Rules are changing from July 1, now Aadhar card will be necessary to get PAN Card

If you are planning to get a new PAN card (Permanent Account Number) for yourself or any member of your family, then this information is very important for you. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has taken an important decision and announced that a new rule is going to be implemented from July 1, 2025, under which it will be mandatory to have Aadhar card while applying for PAN card. This decision has been taken by the government with the aim of strengthening the tax system and preventing fraud. According to the new rule, if someone does not have an Aadhar card, he will not be able to apply for a PAN card.

Therefore, those who do not have an Aadhar card need to get it made as soon as possible. The government believes that this step will control tax evasion and make the identification of taxpayers more accurate. So if you are planning to apply for a PAN card, then make sure to get your Aadhar card made first.

Old PAN will have to be linked to Aadhaar

It is mandatory for all existing PAN holders to link their PAN with Aadhaar by 31 December 2025. If this is not done, their PAN will be deactivated from January 1, 2026, unless it is reactivated by linking. It is worth noting that this deadline has been extended several times before.

This rule has been implemented as a result of investigations by the Income Tax Department, which revealed that some individuals have more than one PAN card or were registering for tax evasion and GST fraud using the PAN of others. According to official data, there were more than 740 million PAN holders in India as of March 2024, out of which about 605 million have already linked their Aadhaar.

How to link Aadhaar and PAN online?

— First of all, you have to visit the e-filing website of Income Tax. Click on the 'Link Aadhaar' option on the homepage.

After this, enter your PAN number and Aadhaar number correctly.

Now fill in the mobile number which is registered with both PAN and Aadhaar. After this, tick on 'I agree to validate my Aadhaar details with UIDAI'.

When this process is completed, the message 'PAN has been linked successfully' will appear on the screen.

What is the rule for existing PAN holders?

There is nothing to worry for existing PAN card holders. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has clarified that if you do not link your PAN with Aadhaar by 31 December 2025, your PAN will be deactivated. However, the opportunity to complete this linking process without any penalty is still available.

Why this change was made

This Aadhaar-based verification step has been taken with the aim of encouraging digitization and ensuring accountability and compliance in filing taxes. This will help in preventing tax evasion and strict action can be taken against those who hide income. The last date for linking Aadhaar with PAN for current PAN card holders is December 31, 2025, and this process can be done without any penalty. Keep in mind that PANs not linked to Aadhaar will be deactivated from next year.

Will not be able to make fake PAN

According to experts, making Aadhaar mandatory for PAN card will stop the activities of making fake PAN cards. At present, many people are doing illegal work using fake PAN, but due to the biometric system of Aadhaar, this will not be possible. According to the rules of the Income Tax Department, no person is allowed to have more than one PAN card, and if someone is found to have more than one PAN card, he may have to pay a fine of Rs 10 thousand.