents of Assam, Meghalaya and Jammu and Kashmir.

PAN Aadhaar Link Penalty & Fee

Taxpayers must pay a ₹1,000 penalty through the ‘e-Pay Tax’ option on the Income Tax portal for linking Aadhaar with PAN after the deadline.

Here is a table of fees to be paid for linking PAN with Aadhaar:

How to Link PAN and Aadhaar Online?

The process to link PAN and Aadhaar involves two main steps:

I. Payment of Fees For PAN-Aadhaar Linking

Step 1: Visit the ‘e-Pay Tax’ page on the Income Tax e-Filing Portal.

Step 2: Select ‘Income Tax Act, 2025’ option and click ‘Continue’.

Step 3: Enter the ‘PAN’ number under ‘PAN/TAN’ and ‘Confirm PAN/TAN’ column, enter mobile number and click the ‘Continue’ button.

Step 4: After OTP verification, it will be redirected to the e-Pay Tax page. Click the ‘Continue’ button.

Step 5: Click the ‘Proceed’ button under the ‘Income Tax’ tab.

Step 6: Select Tax Year as ‘2026-27’, ‘Type of Payment (Minor Head)’ as ‘Other Receipts (500)’ and Sub-type of Payment as ‘Fee for delay in linking PAN with Aadhaar’ and click the ‘Continue’ button.

Step 7: The applicable amount will be pre-filled against the ‘Others’ option. Click the ‘Continue’ button and make the payment.

After making the payment, link your PAN with your Aadhaar card as soon as possible.

Note: You can pay the late penalty on the Income Tax e-filing portal via net banking, debit card, NEFT/RTGS, over the counter, or payment gateway. The payment gateway option is available only for accounts held with authorised banks. 

II. Submit Requests for Linking of Aadhaar Number and PAN

You can link your Aadhaar with PAN online through the Income Tax e-filing portal in two ways:

A. Linking of Aadhaar Number and PAN: Without Login

This method allows linking without logging into the portal.

Step 1: Go to the Link Aadhaar page.

Step 2: Enter your PAN and Aadhaar number and click the ‘Validate’ button.

Step 3: Enter your name as per your Aadhaar card and mobile number, tick the consent and click the ‘Link Aadhaar’ button.

Step 4: Enter the OTP received on your mobile number and click the ‘Validate’ button.

Step 5: The request for PAN Aadhaar linking will be sent to the UIDAI for validation. 

If the payment details are not verified on the e-filing portal: 

• After validating your PAN and Aadhaar, if a message appears saying ‘Payment details not found’, click ‘Continue to Pay Through e-Pay Tax’ to pay the linking fee.
• After payment or if you have already paid the fees, wait 4 - 5 days for processing (though it usually reflects within 30-60 minutes) before submitting your PAN-Aadhaar linking request.

B. Linking of Aadhaar Number and PAN: With Login

This method requires logging into your e-filing account.

Step 1: Log in to the Income Tax e-filing portal. 

Step 2: On the Dashboard, go to ‘Profile’ section and click on ‘Link Aadhaar’ under the ‘Link Aadhaar to PAN’ option. Alternatively, you can go to the ‘Personal Details’ section and click on ‘Link Aadhaar’ under ‘Profile’.

Step 3: Enter your Aadhaar number and click the ‘Validate’ button.

Step 4: You will see a pop-up message that ‘Your payment details are verified’. Click ‘Continue’ on the pop-up message.

Step 5: Enter your name as per your Aadhaar card, tick the consent and click the ‘Link Aadhaar’ button.

Step 6: The request for PAN Aadhaar linking will be sent to the UIDAI for validation.

After submitting your PAN Aadhaar link request, UIDAI will process it, and your PAN will be reactivated within 7-30 days.

How to Link PAN and Aadhaar via SMS?

Follow the steps to link PAN with Aadhaar via SMS after paying the fees of ₹1,000 for PAN-Aadhaar linking:

Step 1: Write the following SMS: UIDPAN <12 digit Aadhaar number> <10 digit PAN number>

Step 2: Send the SMS to ‘567678’ or ‘56161’.

You will receive an SMS regarding the status of your PAN Aadhaar link.

How to Link PAN and Aadhaar Offline?

Step 1: Visit the nearest PAN service centre (Protean or UTIITSL).

Step 2: Request the officials to link your PAN with Aadhaar through biometric-based authentication.

Step 3: Provide a copy of your PAN and Aadhaar card to the officials. 

Step 4: Complete biometric authentication at the centre.

Step 5: Pay the fee of ₹1,000 for the challan copy and biometric authentication charge. 

Step 6: Collect the acknowledgement slip from the centre.

How to Fix Name Mismatch for PAN-Aadhaar Linking?

When there is a mismatch in your name on your Aadhaar and PAN cards, you will not be able to link them. In such a situation, you need to update either your Aadhaar card or PAN card to reflect the same name on both cards. 

Process to Update Name in Aadhaar Card

Currently, there is no online facility to update the name on the Aadhaar card. Here is the process to change name on Aadhaar card offline:

• Download the Aadhaar Enrolment and Update Form from the UIDAI website. 
• Fill in the form and submit it at the nearest Aadhaar Enrolment Centre or Aadhaar Seva Kendra.
• Submit the original Proof of Identity document (Passport, PAN, Voter ID, ration card, driving license, etc.) along with the form.
• Pay a fee of ₹50 for updating your name on your Aadhaar.
• You will receive an acknowledgement slip with a URN that you can use to track the status of your name update on your Aadhaar card.

Process to Update Name in PAN Card

• Visit the NSDL (Protean) portal or the UTIITSL portal.
• Select ‘Changes or Correction in PAN Data’.
• Enter the required details on the form.
• Upload supporting documents (Copy of the existing PAN card and Aadhaar card).
• Pay the prescribed fee. Download and save the acknowledgement receipt.

Once you receive your new Aadhaar or PAN card with the updated name being identical on both these cards, you can apply for Aadhaar-PAN linking.

How to Reactivate Inoperative PAN?

If your PAN card has become inoperative due to not being linked with Aadhaar, you can reactivate it by following the below steps:

Step 1: Pay the fine of ₹1,000 through the 'e-Pay Tax' page on the Income Tax e-filing portal.

Step 2: After paying the penalty, visit the 'Link Aadhaar' page.

Step 3: Enter the required details and click the 'Link Aadhaar' button to submit the PAN-Aadhaar link request.

The request to link PAN with Aadhaar will be sent to UIDAI for validation. Once approved, PAN generally becomes operative again within about 30 days.

How to Check PAN and Aadhaar Link Status?

You can check the PAN and Aadhaar link status, through any of the following ways:

• Visiting the Link Aadhaar Status page and entering the required details. 
• Logging into the Income Tax e-filing portal and clicking on ‘Link Aadhaar Status’ option on the dashboard.
• Sending the following SMS to ‘567678’ or ‘56161’: UIDPAN <12 digit Aadhaar number> < 10 digit PAN number>.
• Visiting the nearest PAN service centre and providing your PAN and Aadhaar number.

Completing the PAN Aadhaar link online process is essential to keep your PAN operative. Understanding how to link Aadhaar to PAN helps ensure uninterrupted tax filing and compliance. Once the PAN Aadhaar link request is submitted and verified, the PAN is reactivated, usually within 7–30 days. 

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