Refunds, e-verification, notices and corrections
How to e-verify your ITR: methods and deadline
You must e-verify your income tax return within 30 days of filing, or it is treated as never filed. Learn the e-verification methods, including Aadhaar OTP, and what to do if you miss the deadline.
On this page
You must e-verify your income tax return within 30 days of filing it. If you do not, the department treats the return as never filed. The simplest method is an Aadhaar OTP sent to your mobile number. You can also use an EVC generated through your bank account or demat account, net banking, or send a signed ITR-V by post.
Why e-verification matters
Filing and e-verification are two separate steps. Until you verify:
- Your return is not treated as filed, so nothing is processed.
- Your refund will not be issued.
- You cannot revise or correct the return. The first action is to verify it or discard it.
If the 30 days pass, the department treats the return as never furnished. If you have missed the due date in the meantime, the fresh return you file will be a belated return.
The methods
Method | What you need | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Aadhaar OTP | Aadhaar linked to your mobile number | Usually the simplest |
EVC through a bank account | An active bank account, pre-validated and EVC-enabled on the portal | The code goes to your registered mobile and email and is valid for 72 hours |
EVC through a demat account | An active demat account, pre-validated and EVC-enabled on the portal | The code goes to your registered mobile and email and is valid for 72 hours |
Net banking | A bank that offers e-filing login | You are taken to your bank to log in |
Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) | A valid DSC | Mainly for those who already use one |
ITR-V by post | Signed paper acknowledgement | Sent by ordinary or speed post to Centralized Processing Centre, Income Tax Department, Bengaluru - 560500, Karnataka. It must reach CPC within the 30 days |
How to e-verify with an Aadhaar OTP
- Make sure your mobile number is linked to your Aadhaar.
- After filing, choose the Aadhaar OTP option.
- Confirm your consent when asked.
- Enter the OTP you receive on your Aadhaar-linked mobile number.
- Keep the confirmation message and the acknowledgement.
If you miss the 30-day window
You have two broad routes.
- Late e-verification. The date on which you verify then counts as the date you filed, so a late fee and interest may apply if that date is after the due date.
- File afresh. If the belated or updated return windows are still open, you can file a new return. A return that was never verified does not count as filed.
To verify late, you submit a condonation request on the portal (Services > Condonation Request, option Delay in submission of ITR-V) with a reason for the delay, and then e-verify. The return counts as verified only after the department approves the request, and approval is not automatic: it depends on the reason you give.
Discarding an unverified return
The portal lets you discard a return that has not been verified. Be careful. Discarding erases the filing date. If you discard a return that was filed on time and re-file after the due date, the new return is belated. A late filing fee applies, and carry-forward of losses may be lost.
The discard option is available from the tax year 2022-23 onwards, only while the return is unverified, and only until the time allowed for filing a belated or revised return. A discard cannot be reversed, and you should not discard a return whose ITR-V you have already posted. On the portal it is under e-File > Income Tax Return > e-Verify ITR.
After you verify
Once verified, the department processes your return. Processing is followed by an intimation. If you are due a refund, it is issued to your validated bank account. See our guides on checking your refund status and on delayed refunds.
Tips
- E-verify in the same sitting as filing, so you do not forget.
- Keep your mobile number linked to Aadhaar, and your bank account validated, before filing.
- Note the date of filing. The 30 days run from that date.
How TaxCare helps
TaxCare treats an unverified return as unfinished until you complete it. If you leave it for later, TaxCare reminds you the day after filing and again when 7, 2 and 1 days are left of the 30-day window. After that, you can follow your return through the department's stages, from filed and verified to processed and refund issued. If a case is stuck, a Tax Expert can help.
This guide gives general information and is not professional tax advice.
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