How to e-Verify Your ITR: All 6 Methods + the 30-Day Rule
Last verified: June 2026, against the Income Tax Act provisions and Budget 2025 announcements cited below. Figures apply to FY 2025-26 (AY 2026-27). This is general information, not personal tax advice.
Filing your ITR is only half the job. Until you verify it, the return is not valid and will not be processed — no refund, nothing. And you now have only 30 days from the date of filing to do it. Here are all six ways to verify, from the 30-second Aadhaar OTP to the old postal route.
The 30-day rule
Since August 2022, the window to verify an e-filed return is 30 days from the date of transmission. Verify within 30 days and the filing date stands as your return date. Verify late and the date of verification becomes your filing date — which can make the return belated, with late fees and lost loss carry-forward. Miss it entirely and the return is treated as not filed.
The six methods
1. Aadhaar OTP (fastest)
On the e-filing portal choose “e-Verify”, select Aadhaar OTP, and enter the OTP sent to the mobile number linked with your Aadhaar. Done in under a minute. Requires PAN-Aadhaar linkage.
2. Net banking
Log in to the portal through your bank’s net-banking “Income Tax e-Filing” link; you are authenticated and can verify instantly.
3. Bank account EVC
Pre-validate your bank account on the portal, generate an Electronic Verification Code (EVC) sent to your registered mobile/email, and enter it.
4. Demat account EVC
Same as the bank-account route, using a pre-validated demat account to generate the EVC.
5. Bank ATM EVC
At select banks’ ATMs you can generate an EVC using your debit card, then enter it on the portal.
6. Digital Signature Certificate (DSC)
Mandatory for taxpayers subject to tax audit and commonly used by companies; verifies the return with a registered DSC.
The offline fallback: ITR-V by post
If you cannot e-verify, print the ITR-V acknowledgement, sign it in blue ink, and send it by ordinary or speed post to CPC, Income Tax Department, Bengaluru – 560500, within the same 30 days. It must reach CPC in time; couriers are not accepted.
FAQs
What happens if I do not verify within 30 days?
The return is treated as invalid — effectively not filed — unless you verify late and accept the later date as your filing date, which may make it belated.
Can someone else verify on my behalf?
Aadhaar OTP and EVC are tied to your own credentials. An authorised representative can verify only via a registered DSC in permitted cases.
Do I need to verify a revised return too?
Yes. Every return — original, belated or revised — must be verified within 30 days of filing.
How do I check if my return is verified?
The portal shows the status as “Successfully e-Verified”, and you receive a confirmation by email and SMS.
