ABHA Card: What It Is, How to Create It, and ABHA vs Ayushman

An ABHA card shows your Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) number, a free 14-digit health ID. It lets hospitals, labs and apps link your medical records digitally, with your consent. It is not insurance and does not pay hospital bills. You can create one in a few minutes at abha.abdm.gov.in with Aadhaar or a driving licence.

Key facts

What ABHA does and what it does not do

Your ABHA number identifies you across India’s digital health network. Once it is linked, a hospital or lab that uses ABDM-compliant software can attach your prescriptions, lab reports and discharge summaries to it. You can then see those records in one app and share them with a new doctor.

ABDM does not keep a central copy of your records. They stay with the hospital or lab that created them, and move only when you approve a request. The same PIB factsheet reports over 110 crore health records linked to ABHA.

ABHA has limits you should know:

• It does not make you eligible for Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY or any other scheme.
• It does not give you free treatment. The hospital’s or scheme’s own rules decide what you pay.
• Private hospitals may choose whether to use it.

You can also create an ABHA address, a username such as name@abdm. It works like an email ID for your health records and is easier to remember than 14 digits. One ABHA number can have several ABHA addresses linked to it.

ABHA vs Ayushman card

People mix these up because both carry the Ayushman Bharat name and both come from the National Health Authority. ABDM’s own FAQ says they are different:

To check whether your family qualifies for the cover itself, see our Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY page.

Creating ABHA with Aadhaar or a driving licence

With Aadhaar

You need your Aadhaar number and the mobile number linked to it. On the portal, the Aadhaar route has four stages: consent, Aadhaar authentication, communication details and ABHA address creation.

1. Go to abha.abdm.gov.in and click Create ABHA Number.
2. Choose Aadhaar.
3. Enter your Aadhaar number, read the consent text and tick I agree.
4. Enter the captcha and click Next.
5. Enter the OTP sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile.
6. Confirm the mobile number and email you want to use for ABHA.
7. Pick an ABHA address, then note your 14-digit ABHA number.

On the ABHA app, tap Create Now on the login screen. The app lets you verify Aadhaar with an OTP or with face authentication.

No mobile linked to Aadhaar? Visit a participating health facility and verify with your fingerprint instead. One mobile number can be used to create ABHA numbers for up to six family members.

With a driving licence

You need your driving licence, name, date of birth and gender. The portal flow has three stages: mobile authentication, profile and consent, and completion.

1. On the create page, choose Driving Licence.
2. Enter your mobile number and captcha, then verify with the OTP.
3. Enter your licence number and personal details, and upload photos of the front and back of the licence.
4. Submit to get an enrolment number.

ABDM’s integration guide says a licence-based enrolment is issued as an enrolment number that can be verified at a health facility. The login page has a Retrieve your Enrolment number link if you lose it.

Downloading the ABHA card

1. Open abha.abdm.gov.in and click Login.
2. Choose to log in with your mobile number, Aadhaar number or ABHA number.
3. Enter the captcha and the OTP.
4. Open your profile and download the ABHA card.

You do not have to print it. ABDM says a digital copy on your phone is enough, and you can print it if you prefer. If you forget your number, use Forgot your ABHA number? and recover it with Aadhaar or your registered mobile.

Privacy, consent and deleting ABHA

When a doctor asks to see your records, the request appears in your app. You choose which records to share and for how long, then tap Grant. You can revoke that consent later from the Consent tab.

ABDM says health records are governed by the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Aadhaar Act, 2016.

You can leave the system in two ways:

ABHA is a record-keeping tool, so keep your own cover in place. Our guide to health insurance plans and the health cover calculator can help you size a policy.

Frequently asked questions

What is an ABHA card (ABHA card kya hai)?

It is a card showing your 14-digit Ayushman Bharat Health Account number, a free digital health ID used to link and share your medical records.

Is the ABHA card the same as the Ayushman card?

No. The Ayushman card gives PM-JAY hospital cover of up to ₹5 lakh a year; ABHA only identifies you and carries no cover.

How do I download my ABHA card by Aadhaar number?

Log in at abha.abdm.gov.in using the Aadhaar option and OTP, then download the card from your profile.

Is ABHA mandatory?

No. Creating ABHA is voluntary, and ABDM says you will not be denied treatment without one.

Can I create ABHA without Aadhaar?

Yes. You can use your driving licence on the portal, and a participating hospital can help with other options.

Can I create ABHA for my parents or children on my phone?

Yes. One mobile number can generate ABHA numbers for up to six family members.

Can I delete my ABHA number?

Yes. You can deactivate it for a while or delete it permanently.

Sources

• Frequently asked questions — Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, NHA (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• ABHA home page — Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, NHA (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Create ABHA number using Aadhaar — ABDM, NHA (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Create ABHA number using driving licence — ABDM, NHA (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• ABHA login — ABDM, NHA (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Working with ABHA (Health ID) APIs: delete, deactivate, reactivate — ABDM sandbox, NHA (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• ABHA V3 APIs integrator guide — ABDM sandbox, NHA (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Affordable and accessible healthcare for all (factsheet, 12 Aug 2026) — PIB (checked 16 Sep 2026)