Income Tax — Refund Guide

Income Tax Refund Status
Check ITR Refund for FY 2024–25 & AY 2025–26

Paid more tax than required? Track your income tax refund status online through the Income Tax Portal or NSDL. Know where your money is, what the status codes mean, and what to do if it's delayed.

Updated: May 2025

CA Reviewed

Authorised ERI Partner

What is an Income Tax Refund?

An income tax refund is the amount the Income Tax Department returns to you when the taxes you have paid during the year — through TDS, advance tax, or self-assessment tax — exceed your actual tax liability computed at the time of filing your ITR.

Common scenarios that lead to a refund include excessive TDS deducted by your employer, interest income taxed at a higher rate, or advance tax paid over and above your final liability.

Important: You can only receive an income tax refund after filing your ITR and after the return is processed by the Income Tax Department under Section 143(1). The refund is credited directly to your pre-validated bank account linked to your PAN.

FY 2024–25

AY 2025–26

FY 2023–24

AY 2024–25

How to Claim an Income Tax Refund?

There is no separate application or form to claim an income tax refund. The refund is automatically computed when you file your Income Tax Return (ITR). Follow these steps to ensure you receive it:

File Your ITR Accurately

Ensure all income sources, TDS credits, and deductions are correctly filled in your ITR for the relevant financial year.

Verify Your Return (e-Verify)

e-Verify your filed ITR using Aadhaar OTP, net banking, or DSC. Without verification, your return is not treated as filed and no refund will be processed.

Pre-Validate Your Bank Account

Ensure your bank account is pre-validated on the income tax portal and linked to your PAN. Refund will only be credited to a validated account.

Wait for ITR Processing

After filing, the Income Tax Department processes your return under Section 143(1) and issues an intimation. Refunds are credited within 4–6 weeks of processing in most cases.

Pro Tip: Refund interest at 0.5% per month under Section 244A is payable if the refund is delayed beyond 3 months from the date of filing. Make sure to claim this interest if applicable.

How to Check Refund Status via Income Tax Portal (FY 2024–25)?

The Income Tax e-Filing portal is the primary and most accurate way to check your refund status. Here's how:

Visit incometax.gov.in and log in using your PAN/Aadhaar and password.

Navigate to "My Account" → "Refund/Demand Status"

From the dashboard, click on "e-File" → "Income Tax Returns" → "View Filed Returns".

Select Assessment Year

Choose AY 2025–26 (for FY 2024–25) or the relevant assessment year you want to check.

View Your Refund Status

The status will display the refund amount, mode of payment, and current stage in the processing pipeline.

View Filed Returns

Refund/Demand Status

e-Verify Return

PAN

Assessment Year

Refund Credited — ₹12,450 Credited to SBI account ending ****4821 · ECS · 14 Apr 2025

How to Check Income Tax Refund Status via NSDL?

You can also check your refund status on the NSDL (Protean) portal without logging in — useful if you don't remember your portal credentials.

NSDL e-Gov — Tax Information Network

Check your income tax refund status using your PAN and Assessment Year below:

PAN Number

Assessment Year

Captcha Code

Note: The NSDL portal shows refund status only after the refund has been dispatched by the Income Tax Department to SBI. For real-time ITR processing status, always use the Income Tax e-Filing portal (incometax.gov.in).

What is the Meaning of the Status of My Refund?

Understanding what each refund status message means can help you take the right action. Here is a complete reference:

Status Message	Meaning	Action Required
Return Received	Your ITR has been received by the Income Tax Department and is pending processing.	No action needed. Wait for processing.
Return Processing	The CPC (Centralised Processing Centre) is currently processing your return.	No action needed. Processing usually takes 20–45 days.
Refund Credited	Your refund has been credited to your bank account via ECS (NEFT).	Check your bank account. Raise refund reissue if not received within 3 working days.
Refund Failed	Refund could not be credited — usually due to incorrect bank details or unvalidated account.	Apply for refund reissue after updating and pre-validating your bank account.
Refund Adjusted	Part or all of your refund was adjusted against an outstanding tax demand from a previous year.	Verify the demand on the portal. Respond or pay the outstanding demand if correct.
No Refund / No Demand	Processing is complete but no refund is due (tax paid equals tax liability).	Review your return for any missed TDS credits or deductions via a revised return / ITR-U.
Demand Raised	The department has determined you owe additional tax. An intimation under Section 143(1) has been issued.	Respond within 30 days — agree, disagree, or pay the demand online.
Refund Expired	The refund cheque (if issued) was not encashed and has expired.	Apply for refund reissue immediately through the e-Filing portal.

Simple Steps to Apply for Refund Reissue

If your refund has failed or expired, you need to raise a refund reissue request on the Income Tax portal. Here is how:

Visit incometax.gov.in and log in using your PAN/Aadhaar credentials.

Go to Services → Refund Reissue

From the left panel, click Services → Refund Reissue. You will see all returns for which reissue can be requested.

Select the Assessment Year

Pick the relevant AY for which the refund failed and click "Create Refund Reissue Request".

Select Pre-Validated Bank Account

Choose your pre-validated bank account from the dropdown. If your account is not pre-validated, do that first under Profile → My Bank Accounts.

e-Verify the Request

Verify the reissue request using Aadhaar OTP or net banking. You will receive an acknowledgement once submitted successfully.

Tip: After submitting a refund reissue request, allow 10–15 working days for the refund to be re-credited. You can track the status again on the portal or NSDL.

Common Reasons for Delayed or Failed Income Tax Refund

Why is Your Income Tax Refund Delayed?

ITR not e-verified after filing — verification is mandatory for processing
Return is under scrutiny or additional verification by the Income Tax Department
Outstanding tax demand from a previous year being adjusted against the refund
High volume of returns during peak season causing processing delays at CPC Bengaluru
Mismatch in TDS credit between Form 26AS and the declared figures in your ITR

Why Did Your Refund Fail?

Bank account not pre-validated or ECS not enabled on the account
PAN is not linked to your bank account — mandatory after April 2023
Bank account is closed, dormant, or has been changed since filing
Incorrect IFSC code or account number provided in the return
Refund cheque (old cases) was not encashed and has expired

If your ITR has been filed but not verified: Your return is treated as never filed. E-verify immediately to avoid penalties and ensure refund processing begins. Verification can be done up to 30 days from the date of filing.

What Do You Do If Refund is Not Received After 3 Months?

If it has been more than 3 months since your ITR was processed and no refund has been credited, you are entitled to interest under Section 244A at 0.5% per month from the date of filing. You can also raise a grievance on the e-Filing portal under "Grievance" → "Submit Grievance" with category "ITR Processing / Refund".

Frequently Asked Questions — Income Tax Refund

● Who gets interest for the income tax refund?

Under Section 244A of the Income Tax Act, if the refund amount is 10% or more of the total tax paid, interest is payable at 0.5% per month (6% per annum) from the 1st of April of the assessment year to the date of grant of refund, if the ITR was filed on time. If filed late, interest runs from the date of filing the return.

● Is there any limit on the amount of income tax refund?

There is no upper limit on the refund amount. However, for refunds above ₹5 lakh, the Income Tax Department may undertake scrutiny or request additional documents before releasing the refund. Smaller refunds are generally credited faster through the automated processing system at CPC Bengaluru.

● What are the significant issues related to a refund in the Income Tax Department?

Common issues include: wrong IFSC or account number, account not pre-validated, PAN-bank account mismatch, outstanding demand adjustment, refund expired, return not e-verified, and TDS mismatch between Form 26AS and the filed ITR. Each of these can delay or cancel your refund and requires specific action to resolve.

● If your ITR has been filed, then what is the reason for not receiving the refund?

Even after filing ITR, a refund may not arrive because: (1) the return is not e-verified, (2) the bank account is not pre-validated, (3) an outstanding demand is being adjusted, (4) the return is under scrutiny, or (5) there is a TDS mismatch causing the refund to be withheld pending clarification. Check the refund status on the portal first to identify the exact cause.

● How do I check the Income Tax Refund Status?

You can check your income tax refund status in two ways: (1) Log in to incometax.gov.in → e-File → Income Tax Returns → View Filed Returns → select the AY and click on the return acknowledgement to see the refund status. (2) Visit tin.tin.nsdl.com/oltas/refundstatuslogin.html, enter your PAN and AY, fill in the captcha and click Submit.

● What is the Income Tax Refund timeline?

After e-verification of the ITR, the CPC typically takes 20–45 days to process the return. Once processed, refunds are usually credited within 4–6 weeks. For returns filed close to the due date or with large refund claims, this can extend to 3–4 months. Section 244A ensures you earn interest for delays beyond 3 months from the date of filing.

Income Tax Refund StatusCheck ITR Refund for FY 2024–25 & AY 2025–26

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