Missed e-Verifying Your ITR? Read This Before It’s Too Late

You Get 30 Days to Verify

Under current rules, you have just 30 days from the date of filing your ITR to verify it. If you miss this, your return will not be considered filed. For example, if you filed your return on 1 August 2025, you have until 31 August 2025 to verify it. Miss this window, and your ITR becomes invalid. This can make you lose exemptions, refunds, and may also lead to penalty interest.

How to check if you have e-verified

Many taxpayers assume returns are automatically verified or that they’ve verified their return but haven’t completed the process. To make sure that’s not the case, log in to the Income Tax e-Filing Portal and make sure that the status of your returns for the year says “Successfully e-verified”. If it says “Pending for e-verification”, you need to act immediately.

How to e-Verify Your Return

You have several ways to e-verify your return. You can use an OTP sent to the mobile number linked with your Aadhaar, or create an EVC through your pre-validated bank or demat account.

You can also verify it using your ATM, net banking, or a Digital Signature Certificate.

Late Verification Means You May Have to Refile and Pay Penalties

If your return becomes invalid due to non-verification, you will need to refile it. If this is done after the due date for filing returns is over, then it will be treated as a belated return. This has its own drawbacks: you cannot carry forward certain losses, and you may have to pay a late filing fee under Section 234F: ₹1,000 if your income is under ₹5 lakh, or ₹5,000 otherwise.

If you are due a refund but have not verified your return, it will not be processed. Your money will remain with the tax department until verification is done. For example, if you paid ₹18,000 excess TDS, this amount will not reach your account until the return is verified. If you miss the window to refile, the refund will be lost.

What to Do If You Missed the Deadline

If you realise you have not verified your return within 30 days, act quickly. This year, the last day to file your returns has been extended to September 15. So you still have time to file your returns and e-verify them. If you are unable to do so within the stipulated time for whatever reasons, you’ll have to file a belated return (before 31 December of the assessment year) and pay the applicable late fee under Section 234F. This also means you lose certain benefits like carrying forward capital losses.

Filing your ITR without e-verifying it is like writing a cheque but never signing it. The work is incomplete, and so are the benefits. So complete the verification right when you file your return. It’s a small step with big consequences, so don’t delay it.