Link PAN with Aadhaar online (mandatory). Otherwise PAN becomes inoperative. ₹1,000 late fee applies post deadline.
Visit Official Portal →Linking PAN (Permanent Account Number) with Aadhaar is mandatory under Section 139AA of Income Tax Act. Government has been extending deadline multiple times - currently active deadline keeps changing. PAN not linked with Aadhaar becomes "inoperative" - cannot be used for ITR, banking transactions above ₹50K, mutual funds, demat accounts. Reactivation possible by linking + paying ₹1,000 late fee. Three methods: Online via incometax.gov.in (most common), SMS to 567678 or 56161, Offline at PAN/Aadhaar service center. Process takes 1-7 days for linking confirmation.
Keep these documents ready before starting application. Missing documents = delayed approval.
Follow these steps in order. Each step is critical - skip none.
After successful linking, PAN remains operative for all financial transactions. Use PAN normally for ITR filing, opening new accounts, FDs, mutual funds. Verify linking by checking status periodically. If PAN was inoperative due to non-linking, all transactions get blocked - linking restores immediately. Update both PAN and Aadhaar if any future changes (name, address) to keep them synchronized.