ET OnlineAre you a first-time taxpayer yet to register on the Income Tax Department’s e-filing portal to file your income tax return (ITR)? With the ITR filing deadline of September 15, 2025, approaching fast, here is a step-by-step process to register yourself on the e-filing portal.
When you register on the I-T Department's e-filing portal, a valid mobile number, email ID, and a valid and active Permanent Account Number (PAN) are the only pre-requisites. Registration is linked to your PAN and the primary contact details you provide. Note that each PAN must be registered separately.
Good news for salaried taxpayers: Limits for these two tax-free perquisites raised substantially in Finance Act, 2025
Step 2: Enter your PAN details under the ‘Register as a Taxpayer’ option and click ‘Validate’. In case PAN is already registered or invalid, an error message will be displayed.
Step 3: Enter all the mandatory details, including name, date of birth, gender and residential status as per your PAN on the basic details page, and click ‘Continue’.
Step 4: After PAN is validated, the ‘Contact Details’ page appears for an individual taxpayer. Enter your contact details, including the primary mobile number, email ID and address. Click on ‘Continue’.
Step 5: Two separate OTPs are sent to the primary mobile number and email ID mentioned. Enter the separate 6 digit OTPs received on the mobile number and email ID and click ‘Continue’.
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Note: The OTP will be valid for 15 minutes only. You have 3 attempts to enter the correct OTP. The OTP expiry countdown timer on the screen tells you when the OTP will expire. On clicking ‘Resend OTP’, a new OTP will be generated and sent.
Step 6: Edit the details in the page if necessary and click ‘Confirm’.
Step 7: On the ‘Set Password’ page, enter your desired password in the ‘Set Password’ and the ‘Confirm Password’ text boxes . Enter your ‘Personalised Message’ and click ‘Register’.
Step 8: When you are registered, click ‘Proceed to Login’ to begin the login process.
How to create a strong password
While entering your new password, be careful of the password policy:
It should be at least 8 characters and at most 14 characters.
It should include both uppercase and lowercase letters.
It should contain a number.
It should have a special character (e.g. @#$%).
Income Tax Department e-filing portal
Any taxpayer with a valid and active PAN card can create an account on the Income Tax Department’s e-filing portal. Once registered, a user gets access to a wide range of features and tax-related services available on the portal, making it easier to file returns, view information, and manage one’s tax profile online.When you register on the I-T Department's e-filing portal, a valid mobile number, email ID, and a valid and active Permanent Account Number (PAN) are the only pre-requisites. Registration is linked to your PAN and the primary contact details you provide. Note that each PAN must be registered separately.
Good news for salaried taxpayers: Limits for these two tax-free perquisites raised substantially in Finance Act, 2025
Here is a step-by-step guide to register
Step 1: Go to the e-Filing portal homepage https://www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal/ and click ‘Register’.Step 2: Enter your PAN details under the ‘Register as a Taxpayer’ option and click ‘Validate’. In case PAN is already registered or invalid, an error message will be displayed.
Step 3: Enter all the mandatory details, including name, date of birth, gender and residential status as per your PAN on the basic details page, and click ‘Continue’.
Step 4: After PAN is validated, the ‘Contact Details’ page appears for an individual taxpayer. Enter your contact details, including the primary mobile number, email ID and address. Click on ‘Continue’.
Step 5: Two separate OTPs are sent to the primary mobile number and email ID mentioned. Enter the separate 6 digit OTPs received on the mobile number and email ID and click ‘Continue’.
CAs point to glitch in ITR software resulting in taxpayers getting a little less tax refund; what it means for you
Note: The OTP will be valid for 15 minutes only. You have 3 attempts to enter the correct OTP. The OTP expiry countdown timer on the screen tells you when the OTP will expire. On clicking ‘Resend OTP’, a new OTP will be generated and sent.
Step 6: Edit the details in the page if necessary and click ‘Confirm’.
Step 7: On the ‘Set Password’ page, enter your desired password in the ‘Set Password’ and the ‘Confirm Password’ text boxes . Enter your ‘Personalised Message’ and click ‘Register’.
Step 8: When you are registered, click ‘Proceed to Login’ to begin the login process.
How to create a strong password
While entering your new password, be careful of the password policy:
It should be at least 8 characters and at most 14 characters.
It should include both uppercase and lowercase letters.
It should contain a number.
It should have a special character (e.g. @#$%).
