PAN–Aadhaar Linking: A complete guide to link and verify the status

An unlinked PAN turns inoperative and quietly breaks tax filing, refunds, and banking. This guide shows how to link PAN with Aadhaar in 2026, pay the ₹1,000 fee, check your status online, and verify a specific PAN–Aadhaar pair through the FastKYC API.

What is PAN–Aadhaar linking?#

PAN–Aadhaar linking connects your Permanent Account Number (PAN) with your 12-digit Aadhaar number in the income tax records. Section 262(6) of the Income Tax Act, 2025 (formerly Section 139AA of the 1961 Act) makes this mandatory for most PAN holders. When the two are linked, your PAN stays active, or "operative."

Why link PAN with Aadhaar?#

• The law requires it. Section 262(6) of the Income Tax Act, 2025 (formerly Section 139AA of the 1961 Act) makes it mandatory for most PAN holders.
• An unlinked PAN stops working. It becomes "inoperative" and blocks tax and financial tasks.
• New PAN applications need it. For new applicants, the system links Aadhaar and PAN at the time of application.

Who is exempt?#

Four groups do not need to link, under a 2017 CBDT notification:

• Residents of Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, and Meghalaya.
• Non-residents under the Income-tax Act.
• Persons aged 80 years or above.
• Foreign nationals.

If you are in one of these groups, you can stop here. You do not need to link or pay.

Is there still a deadline in 2026?#

No free window is open in 2026. Here is the timeline:

• 30 June 2023 — Free linking deadline closed.
• 31 May 2024 — Extended deadline, with the ₹1,000 fee.
• 31 December 2025 — Special window closed, for PANs obtained via an Aadhaar enrolment ID.
• 1 January 2026 — PANs from that special group became inoperative if not linked.

If you have not linked yet, you can still do it. You must pay a ₹1,000 fee — a fee for delayed linking, not a criminal penalty.

What happens if your PAN becomes inoperative?#

An unlinked PAN becomes inoperative under Rule 162 of the Income-tax Rules, 2026. When this happens:

• You cannot file income tax returns.
• Refunds are held back, with no interest.
• Tax is deducted at the higher rates under Section 397(2).
• High-value transactions, mutual fund purchases, and some banking services can be blocked.

The PAN stays inoperative until you link it and it becomes active again.

How to link inoperative PAN with Aadhaar#

Step 1 : Pay the ₹1,000 fee.

1. Open the income tax e-filing portal.
2. Go to e-Pay Tax.
3. Enter your PAN and mobile number. Verify with the OTP.
4. Pay ₹1,000.

Step 2 : Submit the link request.

1. Return to the portal. Use the Link Aadhaar quick link. You do not need to log in.
2. Enter your PAN, Aadhaar number, and name exactly as on your Aadhaar.
3. Click Validate.
4. Enter the OTP sent to your Aadhaar-registered mobile number.
5. Submit the form.

Your request goes to UIDAI for validation. Reactivation takes from a few working days to about a month.

If linking fails: A name, spelling, or date-of-birth mismatch between PAN and Aadhaar is the common cause. Correct it, then retry.

How to check the link status online#

You can check the status two ways.

Option A : On the income tax portal

1. Open the income tax e-filing portal.
2. Click Link Aadhaar Status (on the dashboard, or under My Profile).
3. Enter your PAN and Aadhaar number.
4. Click View Status.

Official help page: https://www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal/help/how-to-link-aadhaar

Option B : Using the FastKYC API or platform

FastKYC offers both a platform and APIs to check the status and verify the linking. A business can use the console directly, or integrate the APIs into an existing application for verification during customer onboarding flows.

PAN Aadhaar Link Status

• Choose this if: you hold only the PAN.
• It checks: whether any Aadhaar is linked to that PAN (not which one).
• You send: the PAN.

PAN Aadhaar Link Verify

• Choose this if: you hold a customer's name, PAN, and Aadhaar.
• It checks: whether that specific PAN and Aadhaar are linked.
• You send: name as per PAN, PAN, Aadhaar number, consent.

What do the statuses mean?#

• Linked / Already Linked — PAN and Aadhaar are connected. No action needed.
• Not Linked — The two are not connected. Follow the steps in How to link inoperative PAN with Aadhaar.
• Pending with UIDAI — Your request is under validation. Check again after a few working days.