How to e-Verify Your Income Tax Return
Filing your ITR is only half the job — an unverified return is treated as never filed. Here's how to e-verify in minutes, the six ways to do it, and the 30-day deadline you can't miss.
Need help? Ask a CAAfter filing, you must verify your return within 30 days — the quickest way is an Aadhaar OTP on the e-filing portal. You can also e-verify through net banking, a pre-validated bank or demat account, a bank ATM, or a digital signature. Until you verify, the return is treated as not filed.
The 30-day rule
Verification is what makes your filing official. Get it wrong and everything downstream stops.
You file the return
The return is submitted, but still pending verification.
Verify within 30 days
e-Verify (or post the ITR-V) within 30 days of filing.
It gets processed
Only now is it taken up for processing — and any refund released.
Miss the 30 days and the return is treated as never filed — which can mean a late fee, a lost refund, and forfeited loss carry-forward.
Six ways to e-verify
Any one of these completes verification instantly — no need to post anything.
Aadhaar OTP
Most popularAn OTP to your Aadhaar-linked mobile. The fastest and most popular method.
Net banking
Log in to your bank's net banking and choose the e-verify / income tax option.
Bank account EVC
Generate an Electronic Verification Code through a pre-validated bank account.
Demat account EVC
Generate an EVC through a pre-validated demat account.
Bank ATM
Generate an EVC at an ATM of select banks using your card.
Digital signature (DSC)
Mandatory for auditsRequired for companies and audit cases; optional for others.
e-Verify with Aadhaar OTP
The quickest route, start to finish, takes about two minutes.
Log in to the portal
Sign in to incometax.gov.in with your PAN and password.
Go to e-Verify Return
Open e-File → Income Tax Returns → e-Verify Return.
Select the return
Pick the return you just filed for AY 2026-27 and choose e-Verify.
Choose Aadhaar OTP
Select “Verify using Aadhaar OTP” and request the code.
Enter the OTP
Type the OTP sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile and submit.
Save the confirmation
You'll get a success message and a Transaction ID — you're verified.
No login? You can also e-verify from the homepage using your PAN, the assessment year, the acknowledgement number and an OTP.
Prefer to verify offline?
If you can't e-verify, you can sign the ITR-V acknowledgement and send it by ordinary or speed post to the Centralized Processing Centre.
Centralised Processing Centre,
Income Tax Department,
Bengaluru – 560500, Karnataka
It still has to reach within 30 days of filing, and you wait for it to be received and logged. e-Verification is instant — which is why almost everyone uses it.
Verified late, or not at all? We'll fix it
If the window has closed, your return is treated as not filed — but you may be able to file a condonation request with a reason for the delay, or re-file correctly. Send your details on WhatsApp and a Chartered Accountant works out the cleanest way to get your return valid again.
Sort out my verificatione-Verifying your ITR — FAQs
How do I e-verify my income tax return?
Log in to the e-filing portal, go to e-File → Income Tax Returns → e-Verify Return, select your return, choose a method such as Aadhaar OTP, enter the code, and submit. It's instant.
What is the time limit to verify an ITR?
30 days from the date of filing. If you verify after 30 days, the return can be treated as filed only on the verification date — or as not filed at all.
Which is the easiest way to e-verify?
Aadhaar OTP is the fastest for most people — an OTP comes to your Aadhaar-linked mobile and verification is done in seconds.
What happens if I don't verify my return?
An unverified return is treated as never filed, so it isn't processed, no refund is issued, and you can face a late fee and lose loss carry-forward.
Can I e-verify without logging in?
Yes. From the portal homepage you can e-verify using your PAN, the assessment year, the acknowledgement number and an OTP.
Do I still need to post the ITR-V?
Only if you don't e-verify. If you e-verify by any electronic method, there's nothing to post. Otherwise the signed ITR-V must reach CPC Bengaluru within 30 days.
File and verify — in one go, with a CA
Skip the portal fiddle entirely. Send your documents on WhatsApp and a Chartered Accountant files your return, e-verifies it, and confirms it's processed — nothing left pending.
File & verify my ITRThis guide to e-verifying your income tax return is for AY 2026-27 (FY 2025-26) and is for general information only — not tax, legal or financial advice. Verification methods, the time limit and portal steps may change. Confirm the current process on the official e-filing portal, or consult a Chartered Accountant.