If you receive an Indian Income Tax Department notice by email, post, or another channel, first verify it on the Department’s official e-Filing portal. Use the pre-login “Authenticate Notice / Order issued by ITD” service with either the notice’s identifying details or its Document Identification Number (DIN) and a one-time password (OTP). If the notice is matched, sign in and look for the related case under Dashboard > Pending Actions > e-Proceedings. Read the exact request and deadline, submit the response and requested documents through the proceeding’s own workflow, and save the transaction or acknowledgment details.
What an income tax notice means in India
An income tax notice is an official communication from India’s Income Tax Department or an authority acting within the income-tax administration. It may ask you to correct a return, explain a discrepancy, provide documents, respond to a proposed adjustment, or take another action. The notice type determines what you must do; there is no single response form that applies to every proceeding.
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This guide covers the Indian Income Tax Department’s e-Filing portal. It does not determine whether the tax authority’s position is correct or tell you what substantive tax argument to make. Those questions depend on your return, records, tax year, and the wording of the notice.
Verify the notice before clicking links or sending information
Start with the Department’s own portal rather than a link in an unexpected message. The Department describes authentication as a pre-login service, so you do not need to sign in merely to check whether the notice or order is recorded.
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Open the official authentication service
- Type the Income Tax Department e-Filing portal’s address into your browser yourself or use a bookmark you created previously.
- Choose Authenticate Notice / Order issued by ITD. The wording may be displayed as a pre-login service on the portal.
- Have the notice, order, or message in front of you. You will need either its identifying details or its DIN, plus a mobile number that can receive an OTP.
Do not upload documents, disclose a password, or pay money in response to an unverified message. Authentication is a check of the Department’s record; it is not a substitute for reading the actual notice and meeting its deadline.
Choose the route that matches the information you have
| Authentication route | Information entered | What happens next |
|---|---|---|
| Notice-details route | PAN, document type, tax year or assessment year, issue date, and a mobile number | The portal sends an OTP to the entered number. After successful validation, it reports the matching notice details when found. |
| DIN route | Document Identification Number (DIN) and a mobile number | The portal sends an OTP. A successful result confirms the recorded document and displays its information. |
The Department’s authentication manual presents both routes as official checks. The available material does not establish that one route is legally stronger than the other, so use the route for which your notice contains complete, legible information.
Enter and validate the OTP
- Enter the requested notice information or DIN exactly as printed. Check zeroes, letter “O”, hyphens, spaces, and the tax year before continuing.
- Enter the mobile number requested by the service.
- Submit the form and enter the six-digit OTP sent by the portal.
- Complete the OTP step within the stated validity period. The Department’s manual says the OTP remains valid for 15 minutes and permits three entry attempts.
If the OTP expires or all attempts are used, start a fresh authentication request rather than repeatedly entering an old code. Never share an OTP with a caller or message sender claiming to be an official.
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Understand a match and “No record found”
A successful match displays the document number and issue date; the DIN route can also confirm issuance when the DIN is valid. A result of “No record found” means the details entered did not produce a matching record in that search. It is not, by itself, a final legal determination about the document.
- Compare every character of the DIN or document number with the notice.
- Check whether you selected the correct tax year or assessment year and document type.
- Enter the issue date in the format the portal requests.
- Try the alternate route if the notice contains both a DIN and complete metadata.
- If the result remains unclear, use the portal’s official help or contact channel and consider advice from a qualified Indian tax professional before taking a substantive position.
Check the DIN and the Department’s stated rule for older communications
The Income Tax Department’s FAQ titled “Authenticate the Notice/Order issued by ITD” states: “Every communication by Income Tax department issued on or after 1st October, 2019 shall bear an unique Document Identification Number(DIN).” The same Department guidance characterizes a communication from that period without a DIN as invalid and says it need not be acted on.
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Treat that statement as the Department’s published guidance, not as a reason to ignore an ambiguous document without checking. Confirm the date, document type, and DIN on the portal, preserve the communication, and obtain appropriate advice if the document appears inconsistent. Notices may involve different statutory provisions and tax years, and the notice itself controls the immediate procedural instructions.
Find the notice after signing in
Authentication tells you whether the Department has a matching record. To view and answer a supported online proceeding, sign in to your e-Filing account and follow the Department’s documented path:
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- Open Dashboard.
- Select Pending Actions.
- Choose e-Proceedings.
- Open the relevant proceeding and read every page, attachment, response date, and available action before typing a reply.
The Department’s e-Proceedings material says registered users can view communications from an Assessing Officer, the Centralized Processing Centre (CPC), or another Income Tax Authority. The supported list includes several different notice and communication types, so a notice authenticated pre-login will not necessarily use the same response screen as another notice.
Read the notice as a set of required actions
Before drafting, make a short case sheet from the actual notice. Record:
- the proceeding or communication type;
- the assessment year or tax year;
- the issue raised and the exact information requested;
- the documents or schedules the Department asks you to provide;
- the response date printed in the notice;
- whether the portal offers a partial response, full response, adjournment, rectification, or another specific action; and
- the name or designation of the issuing authority, document number, DIN, and issue date.
Do not assume that a response used for a defective return also works for an Assessing Officer notice, proposed adjustment, rectification request, or clarification request. The portal’s labels and questions are tied to the particular proceeding.
Separate facts from your explanation
Build the response around the question actually asked. A useful structure is:
- Identification: state the taxpayer name, PAN, assessment year or tax year, notice number or DIN, and date.
- Point-by-point answer: answer each numbered issue in the notice in the same order.
- Evidence map: identify each attachment and explain which issue it supports.
- Requested outcome: state the correction, acceptance, or clarification you are asking the authority to record, without adding unrelated arguments.
Use dates, amounts, return figures, and document names consistently. If a fact is unavailable, say what is missing and explain what you have done to obtain it rather than guessing. Keep a copy of the exact text and files submitted.
Submit a response through e-Proceedings
The response button and fields depend on the proceeding. Use the action shown on that proceeding’s page rather than looking for a universal “reply to notice” form.
- Open the notice under Dashboard > Pending Actions > e-Proceedings.
- Read the notice and any downloadable order or annexure completely.
- Select the available response action, such as a full response, partial response, clarification, rectification, or an adjournment request, as applicable to that proceeding.
- Enter a factual explanation that addresses the listed points. Keep the wording consistent with the attached records.
- Attach only the documents requested or reasonably necessary to support the answer. Use the file type and size limits displayed by the portal.
- Review the tax year, figures, attachments, declarations, and contact details.
- Submit before the portal stops accepting responses. Save the success page, transaction number, acknowledgment number, date, and a copy of the submitted response.
The Department’s manual describes partial and full responses for some proceedings and says a successful submission produces transaction or acknowledgment details. The exact options can differ, so follow the live screen for your case.
Do not treat a draft as a submission
A saved draft, uploaded file, or preview is not necessarily a filed response. Continue through the portal’s final confirmation step and verify that it displays a successful submission or acknowledgment. If the page fails, capture the error, check whether the proceeding still shows as pending, and attempt submission again only after confirming whether the first attempt succeeded.
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Know the response windows before you wait
Use the date printed in your notice and the live proceeding status as your primary deadlines. The Department’s e-Proceedings FAQ describes an additional portal cutoff in cases where a Proceeding Limitation Date applies:
| Situation | Department guidance | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Proceeding with a Proceeding Limitation Date | The Submit Response option is available until seven days before that date, until 6 p.m., while the proceeding is open. | Do not wait for the final day. Check the live proceeding for its displayed date and availability. |
| Window re-enabled by the authority | The FAQ says the authority may re-enable the response window through the limitation date. | If the option disappears, check whether the authority has reopened it; do not assume reopening is automatic. |
| Submitted response | The Department says a submitted response cannot be edited. | Review every field and attachment before final confirmation. |
| Defective-return notice | The FAQ says the taxpayer has 15 days from receipt, or the period specified in the notice, to rectify the defect; an adjournment may be requested. | This 15-day rule is specific to the defective-return case described by the Department. Do not apply it to every notice. |
Portal availability and statutory deadlines can differ by proceeding. A generic seven-day or 15-day statement never replaces the date and instruction in your notice.
What to do when the portal or notice does not match
The authentication search returns no record
- Re-enter the DIN or metadata directly from the document rather than from a forwarded message.
- Check the assessment year, issue date, and document type.
- Use the other official search route if you have the required information.
- Keep the original message and any attachment unchanged.
- Contact official portal support or obtain professional advice if the mismatch persists, especially when a deadline is near.
The notice is authenticated but no e-Proceedings item appears
Not every communication necessarily uses the same online workflow. Confirm that you signed in to the account associated with the PAN on the notice, check Dashboard > Pending Actions > e-Proceedings, and read the notice for an alternate submission instruction. Do not create a different response merely because a familiar menu is absent.
The Submit Response option is unavailable
Check the displayed proceeding status, the notice deadline, and any Proceeding Limitation Date. The Department says the option may close seven days before a limitation date at 6 p.m. in the circumstances described in its FAQ, and that an authority may re-enable it. Preserve screenshots or downloaded pages showing the status and seek official support promptly.
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- Confirm that each file meets the portal’s displayed format and size requirements.
- Rename files simply and remove duplicate or unnecessary attachments.
- Save the response text separately before retrying.
- Check whether a transaction or acknowledgment was created before pressing Submit again.
- Record the time, error message, and proceeding number for support.
Use an authorized representative when the case warrants it
The portal supports adding an authorized representative. That feature is procedural; it does not decide whether representation is necessary or what tax position should be taken. A qualified Indian tax professional may be useful when the notice involves several years, substantial records, a proposed adjustment you dispute, a business or international transaction, or a possible appeal. Verify the person’s credentials and agree who will review and approve the final response.
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Representation does not remove your responsibility to monitor the proceeding, provide accurate records, and preserve acknowledgments unless you have formally arranged otherwise.
Keep a complete notice file
Save a chronological record outside the portal because online screens and availability can change. Include:
- the original email, letter, or portal download;
- the notice number, DIN, issue date, assessment year or tax year, and issuing authority;
- your authentication result and the date checked;
- the response text in an editable file and a final PDF or screenshot;
- every attachment submitted, with a simple index;
- the transaction number, acknowledgment number, and submission timestamp;
- portal error messages, support requests, and correspondence; and
- the next date on which you must check the proceeding.
Use a consistent file naming system, such as the assessment year followed by the notice number and document description. Keep originals and working copies separate, and protect files containing PAN, bank, salary, or other sensitive information.
Important legal and terminology cautions
The reviewed Department material refers to both the Income Tax Act, 1961 and the Income Tax Act, 2025, with different section numbering for some proceedings. Do not copy a section number from a general article into your response without checking which Act and tax year govern your notice. The notice, the live portal workflow, and current official Department guidance control the procedure for your case.
Authentication also does not prove that the Department’s calculation is correct. It establishes that the portal found a corresponding record. If you disagree with an adjustment or allegation, answer the factual and legal points within the available proceeding and obtain advice on the merits rather than ignoring a genuine notice.
A practical checklist before you finish
- Did you open the official e-Filing portal yourself?
- Did you authenticate the document using its metadata or DIN and retain the result?
- Did you check the DIN, issue date, assessment year, and issuing authority?
- Did you open Dashboard > Pending Actions > e-Proceedings after signing in?
- Did you read the complete notice, annexures, and response instructions?
- Did you answer every requested point and attach only relevant supporting documents?
- Did you check the specific deadline and any portal cutoff before submission?
- Did you review the final response knowing that the Department says it cannot generally be edited after submission?
- Did you save the acknowledgment, transaction details, submitted files, and a copy of the final response?
If the document cannot be authenticated, the portal does not show the expected proceeding, or the deadline is close, use official support and qualified professional advice promptly. Keep the original communication while the question is being resolved.
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