PAN or Permanent account number is a ten character alphanumeric identifier issued to every tax payer in India by the Income tax department. It is one of the most important identities issued to a person in India. No two tax paying individuals or entities can have the same PAN number. Most of the financial transactions in India will require quoting a PAN number which includes filing of an income tax return.

PAN number is issued to every individual or entity who applies to it. Sometimes, authorities also issue a PAN card on their own to an individual or entity. PAN number is a mandatory requirement in most financial activities including to file an income tax return, invest in a mutual fund or starting a bank account etc. PAN number is also an individual or an entity and stores information related to them.

A PAN number is issued by the Income tax department under Indian income tax act, 1961. In the majority of the cases, it is issued to Indian citizens or Indian entities. However, it can also be issued to a foreign national subject to a valid visa. Quoting a PAN number is a mandatory requirement in most of the financial transactions. PAN number can be issued to an individual or to an entity including a partnership firm, private limited company, HUF etc.

Know your PAN/structure of a PAN card

The PAN card is issued in laminated form and contains many details of an individual such as name, age or PAN number etc. PAN card is a valid identity as well proof of age as per KYC guidelines issued by government of India agencies like RBI. PAN card full form permanent account number. The PAN number consists of a 10 digit alphanumeric string and you should know your PAN.

A PAN card contains various details which includes-

Name of the card holder – It is one of the most noticeable things that is mentioned on a PAN card. Name of the card holder varies depending upon the nature of an individual or entity. In case of an individual, the name of the individual is mentioned whereas in case of a company or a partnership, the registered name of the firm is mentioned on the PAN card.
Name of the father of the cardholder – This is applicable only in the case of an individual PAN card holder. Name of the father is mentioned below the name of the card holder. Thus, a PAN card also acts as a valid relationship proof for both of them.
Date of birth – In case of an individual, date of birth is mentioned below father’s name and it acts as a valid proof for age in India in most of the financial requirements including for a loan application process, for a mutual fund application etc. For corporate entities such as a company or partnership firm, date of registration of a company or a partnership firm is mentioned on the PAN card.
PAN number – It is the most important detail that is mentioned on a PAN card. A PAN number or a permanent account number is a unique identifier issued to every individual or an entity. PAN number is generated depending upon the nature of applicant and details provided for the same such as individual, partnership firm or c private limited company etc. A valid number contains following information about a permanent account number holder –
First three letters of PAN card – First three letters of a PAN number are all alphabets from A to Z. Sample first three letters of a PAN number is AQP or AQC etc.
Fourth letter of a PAN card – The fourth character of a PAN number is one of the most important characters in a PAN number as it identifies the category of a taxpayer entity such as individual, partnership firm etc. Representation of various characters includes –

A – Association of Persons	B – Body of Individuals	C – Company
F – Firms	G – Government	H – Hindu Undivided Family
L – Local Authority	J – Artificial Judicial Person	P – Individual
	T – Association of Persons for a Trust

Fifth letter of a PAN number – Fifth character of a PAN number is the first letter of your surname.
Sixth to ninth letters – This can be any number from 0001 to 9999.
Tenth letter – This is an alphabet check letter. Last digit of a PAN number is generated by applying a formula to the first nine digits and that formula generates a random number.

Application for a PAN card/PAN application

You can apply for a PAN card both in online as well as offline mode. Let us look at both of the process that you can follow for a PAN application

Application for a PAN card online

Government has authorized TIN NSDL and UTIITSL to issue the PAN and make changes or corrections for the PAN card. Let us look at detailed step by step procedure to apply for a PAN application online on TIN NSDL-

Open the official TIN NSDL website to apply for a new PAN card.
You need to select application type such new application type for Indian citizens (Form 49A) or application form for a foreign citizens (Form 49AA)
You need to select the category of your application under which you want to apply. If you are an individual then you need to select Individual under category in form 49A.
Fill basic information such as Title, surname/last name, First name, Middle name, Email ID, Phone number and Date of birth in Form 49A.
You need to click on “Continue with PAN application form”.
You need to submit your digital e-KYC and you also need to select whether you want a physical copy of PAN car or not.
Enter your personal details and submit the last 4 digits of your aadhar number.
Enter your area code, AO type and other details as required.
Last step for an online PAN application is to submit your documents and sign declaration.
Enter the first 8 digits of your PAN card to submit the application. You need to check for any mistakes that you might have entered during the filing of an application form. This is the last stage during which you can edit your PAN application form.
Verify your EKYC using your Aadhaar OTP. You need to select an Aadhar card for proof of identity, proof of address and proof of address.
Next, you need to pay the PAN card application fee. You can pay your PAN card application fee either through online or making a payment through a demand draft. Post successful online payment, a successful payment receipt would be generated for your payment. You need to save a payment receipt for future reference.
Now, you need to select “Continue with E-KYC” for Aadhar authentication. You would receive a OTP on your registered mobile number with Aadhar authorities. You need to enter that OTP to successfully e-verify your KYC.
Finally, you need to complete your E-Sign formalities. Click on “Continue with E-Sign” after which you need to enter your complete 12 digits Aadhar number. An OTP would be sent to your registered mobile number. Post successful verification of your OTP, you would receive a acknowledgement receipt that will be opened with the help of your date of birth in DDMMYYYY format.

Application for a PAN card offline

Offline mode means you are not applying for a PAN card online or on the official NSDL website. Rather, you are applying for a PAN card in physical mode and submitting the same though registered post or physically submitting in the office. Application for a PAN card can also be made in offline mode too with the help of Form 49A. Detailed steps for PAN application offline mode are:

Download form 49A from the official TIN NSDL website.
Fill the application form in detail. You need to be careful in filling application form with a black pen and filled in block letters. Care should be given in signing and thumb impressions on the PAN card application form.
Affix the photographs taken in white background
Make a demand draft in favor of ‘NSDL – PAN’ payable at Mumbai.
Take care to attach self-attested photocopies of original proofs with the application form. List of documents varies from entity to entity.
You need to mention APPLICATION FOR PAN-N-Acknowledgement Number’ superscripted on the envelope of the application form
Application form along with documents and demand draft need to be sent to following address-

INCOME TAX PAN SERVICES UNIT (Managed by NSDL e-Governance

Infrastructure Limited), 5th Floor, Mantri Sterling, Plot No. 341, Survey

No. 997/8, Model Colony, Near Deep Bungalow Chowk, Pune – 411 016

PAN will be sent to the registered residential address on the PAN application form.

Documents required for a PAN application

Documents required to apply for a PAN card will depend upon type of applicant such as individual or corporate entity. You need to submit Form 49A and Form 49AA along with required documents to complete your PAN application application.

Form 49 A

Form 49 A is the basic application form that needs to be submitted to get your PAN card in India. Form 49A for PAN card is required for individuals, Indian companies and entities incorporated in India. Following details are required to be filled in Form 49A and optimal care should be taken to fill them for your PAN application-

Full name of the applicant which would include First name, middle name and surname to be mentioned on the PAN card.
Abbreviation of the name if you want it to be mentioned on the PAN card.
If you are known by another name then mention it too.
Gender
Details of parents are required like Full name. Father’s name is mandatory unless mother is a single parent.
Full address details for residential as well as office address is required.
Telephone number and Email Id of the applicant.
Status of the applicant is required. Status can be anything from individual, HUF, company, partnership firm, government, Association of persons, Trusts, Body of Individuals, Local authority, Artificial Juridical Persons, Limited Liability partnership. This detail should be entered carefully as your PAN number would contain a letter for the same.
Registration number of a firm, LLP or a company
Source of income details like Salary, income from profession, Income from business, income from capital gains, income from property, No income etc.
Representative assessee details
Details of documents submitted as Proof of Identity (POI), Proof of address (POA) and Proof of date of birth (POB)

Instructions to fill PAN application form 49A

Form 49A should be filled in English language and in block letters preferably with black ink
Each box on application form should be filed only with only one letter or one alphabet
‘Individual’ applicants should affix two recent colour photographs with white background (size 3.5 cm x 2.5 cm) in the space provided on the form.
Signature/Left hand Thumb impression should be provided across the photo in such a manner that signature/thumb impressions are on photograph as well as on blank space.
Signature /Left hand thumb impression should be within the box provided on the right side of the form.
Thumb impression, if used, should be attested by a Magistrate or a Notary Public or a Gazetted Officer under official seal and stamp

Documents required by a individual applicant for PAN application

Proof of identity such as a copy of Aadhar card, Driving license, Passport etc.
Proof of address such as aadhar card, driving license, Passport etc.
Proofs of date of birth such as Birth Certificate issued by the Municipal
Authority or any office authorized to issue Birth and Death Certificate by
the Registrar of Birth and Death, pension payment order, marriage certificate issued by registrar of marriages, matriculation certificate, passport, driving license etc.

Documents required by a Company for PAN application

Copy of Certificate of Registration issued by the Registrar of Companies.

Documents required by a partnership for PAN card application

A Copy of Certificate of Registration issued by the Registrar of Firms or Copy of partnership deed

Documents required by a LLP for PAN card

A Copy of Certificate of Registration issued by the Registrar of LLPs

Documents required by a Association of persons (trust) for PAN card

A Copy of trust deed or copy of certificate of registration number issued by Charity Commissioner.

Documents required by a Association of Persons, Body of Individuals, Local Authority, or Artificial Juridical Person for PAN card

A copy of agreement or copy of certificate of registration issued by charity commissioner or registrar of cooperative society.

Documents required by a HUF for PAN application

Proof of identity such as a copy of Aadhar card, Driving license, Passport etc.
Proof of address such as Aadhar card, driving license, Passport etc.
Proofs of date of birth such as Birth Certificate issued by the Municipal
Authority or any office authorized to issue Birth and Death Certificate by
the Registrar of Birth and Death, pension payment order, marriage certificate issued by registrar of marriages, matriculation certificate, passport, driving license etc.

Who can or cannot sign on PAN application form 49A

Only following person or individuals can sign on PAN card application form 49A-

Applicant
Karta in case of HUF
Director of a company
Authorized Signatory in case of AOP, Body of Individuals, Local Authority and Artificial Juridical Person
Partner in case of Firm/LLP
Trustee

PAN Card status check on online/PAN card tracking

Post application for a PAN card, you need to track your PAN card status. You can easily track your PAN card status online by posting your PAN card application. As an applicant, you are interested in knowing the final status of your PAN card application for different purposes such as loan, opening a mutual fund or applying for a current account in a bank. There are mainly three types of PAN card status such as issued, in transit or rejected.

You can track PAN card status online on UTI PAN card status and TIN NSDL PAN card website. There are multiple ways to check online PAN card status on NSDL or UTI portal. You can track PAN card status online with PAN or coupon number, acknowledgement number, without acknowledgement number, with name or date of birth, using PAN number or Aadhar number, using SMS or phone number. We have discussed how to check PAN card track online in detail in our other post. Kindly check out that article.

How to update or make correction in PAN Card/PAN correction form

PAN card correction online on NSDL portal

You need to follow following steps to make correction in PAN card on official NSDL portal-

Visit the official TIN NSDL website.
Click on “Services” section and under services section, click on PAN. Now, Click “Apply” under the “Change/Correction in PAN Data” section.
Now, from the “Application type” dropdown menu, select ‘Changes or Correction in existing PAN data/Reprint of PAN Card
Now, under the “category” dropdown menu, now select the category of assessee. If you are an individual, then kindly select an individual , otherwise choose your category that is right for you.
Now, You would need to enter more mandatory information like name, date of birth, email id and mobile number. These information are required for future communication regarding your PAN card correction status. Fill the “Captcha” and submit.
Now, your request has been registered and a token number would be sent to your registered email id. Kindly save your token number for future reference.
Now, you need to submit required documents by clicking on “Submit scanned images through e-Sign on NSDL e-gov”.
Fill other necessary details such as father’s name, Aadhar number and click “Next”. On the next page, kindly update your address.
Upload other required documents such as proof of address, proof of age, proof of identity and PAN. Sign the declaration and click submit.
You will be redirected to the payment page and there are multiple options for payment including Net banking, credit card/debit card or demand draft.
You will receive an acknowledgement receipt post successful payment. Kindly send acknowledgement receipt along with scanned copies of documents and send it to TIN NSDL office. Kindly mention “Application for PAN change” on top of the envelope. Address for NSDL is –

NSDL e-Gov at Income Tax PAN Services Unit,

NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure Limited,

5th Floor, Mantri Sterling, Plot No. 341,

Survey No. 997/8, Model Colony,

Near Deep Bungalow Chowk, Pune – 411 016′

Fees for correction in PAN card though PAN correction form

PAN card correction fees are the same as fees for fresh PAN card applications. These fees are –

Rs 110, if address is within India
Rs 1020, if address is outside India

Photo or Signature change in PAN card with PAN correction form

You can change photo and signature on a PAN card online on NSDL official website. Process for change in photography is simple and it is quite similar to change in signature for a PAN card. Both signature as well as photo can be changed or corrected on NSDL website.

Change in PAN name after marriage

We know that, name of a woman changes post marriage as she adds her husband’s surname in place of her original surname. As PAN card acts as identity proof within India, it is necessary to update name in PAN card post marriage.

Change in name can easily be done online on NSDL portal. You would need to fill the required application form. Detailed step by step process for change in woman’s name post marriage are –

Kindly visit the official TIN NSDL or UTITSL website.
Fill in the application form to change name in PAN card
Validate your application form details and click on “Submit” button
Pay for application for name change and send PAN card application along with passport sized photos and self attested documents. Send the application form and documents to NSDL or UTITSL.

Documents required for change in name on PAN card

Following documents are required for change in name on the PAN card-

Marriage certificate or marriage invitation card
Publication of name change in the official gazette
Copy of passport showing husband’s name
Certificate issued by a Gazetted officer (only for the change in the applicant’s name)

How to do paperless E-KYC for change in name of PAN card

By carrying out paperless E-KYC for change in name, you would not need to send a physical application to either NSL or UTITSL. You can do paperless e-KYC by following steps. EKYC can be done with Aadhar based E-KYC signing, Dig locker signing, Digi locker with digital signature certificate.

Bulk PAN verification online

You can bulk verify your PAN card in India. You can perform bulk PAN card verification in India by three methods in India. Bulk PAN verification enables eligible entities such as Banks, NBFCs to verify authenticity of PAN cards. As you must have known, a copy of a PAN card is a mandatory requirement for applying for a loan, mutual fund, bank account, insurance policies etc. It is impossible to perform financial transactions without quoting a PAN card number.

Financial institutions such as banks receive loan applications or applications for opening savings accounts in large quantities. It would take a large amount of effort and money to do PAN verification for each application. Bulk PAN verification reduces time and increases efficiency for a PAN verification. Bulk PAN verification involves checking hundreds and thousands such PAN numbers against records maintained by a central board of direct taxes (CBDT).

Bulk PAN verification services are provided by NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure Limited and the UTI Infrastructure Technology and Services Limited websites. Entities need to register for BULK PAN verification services to perform bulk PAN verification. Following major entities are eligible to perform bulk PAN card verification in India-

Commercial Banks
Payments banks approved by RBI
Mutual funds
Depository participants
Insurance companies
Credit card companies etc.

PAN card fee and charges

PAN card is a mandatory requirement for every major financial transaction in India. You need to quote PAN number for opening a bank account, opening a mutual fund folio, filing income tax returns etc. Fees for applying for a PAN card depends on the nature of the entity.

For applicants residing in India, you need to pay a uniform fee of Rs 110 for applying for a PAN card. The Government of India has gone forward with uniform fees after seeing some discrepancies in it. Application fees for a foreign national is 864 excluding taxes. Having a PAN number is also mandatory for a foreign national to carry out financial transactions in India.

PAN card fee for reprint/changes in PAN card

If you have lost your PAN card then you need to pay Rs 50 to get a fresh PAN card. This fee is the same if you want to edit some information in your PAN card. or foreign nationals, reprinting for a lost PAN card would incur a fee of 959 Rs.

PAN card forms

You need to fill PAN card forms to apply for a PAN card. There are two types of PAN card form for PAN card application. They are PAN card form 49A and PAN card form 49AA.

Form 49A – This is a application form that is required to be filled by Indian citizens under section 139A of the Income-tax Act, 1961

Form 49AA – This PAN card form is required filled by individuals who are not citizens of India, Entities incorporated outside India or Unincorporated entities formed outside India

You can get a PAN card application form on the online portal of NSDL.

Do’s and Don’ts for filling PAN card form (Form 49A/Form 49AA)

You need to be careful while filling a PAN card form. Each and every information entered in a PAN application form should be verified before submitting the same. As any wrong or illegal information entered could lead to rejection of the PAN application. Let us look at important points before entering information in a PAN card form-

Write all information on PAN card form 49A and PAN card form 49AA in block letters
You should preferably fill application form with black ink pen
Photograph of yours should be in white background with size of 3.5 cm * 2.5 cm
Each and every information should be correct and valid as same would reflect on your PAN card
Take care to sign inside the box
Never attach photocopy or documents by stapling or pinning.
Never overwrite or cut on PAN application form. This could be a valid reason for rejection of PAN application
Never apply for more than one PAN card under a single individual or entity’s name

Eligibility for a PAN card

There are different eligibility criteria to apply for a PAN card in India. Eligibility criteria for a PAN card depends on the nature of the entity. Let us look at different PAN card eligibility criteria for different entity in India-

Individuals – Basic eligibility criteria for an applicant is that he/she should be a citizen of India and should have valid proof for address, date of birth and identity.

Hindu undivided families (HUF) – The Karta(Head) of the family can apply for a PAN card on behalf of the family.

Minors – Minors are also eligible to apply for a PAN card in India. However, a guardian or a parent needs to apply for the pan card on behalf of the minor.

Indian citizens residing abroad – Indian citizens who are residing in other countries are also eligible to apply for a PAN card.

Companies – Registered companies with registrar of companies need to produce registration certificate to get a PAN card

Following entities are also eligible for a PAN card subject to fulfillment of basic PAN card eligibility conditions-

Partnership firms/Limited liability partnerships
Trusts
Associations/local authorities
Artificial judicial person
Entities with no office in India

Lost PAN card and Duplicate PAN card

You don’t need to worry about your lost PAN card anymore. PAN card or PAN number has a lifetime validity and you can easily renew your PAN card online on PAN portal. You should not take a lost PAN card lightly as it can be misused by miscreants. You don’t want your identity to be misused for some other purposes like application for a loan or credit card on your name. You can apply for a duplicate PAN card easily and let us see how we can do it.

Duplicate PAN card

Duplicate PAN card is just like an original PAN card issued to a PAN card holder initially. Duplicate PAN card is issued to an individual who has either lost a PAN card or whose PAN card is damaged which results in an illegible PAN card. The Income Tax department has made it quite simple to issue a duplicate PAN card for valid PAN card holders.

Duplicate PAN card process

You can apply for a duplicate PAN card both in offline mode or online mode. Online applications can be made on the official NSDL portal or you can make duplicate PAN card requests offline too. Online PAN card duplication process is more advantageous compared to offline process as it offers more ease of doing and quite intuitive.

Online Duplicate PAN card process

Let us look at the process by which you can apply to duplicate PAN card online on NSDL portal:

Visit NSDL portal and select “Changes or correction in existing PAN data/Reprint of PAN card (No changes in existing PAN data” under application type.
Under Category, select “Individual” or whatever category for which you are changing your PAN card.
Enter other mandatory information like Title, Last name/Surname, First Name, Middle name, Date of Birth, Email Id, Mobile number, PAN number etc. Some of this information is mandatory and required for further communication like sending acknowledgement receipt to registered email Id. You need to take care that you write authentic and true information in these fields as these information would be updated in your duplicate PAN card.
Enter “Captcha code” and click on submit button
A token number would be generated post submission and you need to save a token number for your future reference.
Fill the necessary details in “Personal Details’ page along with selecting the mode of submission of your PAN application form. Following are three modes of sending PAN application – a) Forward application documents physically b) Submit digitally through e-KYC & e-sign c) Submitting scanned images through e-sign facilities
You need to decide whether you want to receive a physical PAN card or an e-PAN card. If you select an e-PAN, then you would receive a PAN card on your registered email id.
Fill details in “Contact & other details” and also the “document details” page and submit the application.
You need to complete payment on the payment page. Post successful payment, you will receive an acknowledgement receipt.
Duplicate PAN card will be issued to your registered email id or registered communication address mentioned in duplicate PAN application form. it usually takes around two weeks to receive a PAN card.

Offline duplicate PAN card process

Let us have a look at how we can apply for a duplicate PAN card in offline mode. You would need to following steps to get a duplicate PAN card-

Download and print the duplicate PAN card application form from the official NSDL portal.
Download form 49A from the official NSDL website.
Fill the application form in detail. You need to be careful in filling application form with a black pen and filled in block letters. Care should be given in signing and thumb impressions on the PAN card application form.
Affix the photographs taken in white background
Make a demand draft in favor of ‘NSDL – PAN’ payable at Mumbai.
Take care to attach self-attested photocopies of original proofs with the application form. List of documents varies from entity to entity.
You need to mention APPLICATION FOR DUPLICATE PAN-Acknowledgement Number’ superscripted on the envelope of the application form
You need to send an application form, payment along with proof of identity, proof of address and proof of date of birth to NSDL facilitation center.
The facilitation center then sends your application to the Income-tax PAN services unit for further action.
The duplicate PAN card would be sent to your official communication address within two weeks.

Need to apply for a duplicate PAN card

You don’t need to apply for a duplicate PAN card in every situation. You should apply for a duplicate PAN card only in few situations-

Loss/theft of a PAN card – It is quite possible to lose a PAN card while carrying a PAN card in pocket or wallet. However, you should be careful in carrying a PAN card as it can be misused if it falls into wrong hands.
Misplaced – Misplaced PAN card is a valid reason to apply for a duplicate PAN card.
Damaged – If your PAN card is damaged or somehow details are not readable on a PAN card then you should immediately apply for a duplicate PAN card. You would not be able to apply for financial services such as loan, mutual funds, income tax returns with a damaged PAN card.
Change in details – It is quite possible that your details might change in future. Details like name, surname (in case of women), signature might change in future course. In that scenario, your original PAN details would not be valid. You should immediately apply for a change in PAN card details.

Entities who can apply for a duplicate PAN card

Following individuals/entities are eligible to apply for a duplicate PAN card-

Individual
Company
HUF
Partnership firm/LLP
AOP(s)/Body of Individuals/Association of Person(s)/Local Authority/ Artificial Juridical Person

Surrender duplicate PAN card

Duplicate PAN card is one of the major problems faced by many loan applicants in India. It is illegal to have more than one PAN number for an individual or an entity. If you apply for a loan and you have two PAN numbers against your number then you would be asked to surrender your duplicate PAN card. A PAN card is a proof of identity apart from financial information placeholder and it is illegal to have two documents of identity for a single individual/entity. Let us see how you can surrender your duplicate PAN card.

Surrender duplicate PAN card online

You can surrender your duplicate PAN card online on the income tax department website and go to the “surrender duplicate PAN” option. Enter mandatory information like PAN number, name, surname, phone number, email id etc. Upload the required documents, make payment and take print out of the official acknowledgement receipt. Finally, you need to submit a copy of the PAN card to be surrendered with an acknowledgement receipt and send it to authorities.

Surrender duplicate PAN card offline

You can surrender your duplicate PAN card in offline mode and send it to PAN authorities along with relevant documents. Download the PAN correction form NSDL portal and fill it in. Submit the filled application form along with relevant documents along with necessary documents to NSDL collection center. You will receive an acknowledgement receipt and send it to the NSDL office along with a copy of the PAN to be surrendered within 15 days. Your duplicate PAN would be surrendered by authorities and you will receive confirmation of the same on your phone number through SMS.

PAN card cancellation

PAN number is one of the most important identity numbers associated with an individual or entity in India. PAN card cancellation stands when you surrender your PAN card. PAN card cancellation would nullify your cancelled PAN card and it would no longer be a legal document. Let us look at the reason for cancellation of a PAN card in India –

Multiple PAN numbers issued – Income tax department by mistake would issue multiple PAN cards to a single individual or entity. Multiple PAN cards can create multiple problems for an individual like rejection of a loan application by banks.

Wrong information mentioned in PAN card – Sometimes wrong information is mentioned in PAN card. Wrong information would include information like wrong name, wrong surname, wrong signature etc.

You can apply for cancellation of a PAN card both in offline as well as online mode.

Uses and benefits of PAN card

PAN cards have many uses and benefits in India. We have listed important benefits of having a PAN number in India-

Income tax return filing – It is one of the most important benefits of having a PAN card. Quoting a PAN number is mandatory to file income tax returns in India. You need to file income tax returns if you are earning income in India. Without a PAN card, you would not be able to file an income tax return and that would result in a notice from the income tax authorities.
Identity proof – PAN card is considered as a valid identity proof by most of the organizations in India. It is one of the most popular identity proofs used in India along with Voter ID, Aadhar, driving license etc. PAN card is also considered as a valid photograph proof and signature proof by organizations.
Getting a loan – PAN card is a mandatory requirement that is asked by financial institutions such as Banks and NBFCs. A PAN card is required to extract your or your organization’s credit report such as CIBIL, CRIF, Commercial CIBIL etc. Banks use your credit report to analyze your credit worthiness and grant you a loan or not.
Tax deductions – If your bank account is not linked with your PAN card then you would get tax deductions at the rate of 30% instead of 10% if your interest amount is greater than 10,000
Starting a business – You need to have a valid PAN number to start a business in India
Opening a Bank account – PAN card is also a mandatory requirement for opening a bank account in India. A PAN card acts as proof of date of birth, proof of signature, identity proof etc. PAN card is issued by income tax authorities and information mentioned on it is usually taken at a face value.
Opening a Demat account – You need to quote your PAN number to dematerialize your shares. It is mandatory to have a PAN card to open a Demat account. Each and every security or mutual fund bought will be stored against your PAN number by depositories. You can have multiple accounts with multiple brokers but your securities would be credited against your PAN number only.
Income Tax refund – To claim an income tax refund, you would need to quote your PAN number. Income tax is refunded when you pay extra tax then required or extra tax is deducted by TDS
Purchase and sale of immovable assets – You need to mention your PAN card number, if you want to buy immovable assets like property which can run into lakhs then you need to quote your PAN card.
Application for a credit card – Credit card offers convenience of doing a financial transaction and having a PAN is a mandatory requirement for applying for a credit card.
Payment of an amount larger than 50,000 – Quoting your PAN is mandatory in doing a financial transaction that is greater than 50,000.
Opening a deposit – Quoting a PAN is mandatory in opening a FD that is greater than 50,000
Payment of insurance premium – PAN is required mandatorily for payment of insurance premium
Buying stocks of an unlisted company – If you want to buy shares of an unlisted company and the transaction value is greater than 50000 then you are required to quote PAN for the same.

PAN Aadhar Link/Linking PAN with Aadhar

How to link aadhar to a PAN card?

Linking PAN with Aadhar has been made mandatory by the Income Tax department. Initially, as per Income tax notification initial deadline for PAN aadhar link was 5th August, 2017. The initial deadline for PAN aadhar link was extended to 31st December, 2017. However, as per latest notification latest deadline to link aadhar to PAN card has been extended to 31st March, 2021.

Income tax department has made it mandatory to link PAN with aadhar for filing of Income Tax return. It may be noted that you may file your ITR without linking PAN with aadhar but your ITR would not be processed by the Income Tax department without a PAN aadhar link. There are mainly two methods to link PAN with aadhar i.e. linking aadhar to PAN with online mode or linking aadhar to PAN with SMS facility. Let us look at two methods on how to link a PAN card with Aadhar.

Online linking PAN with Aadhar

Online linking of PAN with Aadhar can be done online on the Income Tax portal. You can link both identities by either logging in to the income tax portal or without logging into the income tax portal.

PAN aadhar linking without logging in

It is a two step process to link Aadhaar with a PAN card. In this process, you don’t need to login to your Income Tax department portal to process your request. let us look at two steps that are followed to link Aadhar to PAN card without logging in portal-

Go to the official Income tax portal and click on Link Aadhaar on the left side pane.
You would be required to enter mandatory information like Adhar number, PAN, Name as per Aadhar, declare that you have only aadhar and submit after entering Captcha code on the website.
Your Aadhar card would be linked to PAN if details entered like name, date of birth matched in PAN, Aadhar and government records.

Linking PAN with Aadhar by logging into your account

Register yourself on the Income Tax portal and login to the income tax portal with your details.
If you haven’t linked PAN with Aadhar card then a prompt will appear on portal requesting you to link Pan with aadhar. Otherwise, you can click on ‘Profile settings’ and click on ‘Link Aadhar’ option.
Details such as name, date of birth and gender will already be mentioned as per the details submitted at the time of registration on the e-Filing portal.
Enter your aadhar number and Captcha code and click on “Link Now”
You will be updated that your aadhar linking with PAN has been successful.

Link PAN with Aadhar with SMS facility

You can link aadhaar with PAN with SMS too. It is quite intuitive and easier as compared to online facilities available on online portals. To link PAN to aadhar, you need to enter the following message on mobile UID PAN<12 Digit Aadhaar> <10 Digit PAN>. You need to send the above message to either 567678 or 56161 from your registered mobile number. Please take care to send messages from registered mobile numbers only as your request would be registered if you send a request to link Aadhaar with PAN from another mobile number other than registered mobile number.

How to check PAN Aadhar link status

Post linking your PAN with Aadhar, you need to check PAN Aadhar link status. It is also advised to check PAN Aadhar link status to make sure that it has been applied successfully. To check PAN Aadhar link status, follow these steps-

Visit Income Tax department Aadhar PAN link status check facility at https://www1.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/e-FilingGS/Services/AadhaarPreloginStatus.html
Enter your PAN number and Aadhar number to check PAN Aadhar status
Click on View Link Aadhar status.
You aadhar link status would be shown on screen

Unable to perform linking PAN with Aadhar?

There are some common reasons for failure of linking PAN with Aadhar. Some of the common reasons for failure of PAn card link with aadhar are –

Your Name, date of birth or Gender in PAN database may be different with that of Aadhaar Card
You might have entered the wrong Aadhar number or your Aadhar number might not exist in the Aadhar database.

Thus, it can be seen that every detail mentioned on PAN has to match on with the same details on Aadhar. Moreover, all details have to match with the Aadhaar database and Income Tax department.

If you are unable to link Aadhaar with a PAN card then you need to take certain steps to make sure that Adhar PAN card linking is done. Following steps can be taken to make sure that details get matched for linking of identities –

Correct your name or date of birth that is wrongly updated on NSDL database.
Correct your name on Aadhar database by visiting Aadhar enrollment Centre. You would need to carry your self attested copy of proof of identity. Fill the Aadhar enrollment form along with required fees. You would receive an Aadhar acknowledgement slip to track your Aadhar name change status. You would receive communication regarding a successful change in name in your Aadhar card. post successful updating, you can link aadhar to PAN card on Income tax website or through SMS facility.

Significance of PAN card linked with Aadhar

We have already mentioned that as per recent notification issued by government, linking Aadhaar with PAN card has been mandatory. Let us look at benefits of PAN card linked with aadhar-

Prevent PAN becoming inactive – if you failed to link PAN with aadhar then your PAN card might become inactive. You would not be able to file your income tax returns, apply for a loan, apply for a mutual fund or buy equity in absence of an active PAN card. PAN aadhar link is necessary to make sure that you are able to perform financial transactions with peace of mind.
Stop Tax evasion – By linking Aadhaar with PAN, financial transactions are linked to an individual and the government can easily monitor business from evading taxes. India has one of the lowest Tax compliance in the world. In absence of a proper vigil mechanism, businesses have shown a tendency for tax evasion. Aadhar card Pan card link acts as perfect hindrance in stopping tax evasion as the government can track digital transactions against an individual or entity’ name.
Stop practice of multiple PAN cards – You must have known that an individual or an entity can have one PAN card. A PAN card is a unique identity card that acts as the primary key for holding financial information related to an individual or entity. It is illegal to hold more than one PAN card and you have to surrender your duplicate PAN card. It has been seen that companies, firms and individuals hold more than one PAN card for illegal activities including applying for corporate loan, personal loan on different PAN cards, evasion of taxes. Aadhar linking with PAN card has led to stopping of this malpractice. Now, you cannot apply for a duplicate PAN card with the same Aadhar number.

Benefits of Aadhar PAN card linking

Main benefits of linking PAN with Aadhar are –

It reduces possibility of an individual or an entity holding more than one PAN card
It helps income tax department in helping authorities to identify Tax evasion
It reduces chances of impersonation due to a lost PAN card as PAN card need to be verified with Aadhar card details as well
It reduces malpractice of applying for loans under two PAN card and defaulting on loan taken in one PAN card

Old PAN series and new PAN series

PAN number was first introduced in 1972. Before this, individuals and entities were issued General Index Register Number or GIR number. Old PAN series are the PAN numbers issued in 1972 and were made mandatory till 1976. In 1985, Old series was abandoned and the current series of PAN numbers was introduced in 1995. New PAN series stands for PAN that were introduced post 1995 in Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai.

How to link a PAN card with a Bank Account?

As per recent notification by Central board of Direct taxes, Linking your PAN card with bank account has been made mandatory. Linking of PAN with bank account is required to for direct tax refund to bank account. You can link your current account, cash credit, overdraft as well as saving account with PAN.

There are 3 methods to link PAN card with a bank account-

Linking of PAN with Bank account online
Linking of PAN with Bank account by visit to bank branch
Using facility of toll free number to link PAN with Bank account

Link Bank account with PAN online through internet banking

Login to your bank account with your username and password
You can find options like Service Requests, Services, or PAN Registration on your profile. These names changes depending upon the bank but usually it is under Service requests
Select PAN Card Updating, Link Your PAN, Update PAN, or other similar relevant option.
You would now be asked to enter mandatory details like PAN card number, date of birth and registered email ID.

Your bank account would be linked to your PAN within 2-7 days. These steps are mostly common in different bank accounts but it might differ in some cases.

Link Bank account with PAN offline though branch banking

Most banks including large banks like HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, SBI, PNB etc. do offer a facility to link PAN card with bank account from bank branch. However, it is always advisable to do this online as it offers ease of linking PAN with Bank account. Moreover, Banks themselves encourage account holders to use digital medium to link bank accounts with PAN.

Needless, to say a personal touch offered by a branch banking is unbeatable. Let us look at steps that are performed to link a bank account with PAN-

Visit your Home branch and ask for a PAN card update form.
Fill in the relevant details in PAN card update form
Submit the form along with a self attested copy of the PAN card. You might also be asked to write a letter addressing to branch manager for PAN card linking request

Please take care in filing an application form for a PAN card linking with a bank account. Each bank has a different application form for linking the same. Public sector banks seem to have more detailed form compared to private banks.

Link Bank account with PAN offline through Phone

You can also link your PAN with your bank account through the toll free number facility provided by different banks. Each bank has a different toll free number and you can find the same by a simple google search like “Your Bank name + Toll free number”.

For e.g. if you want to find a toll free number for SBI then you will need to enter “SBI+Toll free number”. You can also find toll free numbers on cheque books, loan amortization schedules, passbook, website etc.

Let us look at detailed step by step procedure to link your PAN with bank account with phone toll free number facility-

Call on the Bank’s toll free number and connect to customer care executive on toll free number
Kindly provide your bank account number to the customer care executive and update the customer care executive with your intent to link the PAN with the bank account.
You will be asked to provide your PAN and other mandatory details to verify your identity.

Linking a bank account with a PAN might take some time to process depending upon the bank. It is advisable to keep a bank account and PAN information handy while applying through the phone.

Benefits of linking PAN with bank account

Linking PAN with a bank account has been mandatory for transactions of certain amounts. If your bank account is already linked with PAN then you are already one step ahead
It also benefits the government to track transactions that are used for illegal activities as PAN, Bank account and Aadhar are interlinked. each and every transaction can be traced to specific individual and entity
You would be able to get income tax refund directly to your bank account if your bank account is linked with PAN

How to link PAN with EPF

Linking your PAN with EPF offers many advantages to employees including withdrawal of EPF amount at the time of need. You must have realized the importance of linking EPF accounts with PAN in recent Covid times. Those who had linked PAN with EPF were able to withdraw their EPF amount little easily compared to those who haven’t done so.

EPF account which is also known as provident fund is an account created for future usage by employees. Both employees as well as employers are required to put a fixed amount each month. This amount kept in EPF account is primarily for post retirement purposes of the employee. Each EPF account has a unique UAN (Universal account number) seeded with it.

Linking your PAN with your bank account offers many advantages. Some of them are –

It is easier to withdraw your EPF amount in time of need if your KYCs including PAN is already linked with EPF
If you haven’t linked your PAN with EPF account then TDS at the time of PF withdrawal would be more than when your PAN is linked with EPF account

Procedure to link PAN with EPF account

There are two methods to link PAN with EPF accounts, mainly online and offline. We would look into both methods on how to link PAN with EPF account in detailed step by step manner.

Link PAN with EPF account online

Linking PAN with EPF accounts online is time saving as well as it offers ease of use compared to offline one. Online linking would entails following steps-

Visit the official web portal of the EPFO at https://unifiedportal-mem.epfindia.gov.in/memberinterface/
Login to the portal with your login credentials
Under “Manage” tab, click on KYC
Enter mandatory information as required and click on submit button
Post submission, your EPF account would be linked to your PAN

Link PAN with EPF account offline

You would be required to visit the nearest EPF branch near to you. You will need to fill the PAN PF account linking form with required details like name, mobile number, email id, PAN, UAN etc. You are also required to submit a self attested copy of the PAN along with the UAN. Post successful verification of your application, you would receive confirmation of successful linking of your PAN with EPF on your registered email id and mobile number.

NSDL

NSDL stands for national securities depository limited. NSDL is one of the largest depositories in the world. NSDL was established in August, 1996 and handles most of the securities held and settled in dematerialized form in the Indian capital market. Some facts and figures associated with NSDL as on 26th February 2021 are-

2,10,97,183 client accounts active
9,46,253 accounts having debt instrument
Around 4000 number of accounts opened per day since November 1996
Number of depositor participants associated are 282

Main benefits offered by NSDL are –

Elimination of bad deliveries
Elimination of all risks associated with physical certificates
Immediate transfer and registration of securities
Faster settlement cycle
Faster disbursement of non cash corporate benefits like rights, bonus, etc.
Elimination of problems related to change of address of investor

UTIITSL

UTIITSL stands for Unit trust of India Infrastructure technology and services Limited. It was incorporated in May, 1993 to serve the investors of UTI schemes. UTIITSL provides various services including Mutual funds, PAN Card Issuance and Printing, Insurance Services (Medical Bill Processing), e-Governance and Technology.

Form 61

Form 61 is a document issued by the central board of direct taxes for the individuals who earn income solely through agriculture and don’t earn any other income from taxable sources. This form is published under supervision of the Central board of direct taxes.

Use of Form 61

This form is not a replacement for a PAN card but can be used by an individual who earns income from agriculture and nothing else. Form 61 is used in many conditions including:

Sale and purchase of immovable property whose amount is greater than 500000
Purchase and sale of vehicles other than two wheelers
Opening a fixed deposit whose value is greater than Rs 50000
Contract for sale and purchase of securities worth more than 10 Lakhs
For filling the application in order to avail telephone connection.

Fill Form 61

Information that is required to be filled in Form 61 are –

Full name and address of the applicant
Particulars of the transaction for which you are filling Form 61 for including sale and purchase of immovable properties, buying mutual funds etc.
Proof of address including Aadhar, Voter ID, Driving license etc.
Signature and date of application
Verification is also need to be filed by individual declaring that information filed is true

Documents in support for address proof

You can produce following documents as address proof with Form 61:

Ration card
Passport
Driving License
Voter ID
Copy of electricity bill and telephone bill mentioning your complete address
Documents issued by central government or state authorities mentioning your complete address

How to apply Form 61 offline

Steps to be followed to apply Form 61 offline is pretty straightforward. You need to complete an application form along with relevant documents and submit it to the bank.

Difference between Form 60 and Form 61

Form 60 is a document issued by the Income Tax department for individuals who don’t have a PAN card and are entering a financial transaction under Income Tax rule. Form 61 is a form that is required to be submitted by an individual who earns income only through agriculture and receives no other income other than agriculture. You need to furnish Form 61 within the due date as mentioned by government authorities.

Form 60

Form 60 is a document issued by Income Tax authorities for individuals who don’t have a PAN card currently. PAN card is a mandatory identity that is issued by Income tax authorities for certain individuals and entities who earn taxable income and want to get into a financial transaction.

Sometimes, an individual might not be required to have a PAN card or PAN card might not be issued currently. Not having a PAN card should not stop an individual from entering a financial transaction. You can still get into a financial transaction with the help of Form 60 along with relevant documents.

When to furnish Form 60?

You need to furnish Form 60 for the following transactions-

Purchase or sale of any automobiles other than two wheelers
Opening a Demat account
Application for opening a account with bank or application for a credit card or debit card
Purchase or sale of a immovable property
Paying Life insurance premium exceeding 50,000 rupees
Sale and purchase of shares of value greater than 1 Lakhs etc.

Documents to be submitted along with Form 60

Following documents are needed to be submitted along with Form 60 if you have applied for PAN but allotment is still pending:

Ration card
Passport
Driving License
Voter ID
Copy of electricity bill and telephone bill mentioning your complete address
Documents issued by central government or state authorities mentioning your complete address

Information to be filled in the Form 60

Full address and name of the applicant
Detail of the financial transactions for which you are filing a Form 60
In case where you are assessed for income tax then mention the details of the range, circle or ward where you had filed the last return
Reason for not having a PAN card

FAQs on PAN

Q – Who makes or issues a PAN card?

A – PAN card is a ten digit alphanumeric number issued to an individual or entity that is issued by the Income Tax department.

Q – Who links a PAN card with Aadhar?

A – You need to Link PAN with Aadhar before 31st march, 2021. You can link PAN with Aadhar in multiple ways including online, offline or through a bank branch.

Q – Who uses a PAN card?

A – Main uses of PAN card are –

Income Tax returns filing
Opening a bank account
Buying or selling automobile
Applying for a credit card or debit card
Purchase of jewelry
Making investments in Mutual funds, stocks etc.
As a proof of identity
Buying a property
Applying for a loan
Paying insurance premiums

Q – Is there a PAN card department?

A – No, there is no separate department such as PAN card department

Q – When will i get my PAN card?

A – You will get PAN card within 2 to 5 days after applying for PAN card online

Q – Will my PAN card become invalid?

A – Yes, your PAN card may become invalid if you don’t link your PAN with Aadhar before 31st March, 2021. You can link Aadhaar with PAN either online or offline.

Q – Where will my PAN card be delivered?

A – You have two options to get delivery of your PAN card, either at your communication address or in your mail ID. You can track the status of PAN card delivery online at the official UTIITSL portal.

Q – When was PAN card started in India?

A – PAN card was started in India in 1972

Q – When was the PAN card made?

A – PAN card was made in year 1972

Q – What can I do, when my PAN card is lost?

A – When a PAN card is lost, you need to apply for a duplicate PAN card either offline or online. PAN card is a mandatory document of identity that is required to perform financial transactions such filing ITR, getting ITR refund, opening a bank account etc. Moreover, lost PAN cards can be misused by using the identity of PAN card holder to apply for loan, credit card, mutual funds etc.

Q – When PAN card is required in bank?

A – PAN card is required in bank to open a bank account, to apply for a loan or credit card, to buy mutual funds, for making a financial transaction greater than 50,000

Q – Is a PAN card mandatory for a bank account?

A – Yes, PAN card is mandatory for opening a bank account in a bank or a post office. However, PAN card is not mandatory to open a basic zero balance savings account.

Q – Why is a PAN card necessary?

A – PAN card is necessary as it is one of the most important proof of identity that is accepted at each and every institution in India. Moreover, a PAN card is necessary to file income tax returns, open a bank account, apply for a loan or credit card, buy immovable property etc.

Q – Is a PAN card necessary for students?

A – Yes, students can also apply for a PAN card as minors are also eligible to apply for a PAN card. PAN cards for students can act as an identity proof apart from voter id or Aadhar.

Q – Can under 18 get a PAN card?

A – Yes, minors are also eligible to apply for a PAN car. However, minors cannot apply for a PAN card on their own, a parent or a guardian need to apply on behalf of a minor’s behalf.

Q – Why is a PAN card required for a job?

A – PAN card is required for a job as organizations need to deduct TDS (Tax deducted at source) for a salaried individual. TDS would be deducted against your PAN. You can take an income tax refund if excess tax has been deducted by your employer. Sometimes, organizations also require your PAN to extract your credit report.

Q – Is PAN card address proof?

A – No, PAN card is not an address proof. PAN only contains details like your full name, father’s name, date of birth and PAN. PAN can only be used as proof of identity and proof for date of birth.

Q – Is a PAN card linked with a bank account?

A – No, a bank account is not linked with a PAN on its own. You need to link PAN with a bank account either online or offline mode.

Q – Is PAN card proof of date of birth?

A – Yes, PAN card is a valid proof for date of birth and is accepted at each and every institution.

Q – Is PAN card free?

A – No, PAN card is not free. You need to pay a certain fee for applying for the PAN card. PAN card application fee varies from entity to entity.

Q – Is PAN card linked with Aadhar?

A – No, PAN card is linked with Aadhar. You have to link your Aadhaar with your PAN card yourself.

Q – How to download a PAN card online from NSDL?

A – You can download PAN card form NSDL PAN card download portal. This facility is only available for applicants whose PAN card application was processed by NSDL e-Gov. You can download your E-PAN if a PAN card is allotted or changes have been made by the Income Tax department within 30 days. E-PAN can be downloaded free of cost 3 times from NSDL E-PAN card portal. However, If changes to PAN card has been made or PAN card has been allotted prior to 30 days then you can download E-PAN by paying fees for Rs 8.26 for E-PAN card download.

Q – What is the process to download an E-PAN card from NSDL?

A – You can download an E-PAN card from NSDL portal. You need to enter following information to download E-PAN card-

Acknowledgement number allotted at the time of filling PAN application.
Month and Year of birth in case of individual and Month/Year of incorporation, formation in case of a corporate
If you have applied for changes in PAN card, then you can download E-PAN by entering PAN, Linked Aadhar number in case of individuals.
Month and Year of birth in case of individual and Month/Year of incorporation, formation in case of a corporate

You would also be asked to authenticate your Aadhaar with Adhar based OTP and you will need to enter a Captcha code to verify that you are not a robot or a computer program.

Q – How to download a PAN card online from UTIITSL?

A – If you are a PAN applicant, then you can download E-PAN directly from UTIITSL website. You can download E-PAN card from UTIITSL portal, if users-

Have applied for a fresh PAN card on UTIITSL portal in recent past
have applied for a updating and change in PAN card in recent times and have registered your mobile number and email id with UTIITSL

The users will get the link to download the E-PAN card in PDF format from the website if you have applied for an E-PAN card and applied for an update in the PAN card in the last month or within 3 months. However, if you have applied for an E PAN card and applied for a PAN card more than one month ago then you will need to pay a fee of Rs 8.26 to download the E-PAN card.

Q – What is the process to download an E-PAN card from UTIITSL?

A – Tou can dowload you E-PAN card fromUTITSL portal by entering following information-

PAN
Month and Year of birth in case of individual and Month/Year of incorporation, formation in case of a corporate
Captcha code

Once, you click on the submit button then a link would be sent to your registered email id or mobile number. You can download an E-PAN card by verifying with OTP. The link will be available for 3 times for downloading PAN.

Q – Can I download my PAN card online?

A – Yes, you can download PAN cards online from NSDL and UTIITSL portal.

Q – How can I check my PAN card status by name?

A – You can check PAN card status online from TIN NSDL portal by entering following information-

Application type
Acknowledgement number
Name including surname, first name and middle name

You are required to search for PAN card status online only after 24 hours after PAN application has been submitted online

Q – How can I open a PAN card PDF?

A – You can open PAN card PDF by entering your date of birth in DD/MM/YYYY format. For e.g. if your date of birth or date of incorporation in case of a company is 1st July 1990 then you would need to enter 01/07/1990 to open the PAN card PDF.

Q – How can I reprint my PAN card from NSDL?

A – You can reprint PAN card online at NSDL portal online by following these steps-

Enter your PAN
Month and Year of birth in case of individual and Month/Year of incorporation, formation in case of a corporate

Q – What is the fee for PAN card reprint?

A – Charges for reprint of PAN card are –

For dispatch of PAN card within India(inclusive of taxes) –
Rs 50.00
For dispatch of PAN card outside India(inclusive of taxes) –
Rs 959.00

Q – Where will I receive my PAN card reprint?

A – You will receive PAN card reprint at latest communication address mentioned on Income tax department

Q – How can I check if my PAN card is linked with Aadhar or not online?

A – You can check if your PAN card is linked with Aadhar by entering PAN and Aadhar to view PAN Aadhar link status online on official incometax portal

Q – How can I check if my PAN card is linked with Aadhar or not through SMS?

A – You can check if your PAN card is linked with PAN card or not by sending following SMS to 567678 or 56161-

UID PAN < 12 digit Aadhaar number> < 10 digit Permanent Account Number>

If your Aadhar is linked with PAN then the following message would be displayed “Aadhaar <>is already associated with PAN<>in ITD database. Thank you for using our services.”

Q – How can I get an original PAN card online?

A – You can apply for reprint of your original PAN card online from https://www.onlineservices.nsdl.com/paam/ReprintEPan.html

Q – Where does a PAN card is made?

A – you can apply for a PAN card online at UTITSL or NSDL portal. You will need to fill an online application along with required documents.

Q – Where PAN card is used?

A – PAN card is used in different types of financial transactions including –

Identity proof
Getting a loan or a credit card
Income Tax returns
Income Tax refunds
Buying a immovable property
Opening a bank account
Buying a automobile
Buying Mutual funds
Paying insurance premium

Q – In which scenario is PAN card mandatory?

A – PAN card is mandatory in filing ITR, opening a bank account, applying for a loan from a commercial bank.

Q – What is a PAN application form?

A – PAN application form is a mandatory form that is required to be filled for applying to a PAN card in India. There are two types of PAN card application form in India Form 49A and Form 49AA. Form 49A is required to be filled by citizen of India while Form 49AA is required to be filled by a NRI

Q – What are the documents required for a PAN card?

A – You will require following documents if you want to apply for a PAN card as an individual-

Proof of identity such as a copy of Aadhar card, Driving license, Passport etc.
Proof of address such as aadhar card, driving license, Passport etc.
Proofs of date of birth such as Birth Certificate issued by the Municipal
Authority or any office authorized to issue Birth and Death Certificate by
the Registrar of Birth and Death, pension payment order, marriage certificate issued by registrar of marriages, matriculation certificate, passport, driving license etc.

Q – Where can I get a PAN application form?

A – You can PAN application form from NSDL portal here.

Q – Can I get a PAN card in two days?

A – Yes, you can get PAN card in two days by applying to NSDL portal

Q – How can I check my old PAN card details?

A – You can get old PAN card details by creating and logging into Income Tax India website and search by either name or PAN.

Q – Who must have a PAN?

A – Any individual or entity who earns income from salary, business, professional services or by any other means and is eligible for income tax assessment as per latest Income Tax department rules must have a PAN card. Moreover, any individual or an entity who performs financial transactions that requires PAN to be quoted for that transaction must also hold a PAN card.

Q – Is it necessary for NRI to hold a PAN card?

A – No, it is not necessary for a NRI to hold a PAN card

Q – Can I obtain more than one PAN?

A – No, as per Income Tax rules one individual or a one entity cannot have more than one PAN.

Q – What is the procedure for PAN application for applicants who cannot sign?

A – For applicants, who cannot sign they can put a left hand thumb impression on the application form. However, If thumb impression is put on the application form, do get the thumb impression attested by Magistrate or a Notary Public or a Gazetted Officer, under official seal and stamp.

Q – Is father’s name mandatory on a PAN card?

A – No, father’s name is not mandatory for applicants who have a single mother and don’t want to show the name of the father on the PAN card.

Q – Is photography compulsory for a PAN application?

A – For individual applicants, photography is mandatory for PAN card application.

Q – How long does it take a PAN card application to be processed?

A – It usually take 15-20 days for a PAN card delivery

Q – Can I get an E-PAN card on my mail?

A – Yes, you can get a E-PAN card on your registered mail id.

Q – What is the cost of a PAN card?

A – The cost for a PAN card is 93 inclusive of taxes.

Q – Why do you require a PAN card?

A – You require a PAN card for many uses and filing Income Tax returns is one of them

Q – Is PAN mandatory for filing an ITR?

A – Yes, PAN card is mandatory for filing an ITR for individuals as well as firms, LLP, companies etc.

Q – What is the validity period of a PAN card?

A – PAN card is valid for a lifetime and you as an individual or a firm doesn’t need to renew a PAN card anytime.

Q – Is it mandatory to link a PAN card with Aadhar?

A – Yes, it is mandatory to link PAN card with Aadhar

Q – How to verify if my PAN card is valid or not?

A – You can verify PAN card online in IncomeTaxIndiaFiling website by following below mentioned steps-

Login to Income tax filing portal “https://www1.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/e-FilingGS/Services/VerifyYourPanDeatils.html?lang=eng”
Enter your mandatory details like PAN, Full name as mentioned on PAN, Date of Birth in dd/mm/yyyy format, applicant status such as individual, HUF, Company, Government, trust etc.
Enter Captcha code and click submit
If details entered are valid then portal will display following message ” PAN is active and the details are matching with database”
If details are not found in PAN database then following message would be displayed ” No record found for the given PAN”

Q – What is the meaning of message on PAN website “No record found for the given PAN”

A – “No record found for the given PAN” means that given PAN doesn’t exist. This could happen in two scenarios-

You have applied for a new, duplicate PAN and PAN is not yet issued by Income tax authorities
You have entered wrong details and need to correct the same

Q – What should I do if I receive a message that my PAN doesn’t exist in the authority’s record?

A – Kindly apply for a duplicate PAN on NSDL portal

Q – How can I open an instant PAN card?

A – You can get an instant PAN card by applying for Aadhar based instant PAN service on the Income Tax portal. You will be required to quote an original and valid aadhar number issued by UIDAI and not linked yet with a PAN card. Your E-KYC data will be shared with UIDAI and post verification of EKYC with aadhar, you would be issued a instant pan card online

Q – Is instant PAN valid ?

A – Yes, aadhar based instantPAN is valid as other PANs are. Aadhar based instant PAN is just an additional channel to apply for a new PAN card. It reduces turn around time for a PAN card verification and PAN card is issued instantaneously as soon as Aadhar details are verified by UIDAI.

Q – How will I receive my Instant PAN?

A – You can receive instant PAN by entering PAN Aadhar details at check status of PAN and you will also receive instant PAIN in your registered email id

Q – What is the cost of applying for an instant PAN?

A – Instant PAN application is free of cost and you don’t need to pay any money for applying for an instant PAN card.

Q – What is an E-PAN?

A – E-PAN is a digitally signed PAN card issued by income tax authorities in electronic format

Q – Is E- PAN a valid PAN and can I apply for a bank account with a E-PAN?

A – The E-PAN is a valid proof as per notification issued by the Principal Director General of Income-Tax (Systems).

Q – How E-PAN is different from a physical PAN and what is the structure of E-PAN?

A – E-PAN is the same as a physical PAN and it contains a QR code having demographic details of PAN applicants such as name, date of birth and photograph. QR code can be verified by any QR code scanner

Q – What is the penalty for holding more than one PAN?

A – As per Income Tax act, you would need to pay a penalty of Rs 10000 if you hold more than one PAN card or E-PAN or both

Q – Who can apply for an E-PAN through aadhar based instant PAN facility?

A – Only Indian citizens and holder of a valid PAN card can apply for Aadhar based instant E-PAN. You cannot apply for an E-PAN, if you already have a PAN or don’t have a aadhar issued by UIDAI. Moreover, foreign nationals and NRIs cannot apply for a instant E-PAN

Q – Can a firm, company or a LLP apply for an instant PAN?

A – No a firm, company or a LLP cannot apply for a aadhar based instant PAN

Q – Should mobile number be registered with UIDAI for applying for a PAN?

A – Yes, mobile number should be registered with UIDAI for applying a E-PAN

Q – I haven’t received an OTP from Aadhar for an instant PAN, what should i do?

A – You can apply for a OTP from aadhar website and even then you don’t get a OTP then you need to contact UIDAI authority

Q – How many times can I generate a OTP for PAN?

A – You can generate OTP for PAN as many times as you want

Q – Can my Aadhar authentication be rejected if I enter a wrong OTP?

A – Yes, your based E-KYC would be rejected if you enter a wrong OTP

Q – What is a DSC in a PAN card application?

A – DSC stands for a digital signature certificate and is issued by certifying authority (CA) in India. DSC is used for digitally signing an application form. You can use a DSC to sign a PAN application form 49A.

Q – How can a I apply for a PAN card without submitting documents for the same?

A – You can apply for an Aadhar based instant PAN by entering your details on the Income tax portal. You will need to complete E-KYC by Aadhar and the Aadhaar database will be shared by UIDAI with income tax authorities post verification of your E-KYC. No physical or scanned documents are required to be sent to anyone as the whole process is digital. Moreover, you don’t need to upload or send any signature or application with an instant PAN application.

Q – Do I need to visit any PAN office or PAN centre to verify my identity?

A – No, you are not required to visit any PAN office or PAN centre when you apply for a E-PAN

Q – Which address would be taken by PAN authorities when I apply for an Aadhar base PAn?

A – Address mentioned on an Aadhar card would be taken by Income tax authorities.

Q – Can I get a physical PAN if I have already received my E-PAN?

A – You can apply for reprint of your E-PAN form following links-

Q – Can I change my existing PAN card details with an instant PAN facility?

A – No, you can use instant PAN facility for changing existing PAN details

Q – How can I check E-PAN status or download E-PAN?

A – You can check E-PAN status and download E-PAN by following below mentioned steps-

Visit Income Tax E PAN status portal.
Enter your aadhar number and Captcha code
Enter OTP received on your phone and validate your identity
Now, you can download E-PAN and E-PAN status would also be displayed

Q – How can I calculate Tax under the old and new regime?

A – Kindly visit Tax calculator for Residential individuals FY 2020-21 portal. Enter details like age group, annual income, tax deductions etc. Click on “Compare tax under new and old tax regime”. Now, you would be displayed Tax under new regime and Tax under old regime calculations

Q – How can I scan documents for a PAN card application?

A – You can follow best practices for scanning supporting documents for PAn application-

Set scan clarity to at least 300 DPI
Save the document as PDF and name the document accurately. For e.g. if you are scanning Aadhar as proof of identity then put proof of Identity in name of document
Scan documents in balck and white only
Remove any password if your file is password protected
Please scan only original document and not a photocopy or a photograph
Put the document in A4 size
For multiple pages document, kindly scan all the pages into a single file and ensure that the final size of the PDF does not exceed more than 10 MB.
Please make sure that original documents are clear and without any dots or lines

Q – Is it necessary for me to provide two photos with a PAN card application form?

A – Yes, they are required

Q – Can I apply for a PAN card if I am not able to sign?

A – Yes, you can apply for a PAN card even if you are not able to sign. You can put a thumb impression of your left hand at the required place in place of a signature.

Q – In which situations, a foreigner needs to apply for a PAN card in India?

A – Any foreign national who is carrying out business activity or buying high value assets in India needs to apply for a PAN card. A PAN card is required by a foreigner as he or she needs to pay taxes on financial transactions done in India.

Q – How can I track PAN card details by Aadhar number?

A – Visit Income tax portal and enter aadhar number along with Captcha to validate OTP sent on mobile. OTP is sent to verify Aadhar E-KYC

Q – How can I track PAN card delivery status through Speed Post?

A – You can check PAN card delivery status through speed post by following these steps-

Visit India Post consignment tracking portal
Enter the consignment number and verification code to verify that you are not a robot.
Final PAN card delivery status would be displayed on portal

Q – Where can I find my consignment number for delivery of PAN card through Indian post?

A – Consignment number is mentioned in the application status.

Q – How can I track PAN Card Delivery Status Online through the UTIITSL Portal?

A – One can track PAN card delivery status online through UTIITSL portal by following these steps-

Kindly visit UTIITSL PAN tracking portal online
Enter Application coupon number or PAN number
Enter Date of Birth /Incorporation / Agreement / Partnership or Trust Deed / Formation of Body of Individuals / Association of Persons
Verify Captcha code

Post clicking “submit” button, final PAN card delivery status would be displayed on screen.

Q – How can I track PAN Delivery Status Online through the NSDL Portal with acknowledgement number?

A – You can track PAN Delivery Status Online through the NSDL Portal with acknowledgement number-

Kindly visit TIN NSDL PAN tracking portal
Choose “Application Type” and enter a 15 digit acknowledgement number and click on the submit button.
Post submission final PAN card application status would be displayed

Q – How can I track PAN Delivery Status Online through the NSDL Portal with name or date of birth?

A – You can track PAN Delivery Status Online through the NSDL Portal with name or date of birth-

Visit TIN NSDL PAN tracking portal
Choose name option and enter your full name and enter Date of Birth/Incorporation/Agreement/Partnership or Trust Deed/Formation of Body of Individuals/Association of Persons
Click “Submit” button and final PAN card application status would be displayed on the screen

Q – How can I verify PAN card details?

A – You can verify PAN card details by visiting “Verify My PAN” portal and doing these steps-

Enter PAN, Full name, Date of birth
Status and enter Captcha
Click on “Submit” button
Post submission, PAN card status would be displayed

Q – What is the meaning of PAN card status “Your PAN is Active and the details are matching with PAN Database”?

A – This PAN card status means that you are a holder of a valid PAN card and you can apply for financial transactions and file ITR with PAN

Q – Do Banks verify my PAN details?

A – Yes, banks do verify your PAN details on IncomeTaxIndia portal

Q – Can I get a loan without a PAN?

A – Yes, you can get a loan without a PAN but most of the commercial banks, NBFCs and HFCs would not be interested in providing you a loan. You might have to approach local money lenders or new age institutions to provide you with a loan. Local money lenders will charge you a very high ROI for a loan. Thus, you should always hold a PAN against your name if you want to get a good loan offer and lower ROI for the loan.

Q – How can I track PAN application status with a phone call?

A – You can track PAN application status with a phone call. You would need to call the TIN call center at 020-27218080. You would be asked to provide your PAN acknowledgement number to ge your PAN card application status

Q – How can I Check Pan Card Application Status Using SMS Service?

A – You can get PAN application status by SMS by sending following message to 57575 –

NSDL PAN <15 digit acknowledgement number>

Q – Can I check lost PAN card status with SMS?

A – Yes, you can track lost PAN card application status by following steps mentioned in the above question. You need to wait for 3 working days post submission of lost PAN card application

Q – How can I check PAN card status with Aadhar number?

A – Following steps are needed to be performed-

Visit the official website e-filing Income Tax Department
Enter your 12 digit “Aadhaar number”
Enter the Captcha code and click submit button
You would receive otp on your Aadhaar registered number and for that your aadhar number need to be registered with UIDAI

Q – What is the meaning of PAN card status “Record not found”?

A – “Record not found” means that your PAN card application is not yet processed by Income Tax authorities.

Q – What is the meaning of PAN card status “Your application is under process at the Income Tax Department”?

A – Your application is getting processed by a Income Tax Department

Q – What is NSDL customer care number?

A – NSDL customer care number is 020 27218080

Q – What is the UTIITSL customer care number?

A- UTIITSL customer care number is

Toll-free Number: 1800220306

Customer Care Number: 022 67931300

Q – What is the meaning of PAN card status “PAN card under printing”?

A – PAN card under printing means that you will receive your PAN card within 15 days.

Q – What is the meaning of PAN card application status “application is being withheld from processing due to incomplete details/documentary proof”?

A – This status means that documents sent by you are either incomplete or incorrect. Moreover, it may happen that details mentioned by you in a PAN card application don’t match with details on documents.

Q – Can my PAN card be deactivated?

A – Yes, PAN cards can be deactivated if you hold more than one PAN card. Government can deactivate your additional PAN card as it is illegal to hold more than one PAN card under Income Tax act, 1961

Q – What are the different PAN card application status provided by the Income Tax department?

A – Following are the main types of PAN card application status-

Record not found
Your application is received and is under verification
Your application is under process at Income Tax Department
PAN card under printing
Your PAN is Active and the details are matching with PAN Database

Q – How can I update/correct PAN card details?

A – You can update/correct PAN card details either offline or online method

Q – How can I update PAN card details offline?

A – You can correct or update PAN card details offline by following these steps-

Download and print the duplicate PAN card application form from the official NSDL portal.
Download form 49A from the official NSDL website.
Fill the application form in detail. You need to be careful in filling application form with a black pen and filled in block letters. Care should be given in signing and thumb impressions on the PAN card application form.
Affix the photographs taken in white background
Make a demand draft in favor of ‘NSDL – PAN’ payable at Mumbai.
Take care to attach self-attested photocopies of original proofs with the application form. List of documents varies from entity to entity.
You need to mention APPLICATION FOR DUPLICATE PAN-Acknowledgement Number’ superscripted on the envelope of the application form
You need to send an application form, payment along with proof of identity, proof of address and proof of date of birth to NSDL facilitation center.
The facilitation center then sends your application to the Income-tax PAN services unit for further action.
The duplicate PAN card would be sent to your official communication address within two weeks.

Q – What is the fee of correcting/updating existing PAN cards?

A – PAN card correction fees are Rs 110 if your communication address is in India and Rs 1020 if your communication address is outside India

Q – Can I change name on PAN card?

A – Yes, you can change name on PAN card by applying for update PAN card application

Q – How long does it take to get a PAN card corrected from Income Tax authorities?

A – You can get a PAN card corrected within 15 days from application date for correction

Q – How can I update my Photo and Signature in my PAN card?

A – You can update photo and signature on PAN card by following these steps-

Visit NSDL portal.
Under Application type, select “Changes or correction in existing PAN card details”
Select category if you are changing photo in PAN card then choose individual
Enter Applicant information such as name, Surname, Middle Name, Email ID, Mobile number and PAN number. This information should be correct as a corrected PAN would be sent on registered email id.
Submit the application and generate a token number.
Enter other mandatory details such as Aadhaar/EID and other details
Click on “Photo mismatch” and “Signature mismatch” along with father’s name and mother’s name
Enter address and contact details
You will need to provide proof of Identity, proof of address, proof of photo id
You will be needed to attach scanned copies of documents and sign declaration
Submit application
Send the application to NSDL’s address to ‘INCOME TAX PAN SERVICES UNIT (Managed by NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure Limited)’ at 5th Floor Mantri Sterling, Plot No. 341, Survey No. 997/8, Model Colony, Near Deep Bungalow Chowk, Pune-411 016
You will get a 15 digit acknowledgement number for tracking status of your PAN card application

Q – What is the dimension for photograph for photo change in PAN application?

A – The PAN card photo size should be 3.5 cm x 2.5 cm or 132.28 pixels x 94.49 pixels

Q – Is it mandatory to change the name on a PAN card for a woman post marriage?

A – No, it is not mandatory if you don’t change your surname post marriage but most of the times women do change their surname post marriage and thus it becomes mandatory to change or correct name in PAN card post marriage. You should remember that PAN is required to file an ITR, open a bank account and also acts as an identity proof for documentation. Any name mismatch would lead to rejection of ITR, bank, loan application

Q – What is the procedure to change name in PAN card post marriage?

A – Following steps should be taken to update name in PAN card post marriage-

Visit TIN NSDL portal or UTITSL portal and fill application form
Validate your details and click submit after uploading required documents
Make the payment for name change application in PAN card and download application form after payment
Affix two passport sized photos and attach required documents which should be self attested. Send application to UTIITSL and NSDL.

Q – What are the documents required for changing name post marriage?

A – A married woman can furnish any of the following documents to change name in PAn card-

Marriage certificate (Registered preferably) or marriage invitation
Official gazette showing name change
Copy of passport showing husband’s name
Certificate issued by a Gazetted officer certifying name change post marriage

Q – What is the fee for changing name in PAN card post marriage?

A – You would be required to pay Rs 107 for applying for a name change post marriage

Q – How can I link Aadhar with PAN?

A – You can link Aadhar with PAN by following process –

Visit official Income Tax portal and click on “Link Aadhar” on left hand side.
Enter your Aadhar, PAN and name as per Aadhar
If date of birth is not mentioned on Aadhaar then click on “I only have year on my aadhar”
Enter Capchta code and enter OTP sent on your mobile for aadhaar based E-KYC

You will get success message that your Aadhar has been linked with PAN if details matched on PAN and Aadhaar

Q – Should I have same details on PAN and aadhaar?

A – Yes, name on aadhar and PAN should exactly be aadhaar for linking aadhar with PAN. If details do not match with each other, then you would not be able to link Aadhaar with PAN

Q – Is there any fees for linking aadhaar with PAN?

A – No, there is no fee for linking PAN with aadhar. Linking PAN with aadhar is free of cost

Q – How can I check whether I have already sent request to link Aadhar with PAN?

A – You should visit this link to verify if aadhar has already been linked to PAN

Q – How can I Correct Aadhaar card Details if the information does not match with PAN?

A – You can Correct Aadhaar card Details if the information does not match with PAN by following these steps-

Visit Aadhaar enroll ment center and fill Aadhaar enrollment/correction/update form
Fill in details like Aadhaar number, Biometric update, Gender, address, details of father and mother, documents in support of identity, birth, address, date of birth, put signature
You will need to submit Aadhaar correction form to centre officer and he will authenticate your biometric that you have provided at the time of Aadhaar registration
You will need to pay fee for aadhaar correctiona and you will receive a acknowledgement receipt along with a update request number (URN)
You can dowload E-Aadhaar from UIDAI portal and now you can link aahaar with PAN

Q – Can we edit or update details in PAN if details on PAN doesnt match with aadhar for linking?

A – Yes, you can edit PAN details too if name or date of birth doesn’t match with aadhaar.

Q – What is the fee for PAN cord correction and Aadhaar name correction?

A – You will need to pay 30 Rs for aadhaar card correction and 110 for PAN card correction

Q – What are instructions to follow while filling aadhar enrollment/correction/update form?

A – You need to follow these instructions while filing a Aadhaar enrillment form-

Write Full name without satutations
Please bring the original* Proof of Identity (POI) document at the time of enrollment or correction in aadhaar
Fill in Date of Birth in DDMMYYYY format . If you don’t know exact Date of Birth is not known, approximate age in Years may be filled in the space provided
Write complete address and bring the original Proof of Address (POA) document at the time of aadhaar correction
Write the name of Documents for POI and POA. In case proof of Date of Birth is available, then write the name of Date of Birth document. If the resident is not holding a Proof of Identity & using the Head of Family based enrolment, then write the name of Proof of Relationship document.

Q – What are different PAN card customer care number, TIN customer care number, UTITSL customer care number?

A – You can find different PAN card customer care number and other related customer care number below-

NSDL customer care number: 020 27218080
TIN Customer Care Support for PAN/TDS: 020 27218080
Delhi TIN (PAN/TDS) branch office customer care number – (011) 2370 5418 / 2335 3817
Chennai TIN (PAN/TDS) branch office customer care number – (044) 2814 3917/18
Kolkata TIN (PAN/TDS) branch office customer care number – (033) 2281 4661 / 2290 1396
Ahmedabad TIN (PAN/TDS) branch office customer care number – (079) 2646 1376
Aaykar sampark kendra – 1800-180-1961
UTIITSL customer care number – +91 33 40802999, 033 4080299
UTIITSL Delhi branch office – 011- 23211285, 011- 23211387011- 23211285, 011- 23211387
UTIITSL Mumbai branch office customer care number – (022) 67931141 (022) 25400905 (022) 26200368
UTIITSL Chennai branch office customer care number – 044 – 22500187
UTIITSL Kolkata branch office customer care number – (033) 2242 4775

Q – What are the different types of compliant related to a PAN card?

A – While applying for a PAN card or correcting a PAN card. You might get PAN card with wrong details and other similar mistakes. Common mistakes that can arise to a PAN card complaint are –

Incorrect name might get printed on a PAN card. You should know that PAN card is a proof of adentity for a individual as well as en entity and wrong name means wrong identity.
You might not receive your phusical PAN card as it might have been delivered to a wrong address due to a clerikal error
Wrong photo might be there on a PAN card and since PAN card is a photo identity proof, a wrong photograph results a in a wrong identity
Other issues like father’s anme mimatch, date of birth mismatch, signature mismatch etc.

Q – How can I file compalints online for PAN related grievances?

A – You can file complaints on PAN card grievances on Toll free number of Aayakar Sampark Kendra on 1961 or 18001801961. Currently, online portal for PAN grievances is closed.

Q – What are charges and fees for getting a PAN card in India?

A – Following are the charges for geting a PAN card in india –

Fees for physical PAN card in india – Rs 101
Fess for a physical PAN card from outside India – Rs 1011
Fees for E-PAN in india – Rs 66
Fess for E-PAN from outside India – Rs 66

Q – Whar are the application fee for applying a fresh PAN card?

A – Rs 93 if communication address in india and Rs 864 if address is outside India

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PAN card