Online Verification via Income Tax Portal

• The Income Tax Department provides a “Know Your TAN” facility on its e-filing portal.
  
• You can verify TAN by selecting:
  
  • State of the deductor
    
  • Name of the entity or individual
    
  • Category of deductor (e.g., company, individual, government)
    
• The system displays the TAN number, jurisdiction, and AO details if the entered data matches the records.
  

Verification through TRACES Portal

• Registered users can log in to the TRACES portal using TAN credentials.
  
• Once logged in, they can verify:
  
  • TAN registration details
    
  • Communication address
    
  • Authorised contact details
    
  • TAN linkage with TDS filings, challans, and Form 16/16A
    

Cross-Check with TAN Allotment Letter

• Entities should retain and verify details from the original TAN allotment letter, which confirms:
  
  • Date of allotment
    
  • Name and PAN of the deductor
    
  • TAN and its jurisdiction
    
• This document is an official confirmation from the Income Tax Department and is useful during audits or legal proceedings.
  

Use of PAN-TAN Linking Tools

• Tools and utilities available on government-authorised websites allow businesses to cross-verify TAN with PAN.
  
• This helps detect mismatches in TDS returns or certificate issuance and ensures that both identifiers are aligned correctly.
  

Validation in TDS Returns and Government Filings

• During return filing or challan payments, the portal automatically validates the TAN against the Income Tax database.
  

If the TAN is invalid, mismatched, or unregistered, the system rejects the filing or raises an error, prompting immediate correction.