Check your refund status on the Income Tax Department website using your PAN and assessment year

The Income Tax Department of India publishes refund status online through its official portal. You can see whether your refund has been processed, the amount, and the date it was sent to your bank. The tool works for any assessment year and takes about two minutes to use.

Go to incometax.gov.in, find the "Refund Status" link (usually under Services or Quick Links), and enter your Permanent Account Number (PAN) and the assessment year you filed for. The system will show you the current status immediately.

This is the only official source for refund tracking. No other website, app, or phone number can tell you your actual refund status — only the Income Tax Department's own portal has access to that data.

Key Takeaways

  • Visit incometax.gov.in and use the Refund Status tool with your PAN and assessment year to see where your refund is.
  • The status will show whether your refund is pending, processed, or sent to your bank, along with the amount and date.
  • Refunds typically take 30 to 90 days from the date the Income Tax Department processes your return, depending on your bank.
  • If your status shows "Sent to Bank" but you have not received the money after 7 to 10 days, contact your bank's customer service with the refund reference number.
  • Do not trust third-party websites or apps claiming to check your refund — use only the official Income Tax Department portal.

What the refund status page actually tells you

The Income Tax Department's refund status tool shows four pieces of information: whether your refund is still being processed, the amount the department is sending back, the date the refund was issued, and the status code (such as "Sent to Bank" or "Pending").

"Pending" means the department is still reviewing your return or has not yet processed the refund. "Sent to Bank" means the department has transferred the money to your bank account — it has left the government's system. The date shown is when the department initiated the transfer, not when your bank will credit it to you.

The status page does not tell you why a refund is delayed, whether there are errors in your return, or what the department is doing if the status has not changed in weeks. For those questions, you will need to contact the Income Tax Department directly or file a formal inquiry.

How long refunds actually take after the status changes

Once the Income Tax Department marks your refund as "Sent to Bank," your bank typically takes 5 to 10 working days to credit the money to your account. Some banks are faster; some take longer. The exact timeline depends on your bank's processing speed and whether the transfer happens during a weekend or holiday.

Before the status changes to "Sent to Bank," the department itself can take 30 to 90 days to process your return and approve the refund. This varies based on how busy the department is, whether your return was filed on time, and whether the department needs to verify any information with you.

If you filed your return late or the department flagged something for review, the wait can stretch longer. Check the status page every two weeks if your refund is still pending — the status updates as the department moves through the queue.

What to do if your refund status has not changed in months

If your status has been "Pending" for more than 90 days since you filed your return, or if it shows "Sent to Bank" but your bank says it never received the transfer, you can file a formal complaint with the Income Tax Department.

Use the Income Tax Refund Monitoring System (ITRMS) on the Income Tax website to track and escalate your case. You will need your PAN, assessment year, and the date you filed. The system lets you see whether the department has flagged any issues with your return that are holding up the refund.

If the status shows "Sent to Bank" but you have not received the money after 10 working days, contact your bank's customer service with the refund reference number from the status page. Give them the date the refund was supposedly sent — they can trace whether the transfer actually arrived and where it went.

Why the status page sometimes shows nothing

If you enter your PAN and assessment year and the system returns no results, it usually means one of three things: your return has not been processed yet, you entered the wrong PAN or assessment year, or your return was never filed in the department's system.

Double-check that you are using the correct PAN (the 10-character alphanumeric code on your PAN card) and the right assessment year. The assessment year runs from April 1 to March 31 — so if you filed your return in June 2024, you were filing for the 2023-24 assessment year, not 2024-25.

If you are certain the PAN and year are correct and still see no results, your return may not have been filed successfully. Check your email for a filing confirmation from the Income Tax Department, or log into your account on incometax.gov.in to see whether your return shows as filed.

Using the Income Tax portal to file and track in one place

You can create an account on incometax.gov.in using your PAN and mobile number. Once logged in, you can file your return, upload documents, and check your refund status all from the same dashboard. This also lets you see whether the department has sent you any notices or requests for information.

The portal shows your filing history for all past years, so you can check the status of refunds from multiple assessment years without having to enter your details each time. You can also download your filed return and any acknowledgments the department has issued.

If you do not have an account yet, you can still check your refund status without logging in — just use the Refund Status tool on the home page. Creating an account is optional but useful if you file regularly or want to monitor multiple years at once.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my refund was actually sent to my bank?

The status page will show "Sent to Bank" with a date. That date is when the Income Tax Department transferred the money. If it has been more than 10 working days since that date and your bank account still does not show the refund, contact your bank with the refund reference number from the status page — they can trace whether the transfer arrived.

Can I check someone else's refund status?

No. The refund status tool requires the PAN of the person who filed the return. You cannot check a spouse's, child's, or parent's refund status unless you have their PAN and they give you permission. The Income Tax Department does not release refund information to anyone but the person who filed.

What if the refund amount shown is wrong?

If the status page shows a refund amount that does not match what you expected, log into your account on incometax.gov.in and review your filed return. Check the total tax paid, total tax due, and the calculated refund. If there is still a discrepancy, file a formal query through the Income Tax portal or contact your local tax office with your return documents.

Does the refund status page work on mobile phones?

Yes. The Income Tax Department's website works on phones and tablets. You can enter your PAN and check your status from anywhere. Some people find it easier to use a computer, but the mobile version has the same information and works just as well.

What if I never received a refund I was supposed to get?

First, check the status page to see whether the department ever processed a refund for that year. If it shows "Sent to Bank," contact your bank to trace the transfer. If the status page shows nothing or "Pending" for a year you filed long ago, file a complaint through the Income Tax Refund Monitoring System or contact your local tax office with proof that you filed.