Independent guide · Not UIDAI or the Income Tax Department · We never ask for your Aadhaar number, PAN or OTP.
How to Link Aadhaar with PAN Card (Aadhar–PAN Link)?
First check your status on incometax.gov.in (Link Aadhaar Status). If it isn't linked, pay the ₹1,000 late fee through e-Pay Tax, wait a few days, then use Link Aadhaar on the same portal with an OTP on your Aadhaar mobile. Your name, date of birth and gender must match on both cards.
- Late fee
- ₹1,000
- Where
- incometax.gov.in
- You need
- PAN, Aadhaar, Aadhaar-linked mobile
- Fee shows after
- About 4–5 days
- Link by SMS
- 567678 or 56161 (fee first)
On this page
Who must link PAN with Aadhaar?
| You are… | Must you link? |
|---|---|
| An individual with a PAN issued on or before 1 July 2017 | Yes (late fee ₹1,000 now) |
| Someone who got PAN using an Aadhaar Enrolment ID | Yes. The actual Aadhaar number had to be given by 31 Dec 2025; otherwise, reports say, the PAN became inoperative from 1 Jan 2026 |
| A new PAN applicant who applied with Aadhaar | Linked automatically (reported) |
| A resident of Assam, Jammu & Kashmir or Meghalaya | Exempt |
| A non-resident under the Income-tax Act | Exempt (fee applies if you link voluntarily) |
| Aged 80 or more | Exempt |
| Not a citizen of India | Exempt |
How do you check whether PAN and Aadhaar are linked?
- Open incometax.gov.in → Quick Links → Link Aadhaar Status
- Enter your PAN and Aadhaar number
- Does it say "already linked"?No: pay the fee, then link
- Nothing more to do
What each status message means and what to do next: PAN–Aadhaar link status.
The Income Tax Department also lists an SMS way to link: UIDPAN, a space, your 12-digit Aadhaar number, a space, your 10-character PAN, to 567678 or 56161. It links only if your name and date of birth are the same in both. Pay the ₹1,000 late fee first; the SMS page doesn't mention the fee, so check Link Aadhaar Status afterwards. If it isn't linked after a few days, use Link Aadhaar on the e-filing portal.
Type UIDPAN 123456789012 ABCDE1234F with your own numbers and send it to 567678 or 56161.
This works only on your phone. Nothing you type is sent to us or stored. The SMS goes from your phone to the Income Tax Department's number.
How do you pay the ₹1,000 late fee?
- incometax.gov.in → Quick Links → Link Aadhaar
- Enter PAN and Aadhaar number
- Choose Continue to Pay Through e-Pay Tax
- Choose the payment type Fee for delay in linking PAN with Aadhaar
- Pay ₹1,000 and save the challan
- Wait 4–5 days for the payment to show, then link
Choose the PAN–Aadhaar late fee option (Minor Head 500) when you pay, and keep the challan. The link request looks for that exact payment.
How do you submit the PAN–Aadhaar link request?
- incometax.gov.in → Link Aadhaar (or log in → Profile → Link Aadhaar)
- Enter your PAN and Aadhaar number
- Does the portal find your fee payment?No: wait a few more days; check the challan head
- Enter the 6-digit OTP sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile
- Do your PAN and Aadhaar details match?No: fix the mismatch
- Request submitted; check status after a few days
Open Link Aadhaar on the e-filing portal
Go to incometax.gov.in. You can use Link Aadhaar under Quick Links without logging in, or log in and use Profile → Link Aadhaar.
Enter your details exactly as on Aadhaar
Type your PAN and 12-digit Aadhaar number and follow the prompts. The name, date of birth and gender already on the two cards must match; you can't fix a mismatch on this screen.
Confirm with the OTP
The 6-digit OTP goes to the mobile linked to your Aadhaar. No working Aadhaar mobile? Update it at an Aadhaar centre first.
Check the status
You'll know it worked when Link Aadhaar Status says your PAN is linked. If your PAN was inoperative, see inoperative PAN for when it works again.
Can't do it online? A PAN service centre (Protean or UTIITSL) can link it with biometric verification.
What happens if your PAN is inoperative?
| Effect | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| No tax refund | Refunds are held, and no interest is paid for that period |
| Higher TDS and TCS | Tax is deducted or collected at higher rates (sections 206AA, 206CC) |
| Form 15G/15H refused | Reported: banks deduct TDS on your interest |
| Investments | Demat or mutual fund KYC can drop from "KYC Validated" to "KYC Registered", blocking some transactions (reported) |
What if your name, DOB or gender doesn't match?
The link fails if your name, date of birth or gender is different on PAN and Aadhaar. Date of birth and gender must match exactly; a small difference in the name can be cleared with an OTP. Compare the names with our PAN vs Aadhaar name checker, decide which card is wrong, and fix that one.
- Compare name, DOB and gender on PAN and Aadhaar
- Is your Aadhaar correct?No: fix Aadhaar (name ₹75; DOB has a once-only limit)
- Correct PAN online with Protean (NSDL) or UTIITSL (PAN correction)
- Wait for the corrected PAN record, then link again
- Or: biometric verification at a PAN service centre
- DOB on Aadhaar wrong? Aadhaar allows a DOB change only once in a lifetime. Read the DOB rules first.
- PAN wrongly linked to someone else's Aadhaar? Contact your jurisdictional Assessing Officer.
- PAN itself wrong? Our PAN guide covers changing the name on PAN and correcting the date of birth on PAN.
- Mismatched with your bank or EPF too? See fix a name or DOB mismatch across records.
What can go wrong, and how do you fix it?
| Your situation | What it usually means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Portal doesn't find your fee payment | Fee not reflected yet, or paid under the wrong head | Wait 4–5 days; check the challan was paid as the PAN–Aadhaar late fee. Still stuck? Fee paid but not linked |
| OTP not received | The mobile on Aadhaar is old or inactive | Update the mobile at an Aadhaar centre (₹75), then try again. In our experience OTPs start on the new number within 1–2 days |
| Link fails with a name, DOB or gender mismatch | Details differ on the two cards | Correct PAN or Aadhaar first (see above) |
| PAN linked to someone else's Aadhaar | Wrong link | Contact your jurisdictional Assessing Officer |
| Linked, but PAN still shows inoperative | Reactivation is not instant | Check Link Aadhaar Status again after a few days; see inoperative PAN |
PAN–Aadhaar linking for NRIs
- Non-residents under the Income-tax Act are exempt from linking.
- If you link voluntarily, the ₹1,000 fee applies, and the OTP goes to the mobile registered with your Aadhaar.
Region not right?
PAN–Aadhaar scams
- SMS or WhatsApp messages saying "your PAN will be blocked today, click to link" are fake. Type incometax.gov.in yourself.
- Pay the fee only on the official portal. Agents who "pay for you" may misuse your PAN. More: Aadhaar fraud and scams.
- Never share the OTP with anyone on a call.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if my PAN is linked with Aadhaar?
Use Link Aadhaar Status on incometax.gov.in. The UIDPAN SMS to 567678 or 56161 is a way to link, not a status check.
What is the fee for linking PAN with Aadhaar now?
₹1,000, paid through e-Pay Tax on the e-filing portal before you submit the link request.
How long does it take for an inoperative PAN to work again?
Our sources give no fixed time. Check Link Aadhaar Status a few days after the link; our inoperative PAN guide explains what happens next.
Can I link PAN and Aadhaar if my name is different?
A small difference in the name can be cleared with an OTP. Otherwise, not until the details match: correct PAN through Protean or UTIITSL, or correct Aadhaar, then try again. A PAN service centre can also verify you biometrically.
Do senior citizens need to link?
People aged 80 or above are exempt.
Can I use PAN as a document for Aadhaar?
No. PAN is not accepted as a document for Aadhaar enrolment or updates. See documents required for Aadhaar.
Is it safe to link at a cyber café?
Only if you type the details yourself on incometax.gov.in and the OTP comes to your own phone. Don't leave copies of your PAN or Aadhaar behind. See Aadhaar at cyber cafés and agents.
Bottom line
Check your status first. If it's not linked, pay ₹1,000 on incometax.gov.in, wait a few days, and link with the OTP on your Aadhaar mobile. If it fails, fix the name, DOB or gender mismatch, then try again.
Sources
- Income Tax Department – e-filing portal (Link Aadhaar, Link Aadhaar Status) (accessed 15 Oct 2026)
- Income Tax Department – How to link Aadhaar number with PAN using SMS facility (accessed 17 Oct 2026)
- Business Today – How to link PAN with Aadhaar after paying ₹1,000 (7 Jul 2026)
- Protean – PAN–Aadhaar linking deadline and steps (accessed 15 Oct 2026)
Page history: 15 Oct 2026, first version. 16 Oct 2026: accuracy and link review. 17 Oct 2026: UIDPAN SMS corrected to a linking method, not a status check.