How to Check Income Tax Return (ITR) Status Online (India 2026)

Quick answer. Check your Income Tax Return status on the official portal incometax.gov.in. Pre-login, use the “Income Tax Return (ITR) Status” service with your 15-digit acknowledgement number and mobile OTP. Post-login, open e-File then Income Tax Returns then View Filed Returns. This page covers return status only; refunds are tracked separately.

If you are short on time: jump straight to How to check ITR status for the two official methods.

• What ITR status means (filed, e-verified, processed)
• How to check ITR status (pre-login and post-login)
• Details you may need and status meanings
• If your ITR is stuck, defective or not processed
• Safety warnings
• Frequently asked questions
• Related guides
• Official sources

Filing your आयकर रिटर्न is only the first step. After you submit, the return must be e-verified within the allowed time. Without e-verification, the Income Tax Department does not begin processing your return.

Once e-verified, the return moves to processing by the Centralised Processing Centre. After processing, you receive an intimation under section 143(1) confirming the outcome. This intimation is a standard step; it compares your filed figures with the department's computation.

A refund, if any, is a separate stage that follows processing. This page tracks the return itself. For refund timelines and refund status, see How to check your income tax refund status.

1. Open the portal at incometax.gov.in.
2. On the homepage, click Income Tax Return (ITR) Status.
3. Enter your 15-digit acknowledgement number and a valid mobile number, then click Continue.
4. Enter the OTP sent to that mobile number and click Submit.
5. View the current status of that return on screen.

You can find the acknowledgement number on the ITR-V emailed to you after filing.

1. Log in to the portal using your PAN-based user ID and password.
2. Go to e-File, then Income Tax Returns, then View Filed Returns.
3. Select the relevant assessment year to see the return and its status.
4. Click View Details to see the return life cycle and any action items.
5. Use the download options for ITR-V, the return PDF, and the intimation order.

The post-login method shows more detail, including the section 143(1) intimation order once processing is complete.

If your return shows “Pending for e-Verification”, complete e-verification first; processing cannot start otherwise. If it shows “Defective”, read the notice and respond through the portal within the time given.

If a verified return stays “Under Processing” for an unusually long time, you can raise a grievance on the portal. Where a public authority does not respond, you may use the Right to Information Act, 2005 to seek information from the relevant office.

You can draft such a request with the RTI Drafter. For rectifying mistakes after processing, see the rectification guide linked below.

• Use incometax.gov.in only; ignore look-alike sites and app links.
• Never share your OTP, password or PAN login with anyone, including callers.
• Beware fake SMS or emails about a refund asking you to click a link or pay.
• No agent or fee is needed to check your own ITR status; the service is free.

Yes. Use the pre-login “Income Tax Return (ITR) Status” service on the homepage of incometax.gov.in. Enter your 15-digit acknowledgement number and a valid mobile number, then confirm with the OTP sent to that mobile. This shows the current status of that return. For downloads and full detail, log in and open View Filed Returns.

Your acknowledgement number is a 15-digit number generated when you file. It appears on the ITR-V sent to your registered email after filing. You can also find it post-login under e-File, then Income Tax Returns, then View Filed Returns, using the receipt download option for the relevant year.

Filing alone does not complete the process. A return must be e-verified within the allowed time before the department begins processing it. Until you e-verify, the status stays “Submitted / Pending for e-Verification”. Complete e-verification through the portal, then check the status again after some time.

After your return is processed, the Income Tax Department issues an intimation under section 143(1). It is a standard communication comparing your filed figures with the department's computation of your return. You can download it post-login under View Filed Returns. Read it carefully; if you disagree, you may file a rectification.

Refund status is a separate stage that follows processing. This page covers the return itself. For refund timelines, how to track a refund, and what to do about delays, see How to check your income tax refund status and the refund-delay RTI guide listed below.

• How to check your income tax refund status
• How to file your ITR online
• How to file an ITR rectification under section 154
• Using RTI for income tax refund delays
• How to check your PAN card status
• RTI Drafter
• The RTI Playbook

• Income Tax e-Filing portal — incometax.gov.in (Income Tax Department / CBDT)
• Income Tax Department — Know your ITR Status user manual and FAQs, incometax.gov.in
• The Right to Information Act, 2005 — section 6(1) (request for information) and section 7(1) (time limit for reply).

Last reviewed: 2 June 2026 — RTI Wiki editorial team. Always confirm your final status on the official portal.