How do I check my ITR refund status?

By the India Law Simplified editorial team · Verified against the bare Acts & official portals · Updated 2026-07-28 · ~4 min read

⚡ Quick answer

You can check your ITR refund status in two places. On the income-tax e-filing portal (incometax.gov.in), log in and go to Services → 'Know Your Refund Status', or e-File → Income Tax Returns → View Filed Returns. Alternatively, use the NSDL/Protean refund-status page with your PAN and assessment year. The status tells you whether the refund is processed, paid, partially adjusted against a demand, or failed (most often due to an unvalidated bank account).

Track your filing free →

You've filed your return and you're owed a refund — now you just want to know where it is. Checking your ITR refund status takes a minute, and it tells you not just whether the money is on its way, but also if something is holding it up. This guide shows you exactly where to check, what each status means, and how to fix a failed refund.

1Where to check

There are two official places to check your refund status:

Income-tax portal: log in at incometax.gov.in → Services → 'Know Your Refund Status' (or e-File → Income Tax Returns → View Filed Returns)
NSDL/Protean: the refund-status page, where you enter your PAN and select the assessment year

⚠️ ImportantThe income-tax portal generally shows the most detailed, up-to-date status, including whether your return is still being processed.

2What the statuses mean

The status you see tells you exactly where things stand:

'Refund issued / paid' — the refund has been sent to your bank account
'Refund failed' — the credit didn't go through, usually because your bank account isn't pre-validated or PAN-linked
'Adjusted against outstanding demand' — your refund was set off under Section 245 against an old tax demand
'Processed with no demand no refund' — the return is processed but no refund is due
'Under processing / return submitted and verified' — still being processed; wait

3How to fix a failed refund

If your status shows 'failed', it's usually quick to fix:

Pre-validate your bank account on the portal (Profile → My Bank Account) and ensure your PAN is linked to it.
Once validated, raise a 'Refund Reissue' request under Services → Refund Reissue.
The department then re-sends the refund to the validated account.

💡 ExampleArun's status showed 'refund failed' three weeks after filing. He logged in, pre-validated his bank account (which he'd recently changed), and raised a refund-reissue request. The refund was credited to the new account within about a week — no need to refile anything.

4If it's adjusted against a demand

If your refund shows as adjusted under Section 245, it means the department set it off against an outstanding demand from a previous year. If you believe that demand is wrong, respond to it on the portal (Pending Actions → Response to Outstanding Demand) — if the demand is invalid, the adjusted refund can be released.

Key takeaways

Check refund status on incometax.gov.in (Know Your Refund Status) or the NSDL/Protean page.
'Refund issued' = on the way; 'failed' = bank account not validated; 'adjusted' = set off against an old demand.
Fix a failed refund by pre-validating your bank account and raising a Refund Reissue request.
If adjusted under Section 245, respond to the demand on the portal if you disagree.
An unverified or 'under processing' return just needs time — e-verify it if you haven't.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my refund status say 'failed'?

Most often the bank account isn't pre-validated or your PAN isn't linked to it. Pre-validate the account on the portal and raise a refund-reissue request to get it re-sent.

How do I raise a refund reissue request?

On the income-tax portal, first pre-validate your bank account (Profile → My Bank Account), then go to Services → Refund Reissue and submit a request. The refund is then re-sent to the validated account.

What does 'refund adjusted against demand' mean?

Your refund was used to offset an outstanding tax demand from an earlier year, under Section 245. If you think the demand is wrong, respond to it on the portal under 'Response to Outstanding Demand'.

How long after filing should I check my refund?

Refunds usually process within 7–30 days of e-verification. If it's been longer, check the status — and if it shows 'failed', fix your bank validation; if 'under processing', it just needs more time.