While the deadline for linking your PAN and Aadhaar cards has been extended to March 31 2023, according to The Economic Times, it comes with an additional cost of Rs. 1,000 for anyone linking their PAN and Aadhaar cards on or after July 1, 2022. Maybe you still need to link your PAN and Aadhaar; maybe you linked them a while ago, and maybe you cannot remember if you have done it or not yet. If you are wondering how to check if PAN and Aadhaar are linked for you, keep reading.
However, before checking PAN and Aadhaar links, you must know what each of these cards is and what they do. In this article, we will discuss what each of these cards is, what linking these two cards entails, and how to check whether or not your PAN and Aadhaar are linked.
What Is an Aadhaar Card?
An Aadhaar card serves as proof of address and identity throughout the country. These cards are issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). They offer a 12-digit unique number that marks the new identity of every Indian. As a piece of identification that can be used throughout the entire country, Aadhaar cards are incredibly important.
Today, it is mandatory to link these cards to other important things — such as your bank account, PAN card, and mobile number.
What Is a PAN card?
A permanent account number (PAN) card is another important card for Indians. The Income Tax Department issues this card. It is a 10-digit alphanumeric number issued as a laminated card. The PAN card is one of the most important documents today for Indians. This card prevents tax evasion because it links all financial transactions made by an individual or entity.
Linking Your PAN and Aadhaar Cards
As we mentioned briefly above, today, it is mandatory to link your PAN card to your Aadhaar card. Linking these cards is essential to processing your income tax returns.
Luckily, the process you need to follow to link these two cards is relatively simple and straightforward. We will go into detail about some of the steps you can take to link your PAN and Aadhaar cards later on. First, it is important to realise why it is important to link these two cards, what you can do if they are not linked, and the linking deadline.
Importance of Linking Your PAN and Aadhaar Cards
One of the most important things about linking your Aadhaar and PAN cards is that if you do not link the two, your PAN card will become inactive. This means that you would no longer be able to file income tax returns or perform other activities that require your PAN card.
If your PAN card becomes inactive, you will not be able to access a number of important banking services, such as:
- Getting a new debit or credit card
- Investing or redeeming mutual funds
- Starting a fixed deposit
- Opening a savings account with a balance of more than Rs. 50,000
- Purchasing foreign currency beyond Rs. 50,000
What to Do If You Cannot Link Your PAN and Aadhaar
Linking your PAN and Aadhaar cards should be extremely easy and straightforward. But, if you cannot link them, it is likely because the information on your PAN and Aadhaar cards do not match. To link these cards, you will need to change whichever piece of information does not match.
For example, if your name is spelled wrong on your Aadhaar card, you will need to update your Aadhaar information to reflect the correct spelling of your name. Similarly, if the name on your PAN card is spelled wrong, you will need to correct this so that it matches your Aadhaar card.
PAN-Aadhaar Link Deadline
As mentioned above, the final deadline for linking your PAN and Aadhaar cards has been extended to 31 March, 2023. Keep in mind, however, that if you are linking your Aadhaar and PAN cards anytime after 1 July, 2022, there is a Rs. 1,000 cost associated with the link.
How to Check PAN and Aadhaar Link Status
Since linking your PAN and Aadhaar cards is mandatory, you may be wondering if you have already linked your cards or not. Luckily, you can check your PAN-Aadhaar link status easily online and on your mobile device.
Here, we’ll walk you through how to check Aadhaar link with PAN number or link your PAN and Aadhaar cards both online and on your mobile phone.
How to Check PAN-Aadhaar Link Via E-Filing Website
If you want to check the status of your PAN-Aadhaar link, you can use the Indian Income Tax E-Filing website. Follow these steps to check whether or not your PAN and Aadhaar cards are linked.
Step 1: Visit the Income Tax e-Portal and click on the ‘Link Aadhaar’ option. This option will appear under the website’s quick links.
Step 2: Enter your PAN and Aadhaar numbers, your name on your Aadhaar, and your mobile number in the boxes provided.
Step 3: Tick the square for your date of birth (if it matches your Aadhaar card) and agree to get your Aadhaar details validated.
Step 4: Click ‘Link Aadhaar.’
Step 5: Enter the captcha code or opt for an OTP to be sent to your registered mobile number.
Step 6: Click ‘Link Aadhaar.’
How to Check Aadhaar-PAN Link Status Via SMS
If you do not want to link your PAN and Aadhaar cards online, you can also do so via SMS. To do this, you must simply follow the steps below.
Step 1: Type “UIDPAN 12-digit Aadhaar number 10-digit PAN” on your mobile.
Step 2: Send the text to 567678 or 56161.
How to Check the Status of Your PAN-Aadhaar Link
To check the status of your link, you can go to the Income Tax Site or check using your mobile device.
To check the status on the Income Tax Site, follow these steps:
- Go to https://www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal.
- Click on ‘Link Aadhaar Status’ under ‘Quick Links.’
- Enter your PAN and Aadhaar numbers and click ‘View Link Aadhaar Status.’
- You will be able to see the status of your PAN-Aadhaar link on the page.
To check your link status via mobile, you can simply send an SMS to 567678 or 56161 with the following format.
- UIDPAN 12-digit Aadhaar number 10-digit PAN
- If your Aadhaar and PAN are successfully linked, you will see the message ‘Aadhaar (your Aadhaar number) is already associated with PAN (your PAN) in the ITD database. Thank you for using our services.’
Conclusion
If you do not want your PAN card to become inactive, you need to link it to your Aadhaar card. If you cannot remember if you have already linked your cards, you can easily check using either the online Income Tax e-Portal or your mobile phone. If you still need to link your PAN to your Aadhaar card, you can still do this until the deadline of 31 March, 2023.
For more information about Aadhaar cards, such as their purpose, benefits, and their different forms, you can check out our blog.
How to Check if PAN and Aadhaar is Linked: FAQs
Your details from your PAN and Aadhaar cards must match to link them. You will need to check your name, gender, and date of birth when linking your PAN and Aadhaar cards. If these details do not match, you will need to change them to link your cards.
Yes. You can link your PAN Card and your Aadhaar Card online using the abovementioned steps. This can be done anywhere.
Yes. If you do not already have a PAN card, you can apply for one using your Aadhaar card as proof of identity. Using this method, you can e-sign the application by using your Aadhaar OTP and submit it immediately.
It is advisable to link these two cards, as if you do not, you will not be able to use your PAN card in the future. There are, however, exemptions to linking Aadhaar and PAN cards. These are:
Individuals who are residents of Assam, Meghalaya, and Jammu and Kashmir
Non-resident Indians
Individuals who are not Indian citizens
No. Once you have linked your PAN and Aadhaar cards, you cannot de-link them.
If the details of your PAN and Aadhaar cards do not match, you will need to alter them to match. Likewise, you can alter the details in your Aadhaar or PAN card; they just need to match each other in order to link the two cards.
