How to Apply for PAN Card Online & Offline in India

Having a PAN card number is essential to pay taxes. The number helps the income tax department identify you, authenticate your tax filing details and eliminate the possibility of tax evasion. 

A PAN card is a card issued by the Income Tax Department. It contains a 10-digit alphanumeric value which is unique to you. This 10-digit alphanumeric value is called the PAN card number and it is unique for every individual.

The PAN card contains your name, date of birth, photograph, father’s name and signature along with the PAN number. Given the information contained in the card, it serves as an identity and date of birth proof for financial transactions.

Why is PAN card important for you

Under most financial transactions, like opening of a bank account, investing, using mobile wallets, etc. your PAN card details become important. The PAN card number forms a part of the KYC compliance norms and, thus, becomes necessary. 

How to apply for a new PAN card?

To get a PAN card, apply online or offline and get the card within a few days. Opt for a physical card or an e-card and get your PAN details for tax filing and other financial needs. The online mode helps you apply for the PAN card in some simple steps. You can apply for PAN online through NSDL or UTITSL. Both these portals have been authorized by the income tax department to issue and to make corrections in the PAN card. The process of applying through both these portals is given below –

Through the NSDL website 

• Visit https://www.tin-nsdl.com/services/pan/pan-index.html and click on ‘Apply’
• Form 49A should be filled for Indian citizens. For foreign citizens, Form 49AA should be filled and submitted online
• In the form, provide the type of application, i.e., new or correction, the type of taxpayer that you are, name, date of birth or incorporation (in the case of corporates), email ID and mobile number. 
• Enter the captcha code and submit the form
• You would have to pay the application fee for getting the PAN Card. The fee is Rs.93 if the communication address is in India and Rs.864 if it is abroad. These amounts are exclusive of GST. 

Payment can be done digitally through your credit or debit card, net banking or physically through a demand draft

• Courier a copy of your documents to the issuing authority. These documents include a valid proof of identity, a proof of address, and a proof of date of birth
• Once the documents are examined and verified, the PAN card would be issued

Through the UTITSL website 

• Visit https://www.incometaxindia.gov.in/Pages/tax-services/apply-for-pan.aspx and click on either ‘PAN Card for Indian Citizen/NRI’ or ‘PAN Card for Foreign Citizen’
• You can either apply for a new PAN card by filling Form 49A or 49AA online or by downloading it and filling it offline
• You can also regenerate your PAN card application if you had filled the form half-way earlier
• You can choose the ‘Physical Mode’ or ‘Digital Mode’ of applying for a new PAN Card. For the physical mode, you would have to submit the filled up form and your documents at the UTITSL branch office. 
• For the digital mode, you would not have to submit the form physically. You can use the Aadhaar-based e-KYC option wherein the form would be checked for KYC and signed with your signature contained in the Aadhaar card. Alternatively, you can e-sign using your Aadhaar card based signature or sign through a Digital Signature Certificate. 
• Choose the applicant type and the type of PAN card that you want – both physical and e-PAN or only e-PAN. 
• In the next page fill in the details required
• Upload your documents
• Pay the application fee and the application would be done

How to make changes in the PAN Card?

If you have an existing PAN card and you want to make changes therein, you can do so through the NSDL or UTITSL websites. Instead of applying for a new PAN card, you just have to select the correction tab or option. Thereafter, specify the correction that you want to make. A fee would be payable for updating your PAN card. The fee would be similar to the fee payable for applying for a new card, i.e. Rs.93 excluding GST for an Indian address and Rs.864 excluding GST for an international address. In the case of e-PAN, you can also do a PAN card download and use the soft copy for your financial transactions or tax filing.

Besides submitting the form, you would have to submit supporting documents for recording the change.

For instance, if you get married and want to change your name, submit your marriage registration certificate. Others undergoing a name change would have to submit a public notification for the change of name and a certificate issued by a gazetted officer stating the name change.

Similarly, for any other change, the supporting documents should be submitted so that the PAN card details can be changed and the card can be updated.

How to apply for lost PAN card?

If you lose your PAN card, you can reapply for the same through NSDL or UTITSL website. Just visit the website and, in the application type, select the option for reprinting. You would have to fill in the details and pay the application fee. The fee is Rs.110 for resident Indians and Rs.1020 for NRIs. Send the relevant documents to NSDL or UTITSL and you would get a duplicate PAN card.

After you apply for a new or a duplicate PAN card, it might take some time for NSDL or UTITSL to print and dispatch the physical card. In the meantime, you can check your PAN card status online by filling in the application number.