PAN Card (Permanent Account Number) – Eligibility, Apply, Status, Details

PAN, which stands for Permanent Account Number, is used to open a bank account, to file your tax return, invest in financial instruments or conduct any finance-related activity. PAN Card contains the PAN and identity details of the cardholder. The Permanent Account Number search identifies the individual for taxation purposes and it contains all the relevant financial data of the individual in its storage. Knowing your Permanent Account Number is, therefore, a priority for many aspects of your financial life. So, let us figure out the complete details of this all-too-important card.

What is a PAN Card

A PAN card is issued under the Income Tax Act, 1961 and it contains a unique 10-digit alphanumeric code. This code is computer-generated and is unique to the holder of the card and is valid for the lifetime.

Who can Apply for a PAN Card

The eligibility for a PAN card is not limited to individuals. Companies and partnership firms can also avail a PAN Card and it becomes mandatory for such entities to have a PAN when they are filing their income tax returns. Even in case of individuals, minors, students and Non-Resident Indians can also apply for PAN Card online.

How to Apply for PAN Card

One can apply for a PAN card in two ways – online application process and, the offline mode of PAN card application. In the following sections, we will discuss the methods you can use to apply for and get a PAN card.

Online PAN Card Application Process

One can apply for a PAN card online either through the NSDL portal (now Protean) or the UTIITSL portal. Here are the steps which are to be followed when applying for the PAN card using the online mode of application and PAN card registration:

Step 1: Visit the website of NSDL or UTIITSL for online application for PAN card
Step 2: Select the option ‘New PAN’
Step 3: Choose the PAN card form 49A which should be selected for individuals whether they are Indian citizens, NRE/NRI or OCI individuals
Step 4: This form should be filled with the individual’s details
Step 5: The applicant would also be required to pay the processing fee online or through a demand draft after submitting the form to initiate the processing of the form
Step 6: After paying the fees and submitting the PAN Form 49A, an acknowledgement slip is generated containing the 15-digit acknowledgement number
Step 7: You can e-Sign the application using Aadhaar OTP authentication or send the application with required documents to the NSDL PAN office or UTIITSL office by courier within 15 days of online submission of Form 49A
Step 8: After the acknowledgement form is couriered to the concerned office, PAN no. verification is done and the card is generated after the NSDL/UTIITSL PAN verification. The physical PAN card is sent to the customer’s address as mentioned in the form within a period of 15 days.

How to Apply for PAN Card Offline

Applying for the PAN card can also be done offline at any district-level PAN agency:

• Download the PAN card application form 49A from the NSDL or UTIITSL website or collect a copy from UTIITSL agents/NSDL office
• Fill in the form and attach supporting documents (proof of identity, address and photographs)
• Submit the form and documents to the NSDL/UTIITSL office along with the processing fee
• The PAN card will be sent to the address mentioned in the form within 15 working days

PAN Card Forms

• People can apply for a PAN card by filling Form 49A or Form 49AA.
• In case of Indian individuals/entities, form 49A is filled whereas in case of foreigners, PAN card form 49AA is to be filled.
• PAN card for minors and students can also be applied by filling PAN card form 49A.
• Both forms are available online as well as offline.
• The components of both forms are as follows – Assessing Officer Code (AO Code), name, address, date of birth, mobile number and email id, Aadhaar number, etc.
• The applicant has to sign the declaration and send it along with the self-attested copies of document proofs to TIN-NSDL’s/UTIITSL’s office.

Documents Required for a PAN Card

While availing a PAN Card, some key documents are also required to be submitted along with the PAN card application form (Form 49A or Form 49AA) or the acknowledgement form (if applying online) for PAN card verification process. The requirement of documents varies depending on the applicant type. Here are some key documents which are required along with the PAN application form when individuals or other entities apply for a PAN card.

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A. For an Individual Applicant

(i) Identity Proof which can be a copy of any one among the following:

• Any govt. issued ID – Aadhar card, DL, Voter ID, etc.
• Arm’s License
• Pensioner Card which contains the applicant’s photograph
• A photo ID card which is issued by Central Government, State Government or a Public Sector Undertaking
• Central Government’s Health Scheme Card or Ex-Servicemen’s Contributory Health Scheme Photo Card
• An original bank certificate which is issued on the bank’s letterhead from the branch of the bank and attested by the issuing officer. Such a certificate should contain an attested photograph of the applicant along with the bank account number.

(ii) An address proof which can be a copy of any one of the following:

• Electricity, landline or broadband connection  bill
• Postpaid mobile phone bill
• Water bill
• LPG or piped gas connection bill or Gas Connection book
• Bank account statement
• Credit card statement
• Deposit account statement
• Post Office account Passbook
• Passport
• Voter’s ID Card
• Driving License
• Property registration document
• Domicile certificate issued by the Indian Government
• Aadhar Card
• Original certificate from the employer provided that the employer is a reputed public or private corporation

(iii) Proof of Date of birth which can be a copy of any one of the following:

• Birth certificate which is issued by the Municipal Authority or any authorized authority
• Matriculation certificate
• Pension Payment order
• Passport
• Marriage certificate issued by Registrar of Marriages
• Driving license
• Domicile certificate issued by the Indian Government
• An affidavit sworn before a magistrate stating the applicant’s date of birth

B. For a Hindu Undivided Family (HUF)

• An affidavit issued by the Karta of the HUF stating the name, address and the father’s name of every coparcener as on the date on which the application is made.
• Identity proof, address proof and date of birth proof as in case of an individual for the Karta of the HUF.

C. For a Company registered in India

A copy of the Certificate of Registration issued by the Registrar of Companies.

D. For Firms and Limited Liability Partnerships formed or registered in India

• A copy of the Certificate of Registration issued by the Registrar of Firms or Limited Liability Partnerships.
• A copy of the Partnership Deed.

E. For Trust formed or registered in India

Copy of Trust Deed or a copy of the Certificate of Registration Number issued by a Charity Commissioner.

F. For an Association of Persons

Copy of Agreement/Certificate of Registration Number from Registrar of Co-operative Society or Charity Commissioner or other competent authority or any document issued by the Central/State Government which shows identity and address of the applicant.

G. For individuals who are not Indian Citizens

(i) A proof of identity which can be any one of the following:

• Passport copy
• Copy of PIO card issued by the Indian Government
• Copy of OCI Card issued by the Indian Government
• Copy of other national or citizenship Identification Number or TIN attested by applicable ‘Apostille’, Indian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate where the applicant is based.

(ii) Address proof can be any one of the following:

• Passport copy
• Copy of PIO card issued by the Indian Government
• Copy of OCI Card issued by the Indian Government
• Copy of other national or citizenship Identification Number or TIN attested by relevant  ‘Apostille’, Indian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate
• Copy of bank statement of the residential country
• Copy of NRE bank statement in India
• Copy of resident certificate or Residential permit
• Copy of registration certificate issued by FRO
• Copy of VISA granted and appointment letter from any Indian company

To know the complete list of documents required to apply for a PAN card, click here

How to Apply for a Duplicate PAN Card if you Have Lost your Original PAN Card

In case you have lost your PAN card, you can apply for a duplicate PAN card online as well as offline. TIN-NSDL and UTIITSL allow people to fill the form and make the payment online for a duplicate copy of your PAN card. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Go to TIN-NSDL or UTIITSL website and apply for a duplicate copy of your PAN card.
2. Fill the form 49A in case of Indian citizen and Form 49-AA in case of foreigners.
3. Make the payment online or get a demand draft issued.
4. Now take the printout of your form and send it to: 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 (in case you are applying through NSDL)
5. You will receive your PAN card in the next 45 days.

Types of PAN Cards

Since a PAN Card can be availed by both individuals and entities, different types of PAN Cards need to be applied through different variants of Form 49 issued by the government. Here are the different types of PAN Cards and the different Forms used for availing the same.

PAN Card for Individuals

This is the most common variant of the PAN Card that is issued to individuals. This card is applied through Form 49A available online through the NSDL and UTIITSL websites. Individuals include any resident Indian including minors and students as they are also eligible for a PAN card.

PAN Card for Non-Resident Individuals or Persons of Indian Origin

NRIs and PIOs can avail a PAN Card for the purpose of taxation in India. They too would have to submit Form 49A for availing this card.

PAN Card for Foreign Entities paying Tax in India

Firms or corporates which are registered outside India but pay tax in India by virtue of their business operations conducted in India can also avail a PAN Card. They would have to fill and submit Form 49AA as part of the PAN card application process.

PAN Card for OCI and NRE

Overseas Citizens of India and Non-Resident Entities can also apply for a PAN Card. The relevant form which should be filled out by them when applying for the PAN card is Form 49AA.

PAN Card for Indian Companies

Firms and corporate entities registered as well as working in India can also apply for a PAN Card for their financial and tax-related transactions.

Structure of PAN Card – PAN Card Details

A PAN card contains some very basic information which also qualifies it as an identity and an age proof when complying with the Know Your Customer (KYC) guidelines. The details contained in the card are as follows:

• Name of the cardholder– The primary and the most noticeable detail on the PAN Card is the name of the cardholder. In case of an individual, it is the individual’s name, in case of a company, the registered name of the company and in case of a partnership firm, the name of the firm is mentioned on the PAN Card.
• Name of the father of the cardholder– This is applicable in case of individual cardholders. The name of the father of the cardholder is mentioned beneath the name of the individual.
• Date of birth– The cardholder’s date of birth is mentioned beneath the name of the father in case of an individual’s PAN card. This detail acts as the date of birth proof of the cardholder. In case of companies and partnership firms, their date of registration is mentioned in this field.
• Permanent Account Number– The next and the most important content of the PAN card is the PAN or the Permanent Account Number. This number is unique to every person/entity holding the card and it contains some key information. The number is generated based on the details provided by the entity. The PAN is a 10 letter alpha-numeric number and each character represents information. Such information is as follows:
• First three letters– These three letters are purely alphabetical in nature and contain three letters of the alphabet from A to Z.
• Fourth letter – The fourth character of the PAN represents the category of taxpayer the entity is. The various entities and their respective characters are as follows:
  • 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– the fifth letter is the first letter of the individual’s surname
• Remaining letters– remaining characters are random. The first 4 characters are numbers while the last one is an alphabet.
• Signature of the individual– the last detail on the PAN card is the signature of the individual. As such, a PAN Card also acts as proof of the individual’s signature required for various financial transactions.
• Photograph of the individual – the photograph of the cardholder is also present on the lower right-hand side of the PAN Card which makes the card eligible to act as a photo identity proof of the individual. In case of companies and firms, no photograph is present on the card.

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Advantages of PAN Card

The key uses of a PAN Card can be illustrated as follows:

• For filing tax returns – Individuals and entities (companies, partnership firms, HUFs, etc.) are required to quote their PAN whenever they file a tax return. This is a mandatory requirement. If there is no PAN card, individuals and entities would be required to pay a flat tax of 30% on their earning irrespective of the income-tax bracket they might fall in. So, for the purpose of taxation, a PAN is required and one can check PAN card status using their Permanent Account Number
• Registration of business – companies, partnership firms, Hindu Undivided Families or other entities who seek registration of their businesses cannot do so if they do not have a PAN to quote in the registration details.
• For conducting financial transactions – A host of financial transactions can be done only if the PAN card of the individual/entity is available. Some common transactions facilitated by the PAN card include sale or purchase of any immovable property the value of which is Rs. 5 lakh and above, sale or purchase of any vehicle except a two-wheeler, depositing any amount higher than Rs.50,000 in a bank, buying bonds valued at Rs.50,000 or above, remitting funds outside India, travel expenses made for travelling overseas if such expenses are in excess of Rs.25,000, buying mutual fund schemes, buying insurance policies or shares valued at Rs.50,000 and above, etc.
• For availing utility connections – In many instances when utilities like a post-paid mobile phone connection, LPG connection, electricity connection, internet connection, etc. are required, a PAN card comes in handy. However, it is always recommended that you use alternate ID proof such as DL, Voter ID card, etc.  if possible.
• For opening a bank account – Nowadays the bank’s Know Your Customer (KYC) norms have become quite stringent and the PAN card is a primary requirement, banks carry out their individual number verification when opening a bank account.

PAN Card Tracking / PAN Card Enquiry / PAN Card Online Status Check

Know your PAN Status

One can track PAN Card status online after the applicant has applied for it. The PAN Card application status can be tracked where the PAN status shows whether the card has been issued or not or if it is currently in transit. The applicant can check PAN Card status or check UTI PAN card status/NSDL PAN card status on the respective websites. The UTI PAN Card status is available on UTIITSL and the NSDL PAN status is available on the NSDL website and both show the respective PAN application statuses. The status of PAN Card can thus be tracked online and one can figure out the online PAN Card status by name and date of birth entered in the websites.

Making changes in a PAN Card

Existing PAN card holders can make changes on their existing PAN Card details while at the same time retaining the Permanent Account Number. Any correction in the details contained in the PAN Card can also be made using this procedure. For this a PAN Card update or correction form needs to be filled and submitted to the relevant authority.

Duplicate PAN Card

For a lost PAN Card, the applicant can also apply for a duplicate one by submitting the required form and paying the applicable fee for application processing.

What happens if you don’t have a PAN Card

There are a number of reasons why you should have a PAN card:

• You won’t be able to make financial transactions above Rs 50,000 without furnishing your PAN.
• PAN is mandatory for buying or selling an asset or property.
• You won’t be able to file Income Tax Returns without your PAN card.
• Your application for credit card/loan would be rejected if you don’t mention your PAN in it.

FAQs

Q. How do I apply for a PAN Card?
A. You can apply for a PAN card both online as well as offline. You can apply for a PAN online by either visiting the TIN NSDL website or through the UTIITSL website. You can apply for PAN Offline by visiting a PAN centre.

Q. Where do I get the PAN application form?
A. You will get the PAN application form at the PAN centre. Alternatively, you can download PAN application form 49A or 49AA online from TIN NSDL website/UTIITSL website.

Q. Are there any charges that I would have to pay for the PAN Card application form?
A. You do not have to pay any charge for PAN card application form. However, a charge of Rs 107 has to be paid by applicants residing in India and Rs 1017 by those residing outside India for PAN card. To check the complete list of PAN Card fees and charges, click here.

Q. Where should the PAN Card application form be submitted?
A. The PAN card application form has to be sent to:

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

Q. When I submit Form 49A for PAN Card, what are the charges that I have to bear?
A. All applicants residing in India have to pay a fee of Rs 107 and those residing outside India have to pay a fee of Rs 1017 if physical PAN card is required.

Q. Is it necessary to furnish 2 photos for the application?
A. Yes, you have to submit two photographs for your PAN application form.

Q. How do I check the status of my PAN Card application?
A. You can track the status of your Pan online by visiting https://tin.tin.nsdl.com/pantan/StatusTrack.html Or http://www.trackpan.utiitsl.com/PANONLINE/#forward

Q. What is the application process for individuals who are unable to sign?
A. The application procedure for individuals who can sign as well as those who cannot sign is the same. The applicant just has to provide his thumb impression instead of the signature.

Q. How can I change the photograph on my PAN Card?
A. In order to change any detail in your PAN card, you have to fill the PAN card correction form.

Q. Are minors eligible to apply for a PAN card?
A. Yes, minors can apply for PAN card as well. They can avail a number of facilities by furnishing their PAN at relevant offices.

Q. How long does it take to get a PAN card?
A. The complete process takes around 45 days, i.e. your application for PAN and the day when your PAN card reaches your residential address. However, in some cases, the timeframe may increase.

Q. Why is it necessary to have PAN?
A. You will not be able to file your ITR if you do not present your PAN. All bank accounts not linked with PAN will be deactivated soon. Also, it is necessary to furnish PAN for making cash transactions above Rs 50,000.

Q. How does Income Tax Department ensure that PAN is quoted on transactions mentioned above?
A. IT Department has given statutory directions to entities receiving financial documents to ensure that PAN is mentioned on the document wherever mandatory otherwise the document is deemed incomplete.

Q. Is father’s name compulsory for female applicants (including married/divorced/widow)?
A. Female applicants have to mention their Father’s name in the PAN application form whether they are unmarried, married, divorced or widowed.

Q. Who can apply on behalf of a minor, mentally challenged and wards of court?
A. According to the Section 160 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, a representative assessee can represent a minor, mentally challenged and wards of court. In such cases, following information should be provided:

• Details of the minor, lunatic, idiot, mentally retarded, wards of court, etc.
• Details of representative assessee has to be provided in item 14 of the PAN application form

Q. Why should I have the PAN card even if I am a foreigner?
A. An individual carrying out business in India, be it an Indian or a foreign national, needs to pay taxes and in order to pay taxes, one needs to have a PAN card. Also, PAN card has been made mandatory for buying high value assets in India.

Q. Are there any fees to be paid while submitting the form for “Request for New PAN Card or/and Changes or Correction in PAN data”?
A. Whether the PAN application is for a new PAN card or changes or correction in the existing card, applicants residing in India have to pay a fee of Rs 107 whereas those residing outside India have to pay a fee of Rs 1017 where physical PAN Card is required.

Latest News on PAN Card

Aadhaar-PAN Card Linking Deadline Extended to 31st March 2023

11-05-2022-  As per a recent update, the PAN-Aadhaar linking deadline has been extended from 31st March 2022 to 31st March 2023. However, do note that you will be required to pay a fee of Rs. 500 in case you link PAN with Aadhaar card by 30th June 2022. Whereas, if the Aadhar PAN linking is done between 1st July 2022 and 31st March 2023, the fee would be Rs. 1,000.

Mandatory Stating of Aadhaar/PAN for Withdrawals or Deposits over Rs. 20 Lakh or to Open a Current A/C

11-05-2022- The government has now made it mandatory to quote your PAN/Aadhaar when withdrawing or depositing over Rs. 20 lakh in a financial year or when opening a current account. This has been brought in place by the Central Board of Direct Taxes to trace the movement of cash in the system, increase the transparency of financial transactions and get tax evaders under the tax net.