PAN · Aadhaar Linking
How To Link Aadhaar Card And PAN Card Online (India, 2026)
Linking your PAN with your Aadhaar is now a basic requirement, and an unlinked PAN can become inoperative, which blocks filing returns, claiming refunds and many bank and investment transactions. The good news is that the linking itself is a short online task you can do yourself. This guide walks through the online steps on the income tax portal, the SMS shortcut, the fee you pay first, and how to confirm the link went through.
- Where: incometax.gov.in, under Link Aadhaar in Quick Links; no login needed.
- Keep ready: PAN, Aadhaar number, and an Aadhaar-linked mobile for the OTP.
- Pay first: the fee is paid through e-Pay Tax before the link request will go through (unless you are in an exempt category).
- SMS option: send UIDPAN, Aadhaar, PAN to the official number; the fee still applies.
- Check status: use Link Aadhaar Status to confirm; linking can take a short while to reflect.
- Why: an unlinked PAN can become inoperative, blocking returns, refunds and higher-value transactions.
01Before you start
Keep three things ready and the process takes a few minutes:
- Your PAN (the 10 character alphanumeric number).
- Your Aadhaar number (the 12 digit number).
- A mobile number linked to your Aadhaar, to receive the OTP.
Check that your name, date of birth and gender match across both documents. If they differ, the system may reject the link, and you will need to correct the mismatch on either the PAN or the Aadhaar record before trying again.
Pay the fee before you request the link
Linking is not free for most people. A fee has to be paid first through the e-Pay Tax service, and the payment must be reflected before you submit the link request, otherwise it fails. More on the fee below.
02Step by step on the income tax portal
The main route is the income tax e-filing portal at incometax.gov.in. You can link without logging in.
- Go to the portal and, on the home page, find the Link Aadhaar option under Quick Links.
- Enter your PAN and Aadhaar number and click to validate.
- If the fee is payable, the portal directs you to pay it first through e-Pay Tax (select the correct assessment year and the head for this payment). Complete the payment.
- Return to Link Aadhaar, enter PAN and Aadhaar again, and submit. Enter your name as per Aadhaar if asked.
- Validate with the OTP sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile number.
- The request is submitted for processing. Linking can take a short while to reflect, so check the status after some time.
You can also link through the PAN service providers (such as the UTIITSL portal) if you obtained your PAN through them.
03Linking by SMS
There is also an SMS method for those who prefer it. You send a message in the set format from your registered mobile number to the designated number published by the income tax department.
The format is broadly: type UIDPAN, then a space, then your 12 digit Aadhaar number, then a space, then your 10 character PAN, and send it to the official number. The fee still has to be paid first through e-Pay Tax; the SMS only submits the link request. Confirm the current SMS number and format on the income tax portal before sending.
04The fee you pay first
For most taxpayers a fee is payable before the link request will go through. It is a flat amount paid once through the e-Pay Tax service on the income tax portal, under the head for this type of payment. The exact amount and the head are set by the department, so confirm them on the portal.
Linking has been free for certain exempt categories, broadly including residents of some specified states, non-residents, those aged above a notified limit, and certain others. Check whether you fall in an exempt category before paying.
For a fuller breakdown of the charge, see the PAN Aadhaar link fees explainer. For the deadline position, see the PAN Aadhaar link last date.
05How to check your link status
After submitting, do not assume it worked. Confirm it.
- Go back to the income tax portal and open the Link Aadhaar Status option under Quick Links.
- Enter your PAN and Aadhaar number.
- The portal shows whether your Aadhaar is linked, or whether the request is still being processed.
If it shows as not linked after some days and you have paid the fee, recheck for a name or date-of-birth mismatch, and raise a grievance on the portal if needed.
06Why linking matters
An unlinked PAN can be treated as inoperative. While inoperative, you generally cannot file an income tax return with that PAN, pending refunds can be held, and TDS or TCS may be deducted at a higher rate. Many banks and financial platforms also require an operative PAN for transactions above set limits.
So linking is not a formality. It keeps your PAN usable for tax and financial life. If your PAN has already gone inoperative, linking it (and paying the fee) is what restores it, usually after a short processing period.
07How Claw Tax helps
Claw Tax and Accounts is an online tax, GST and accounting service for India that connects you with a verified chartered accountant at a fixed, published price, with a Claw reviewer checking every filing before it is submitted.
Linking PAN with Aadhaar is a free-to-do task on the government portal, and for most people it is quick. You do not need to pay anyone to press the buttons. Help is worth it only when the link keeps failing because of a name or date-of-birth mismatch, or because your PAN has already gone inoperative and your filing is stuck.
In those cases Claw Tax and Accounts can sort out the mismatch and get your PAN operative so a verified chartered accountant can file for you, with a Claw reviewer checking the filing, at a fixed published price. If the task is simple, we will tell you to do it yourself for free.
This is not tax advice; a verified CA handles your specifics.
08Frequently asked questions
How do I link my Aadhaar card and PAN card online?
Go to incometax.gov.in, open Link Aadhaar under Quick Links, enter your PAN and Aadhaar, pay the fee through e-Pay Tax if applicable, submit the request and validate with the OTP sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile. You do not need to log in to do this.
Can I link PAN and Aadhaar by SMS?
Yes. You send UIDPAN followed by your 12 digit Aadhaar number and your 10 character PAN to the official number published by the income tax department, from your registered mobile. The fee must still be paid first through e-Pay Tax. Confirm the current number and format on the portal.
Why does my PAN and Aadhaar link keep failing?
The most common reason is a mismatch in name, date of birth or gender between the two records, or that the fee payment has not yet reflected. Correct the mismatch on either record and make sure the payment shows before resubmitting, then recheck the status.
How do I check whether my PAN and Aadhaar are already linked?
Use the Link Aadhaar Status option under Quick Links on incometax.gov.in. Enter your PAN and Aadhaar number and the portal will show whether they are linked or whether the request is still being processed.
What happens if I do not link PAN with Aadhaar?
Your PAN can become inoperative. While inoperative you generally cannot file a return with that PAN, refunds can be held, TDS or TCS may be deducted at a higher rate, and some bank and investment transactions can be blocked. Linking it, with the fee, restores it after processing.
Is there a fee to link PAN with Aadhaar?
Yes, for most people a fee is payable first through the e-Pay Tax service. Certain categories have been exempt, broadly some specified-state residents, non-residents and those above a notified age. Confirm the current fee amount and any exemption on the income tax portal.