Taxpayers in India need various documents for e-filing taxes, including Form 168 (AIS/TIS) and notices from the Income Tax Department. Security is ensured through passwords, typically combining the taxpayer’s PAN and date of birth. Different file types require unique passwords, which are outlined for easy reference. Every taxpayer who is supposed to e-file their taxes […]
Taxpayers in India need various documents for e-filing taxes, including Form 168 (AIS/TIS) and notices from the Income Tax Department. Security is ensured through passwords, typically combining the taxpayer’s PAN and date of birth. Different file types require unique passwords, which are outlined for easy reference.
Every taxpayer who is supposed to e-file their taxes in India are required to access several documents as a part of tax return preparation process. The documents include Form 168 of IT Act 2025 (Form 26AS, AIS of IT Act 1961), TIS, intimations, notices, ITR Forms, Form 130 of IT Act 2025 (Form 16 of IT Act 1961) etc.
The Income tax department will protect some of these documents with a password to ensure the security and confidentiality of taxpayer’s sensitive financial information.
The Income Tax Department typically uses a standard password format to secure these files. Learn more on different types of passwords needed to open different documents.
1. Annual Information Statement (Form 168 of IT Act 2025 (Form AIS of IT Act 1961)) or Tax payer Information Summary (TIS)
Form 168, aka Form AIS / TIS is a comprehensive statement which contains the details of the financial transactions undertaken by a taxpayer in a given financial year.
Form 168, aka Form AIS / TIS can be downloaded in pdf and JSON
The password for opening both pdf/JSON file is taxpayer pan in small case followed by date of birth in ddmmyyyy format
Example: Mr Laxman wants to access his Form 168, aka Form AIS in pdf format and his PAN is AAAPA1234A and date of birth is 10th April 1990 The password is
aaa
p
a
1234
a
10
04
1990
2. Defective Notice u/s 139(9) or Intimation u/s 143(1) or Rectification order u/s 154
Once the taxpayer files the income tax return or files rectification u/s 154, the Income Tax Department will process the income tax return and sends the intimation u/s 270(1) of IT Act 2025 (u/s 143(1) of IT Act 1961) or order u/s 287 of IT Act 2025 (u/s 154 of IT Act 1961) or defective notice u/s 263(9) of IT Act 2025 (u/s 139(9) of IT Act 1961) saying that the return has been processed without demand or refund, with demand or refund.
The intimation will be sent to taxpayer email or the taxpayer can download the same from Income tax portal.
The password for opening pdf files is taxpayer pan in small case followed by date of birth in ddmmyyyy format
Example: Mr Laxman received an intimation u/s 143(1) with demand and he wants to view the intimation and his PAN is AAAPA1234A and date of birth is 10th April 1990 The password for opening intimation u/s 143(1) is
aaa
p
a
1234
a
10
04
1990
3. Survey Notice u/s 133(6)
Generally Income Tax Department issues survey notices u/s 252(6) of IT Act 2025 (u/s 133(6) of IT Act 1961) asking for information on any transactions entered by taxpayer
The notices u/s 133(6) will be sent to email id of taxpayers or the taxpayers can download the same from e proceedings in Income Tax Portal
The password for opening the notice u/s 133(6) is PAN in uppercase
Example: Mr Laxman has received a notice u/s 133(6) asking to furnish more information on fixed deposits made by him during FY 2023-24 and his PAN is AAAPA1234A and date of birth is 10th April 1985 The password for opening Survey notice u/s 133(6) is
AAA
P
A
1234
A
4. Form 168 of IT Act 2025 (Form 26AS of IT Act 1961)
Form 168, aka Form 26AS is an important tax document in India, that every taxpayer need to refer at the time of Income Tax Filing, broadly contains the taxes that are paid on your PAN number.
Form 168, aka Form 26AS can be downloaded from Income tax portal and Traces
Income Tax Portal: The Form 168, aka Form 26AS can be viewed in HTML and downloaded in pdf and text file. It doesn’t have any password.
Traces: The Form 168, aka Form 26AS can be viewed in HTML and downloaded in pdf, Excel and text file. The file downloaded in pdf, excel , HTML don’t have any password. The file downloaded in text format has password which is date of birth of taxpayer in ddmmyyyy format
Example: Mr Laxman has downloaded Form 168, aka Form 26AS in text file from Traces portal and his PAN is AAAPA1234A and date of birth is 10th April 1990 The password for opening Form 168, aka Form 26AS in text format is
10
04
1990
5. Permanent Account Number (PAN)
PAN is a 10-digit alphanumeric number issued by the Income Tax Department.
If any person applies for the PAN, soft copy of PAN will be sent to email Id and hard copy will be delivered to address
Soft Copy of PAN is password protected and the password for opening file is date of birth of taxpayer in ddmmyyyy format
Example: Mr Laxman has applied for PAN and he has received PAN in his email and his PAN is AAAPA1234A and date of birth is 10th April 1990 The password for opening soft copy of PAN is
10
04
1990
6. Tax Deduction & Collection Account Number (TAN)
TAN means Tax Deduction Account Number or Tax Collection Account Number.
If any person applies for the TAN, soft copy of TAN will be sent to email Id and hard copy will be delivered to address
Soft Copy of TAN is password protected and the password for opening file is “six digit pincode mentioned in TAN Application”
Example: Mr Laxman has applied for TAN and he has received TAN in his email and his pincode is 307867. The password for opening soft copy of TAN is
307867
7. TDS Intimation
The taxpayer’s files TDS returns in Form 138 of IT Act 2025 (Form 24Q of IT Act 1961), Form 140 of IT Act 2025 (Form 26Q of IT Act 1961), Form 144 of IT Act 2025 (Form 27Q of IT Act 1961) and Form 143 of IT Act 2025 (Form 27EQ of IT Act 1961) for any deduction of TDS / TCS
The Centralized processing centre (TDS) will process the TDS/TCS returns and give the intimation if there are any defaults in the filed returns
The Password for opening such intimation is first four characters of your TAN in capital letters, followed by an underscore (_) and date of filing of regular statement in the format DDMMYYYY.
Example: Mr Laxman has filed his TDS return in Form 138, aka Form 24Q on 01st April 2026 and his TAN is HYDD12345A. He has received a intimation with defaults. The Password for opening such intimation is
HYDD
_
01
01
2026
8. TDS-Conso File
Conso file means a consolidated file containing the details of filed TDS Returns including Original and Corrections (Challans and deductee). It is mandatory for filing the TDS corrections, requesting form 130’s (aka form 16’s) or for any other activity etc.
The password for opening such Conso File is your TAN in Capital letters followed by an underscore (_) and Request number.
Example: Mr Laxman wants to file correction and requested for Conso file vide request number 6345690 and his TAN is HYDD12345A. The password for opening conso file is
HYDD
12345
A
_
6345690
9. Justification Report
Justification Report means a report which contains the reasons for the defaults filed in TDS/TCS return.
The password for opening such justification report is JR_TAN_Form type (Form 138, aka Form 24Q / Form 140, aka Form 26Q / Form 144, aka Form 27Q / Form 143, aka Form 27EQ ) _ quarter (Q1/Q2/Q3/Q4)_Financial Year
Example: Mr Laxman wants to verify the defaults in Form 138, aka Form 24Q filed by him for Q4 2024-25 and his TAN is HYDD12345A. The password for opening Justification report is
