ITR PDF
Password Guide
Your Income Tax acknowledgement PDF is locked with a password the portal never tells you. Here's the exact formula — and how to unlock it permanently.
The ITR PDF password format
Every Income Tax Return acknowledgement PDF downloaded from the Income Tax e-filing portal (incometax.gov.in) is automatically password-protected. The portal sets the password silently — it's never shown on screen or sent by email. The formula is always the same:
ABCDE1234F, DOB 15 Aug 1990 → ABCDE1234F15081990The password is case-sensitive. Your PAN must be all uppercase. The date of birth must be exactly 8 digits — two for day, two for month, four for year — with no spaces, slashes, or hyphens. This format applies to ITR-1 (Sahaj), ITR-2, ITR-3, ITR-4, and all other ITR types.
Common variations to try if it fails
- Older returns (pre-2021): try just the date of birth in DDMMYYYY format without the PAN prefix — e.g.
15081990 - HUF returns: use the Karta's PAN and date of birth, not a co-parcener's details
- Zero-padded dates: if your birth day or month is single-digit, it must be padded — 5 Jan becomes
05, not5 - Wrong PAN: confirm you're using the PAN of the primary filer, not a spouse or business partner listed on the return
How to remove the ITR PDF password permanently
Once you've confirmed the password, use LovelyPDF to produce an unlocked copy you can open freely in any PDF viewer:
- Go to Remove PDF Password on LovelyPDF
- Upload your ITR acknowledgement PDF
- Enter the password — PAN followed by DOB in DDMMYYYY (e.g.
ABCDE1234F15081990) - Click Remove Protection
- Download the unlocked PDF — it opens without any password from now on
Why the Income Tax Department locks ITR PDFs
The password protects sensitive financial data if the file is forwarded by email or stored carelessly. Since the password is derived from information only the taxpayer knows (PAN + DOB), it provides basic identity verification — only the rightful owner should be able to open it. This is the same logic used by Indian banks for their statement PDFs, though each bank uses a slightly different password formula.
Frequently asked questions
What is the password for my ITR acknowledgement PDF?
The password is your PAN number in uppercase followed by your date of birth in DDMMYYYY format. Example: PAN ABCDE1234F and DOB 15 August 1990 gives the password ABCDE1234F15081990. This is standard for all ITR types filed through incometax.gov.in.
The password isn't working — what else can I try?
Check the following:
1. Case: PAN must be all uppercase — ABCDE1234F, not abcde1234f.
2. Date format: Must be DDMMYYYY with no separators. 5 Jan 1985 is 05011985, not 5/1/1985.
3. Older returns: For ITRs filed before 2021, try just the DOB (DDMMYYYY) without the PAN prefix.
4. HUF: Use the Karta's PAN and DOB, not a co-parcener's.
Is it safe to enter my ITR password in a browser?
Yes, when using LovelyPDF. Everything is processed locally in your browser using JavaScript — your ITR PDF and the password you type are never transmitted to any server. There is no backend, no storage, and no logging. You can verify this by disconnecting from the internet after the page loads — the tool still works.
Can I remove the password from my ITR PDF to keep a freely-openable copy?
Yes. Use the Remove PDF Password tool on LovelyPDF. Enter the known password, and the tool produces an identical PDF with no password. Keep the original password-protected download from the tax portal as your archive copy, and use the unlocked version for day-to-day sharing with your CA, HR department, or bank.