Form No. 60 Declaration Without PAN: New Form 97 Rules From 2026
Form No. 60 was used by eligible persons without a Permanent Account Number (PAN) to declare specified financial transactions. From 1 April 2026, the Income-tax Act, 2025 and Income-tax Rules, 2026 introduced Form No. 97 as its replacement for transactions covered by the new rules.
What was Form No. 60?
Under the Income-tax Act, 1961 and Rule 114B of the Income-tax Rules, 1962, a person who did not possess PAN could, where permitted, provide a declaration in Form No. 60 when entering into a transaction for which PAN was ordinarily required. The declaration identified the person and described the transaction. It was not a substitute for obtaining PAN where the law separately required a PAN application.
What has changed from 1 April 2026?
The Income-tax Act, 2025 came into effect on 1 April 2026. Under the Income-tax Rules, 2026, Rule 159(2) and Form No. 97 govern the corresponding declaration for specified transactions undertaken without PAN. The transactions covered are not identical to those listed under the earlier Rules 114B and 114BA, so the applicable new rule must be checked before relying on a declaration.
Under the previous framework, entities receiving Form No. 60 declarations submitted a half-yearly statement in Form No. 61. Under the new framework, the corresponding reporting statement is Form No. 98. Form No. 61 was a reporting form for recipients of declarations, not a separate general declaration for persons earning only agricultural income.
Who may submit the declaration?
A person without PAN who undertakes a transaction covered by Rule 159(2) may use Form No. 97 where the rule permits. Eligibility, exemptions, identification requirements and any independent obligation to obtain PAN should be verified for the particular transaction. Possessing only agricultural income does not by itself establish that an obsolete Form No. 61 should be filed.
How to provide the declaration
- Identify the transaction. Check whether PAN is required and whether a declaration without PAN is permitted under the current rules.
- Use the prescribed form. Obtain the current Form No. 97 and instructions from the Income Tax Department or the institution handling the transaction.
- Enter accurate particulars. Provide the required identity, address, transaction and other information specified in the current form.
- Provide supporting documents. Supply identity or address evidence requested under the applicable rules and the institution's verification procedures. Requirements may vary by transaction.
- Submit and retain proof. Submit the declaration to the bank, financial institution or other reporting person handling the transaction, and retain an acknowledgement or copy where available.
Details formerly requested in Form No. 60
The earlier Form No. 60 requested the declarant's name, date of birth, address and contact details, transaction amount and date, mode of payment, Aadhaar number if available, and PAN application acknowledgement if PAN had been applied for. Where PAN had not been applied for, it also requested estimated income particulars, including agricultural and non-agricultural income, along with prescribed supporting information. These historical fields should not be assumed to be identical to those in Form No. 97.
Identity and address verification
Under the earlier declaration process, documents such as a passport, driving licence, government-issued identity document, utility bill or other acceptable proof could be relevant, subject to the form's instructions. The current document requirements must be checked against Form No. 97 and the receiving institution's applicable customer due-diligence rules; no single document is universally sufficient for every transaction.
Where to check the official rules and forms
Consult the Income Tax Department's Income-tax Act, 2025 and Rules, 2026 resources and its official income-tax forms guidance. For historical reference, the former Form No. 60 and former Rule 114B explain the earlier declaration framework.
Frequently asked questions
Is Form No. 60 still the current declaration form?
No. For transactions governed by the Income-tax Rules, 2026, Form No. 97 replaces Form No. 60.
Can a person without PAN complete a specified transaction?
Where Rule 159(2) permits a declaration, the person may submit Form No. 97, subject to the applicable conditions. Other PAN and verification requirements may still apply.
Is Form No. 61 intended for people with only agricultural income?
No. Under the earlier rules, Form No. 61 was the half-yearly statement filed by persons receiving Form No. 60 declarations. The corresponding statement under the 2026 rules is Form No. 98.
This article provides general information. For a specific transaction, refer to the current statutory rules and the receiving institution's instructions.