Permanent Account Number (PAN) is a mandatory requirement for almost all Indian citizens and commercial entities, especially those who pay income tax and are identifiable under the Income Tax Act, 1961. PAN card is issued by the Indian Income Tax Department under the supervision of the Central Board for Direct Taxes (CBDT). It’s a 10-digit unique alphanumeric identification code through which all the monetary transactions are tracked. Thereby, it reduces tax evasion by keeping a record of all financial transactions. PAN card is also issued to foreign nationals (such as foreign investors) who are permitted with a valid visa.
PAN Card can be obtained by submitting the PAN application along with required documents to the authorized PAN agency of the district or by making an online submission of form through the NSDL or UTI portal.

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Here are the PAN application forms to be submitted for allotment of new PAN as prescribed by the Income Tax Department.
PAN Application Form | Description | Types of Form |
Download PAN Card Form 49A | To be filled by Indian Citizens, Entities incorporate in India, Indian Companies Unincorporated entities formed in India | Form 49A |
Download PAN Card Form 49AA | To be filled by individuals not being a citizen of India, Unincorporated entities, Entities incorporated outside India, formed outside India | Form 49AA |
These forms are available in PDF format to download and submit as the hard copy. Moreover, the forms are also available in a fillable format for online submission of application. The clear guidelines and instructions are given on the NSDL and UTI official website for filling up the application forms.
Let us look at the instructions for filling Form 49A for PAN Card :
Directions to Fill PAN Application Form 49 A:
- Assessing Officer Code: AO Code along with the details such as the Area Code, Range Code, AO Type, and AO number has to be filled for the PAN Card application
- Full Name: You need to fill up your full name. Make sure there is no use of abbreviations when filling your name
- Abbreviations of the Full Name to be Printed on the PAN card: If you wish to mention the abbreviations of your full name only the first and middle name may be abbreviated and not the last name to be printed on the PAN card
- Other Names: In this third section of the form, ‘Have you ever been known by any other name’, you need to tick as applicable i.e. yes or no. You will have to submit all the details of the other name with no abbreviations
- Gender: You will have to fill your gender (for individuals applicants only)
- Date of Birth: Fill up your date of birth in the format i.e. DDMMYYYY
- Information about Parents: In this section of the form details of the parents is required to be filled:
- Tick mark as applicable if you have a single mother and want to apply PAN Card furnishing her name only
- Name of the father( mandatory)
- Name of the mother (optional)
- If you have filled up your father’s as well as your mother’s name, and no option is selected, your father’s name will be printed on the PAN card by default
- Address: This is a mandatory section to fill up your residential address and office address in Form 49A with complete details like the name of premises, state, district, town, PIN Code, etc.
- Address for Communication: You need to tick mark if the address for communication is residence or office
- Email ID and Telephone Number: You need to share your email id and telephone number so that the PAN authorities can get in touch with you and intimate you about your PAN Card application through SMS or email or if there are any discrepancies in your application form. Make sure that the telephone number has the ISD (country code) and the STD code
- Status of Applicant: It is mandatory to fill up the status of the applicant i.e.
- Individual
- Hindu United Family
- Company
- Partnership Firm
- Trusts
- Body of Individuals
- Local Authority
- Government
- Association of Persons
- Artificial Judicial Persons
- Limited Liability Partnerships
- Registration Number: The registration number field to be filled by companies, firms, and LLPs applying for a PAN Card and since it does not apply to individuals and HUFs
- Aadhaar number: As per the new rules, it is mandatory to link a PAN Card with an Aadhaar Card. In case if you have an Aadhaar Card you are required to quote the Aadhaar number or the Enrolment ID of the Aadhaar application form according to section 139 AA in this form
- Source of Income: You must mention your source of income in Form 49A out of the following options given:
- Salary
- Income from Business or Profession
- Income from House Property
- Capital Gains
- Income from other Sources
- No Income
Make sure you do mention the Business or Profession Code if you have selected the Income from Business or Profession as the source of income.
- Representative Assessee (RA): Fill up the name, address of the Representative Assessee (individual), who is assessable under Section 160 of the Income Tax Act, 1961. It is worth mentioning that this field can only be filled in by a representative assessee such as a manager or guardian of a minor, non-resident’s agent, etc.
Documents Required: You need to attach documents for PAN Card along with the Form 49A a Proof of Address (POA), Proof of Identity (POI) as well as Proof of Date of Birth for the PAN application
Also Read: How to Apply for a PAN Card Online?
Structure and Components of Form 49 AA
The structure and format of Form 49AA are similar to that of Form 49A. Apart from the basic details as required in Form 49A, KYC Details of the applicant are also needed in the case of Form 49AA. This is to be filled by a Foreign Institutional Investor or a Qualified Foreign Investor, as prescribed under the regulations issued by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and includes the following –
For Individuals –
- Marital status
- Citizenship Status
- Occupation details- Private sector service, Public sector/Govt. service, Business Professional, Agriculturist, Retired, Housewife, Student or Other
For Non-Individuals –
- Type of company-
- Private Company
- Public Company
- Body Corporate
- Financial Institution
- Non-Government Organization
- Charitable Organization
- Gross Annual Income in INR
- Net-worth (Assets fewer liabilities) in INR
- Does it have few persons or persons of the same family holding beneficial ownership and control
- Is the entity involved/providing any of the following services- Foreign Exchange, Money Changer Services, Gaming/Gambling/Lottery services (Casinos and Betting Syndicates) or Money Lending, Pawning
- Whether the applicant or the applicant’s authorised signatories/trustees/office bearers are politically exposed or related to a politically exposed person
- Taxpayer Identification Number in the country of residence
For a Public Company –
Whether listed on a stock exchange or not. If listed, the name of the stock exchange is also required
- Carefully read all the guidelines and adhere to them
- Fill the application in BLOCK letters and preferably in black ink
- Ensure to fill up the form in English only an asterisk (*) marked fields are all mandatory
- Names should be entered without the use of any abbreviation or salutation or title
- Select the correct document type that you are enclosing as a proof (checklist of proofs accepted is available on NSDL website)
- Make sure that the AO Code is correctly mentioned in the form
- Affix the photographs in the necessary space provided. Provide recently colored photographs with white background. Photographs should not be pinned or stapled to the form.
- Signature / Left-hand thumb impression should be provided across the photo affixed on the left side of the form in such a manner that portion of signature/impression is on the photo as well as on the form. No tampering should be done with the photograph affixed 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
- Recheck and edit if there are any corrections
Points to Remember when filling PAN Card Form 49 A
- Ensure to fill in the application in BLOCK letters
- Fill in all the mandatory fields
- Select an appropriate title and do not use abbreviations in the first and last name
- In the case of a company, the name should be mentioned without any abbreviation
- The name should not be prefixed in case of the sole proprietorship
- Affix the photographs in the necessary space provided.
- Fill up the name, address, and DOB details as mentioned in the proof you are enclosing
- Go through the checklist of documents that are accepted as proof to avoid any rejection or delay in PAN Card application
- The representative assessee will also have to provide a proof of address and proof of identity
- The applicant must ensure that the documents are in his/her name

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FAQs
Q. What are the main requirements of Form 49A?
Ans. An individual has to provide the following information at the time of filling the Form 49A:
- Personal details such as name, DoB, address, photograph, etc.
- Source of income
- Documents to validate the data
- Fee for applying for PAN
Q. Can I apply for a PAN with the help of the old Form 49A?
Ans. One has to apply for a PAN card through the new Form 49A. The whole process is online and one is not required to download Form 49A and submit it offline.
Q. What documents can serve as a proof of identity for applicants for Form 49A?
Ans. Following documents can be submitted as the proof of identity for PAN application:
- Aadhaar Card issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India; or
- Elector’s photo identity card; or
- Driving License; or
- Passport; or
- Ration card having a photograph of the applicant; or
- Arm’s license; or
- Photo identity card issued by the Central Government or State Government or Public Sector Undertaking; or
- Pensioner card having a photograph of the applicant; or
- Central Government Health Service Scheme Card or Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme photo card; or
- Certificate of identity in Original signed by a Member of Parliament or Member of Legislative Assembly or Municipal Councilor or a Gazetted officer, as the case may be; or
- Bank certificate in Original on letterhead from the branch(along with name and stamp of the issuing officer) containing a duly attested photograph and bank account number of the applicant
Q. What if an applicant submits an incomplete Form 49A?
Ans. Form 49A has to be submitted only after filling all mandatory fields otherwise the application will not be processed further.
Q. Is it necessary to provide your telephone number on Form 49A?
Ans. The applicant should preferably submit his/her contact details in the form as it would enable the department in contacting the applicant with much ease.
Q. What are the charges for the PAN Card application?
Ans. The charges for applying for PAN is Rs. 93 (excluding Goods and Services tax) for Indian communication address and Rs. 864 (Excluding Goods and Services tax) for foreign communication address. The payment can be made through credit/debit card, demand draft, or net-banking.