The ITR PDF password is your PAN in small letters followed by your date of birth written as DDMMYYYY, with nothing in between. So a person with PAN ABCDE1234F born on 5 March opens the file by typing the PAN in lowercase and then 05 03 and the four digit year, all joined together.
The same rule opens the ITR-V acknowledgement, the intimation order under section 143(1), most demand and notice PDFs sent by email, and the AIS and TIS downloads. Form 16 from an employer and Form 26AS from TRACES follow different patterns, explained below. Put simply, the income tax intimation password, the password for income tax intimation order files and the general income tax PDF password for notices are one and the same. Nobody from the department will ever ask you to share this password, your portal login or an OTP.
Quick facts
Format
PAN in lowercase + date of birth as DDMMYYYYExample
abcde1234f05031990 style: ten PAN characters, then eight digitsSpaces or symbols
NoneFirms, companies, HUFs
Date of formation or incorporation instead of birth dateOpens
ITR-V, 143(1) intimation, notices, AIS, TISForm 16
Set by the employer; read the covering emailForm 26AS from TRACES
Date of birth as DDMMYYYY
ITR PDF password format for each tax file
| Document | Where it comes from | Password pattern |
|---|---|---|
| ITR-V acknowledgement | E-filing portal or email after filing | PAN in lowercase + DDMMYYYY |
| Intimation order under 143(1) | Email from the processing centre | PAN in lowercase + DDMMYYYY |
| Demand notice or other notice PDF | Email or e-Proceedings tab | PAN in lowercase + DDMMYYYY |
| AIS and TIS (PDF or JSON) | AIS section of the e-filing portal | PAN in lowercase + DDMMYYYY |
| Form 26AS PDF | TRACES, reached from the e-filing portal | Date of birth or incorporation as DDMMYYYY |
| Form 16 or Form 16A sent by a deductor | Employer or payer email | Chosen by the employer or software; check the covering mail |
The date is the one recorded against your PAN in the department database. If you changed your date of birth in PAN records, the new date applies.
ITR intimation password with a worked example
A salaried employee in Pune. Meera's PAN is BQXPM4471K and her PAN card shows her birth date as 9 November. Her birth year ends the string. She gets an email with the subject line about intimation under section 143(1) and a PDF attached.
- Write the PAN in small letters: bqxpm4471k.
- Write the date as two digits for day, two for month, four for year: 09, then 11, then the year.
- Join them with no space or slash: bqxpm4471k0911 followed by the year.
- Type it in the PDF reader. The file opens and shows the tax computed by the department next to her own figures.
For a firm, an LLP, a company or a trust, swap the birth date for the date of formation or incorporation in the same eight digit form. An HUF uses the date of its creation as recorded in PAN data.
Form 16 password and the TRACES files
Form 16 is issued by your employer, not by the e-filing portal. Many employers protect the PDF with the same PAN and birth date pattern, but some use only the first part of the PAN, the employee code or a date. There is no single official Form 16 password format, so read the email that came with it or ask your payroll team. From tax year 2026-27 the salary certificate becomes Form 130, while Form 16 still covers FY 2025-26 salary.
Form 26AS downloaded through TRACES as a PDF usually opens with just the date of birth (or incorporation) in DDMMYYYY. Deductors who download Form 16, Form 16A or the TDS conso file from TRACES get zip files whose password is shown on the TRACES download screen and in its help pages; use that rather than guessing.
How to download and open the ITR PDF
- Sign in on the e-filing portal using PAN or Aadhaar and your own password.
- Open the e-File menu; under Income Tax Returns, click View Filed Returns.
- Pick the assessment year, for example AY 2026-27, and click Download Receipt for the ITR-V or Download Form for the full return.
- Open the PDF and type the password in the pattern above.
- For the intimation, use Download Intimation on the same screen if the email is lost.
The full return can also be downloaded as a JSON file. That file is not locked; it is meant for the offline utility. Keep every download on your own device and delete copies sent to shared computers.
Why the password fails and what to do
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| PAN typed in capitals | Retype every letter in lowercase |
| Date written with slashes or dashes | Use eight plain digits: day, month, year |
| Single digit day or month | Add a leading zero, so 7 becomes 07 |
| Birth date in PAN records differs from your certificate | Use the date in PAN records, or get it corrected |
| Form 16 rejects the PAN pattern | Ask the employer; the format is their choice |
| File opens but looks blank | Use an updated PDF reader instead of a phone preview |
Stay safe with tax emails and passwords
Genuine intimations come from the department's official addresses and never ask you to click a link to claim a refund or to reply with your login. If an email asks for your portal password, your bank details on an unknown page, or an OTP, treat it as fraud. Open the e-filing portal yourself by typing its address and check the e-Proceedings or Pending Actions tabs. For help, see the official helpline numbers.
Business Tax Slab is an independent guide and has no link with the Income Tax Department. Download formats change from time to time; when in doubt, check the e-filing portal's help pages or ask a chartered accountant.
Sources we checked
- E-filing portal help: View Filed Returns
- E-filing portal help: Annual Information Statement
- TRACES taxpayer help: View Form 26AS
- Income-tax Act, 1961, section 143(1)
Frequently asked questions
What is the password to open the ITR intimation order?
Type your PAN in small letters and then your date of birth as eight digits, day first, with no gap. The same pattern works for the ITR-V acknowledgement and most income tax notice PDFs.
What is the AIS password in income tax?
The AIS and TIS files downloaded from the e-filing portal use the same rule: PAN in lowercase plus date of birth in DDMMYYYY. This applies to both the PDF and the JSON version.
What is the Form 16 password format?
There is no fixed official format because the employer or its payroll software sets it. Many use PAN plus birth date, but check the email that came with the certificate or ask HR.
Which date goes into the ITR file password if I am unsure of my recorded birth date?
Inside your portal account, My Profile shows the date of birth held in PAN records. Use exactly that date in the password.
Will the income tax department ask for my password by phone?
No. The department does not ask taxpayers to share portal passwords, file passwords or OTPs. Treat any such call or email as an attempt at fraud and report it through the portal.