What is a PAN Card?
A PAN Card, which stands for “Permanent Account Number” is a ten-digit code given to every individual who applied for the PAN with the income tax department and is his identification document for numerous usages as an individual or corporate entity. All the tax-related information of an individual is linked with their PAN.
PAN is a unique ten-digit alphanumeric character; the physical or digital card holding the PAN and other personal information is called a PAN card.
According to the new PAN card format launched by the Income Tax Department on January 1, 2017, every card will now contain a Quick Response (QR) code that will carry the cardholder information. This code will also serve for data verification. It will also carry the name, father name, date of birth, and seal/signature of the cardholder.
PAN Card Overview
Permanent Account Number is a 10 digit identification number given to every taxpayer in India. PAN is an electronic system that will provide a single PAN number to capture all tax-related information of the applicant or a company in national information space. Thus, a PAN is not commonly shared by two different tax-paying entities.
Authority Issuing PAN | Income Tax Department, Govt. of India |
PAN Customer Care Number | 020 – 27218080 |
Inception of PAN Card | 1972 |
Validity Of PAN Card | Life Time |
Cost of PAN Card | Rs. 66 – Rs. 1,017 |
PAN Card Application Mode | Online and Offline |
PAN Card Contents
PAN card contains various information, which are as follows:
- Name of the cardholder: Name of an individual, business, partnership, or limited liability partnership.
- Name of cardholder’s father – Applicable only to individuals who hold a card. If only one parent exists, it will print the name of either mother or father.
- Date of birth – In case an individual is the bearer, it is the date of birth. If it is a business or firm, date of registration.
- PAN Number – Ten-digit alpha-numeric number denoting each letter representing specific information about Cardholder.
- Signature: This is only for individual cardholders. This PAN serves as proof of signature of individual which is required for a financial transaction.
- Photograph of the person – PAN serves as a photo identity proof. For businesses and firms, the card does not have a photograph.
Structure of Permanent Account Number (PAN)
It is a 10-digit alphanumeric number and each character represents distinct information of the cardholder.
- The first 3 letters – These are purely alphabetical in nature and contain three-letter of the alphabet from A to Z.
- The 4 letter – The fourth letter is an alphabet that represents the category of the taxpayer. 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
- The 5 letter – The fifth letter is the first letter of the individual’s surname
- The next 4 letters – The next 4 characters are purely numerical in nature and are numbers between 0-9.
- The last letter – The last one letter is an alphabet.
Types of PAN
These are the different types of PAN card issued to tax-paying entities in India:
- Individual, including minors and students
- Hindu Undivided Family (HUF)
- Company
- Partnership Firms
- Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)
- Trusts
- Society
- Association Of Person (AOP)
- Body Of Individuals (BOI)
- Foreigners
PAN Card Forms
There are 3 types of PAN card applications, which are as follows:
- Form 49A: This is the form that is required for obtaining a PAN for Indian citizens who, including minors, do not currently possess it, NRIs, Citizens living outside India, Indian Corporations, Indian Firms, and Indians BOI/AOP.
- Form 49AA – All foreign nationals who require a PAN must fill in this form.
- Modification or Correction in Existing PAN or Re-print of PAN card: This application form is for a person having existing PAN and desires to avail any updates or modifications in the information. However, those who just want a reprint of their existing PAN without any updates have to submit their application form for reprint.
PAN Card Eligibility
Any Indian citizen or non-resident Indian (NRI) can apply for a PAN card. A PAN card can also be applied for by artificial entities such as companies, firms, associations, Hindu undivided families, etc. However, a PAN card is mandatory for everyone who pays tax in India and holds any financial transaction in that country.
PAN Card Apply
A PAN card application can be submitted either online or offline in simple steps.
Process to Apply PAN Card on NSDL
- Go to the official NSDL portal.
- Select the application type, category, enter the details and click ‘Submit’ .
- There will appear a message with Token Number on the screen, which will be sent to your email ID as well. Click on the Continue with PAN Application Form button.
- Choose the mode of submission of documents and whether a physical PAN card is required. Fill in the form and upload the necessary documents.
- The processing fee is to be paid, and the printout of the acknowledgement number or reference number should be taken.
- Documents should be sent by post, in such a case filling up an application to the Income Tax PAN Services Unit of the Protean eGov Technologies Limited is required.
The PAN card would be ready for despatch within 15 to 20 days from the date of submission within online application or to the Income Tax PAN Services Unit office.
Process to Apply PAN Card on UTIITSL
- Visit the official site of UTIITSL.
- Click on the ‘Click to Apply’ option mentioned under the ‘PAN Card for Indian citizen/ NRI’ or ‘PAN Card for foreign citizen’ tab.
- Select the Apply for New PAN Card tab.
- Choose the mode of submission of documents, status of applicant, PAN card mode and click Submit.
- You will be assigned a reference number. Click on OK.
- Fill in personal details, document details, contact and parent’s details, address details and other details and click Next Step.
- Upload the required documents and click Submit.
- Verify all the information on the form and click Make Payment to pay the requisite fee.
- After your payment has been successfully completed, obtain a printout of the application. Have the form and documents send to the UTIITSL PAN PDC Incharge offices in Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai or New Delhi in case you have opted for sending documents physically.
The application submitted online or reaching the UTIITSL office will complete the processing of the PAN card within 15 days from the date of submission.
Process to Apply for PAN Card Offline
- The PAN card application form can be obtained from PAN centers; one can also download the ‘Form 49A for Indian citizens’ or ‘Form 49AA for foreign citizens’ and print it out.
- Fill in the details on the form, affix the latest color photo and signature to it.
- Attach the obligatory documents with the application.
- Visit the nearest center for PAN, submit the form with all the documents, and pay the prescribed fee.
PAN Card Documents
The documents to be submitted along with PAN application for different types of applicants are as follows:
Persons | Documents Required |
Individual Applicant | Proof of Identity – Aadhaar, Passport, Voter ID, Driving Licence, Ration Card, Arm’s license, Pensioner card, Government photo identity card, Central Government Health Scheme Card |
Proof of Address – Aadhaar, Passport of self/spouse, Voter ID, Driving Licence, Post Office or bank passbook, utility bills, property tax order, Domicile certificate, Property registration document, Employer certificate | |
Proof of Date of Birth – Aadhaar, Passport, Voter ID, Driving Licence, Matriculation certificate or marksheet, Birth certificate, Government photo identity card, Domicile certificate, Marriage certificate | |
Hindu Undivided Family | An affidavit of the HUF issued by the head of HUF along with POI/POA details |
Company registered in India | Certificate of Registration issued by Registrar of Companies |
Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) | Certificate of Registration issued by the Register of Companies. |
Partnership Firms | Certificate of Registration issued by the Registrar of Firms or Partnership Deed. |
Trust | Copy of Trust Deed or a copy of the Certificate of Registration Number issued by a Charity Commissioner. |
AOP, BOI, Local Authority, or Artificial Juridical Person | Copy of agreement or copy of Certificate of Registration Number issued by Charity Commissioner or Registrar of Cooperative Society or any other competent authority. |
Foreigners | Proof of Identity – Passport, PIO/ OCI card, Citizenship Identification Number or Taxpayer Identification Number duly attested by “Apostille” or the Indian Embassy or High Commission |
Proof of Address – Passport, PIO/ OCI card, Bank account statement, Certificate of Residence in India, Registration certificate issued by the Foreigner’s Registration Office or visa granted and copy of appointment letter from Indian Company |
PAN Card Fees
The following table provides the fees for PAN card application:
Mode of application submission | Mode of Dispatch of PAN card | Fees (Including GST) |
PAN application submitted offline or online using physical mode of document submission | Dispatch of physical PAN card in India | Rs. 107 |
Dispatch of physical PAN card outside India | Rs. 1,017 | |
PAN application submitted online through paperless mode | Dispatch of physical PAN card in India | Rs. 101 |
Dispatch of physical PAN card in India | Rs. 1,011 | |
PAN application submitted offline or online using physical mode of document submission | Dispatch of e-PAN card to the email ID | Rs. 72 |
PAN application submitted through paperless mode | Dispatch of e-PAN card to the email ID | Rs. 66 |
PAN Card Status
Once you submit the PAN card application, you can track the PAN application status by following the below process:
- Visit the NSDL or the UTIITSL website.
- Enter the acknowledgement number or the application number and captcha code and click ‘Submit’.
- The status of the PAN card application will be displayed on the screen.
PAN Card Download
When the PAN card is processed and generated, you can download the PAN card in digital form, i.e., e-PAN card, by following the below process:
- Visit the NSDL or the UTIITSL website.
- Enter the required details, such as acknowledgement number or PAN, date of birth, etc.
- Enter the OTP, pay the fees (applicable for downloading e-PAN after 30 days of its allotment) and click ‘Download e-PAN’.
PAN Card Update/ Corrections
The details of your PAN can be updated by the following process:
- Go to the NSDL portal or UTIITSL website.
- Select the application type as “Changes or Corrections in existing PAN/ Reprint of PAN card”.
- Enter the details which need to be changed, upload the documents and click on the “Submit” button.
- Pay the processing fee.
- PAN will be dispatched within 15 days.
Do's and Don'ts for Filling up PAN Form
- Fill out the form only in English.
- Ensure that the form is filled with current and relevant data.
- Ensure that the Full Address is filled so that the PAN can be dispatched to the address.
- There should not be any abbreviations in First Name and Last Name. If your first name or surname has abbreviations then you need to write it full.
- Application for a non-individual does not require filling up the gender and mother-father and residential address section.
- Office purpose should not require individuals to furnish if salary, business or profession is the source of income.
- Individuals should leave the section with registration number blank.
- When self-attesting supporting documents, relevant documents must be attached with the signature or thumbprints.
- Incorrect information and inadequate supporting documents will lead to the rejection of the application.
Duplicate PAN card
If you have lost your PAN card, you can apply for a duplicate PAN card online. The process to apply for a duplicate PAN card is as follows:
- Visit the NSDL or the UTIITSL website.
- Enter the required details, such as PAN, Aadhaar number, date of birth, GSTIN (if applicable) and captcha code and submit it.
- Enter the OTP, pay the required fees and submit it.
- The printed PAN card will be sent to the applicant’s address.
Why Do You Need a PAN?
PAN card is required for various identity and financial purposes. It is a unique identification number that enables each tax-paying entity of India with the following:
- Proof of Identity
- Proof of Address
- Mandatory for filing taxes
- Registration of business
- Eligibility to open and operate bank accounts
- For phone connection and gas connection
- Beneficial to complete e-KYC for mutual fund investments
- Mandatory of bank deposits above Rs. 50,000 in a day
- Mandatory for purchase of property and vehicles (except 2 wheeler)
- Mandatory for all bank transactions more than Rs. 10,000
PAN for e-KYC (Know Your Customer)
It is mandatory to connect the PAN to Aadhaar for e-KYC and verification in order to avail of various service providers’ services and benefits. e-KYC with PAN provides great benefits to the government and end users, such that it is one of the major service requirements from many service providers. This is due to:
- A service provider can simply handle e-KYC documents in a quick and effective manner.
- Whereas, now a PAN card holder waits in long queues with their documents, with access to a service provider happening just immediately within minutes.
- It ensures that the service provider is secure with tamper-proof digital documents sent over secure channels as these cannot be accessed without the service provider’s and the PAN cardholder’s consent or falsification.
- Since the data that comes through e-KYC is certified, it is legitimate and palatable to all parties in question.
- Since the whole system is online and paperless, movement of information would not have to be done physically saving costs and time.
Conclusion
The PAN Card is an important document in India that supports identity verification, tax and financial transactions. PAN takes care of the e-KYC issue and makes all interactions safe and secure, with several applications, such as filing taxes, opening bank accounts, or high-value transactions. It is very easy to get or update a PAN as it is available both online and offline. However, the most important thing about the document is that the details should be correct and guidelines should be strictly followed in order to ensure smooth processing. Thus, the PAN card is very very important in India’s financial system.
