PAN Card Holders Beware: Step-by-Step Guide to Link Your PAN with Aadhaar Online Before January 1, 2026 Deadline

PAN or Permanent Account Number is one of the essential documents that you need to have in India. This document is not just used in every financial activity, but is also helpful in filing your income taxes to applying for loans. What would be your situation if you woke up one day and found out that your PAN card had stopped working? The situation would be panicking and confusing. So, before it happens, make sure you are doing this one important activity to secure your PAN card.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has made it mandatory to link your PAN card to your Aadhar card, and if you do not do it before the deadline ends, then it could lead to your PAN becoming inactive.

Your PAN Card will be deactivated from This Date

CBDT, or the Central Board of Direct Taxes, has made it mandatory to link your PAN card to your Aadhar card before December 31, 2025. If you fail to link both the essential documents, then your PAN card will be deactivated from January 1, 2026. This linking process is mandatory for every Indian citizen; failing to which will cause serious inconvenience in your financial and official dealings.

Why Linking Aadhar and PAN is Mandatory

There are numerous cases daily of people using fake PAN cards to save their taxes. The Indian government is making this linking mandatory to ensure that every individual has only one valid tax identity. Additionally, it simplifies the process of verifying financial transactions and filing tax returns.

If you fail to link both the documents, then you won’t be able to open a new bank or demat account. You will also not be able to apply for credit cards or loans. The restrictions don’t just stop here, and they will also hinder your capacity to buy any property, vehicles, or even invest in mutual funds.

How to Link PAN Card to Aadhar Card

Step 1: The first step is to go to the official Income Tax Filing portal https://www.incometax.gov.in

Step 2: Here, you will see the Link Aadhar option under the Quick Link section.

Step 3: The next step is to enter your PAN and Aadhar card number in the given fields.

Step 4: Now, click on the pay option which says ‘Pay Through e-Pac Tax’

Step 5: You will receive an OTP on your phone number. Enter it to verify your identity.

Step 6: Click on ‘Proceed’ under the Income Tax section to continue.

Step 7: The next process is to select the assessment year and type of payment. In the Type of Payment option, select Other Receipts and then tap on the Continue button.

Step 8: You will then see the applicable fee amount for the PAN card and Aadhar card linking. Click Continue to proceed with the payment.

Step 9: Now, choose your payment method, including debit card, credit card, or UPI.

Step 10: As soon as you make the payment, the linking process will start, and you will be returned to the Income Tax e-filing Portal.