PAN Card - What is PAN Card, Overview, Importance, Types and Eligibility

A PAN card (Permanent Account Number) is a vital identification document issued by the Income Tax Department to all taxpayers in India. It is a 10-digit alphanumeric code that records all tax-related information for individuals and entities. The PAN card acts as a primary key for financial transactions, making it a mandatory document for banking, tax filing, and business registration. 

Understanding the different types of PAN card available and the PAN card eligibility criteria for PAN card application is essential for anyone engaging in financial activities in India.

PAN Card Overview

What is PAN Card?

The Income Tax Department issues a PAN card containing a unique 10-digit PAN (Permanent Account Number). The PAN acts as an identity proof of an individual or entity for various purposes. All tax-related information of a person is recorded against that person’s PAN.

PAN is a unique 10-digit alphanumeric character, while the PAN card is a physical or digital card containing the PAN and other important information about the person.

As per the new format of PAN cards introduced by the Income Tax Department on 1 January 2017, all PAN cards will contain a Quick Response (QR) code carrying the cardholder’s details. This code can also be used for data verification. It will also contain the cardholder's name, father's name, date of birth, and signature.

PAN Card Contents

PAN card contains various information, which are as follows:

• Name of the cardholder – Name of the individual, partnership firm, LLP or company.
• Name of the father of the cardholder – Applicable for only individual cardholders. The father’s or mother’s name (in case of single parent) will be printed.
• Date of birth – The cardholder’s date of birth in the case of an individual or the date of registration in the case of a company or firm.
• PAN Number – It is a 10-digit alpha-numeric number. Each character represents information about the cardholder.
• Signature – Applicable for only individual cardholders. PAN card also acts as proof of the individual’s signature required for financial transactions.
• Photograph of the individual – PAN acts as a photo identity proof of the individual. In the case of companies and firms, no photograph is present on the card.

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 - Indian citizens, including minors, NRIs, citizens located outside India, Indian companies, Indian firms and Indian BOI/ AOP who do not have a PAN card must fill out this form to get a PAN.
• Form 49AA - All foreign citizens who require a PAN must file this form.
• Changes or Corrections in existing PAN/ Reprint of PAN card - People who already have a existing PAN but need to make changes or corrections in their PAN card data must apply this form. However, people who want to reprint the existing PAN card without any changes can apply for reprint of PAN card application.  

PAN Card Eligibility

All Indian citizens and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) are eligible to apply for a PAN card. 

PAN Card Eligibility for Indian Citizens

Individuals: All Indian citizens, including salaried, self-employed and professionals, with a valid proof of identity and address can apply for a PAN card.

Minors: The guardians or parents of minors can apply for a PAN card on their behalf. Students can also apply for a PAN card. The parents or guardians of minors must submit their documents along with the date of birth proof of minors while submitting the PAN card application.

Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs): A HUF can apply for a PAN card through its Karta since it is a separate legal entity. The HUF can conduct financial transactions using the PAN card.

Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs): LLPs must apply for a PAN card to conduct financial transactions and file taxes.

Partnership Firms: A partnership firm must obtain a PAN card in the name of the partnership firm for filing income tax returns. 

Companies: All companies doing business in India must have a PAN card. The company must provide the company PAN number in all its financial transactions.

Trusts and Associations: Trusts, Association of Persons (AOP) and Body of Individuals (BOI) can apply for a PAN card by submitting their Certificate of Registration.

Local Authorities: Local authorities can also apply aPAN card by producing a copy of the agreement.

Artificial Judicial Persons: Any other artificial judicial person can apply for a PAN card by providing the Certificate of Registration or government document proving their identity and address. 

PAN Card Eligibility for Foreign Citizens  

Foreign citizens engaging in financial transactions in India must apply for a PAN card by providing the identity, address proof and date of birth documents.

PAN Card Apply

A PAN card application can be submitted either online or offline in simple steps.

Process to Apply PAN Card on NSDL 

• Visit the official NSDL portal. 
• Select the application type, category, enter the details and click ‘Submit’.
• A message with a Token Number will be displayed which will also be sent to your email ID. Click on the ‘Continue with PAN Application Form’ button.
• Select the mode of submission of documents and if physical PAN card is required. Fill out the form and upload the required documents.
• Pay the processing fee and take the printout of the acknowledgement number or reference number.
• If you have selected to send documents physically, you need to send the documents and filled out application to the Income Tax PAN Services Unit of the Protean eGov Technologies Limited. 

The PAN card will be dispatched within 15-20 days of submitting the application online or to the Income Tax PAN Services Unit office.

Process to Apply PAN Card on UTIITSL

• Visit the UTIITSL website.
• Click on the ‘Click to Appy’ option under the ‘PAN Card for Indian citizen/ NRI’ or ‘PAN Card for foreign citizen’ tab.
• Select the ‘Apply for New PAN Card’ tab.
• Select the mode of submission of documents, status of applicant, PAN card mode and click ‘Submit’.
• You will receive a reference number. Click on ‘OK’.
• Enter the personal details, document details, contact and parents details, address details and other details and click ‘Next Step’.
• Upload the required documents and click ‘Submit’. 
• Verify the details on the form and click on the ‘Make Payment’ button to pay the fees.
• Once the payment is successfully made, take the print out of the form. You need to send the form and the documents to the UTIITSL PAN PDC Incharge offices in Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai or New Delhi when you have selected to send documents physically.

Once the application is submitted online or reaches the UTIITSL office, PAN card will be processed and dispatched by 15 days.

Process to Apply for PAN Card Offline

• Get the PAN card application from PAN centres. You can also download the ‘Form 49A for Indian citizens' or ‘Form 49AA for foreign citizens’ and the take the print out of the form. 
• Enter the details on the form, affix the recent colour photo and signature.
• Attach the required documents with the application.
• Visit the nearest PAN centre, submit the form along with all the documents and pay the required fees.

PAN Card Documents

The documents to be submitted along with PAN application for different types of applicants are as follows:

PAN Card Fees

The following table provides the fees for PAN card application:

PAN Card Status

Once you submit the PAN card application, you can track the PAN application status by following the below process:

• 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 needs 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

• Make sure the form is filled only with current and relevant details.
• Make sure that the full and complete address is filled for the PAN to be dispatched to the address.
• Do not enter abbreviations in the First Name and the Last Name section. If your first name or surname has abbreviations, you must write the full name of the abbreviations. 
• Applicants other than individuals need not fill in the gender, details of parents, and residence address section.
• Individuals need not fill out the office address if their source of income is not salary, business or profession.
• Individuals must leave the registration number section blank.
• Attach relevant documents with your signature or thumbprints when self-attesting supporting documents.
• Incorrect information and lack of support documents will cause the application to be rejected.

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 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)

PAN to Aadhaar linking is mandatory for e-KYC and verification to avail services and benefits from respective service providers. PAN for e-KYC is a large service requirement from many service providers and has huge benefits for the end-user and government as well. Here’s why :

• The e-KYC process is paperless enabling a service provider to manage documents easily and efficiently.
• PAN card holders can share information with a service provider through a secure channel within minutes, thus eliminating long waiting periods that physical documents would normally require.
• Information shared between user and service provider is tamper-proof digital documents sent through secured channels, thereby protecting the holder’s information. These documents cannot be forged, nor can they be used without the consent of both the service provider and the PAN card holder.
• Information shared by e-KYC contains authenticated data making it legal and acceptable for the parties involved in the transaction.
• The entire system is paperless and online eliminating the physical movement of information making it a cost-effective and time-saving process.

A PAN card is an essential document for every taxpayer and individual engaging in financial activities in India. Whether you are an individual, a company, or a trust, different types of PAN cards are available based on your entity type. Whether applying online or offline, getting a PAN card is now simple and streamlined, helping you access a wide range of banking and investment services with ease.

Related PAN Content: 

1. PAN Card Download
2. Link Aadhaar to PAN
3. Duplicate PAN Card
4. Pan Card Status
5. PAN Card Password