Quick answer: To get a new SIM, or a replacement SIM, in India you now complete a digital KYC (Know Your Customer) check with your telecom operator. Paper forms were stopped on 1 January 2024. You can do it in one of three ways: Aadhaar e-KYC with a fingerprint, iris or face scan; digital KYC (D-KYC) with original ID documents and a live photo; or self-KYC online with home delivery. You do not need to “link” Aadhaar to a number you already use. Since 2019 Aadhaar has been voluntary for SIM KYC, but new rules notified in August 2026 make Aadhaar e-KYC the main route for people who have Aadhaar.
Is Aadhaar compulsory for mobile SIM KYC?
The rules have changed several times since this article was first published in 2017. An earlier version said Aadhaar KYC was mandatory for every mobile user and that February 2018 was the deadline to link Aadhaar with your number. That was the government’s plan at the time. It is not the rule today.
- 2017: Operators sent SMS reminders asking customers to re-verify their numbers with Aadhaar, and February 2018 was announced as the deadline.
- 26 September 2018: In Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd.) v. Union of India, a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court struck down compulsory Aadhaar linking for mobile SIMs. Compulsory linking for bank accounts was struck down in the same judgment.
- April 2019: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) introduced an alternate digital KYC process (D-KYC), so that a SIM could be issued against other original documents and a live photograph.
- 24 July 2019: The Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Act, 2019 came into force. It allowed Aadhaar to be used voluntarily for telecom KYC, barred operators from refusing service to someone without Aadhaar, and barred them from storing a customer’s Aadhaar number or biometrics.
- September 2021: As part of its telecom reforms, DoT brought back Aadhaar-based e-KYC as one way to issue new connections. It also allowed self-KYC, where you apply online and receive the SIM at home.
- 1 January 2024: DoT discontinued paper-based KYC (the printed customer application form with a pasted photo and photocopies). A DoT letter of March 2024 allowed paper KYC again only for a few exceptions, such as some persons with disabilities.
- August 2026: The Telecommunications (User Identification) Rules, 2026 were notified under the Telecommunications Act, 2023. They require biometric identification of mobile users through e-KYC, D-KYC or reverification.
Published analyses of the 2026 Rules, including one by the Internet Freedom Foundation, say Aadhaar holders are expected to use Aadhaar e-KYC, and that D-KYC is meant for people without Aadhaar or people whose biometrics cannot be authenticated. That is narrower than the free choice the 2019 amendment gave. The Rules also give operators a preparation period, so the process at your local store may still be changing. If you do not want to use Aadhaar, ask the store which route they can offer you.
Three ways to complete SIM KYC today
| Method | What you need | Where it happens |
|---|---|---|
| Aadhaar e-KYC | Your Aadhaar number and a live fingerprint, iris or face scan. Your details come from the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) after you give consent. | Operator store or registered retailer, or a delivery agent at your door |
| Digital KYC (D-KYC) | An original proof of identity and proof of address, which are photographed on the agent’s app, plus a live photo of you | Operator store or registered retailer |
| Self-KYC (S-KYC) | An alternate mobile number for an OTP, Aadhaar or DigiLocker verification, and a live photo or video | Online, through the operator’s app or website, with the SIM delivered home |
Whichever route you use, the operator must also take your declaration about how many mobile connections you already hold.
How to get SIM KYC done at a store
- Carry your originals. Take your Aadhaar if you are using e-KYC, or an original proof of identity and address if you are using D-KYC. Photocopies are no longer pasted on a form.
- Give consent and authenticate. For e-KYC, the retailer’s registered device captures your fingerprint, iris or face, and UIDAI returns your name, address and photo to the operator.
- Have your live photo taken. In D-KYC the agent photographs you and your documents in the operator’s app.
- Check the digital form. The operator’s app builds a digital customer application form from the KYC data. Check your name, address and the number of connections declared before you confirm.
- Complete activation. Operators may ask you to confirm by OTP or by a short verification call before the SIM starts working.
Only buy from an operator store or a registered point of sale. Since August 2023, DoT has required operators to register and verify their franchisees and retailers. It also replaced the old bulk-connection system with business connections, where each end user goes through KYC.
For operator-specific steps, see our guides on Airtel SIM KYC and replacement and Vi (Vodafone Idea) SIM KYC.
Limits on how many SIMs you can hold
An individual can hold a maximum of nine mobile connections across all operators in India, or six in Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and the North-East service areas. That limit dates from DoT’s instructions of 9 August 2012. In August 2026 DoT told operators to start using its Digital Intelligence Platform to identify people who already hold the maximum. From 24 August 2026, operators must tell such a customer that a new connection cannot be issued. Separately, a maximum of two connections a day can be issued to one person through D-KYC.
To see which numbers are registered in your name, use the “Know Mobile Connections in Your Name” (TAFCOP) service on DoT’s Sanchar Saathi portal (sancharsaathi.gov.in). You can report any number that is not yours or that you no longer need.
SIM replacement and SIM swap rules
A lost or damaged SIM is replaced on the same number, but it needs fresh KYC. DoT’s August 2023 reforms say that after a SIM replacement, incoming and outgoing SMS are barred for 24 hours. This makes it harder for a fraudster who has swapped your SIM to receive your bank OTPs. Under rules from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) that apply from 1 July 2024, you also cannot get a porting code to switch operators until seven days after a SIM swap or replacement.
Why digital KYC is better for you
The benefits listed in the original article still hold, and digital KYC has added a few:
- No photocopies of your documents are left at a shop.
- Activation is faster, because details are captured and checked electronically.
- With Aadhaar e-KYC, the operator cannot store your Aadhaar number or biometrics under the 2019 amendment.
- Registered retailers and connection limits make it harder for someone to take a SIM in your name.
An earlier version of this article quoted a study claiming that banks and telecom firms would save ₹10,000 crore through Aadhaar e-KYC. We could not trace that study, so we have removed the figure. To learn more about how e-KYC works in other sectors, read our guide to Aadhaar e-KYC. The legal background is explained in our explainer on the Aadhaar Act and the 2018 judgment.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to link Aadhaar to my existing mobile number?
No. There is no general rule asking existing users to link Aadhaar to their numbers. Operators re-verify a connection when DoT, the operator or a law enforcement agency flags it, or when you ask for a change such as a SIM replacement.
Will my number be disconnected if it is not linked to Aadhaar?
No. The February 2018 linking deadline was overtaken by the Supreme Court’s September 2018 judgment. A number can be suspended if it fails a reverification that DoT has ordered, or if it takes you over the nine-connection limit.
Can I get a SIM without Aadhaar?
People who do not have Aadhaar can use digital KYC with other original documents and a live photo. Under the 2026 Rules, Aadhaar holders are expected to use e-KYC, so ask your operator about your options.
Can a retailer keep a photocopy of my Aadhaar?
Paper KYC has been discontinued, so a retailer should not need a photocopy for a normal connection. Operators are also barred from storing your Aadhaar number or biometrics after e-KYC.
Is there a fee for SIM KYC?
Operators do not publish a separate KYC fee. A SIM or replacement SIM may carry a charge, which varies by operator and circle, so check with the store before you pay.
This guide was checked in October 2026 against DoT circulars and KYC instructions (including those of August 2026), the Supreme Court’s 2018 Aadhaar judgment, the Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Act, 2019 and TRAI’s porting regulations. SIM rules are changing under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, so confirm the current process with your operator.
