How To Ensure Aadhaar-PAN Linking Ahead Of December 31 Deadline

The deadline to link your PAN with your Aadhaar is December 31, 2025. Starting January 1, 2026, the Income Tax Department will deactivate any PAN cards that remain unlinked.

This follows Notification No. 26/2025 of Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue, which requires individuals who originally received their PAN using an Aadhaar Enrolment ID (before October 1, 2024) to connect it to their official Aadhaar number before the year ends.

The notification states, “the Central Government hereby notifies that every person who has been allotted permanent account number on the basis of Enrolment ID of Aadhaar application form filed prior to the 1st day of October, 2024, shall intimate his Aadhaar number to the Principal Director General of Incometax (Systems) or Director General of Income-tax (Systems) or the person authorised by the said authorities on or before the 31st day of December, 2025 or such date as may be specified by the Central Board of Direct Taxes in this behalf.”

Who Needs to Complete This Linking

The requirement targets individuals allotted a PAN based on an Aadhaar enrolment ID, the temporary reference given when applying for Aadhaar,  rather than the full 12-digit Aadhaar number.

A CBDT notification issued on April 3, 2025, mandates these holders to update records with the permanent Aadhaar number by year-end.

Most other PAN holders faced earlier deadlines, but this extension covers the specific enrolment ID cases.

Risks of Missing the Deadline

An inoperative PAN blocks several key activities starting January 1, 2026:

• Filing income tax returns
• Processing or receiving tax refunds
• Conducting transactions requiring PAN quotation, such as bank dealings or investments
• Higher rates of TDS or TCS on certain payments

Financial institutions may also restrict services like account operations or new investments until the PAN regains operative status.

Step-by-Step Guide to Link Aadhaar with PAN

The process remains straightforward through the Income Tax e-filing portal:

• Go to the official Income Tax e-filing website.
• Select "Link Aadhaar" from the quick links section -- no login needed.
• Input your PAN, full Aadhaar number and name exactly as it appears on Aadhaar.
• Validate the details.
• You will receive an OTP on the mobile number registered with Aadhaar, enter it to confirm.

For this specific group linking by the deadline, no late fee applies. The updates typically reflect within a few working days.

How to Check Your Linking Status

Verify the linking completion easily:

1. On the e-filing portal homepage, click "Link Aadhaar Status" under quick links.
2. Enter your PAN and Aadhaar numbers.
3. View the current status instantly.

Fixing Common Issues Before Linking

Mismatches in name, date of birth, or other details often cause failures.

Resolve them first:

• Update Aadhaar records through a UIDAI centre or online.
• Correct PAN details via authorised service providers like Protean or UTIITSL.
• Once details match, retry the linking process.

Reactivating an Already Inoperative PAN

If your PAN is currently inoperative from prior missed deadlines, pay the Rs 1,000 fee via the e-Pay Tax option on the portal, then submit the linking request. Reactivation usually takes up to 30 days.

Taxpayers in the enrolment ID category can avoid fees and delays by acting before December 31, 2025. Completing this step now keeps financial and tax matters running smoothly into the new year.

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