How to apply for Income Certificate in India: Eligibility and application process

Here is everything you need to know about the important documents, eligibility and application procedure for an income certificate.

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In Short

• An income certificate is an official document issued by the state government certifying the annual income of a person.
• You can apply for an income certificate by visiting the respective state/district online portal.
• The income certificate is issued within 14 days from the date of application.

An income certificate is an official document issued by the state government certifying the annual income of a person. It includes the details about the income of an individual and his family from all sources.

Citizens require an income certificate for several reasons, such as for taking admission to educational institutions which have a quota reserved for people from economically poorer backgrounds, scholarships, for availing medical benefits, to obtain benefits such as an old-age pension, widow's pension, obtaining loans at a concessional rate of interest and more.

However, income certificates are issued to only those people who belong to the economically weaker section of society.

What is an Income Certificate?

An income certificate is an official document issued by the state government certifying the annual income of a person. It includes the details about the income of an individual and his family from all sources. Also, it acts as proof for Indian citizens and facilitates benefits from various government schemes. The issuing authority of income certificates varies from state to state.

The Village Tahsildars, District Magistrate, Sub Divisional Magistrates, Revenue Circle Officers and other District Authorities are appointed by the government to issue income certificates to people.

List of important documents required for an income certificate

Before initiating the application process, you must keep ready beforehand a list of important documents. A compiled list is given below.

Here’s how you can apply for the income certificate

The government has introduced an online application procedure for income certificates. The eligible applicant can follow the steps given below.

Step 1: Go to the respective state/ district online portal to apply for the income certificate. For instance, visit the official website of District Delhi at https://edistrict.delhigovt.nic.in/

Step 2: Register yourself on the portal by creating an account. Upon successful registration, you’ll be provided with a unique username and password secured with the mobile number.

Step 2: Log in to your account. Then, on the home page, click on the option ‘Download Application Forms’, which you’ll see on the menu bar of the homepage.

Step 3: Now, click on the option ‘Issuance of Income Certificate’. Then, download the application form given in PDF format.

Step 4: Next, fill up all the required details in the application form. You’ll be required to fill in your personal details such as name, age, DOB, address, your caste: SC/ST/OBC, along with some other details.

Step 5: Also, attach an affidavit with the application form mentioning that all particulars stated in the application are true to the best of your knowledge.

Step 6: Submit the duly filled application form along with other documents online or to the office of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate. You’ll also be provided with an application number using which you can track the status of your income certificate from the portal itself.

Step 7: After the submission of documents, the concerned authority will conduct a local inquiry to verify the details mentioned in the application.

Step 8: Upon successful verification, you’ll be issued the income certificate within 14 days from the date of application.

Point to note: The validity of the Delhi income certificate is only six months from the date of issue.