Why should you e-verify?

You e-filing process does not end with submitting your tax returns. Your electronic filing is not considered valid until you verify uploaded returns. You can do this in two ways.

Download the one-page verification document – ITR V form and post it to CPC Bangalore
Verify returns online using different ways to verify your e-returns on submitting your income tax return (ITR)

HOW TO E-VERIFY ITR-V RETURN ONLINE

You don’t have to send ITR-V by post to Income Tax Department or sign digitally to verify your tax return anymore. You have different ways of verifying your tax return online:

Electronic Verification Code (EVC)
Aadhaar One-time-password (OTP)
Net Banking Facility
ATM Pre-validation
Bank Account Number Pre-validation
Demat Account Number Pre-validation
Digital Signature certificate (DSC)

Before you do that, you should know when it is mandatory to file returns online as an individual or HUF, and who can voluntarily choose this option.

While anyone can choose to file their returns online, e-filing is mandatory for:

Assessee whose total income is 5 lakhs and above
Any individual or HUF with foreign assets
A resident Indian with signing authority for foreign accounts
Assessee who has to respond to assessing officer by giving notice under sec 11(2)
Assessee who has to file returns using form ITR 7 and under sec 139 (4B)
Assessee who has to furnish audit report under various sections of the Income Tax Act
Individuals and HUFs claiming relief under sec 90 or 90 A
Individuals and HUFs claiming deductions under sec 91

Necessary steps before you e-verify online returns:

Ensure you use correct form to file return.
Confirm that TDS under Form 16 match deductions by employers or financial institutions in Form 26AS. You can access this form through income tax site or net banking account.
Claim all available deductions from total income

Things to remember before E-filing and E-verifying tax return

Whether e-verify is successful or ends in an error report depends on these pointers.

Ensure same name in banks statement, Aadhaar card and Pan card. Any slight deviation in name can affect e-verification process.
Link same mobile number and email ID to Aadhaar card, Pan card, bank account or demat account, as you will receive your EVC details through SMS or mail.
Link your Aadhaar card to bank account and Income Tax website. This will be useful when you unable to get an EVC through the site and need an OTP.
Obtain a digital signature and click Yes on the popup asking you to digitally sign your IT return file. If you fail to click yes, you will not be able to e-verify using signature.

What is EVC and how to generate this code?

Electronic Verification Code (EVC) is a 10-digit alpha numeric number unique to your PAN number and represents your tax return documentation. In many ways, it is similar to an OTP you use while shopping with credit card or transacting through online banking. E-verification is only possible from assessment year 2014-2015. In order to e-verify your income tax return:

You can generate EVC code at the time of uploading your tax return.
You can choose to e-verify a tax return that has been previously uploaded and generate the EVC at a later date (within the 120-day limit)

Useful: How to effectively give and receive gifts without tax problems

1. E-VERIFY ITR-V THROUGH EVC on TAX WEBSITE

If you want electronically verify your tax return on uploading the return, follow these steps:

If you have a user account, login to your account at online portal.

If you haven’t done it yet, register yourself by creating a user account at the income tax department’s e-filing website. Your PAN card number becomes your User ID.

Go to e-File menu on account dashboard. Click on it, scroll through drop down menu and select Upload Return. Click on it and go to the linked page.

In the new page, select your assessment year and ITR name from drop down. Attach your return as an XML file and click on Submit button.

You land on a page with 4 options to e-verify. Choose your option.

Click option one – I already have an EVC to e-Verify my return, if you have a code. Remember this code is only valid for 72 hours from the time it is generated and received.

Click the link and a screen will be displayed –

Enter your pre-generated EVC in the text box and click Submit to e-verify your return. If verification is successful, you will see this display screen.

Download Acknowledgement or ITR-V and save it. No further action is required on your end.

2) Choose option 2 – I do not have an EVC and I would like to generate EVC to e-Verify my return to get fresh code.

If your total income is below 5 lakhs and you have no refund claims, you will see a screen with 4 EVC generating options.

Click EVC – To Registered Email Id and Mobile Number option.

Copy the EVC code from your SMS or email message to the text box. Click Submit to e-verify return. If verification is successful, you will see this display screen.

Download your Acknowledgement or ITR-V and save it. No further action is required on your end.

3) If you choose option 4 – I would like to send ITR-V/ I would like to e-Verify later, you will see this screen –

When you click on Continue, you receive a success message on ITR-V download page.

When you are ready to e-verify, Go to e-File menu on account dashboard. Follow steps mentioned in this section to generate EVC and e-verify your return.

Top 12 income tax efiling mistakes

2. EVERIFY ITR-V FORM USING AADHAAR OTP

Before using this method, link PAN and Aadhaar to e-filing portal. Link mobile number to Aadhaar card. To verify your tax return, follow these steps.

Login to your account at e-filing portal. Go to e-File menu on your account dashboard. Click on it, scroll through drop down menu and select e-verify Return. Click link.

You land on a page with 4 options to e-verify. Choose option 3 – I would like to generate Aadhaar OTP to e-Verify my return, and click on it.

If your Aadhaar is not linked to e-filing portal, a pop-up will appear asking you to link it with Pan card.

Click Link Aadhaar You will be redirected to Link Aadhaar Page under Profile Settings of your account. Enter Aadhaar Number in text.
After you get a linking successful message, go back to e-verify return page. Choose option 3 – I would like to generate Aadhaar OTP to e-Verify my return, and click on it.

If PAN and Aadhaar are linked, an OTP will be generated and sent to registered mobile number (with Aadhaar card). Remember OTP code is only valid for 10 minutes from the time it is generated and send to you through SMS.
A pop up will be displayed like this –

Enter Aadhaar OTP in text box and click on Submit to e-Verify your return. If verification is successful, you will see this display screen.

Download your Acknowledgement or ITR-V and save it. No further action is required on your end.

3. E-VERIFY INCOME TAX RETURN- V FORM WITH NETBANKING

You can use your net banking account to e-verify your return/s.

Go to manage your taxes or e-file your return menu option in your account dashboard. This menu title many differ from bank to bank.

Click on the link to land on the page similar to one displayed below. This page, content and link tabs will differ from bank to bank. Click on the Income tax e-filing or E-file now

You will land on e-File your Income Tax Return or similarly worded page. If you have more than account in the same bank, choose the relevant one. Tick the Agree to terms tab and then click Submit.

You will be redirected to income tax portal.

If you have uploaded your return earlier, go to View Returns tab and click on it.

You will be taken to page with uploaded return/s details.

When you click on e-verify link, a pop-up will appear. Click Continue tab to generate an EVC and confirm electronic verification.

If verification is successful, you will see this display screen.

Download your Acknowledgement or ITR-V and save it. No further action is required on your end.

4. E-VERIFY ITR-V WITH ATM VALIDATION

You can also e-verify using ATM-validation facility provided –

ATM card of bank account linked to Pan card
Bank account registered with Income Tax portal
Mobile number and email Id registered with both Bank and Tax department

Follow these steps to e-verify your return –

Enter your pre-generated EVC in the text box and Click Submit to e-Verify your return. If verification is successful, you will see this display screen.
You will land on page with 4 options on e-verify return page. Click option one I already have an EVC to e-Verify my return, as you have already have a code. Remember it is only valid for 72 hours from the time it is generated and send to you through SMS or email.
Visit your bank ATM and swipe the card. Enter ATM PIN Number
On your ATM Screen, you will find an extra Generate EVC/Pin for Income Tax Filing. This may differ from bank to bank. Select it and press Enter.
EVC will be sent to your mobile number or email Id registered with Bank.
Login to your account at e-filing portal. Go to e-File menu on your account dashboard. Click on it, scroll through drop down menu and select e-verify Return. Click link as in earlier images.
Once you click the link, a screen will be displayed –
Download your Acknowledgement or ITR-V and save it. No further action is required on your end.

5. E-VERIFY ITR-V WITH BANK ACCOUNT VALIDATION

You can verify returns by adding banks details like account number, IFSC code, email Id and mobile number on tax portal. Use this option when you don’t have Aadhaar card or net banking facility.

Login to your account at e-filing portal. Go to e-File menu on your account dashboard. Click on it, scroll through drop down menu and Select Upload Return. Upload your tax return as XML file.
After pressing Submit, you will see a page with 4 options on e-verify return page. Choose option 2 – I do not have an EVC and I would like to generate EVC to e-Verify my return, and click on it.

4. If your total income is 5 lakhs and above or you have refund claims of Rs 100 or more, you will be presented with a screen has 4 different ways of generating a fresh EVC. In either case, click on EVC – Through Bank Account Number

5. If you haven’t validated Bank Account Number, you will see this screen –

6. Click on Prevalidate your Bank Account tab and you will be taken to bank details page. Fill it up and press Prevalidate.

7. You will get a success message and this pop-up will be displayed –

8. Click Yes to generate EVC and you get another successful message,

9.Enter the code from your SMS in text box.

10. Enter your EVC in the text box and Click Submit to e-Verify your return. If verification is successful, you will see this display screen.

11. Download your Acknowledgement or ITR-V and save it. No further action is required on your end.

6. E-VERIFY INCOME TAX RETURN USING DEMAT ACCOUNT

Verify return by providing demat details like DP and Client Id, depository type, email Id and mobile number on tax portal.

Login to your account at e-filing portal. Go to e-File menu on your account dashboard. Click on it, scroll through drop down menu and Select Upload Return. Upload tax return as XML file.
After uploading return and pressing submit, you will see a page with 4 options on e-verify return page. Choose option 2 – I do not have an EVC and I would like to generate EVC to e-Verify my return, and click on it.
If your total income is below 5 lakhs and you have no refund claims, you will see a screen with 4 different ways of generating a fresh EVC. If your total income is 5 lakhs and above or you have refund claims of Rs 100 or more, you will see a screen with 3 different ways of generating a fresh EVC.In either case, click on EVC – Through Demat Account Number

4. If you haven’t validated Demat Account Number, you will see this screen –

5. Click on Prevalidate your Demat Account tab and you will be taken to Demat details page. Fill it up and press Prevalidate.

6. You will get a success message and this pop-up will be displayed – Click Yes to generate EVC and you get another successful SMS message. Enter the code from your SMS in text box.

Enter the code from SMS below.

7.Enter your EVC in the text box and Click Submit to e-Verify your return. If verification is successful, you will see this display screen.

8. Download your Acknowledgement or ITR-V and save it. No further action is required on your end.

7. E-VERIFY INCOME TAX RETURN USING DSC

Individuals and HUFs, who are required by tax rules to get their accounts audited, have to use a digital signature certificate to file their ITR-4 return.

As their returns are digitally signed when a DSC is uploaded to portal, their tax returns are automatically verified. They don’t need an EVC nor are they required to post the hardcopy of acknowledgement.

Remember that ITRV must be everified within 120 days else your return is not valid. Don’t swim the ocean but miss to enjoy the shore. Do it till the end and complete your income tax return.

It is easy to everify ITR-V online than sending to CPC by post. You can accurately e-verify ITRV with Adhaar, EVC, NetBanking, DSC, Demat options. I usually use the NetBanking option to e-verify my income tax return.

Have you e-verified your income tax returns with any of these methods? Will you e-verify returns this year? If you found this information useful, share this post with family and friends.

Categories