Lost your registered mobile? How to access Income Tax portal without OTP | Personal Finance
Taxpayers who have lost access to the mobile number registered on the Income Tax Department’s e-filing portal do not necessarily have to update their mobile number before logging in again.
The guidance could prove useful for taxpayers preparing to file their income tax returns (ITRs) for the assessment year 2026-27, especially those who have changed their mobile number, switched telecom operators or no longer have access to the number linked with their Aadhaar or e-filing account.
What are the options if you do not have your registered mobile number?
According to the CBDT’s user manual for the Income Tax e-filing portal, taxpayers can reset their password using one of several authentication methods, depending on the security options enabled on their account. These include:
• Aadhaar OTP (if the linked mobile number is available)
• e-Filing OTP
• Bank account Electronic Verification Code (EVC)
• Demat account EVC
• Digital Signature Certificate (DSC)
• Net banking
However, if you no longer have access to your registered mobile number or the Aadhaar-linked number, DSC and net banking remain the primary alternatives.
Resetting the password using DSC
According to the CBDT, taxpayers who do not have access to their registered mobile number can reset their password using a valid DSC. The department says the DSC need not be registered on the e-filing portal, but it must be linked to the taxpayer’s Permanent Account Number (PAN).
The CBDT also lists net banking as an alternative way to access the e-filing portal for eligible taxpayers who cannot use OTP-based verification.
The CBDT states that taxpayers using this method must have an active DSC, install the emSigner utility and use a valid Class 2 or Class 3 digital certificate issued by a recognised certifying authority before proceeding with password reset.
Net banking is another option
If your PAN is linked to your bank account and the net banking login option has been enabled under the e-Filing Vault Higher Security service, you can access the e-filing portal through your bank.
According to the CBDT, after logging in through the bank’s net banking portal and accessing the Income Tax e-filing portal, users can change their password from their profile settings.
If DSC and net banking are not available, taxpayers can request a password reset by email to efilingwebmanager@incometax.gov.in. According to the CBDT, the request should include:
• A self-attested scanned copy of the PAN card
• A self-attested identity proof, such as Aadhaar, passport, voter ID card, driving licence or bank passbook with photograph
• A self-attested address proof
• A signed letter explaining the reason for requesting the password reset
The CBDT says all supporting documents should be submitted only in ZIP format. The request must be sent from the email address registered on the taxpayer’s e-filing profile. After the documents are verified, the department sends the password reset link to the same registered email address.
Another important requirement is that the request must be sent from the email address already registered in the taxpayer’s e-filing profile. After the documents are verified, the Income Tax Department sends the password reset link to the same registered email address.
How to start the password reset process
The password reset process begins from the login page of the Income Tax e-filing portal.
The CBDT says users should:
1. Open the Income Tax e-filing portal and click Login.
2. Enter the user ID and click Continue.
3. Select Password under the Secure Access Message section.
4. Click Forgot Password.
5. Enter the user ID again and choose one of the available password reset methods displayed on the screen. The options shown depend on the security settings enabled for the account through the e-Filing Vault Higher Security service.
The CBDT also notes that once the password has been reset successfully, the system generates a transaction ID and sends a confirmation to the registered email address and mobile number associated with the account.
