If the tax deducted or paid in a year is more than the tax you actually owe, the Income Tax Department returns the difference as a refund. The refund is paid into your bank account, and you can follow its progress on the department's e-filing portal, incometax.gov.in.
This guide explains how to check the status, what each status means, why some refunds fail and what to do about the bank account. It is based on the e-filing portal's own user manual and FAQ pages. It is general information, not tax advice.
When a refund arises
According to the portal's refund status manual, a refund is due when the taxes already paid - through TDS (tax deducted at source), TCS (tax collected at source), advance tax or self-assessment tax - add up to more than your tax liability once deductions and exemptions are taken into account.
Two points decide when the money comes:
- Processing starts only after you e-verify the return. A return that is filed but not verified is not taken up.
- The usual time is about four to five weeks. The manual says refunds generally reach the taxpayer's account in that period.
If it takes longer, the manual asks taxpayers to look for an intimation about a discrepancy in the return and to check their email for messages from the department.
What you need before you check
- A valid user ID and password for the e-filing portal. For individuals the user ID is the PAN.
- A PAN that is linked with Aadhaar.
- A filed income tax return in which a refund is claimed.
If your PAN and Aadhaar are not yet linked, see our guide on how to link Aadhaar with PAN and check the link status.
How to check the refund status: step by step
- Open the e-filing portal home page at incometax.gov.in and click Login.
- Enter your user ID and password. If your PAN is not linked with Aadhaar, a pop-up tells you the PAN is inoperative. You can choose Link Now to link it, or Continue to go ahead without linking.
- From the menu, go to e-File > Income Tax Returns > View Filed Returns.
- Your filed returns are listed by assessment year. Pick the assessment year you want and click View Details.
The details page shows the refund status and also the full life cycle of that return - when it was filed, verified and processed.
A note on the year: the assessment year is the year after the financial year in which the income was earned. Income earned between April 2025 and March 2026 belongs to assessment year 2026-27.
The four refund statuses
The manual shows four possible results on the View Details page.
| Status shown | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Refund issued | The refund has been sent to your bank account. |
| Refund partially adjusted | Part of the refund has been set off against tax you owe, and the rest is paid. |
| Full refund adjusted | The whole refund has been set off against tax you owe, so nothing is paid out. |
| Refund failed | The department tried to pay but the money did not reach the bank account. |
The manual lists these labels without a longer explanation; the right-hand column is our plain-language reading of them. An adjustment normally means the refund has been used against an outstanding tax demand for another year, and the details are shown in the intimation sent with the processed return.
Five reasons a refund fails
The manual gives these reasons for a "Refund failed" status:
- The PAN is inoperative. In the manual's words, "If your PAN is inoperative, your refund will get failed", and the portal shows a warning to link PAN with Aadhaar.
- The bank account is not pre-validated. The manual says pre-validation is now compulsory.
- Name mismatch. The name in the bank account is not the same as the name in the PAN records.
- Invalid IFSC code. This can happen when the branch code typed in the return is wrong or out of date.
- Closed account. The account entered in the return no longer exists.
Four of the five are about the bank account. Checking it before the return is filed avoids most failed refunds.
How bank account validation works
The portal's "My Bank Account" FAQ sets out the rules.
Which accounts qualify. Savings, current, cash credit, overdraft and NRO accounts can be validated. Loan accounts and PPF accounts cannot; the portal shows an "Invalid Account" error for them.
What is needed. A valid PAN registered on the e-filing portal, and an active bank account linked to that PAN.
How long it takes. Validation is automatic. The status is normally updated within 10 to 12 working days, and the result is sent to your registered mobile number and email ID.
What you will see.
- Validated - the account can be nominated for refund.
- Validation in progress - the result has not come back yet.
- Failed Bank Accounts - the account is listed here with a Re-Validate option.
- A warning symbol next to an account means the mobile number or email ID on the portal differs from the one in the bank's records. Update one of them so that both match, then validate again.
How many accounts. You can validate more than one account and nominate more than one for refund. Only a Validated account can be nominated.
The same page covers EVC (electronic verification code) through a bank account, which individuals can use to e-verify a return. Only one account can be EVC-enabled at a time, and only with banks that are integrated with the portal.
If the refund has failed
The Income Tax Department's refund reissue page says a refund is issued only to a pre-validated bank account, and that a taxpayer can raise a service request on the e-filing portal after receiving a communication from the Centralized Processing Centre (CPC) about the failure.
In outline:
- Log in to the e-filing portal.
- Go to the Services menu and choose Refund reissue.
- Create a refund reissue request and select the assessment year.
- Choose the bank account for the refund. If it is not validated, validate it first, then select it and submit.
Menu names on the portal change from time to time. If a label looks different, use the portal's Help section to find the current path.
Key points
- Check the status at e-File > Income Tax Returns > View Filed Returns > View Details.
- E-verify the return; nothing moves until you do.
- Keep PAN linked with Aadhaar - an inoperative PAN makes the refund fail.
- Keep at least one Validated bank account nominated for refund, and make sure the name matches your PAN.
- Expect about four to five weeks after e-verification.
Deadlines for filing change from year to year. For the dates announced for assessment year 2026-27 audit cases, see our report on the ITR due date extension to November 21, 2026.
Helpline numbers
The refund status manual lists these official contacts:
- e-Filing and Centralized Processing Centre: 1800 103 0025, 1800 419 0025, 080-46122000, 080-61464700 - 8 am to 8 pm, Monday to Friday.
- AIS and Reporting Portal: 1800 103 4215 - 9.30 am to 6 pm, Monday to Friday.
A grievance can also be filed, and later tracked, from the Grievances section after logging in to the e-filing portal.
Frequently asked questions
How long does an income tax refund take?
The e-filing portal's refund status manual says a refund usually reaches the bank account in about four to five weeks. The count starts only after the return is e-verified, because processing does not begin before that.
Can I check my refund status without filing a return?
No. The status is shown against a filed income tax return that claims a refund. You need a valid e-filing user ID and password, and your PAN should be linked with Aadhaar.
Why does my refund status show "Refund failed"?
The manual lists five reasons - the PAN is inoperative, the bank account is not pre-validated, the name in the bank account does not match the PAN, the IFSC code is invalid, or the account given in the return has been closed.
Which bank accounts can receive an income tax refund?
Only an account that shows as Validated on the e-filing portal and has been nominated for refund. Savings, current, cash credit, overdraft and NRO accounts can be validated. Loan accounts and PPF accounts cannot.
How long does bank account validation take?
The portal's bank account FAQ says validation is automatic and the status is normally updated within 10 to 12 working days of the request. The result is sent to the mobile number and email ID registered on the portal.
Is there a helpline for refund queries?
Yes. The e-filing and Centralized Processing Centre helpdesk numbers are 1800 103 0025 and 1800 419 0025 (toll-free), and 080-46122000 and 080-61464700, open 8 am to 8 pm, Monday to Friday.
