To check if your Aadhaar and PAN are linked, open the Income Tax Department’s e-Filing portal at incometax.gov.in, click “Link Aadhaar Status” under Quick Links, and enter both numbers. No login is needed. If you don’t have internet access, an SMS from your registered mobile number will do the same job. Either method takes under a minute and returns a clear yes or no.
Check on the e-Filing Portal
The portal method is the fastest and works without an account.
- Go to incometax.gov.in.
- In the “Quick Links” section on the homepage, click “Link Aadhaar Status.”
- Enter your 10-character PAN and 12-digit Aadhaar number.
- Click “View Link Aadhaar Status.”
You’ll see one of three responses. A confirmation that your PAN is already linked to the given Aadhaar means you’re done. A message that the request has been sent to UIDAI for validation means a linking request was recently submitted and you should check again later. “PAN not linked with Aadhaar” means the two are not connected.1National Government Services Portal. Check Aadhar PAN Card Link Status
Check by SMS
From the mobile number registered with your PAN or Aadhaar, send a text in this exact format: UIDPAN <12-digit Aadhaar> <10-character PAN>. For example: UIDPAN 123456789012 ABCDE1234F. Send it to 567678 or 56161. Either number works.2Income Tax Department. How to Link Aadhaar Number With PAN Using SMS Facility
The reply will state either that your Aadhaar is already associated with your PAN in the ITD database, or that it is not associated.
Why the Result Matters
Since July 1, 2023, any PAN not linked to Aadhaar has been classified as “inoperative” by the Income Tax Department. If your status check comes back unlinked and you’re not in an exempt category, that PAN is already inoperative, with three direct financial consequences:3Income Tax Department. Link Aadhaar FAQ
- Any income tax refund owed to you is held until the PAN becomes operative again, and no interest accrues on the withheld amount for that period.
- TDS on income such as fixed deposit interest or dividends is deducted at the higher rate under Section 206AA. In practice, that often means 20% instead of 10%.
- TCS on transactions such as foreign remittances or high-value purchases is collected at the higher rate under Section 206CC.
These effects continue until you link your Aadhaar and the PAN is reactivated.
Who Doesn’t Need to Link
The linking mandate applies only to individuals eligible for an Aadhaar number under the Aadhaar Act, 2016, that is, residents of India who have been in the country for 182 days or more in the preceding twelve months. If you fall into any of the categories below, your PAN will not go inoperative for lack of a link:4Embassy of India, Beijing. Mandatory Quoting of Aadhaar Card for PAN Applications and Filing
- Non-Resident Indians under the Income Tax Act.
- Individuals aged 80 or older during the relevant financial year.
- Non-citizens of India who hold a PAN for tax purposes.
- Residents of Assam, Meghalaya, Jammu & Kashmir, or Ladakh.
If Your Status Shows Unlinked
You can complete the linking on the same e-Filing portal, but the original deadline has passed, so a late fee of ₹1,000 applies under Section 234H of the Income Tax Act and must be paid before you submit the linking request.3Income Tax Department. Link Aadhaar FAQ Pay through “Link Aadhaar” under Quick Links using the e-Pay Tax option, selecting “Other Receipts (500)” as the payment category. Wait four to five working days after payment, then return to “Link Aadhaar,” enter your PAN and Aadhaar, and verify the OTP sent to your registered mobile number. The request goes through if the name and date of birth match on both documents.5Income Tax Department. Link Aadhaar User Manual
Once UIDAI validates the request, the status on the portal changes to linked, the PAN becomes operative, and any frozen refunds are released. TDS and TCS return to their standard rates on deductions made from that point forward.