How to Create and Download ABHA Card Online: Step by Step Process

You can create an ABHA card for free in about five minutes on the official ABHA portal, abha.abdm.gov.in, using your Aadhaar number and the mobile number linked to it. ABHA stands for Ayushman Bharat Health Account. It gives you a 14-digit health ID number and an ABHA address (like name@abdm) that lets hospitals, labs and clinics share your health records with your consent. ABHA is different from the Ayushman card under PM-JAY, which gives free hospital treatment up to Rs 5 lakh. You can have both.

ABHA card vs Ayushman card

If you need the insurance card, follow our Ayushman card download guide.

What you need before you start

• Your Aadhaar number.
• The mobile number linked to your Aadhaar, to receive the OTP.
• If you do not want to use Aadhaar, your driving licence and a working mobile number. This route needs an extra verification step at a participating facility.

Step by step: create ABHA using Aadhaar

1. Go to abha.abdm.gov.in and click Create ABHA Number.
2. Select Using Aadhaar and click Next.
3. Enter your 12-digit Aadhaar number, tick the consent box after reading it, fill the captcha and click Next.
4. Enter the OTP sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile number.
5. Enter the mobile number you want to use for ABHA. If it is different from your Aadhaar mobile, verify it with a second OTP.
6. Your name, date of birth, gender and photo are pulled from Aadhaar. Check them.
7. Choose your ABHA address, for example rahulsharma92@abdm. This is the easy-to-remember ID you will share with hospitals.
8. Your 14-digit ABHA number is generated. Click Download ABHA Card to save it as a PDF or image.

Create ABHA using a driving licence

1. On abha.abdm.gov.in choose Create ABHA Number and then Using Driving Licence.
2. Verify your mobile number with OTP.
3. Enter your driving licence number, name, date of birth and upload images of the licence.
4. You get an enrolment number. Complete verification at a participating health facility to activate the ABHA number.

How to download your ABHA card later

1. Go to abha.abdm.gov.in and click Login.
2. Log in with your ABHA number, ABHA address, Aadhaar number or mobile number, and verify with OTP.
3. Open your profile and click Download ABHA Card.

You can also download it from the ABHA app or from approved personal health record apps such as the Aarogya Setu app.

How to use ABHA at a hospital

• At registration, share your ABHA address or show the QR code on your ABHA card. Many hospitals have a scan and share counter that registers you in seconds.
• Reports, prescriptions and discharge summaries from linked facilities can be added to your ABHA-linked health locker.
• No hospital or doctor can view your records without your consent, which you give through OTP or your app, and you can revoke it later.

Common problems and fixes

• OTP not received: the mobile number is probably not linked to Aadhaar. Update it at an Aadhaar Seva Kendra, or use the driving licence route.
• ABHA already exists: the portal shows your existing ABHA number. Log in and download it instead of creating a new one.
• Wrong name or date of birth: ABHA uses Aadhaar data. Correct your Aadhaar first, then update your ABHA profile.
• Want to stop using ABHA: log in and use the deactivate or delete option in profile settings. Deactivation can be reversed, deletion cannot.

Is ABHA mandatory?

No. Creating an ABHA number is voluntary. It is not required to get treatment at a government or private hospital, including under PM-JAY. It simply makes it easier to keep all your health records in one place.

Sources

• ABHA portal, abha.abdm.gov.in, National Health Authority
• Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, abdm.gov.in

Last updated: 23 September 2026.