New Delhi, December 30, 2025 — The deadline for linking Permanent Account Number (PAN) cards with Aadhaar cards in India is just a day away, with December 31, 2025 set as the final date to complete the process without complications. Taxpayers who fail to link their PAN with Aadhaar on time risk their PAN becoming inoperative, potentially disrupting key financial and tax-related activities.
The Income Tax Department has been urging individuals to complete the mandatory linkage before the year ends. After the deadline, those who try to link the documents will be required to pay a late fee of ₹1,000 before proceeding.
Why Linking PAN and Aadhaar Matters
Linking your PAN with Aadhaar is compulsory under Indian tax rules to ensure accurate taxpayer identification and to prevent misuse of multiple PANs. A PAN that isn’t linked with Aadhaar by midnight on December 31, 2025 will be declared inoperative from January 1, 2026. An inoperative PAN cannot be used for key functions such as:
- Filing income tax returns (ITR)
- Receiving tax refunds
- Carrying out financial transactions (like opening bank accounts or investing)
- Updating Know Your Customer (KYC) information with banks and other financial institutions
Taxpayers should therefore act urgently to avoid such disruptions.
Who Must Link PAN With Aadhaar
The requirement applies to virtually all residents who hold a PAN card. This includes those who use PAN for personal finance, business, tax filing or investments. Individuals who were issued a PAN based on Aadhaar Enrollment ID before October 1, 2024 are now specifically required to complete the Aadhaar-PAN linkage by the December 31 deadline.
For those whose PAN was allotted after this date and already in the system with Aadhaar validation, the link may already be established during PAN issuance. However, it is still important to verify the status.
How to Link PAN With Aadhaar
The entire process can be completed online without visiting any office:
- Visit the Income Tax e-filing portal at incometax.gov.in
- Log in with your credentials or use the Link Aadhaar quick link (pre-login or post-login)
- Enter your PAN and Aadhaar number
- Verify details and proceed to e-Pay Tax if a late fee is required
- Complete OTP verification sent to your Aadhaar-registered mobile number
- Submit the request and check linkage status through the portal
Taxpayers can also use the “View Link Aadhaar Status” option on the e-filing portal to confirm if their PAN already shows as linked.
Steps to Check Your Link Status
It is important to check your PAN-Aadhaar link status before the deadline so you can fix any issues in time:
- Visit the Income Tax e-filing portal
- Click Link Aadhaar Status
- Enter your PAN and Aadhaar numbers
- Submit to view whether the PAN and Aadhaar are linked
This quick check can help you avoid last-minute errors and ensure your PAN remains valid beyond December 31.
What Happens if You Miss the Deadline
Failing to link PAN with Aadhaar by December 31 will immediately render your PAN inoperative from January 1, 2026. This means:
- You cannot file or verify ITRs until it is reactivated
- Tax refunds may be blocked
- Banks and financial institutions may restrict account or investment services
- Higher TDS/TCS rates may apply due to invalid PAN (under Sections 206AA and 206CC of the Income Tax Act)
Inoperative PANs can still be reactivated by linking with Aadhaar and paying the ₹1,000 penalty, but it is advisable to complete the process before the deadline to avoid service disruption and extra steps.
Common Issues and Fixes
Some taxpayers face difficulties due to mismatched personal details in Aadhaar and PAN records. In such cases:
- Update details in UIDAI’s Aadhaar portal if Aadhaar is incorrect
- Correct PAN records through UTIITSL or NSDL portals
- Ensure names, date of birth and gender details exactly match on both documents before linking
If your Aadhaar is already linked to another PAN, you must approach the Jurisdictional Assessing Officer for a delinking request and subsequent correct linkage.
Final Reminder and Public Appeal
With just hours remaining before the December 31 deadline, authorities have issued repeated reminders to PAN holders across India to take action now rather than wait for the last moment. The process is fully digital and does not require long paperwork or office visits. Acting today can mean a smoother experience and uninterrupted access to tax filing and financial services in the new year.
Conclusion
The PAN-Aadhaar linking deadline of December 31, 2025 is fast approaching, and taxpayers who have not yet linked their documents face the risk of their PAN becoming inoperative and financial hurdles starting January 1, 2026. Completing the process is straightforward through the Income Tax e-filing portal, but it is crucial to act now and verify status to avoid last-minute issues, penalties and disruptions.
