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 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.

How to Apply for a PAN Card Online and Offline?

Applying for a PAN Card is pretty easy. You can apply for the same in two ways - online and offline.

For applying it the online way, you will have to do it through NSDL/UTITSL. On the other hand, if you go for offline process, you will have to do it through any district-level PAN agency.

Going ahead, we have mentioned the online and offline steps for pan card apply process you could follow.

Apply for a PAN Card Online

You can apply for PAN online through NSDL or UTITSL. Both these portals have been authorized by the income tax department to issue and make corrections to the PAN Card.

The process of applying through both these portals is given below –

• Step 1: Open the official portal of NSDL or UTIITSL for online application for a PAN card.
  
  
• Step 2: Click on ‘New PAN’.
  
  
• Step 3: Select the PAN Card Form 49A. It should be chosen for individuals, whether they are Indian citizens, NRE/NRI/OCI, etc.
  
  
• Step 4: Fill out this form with the required details.
  
  
• Step 5: You would need to pay the processing fee either online or via a demand draft after form submission to start the processing.
  
  
• Step 6: On submitting the fees and the PAN Form 49A, you will receive an acknowledgement slip will be generated which will have the acknowledgement number.
  
  
• Step 7: Next, you would be required to e-sign the application using Aadhaar OTP authentication, or you can even send the application along with the needed documents to the NSDL PAN Office/UTIITSL Office (through courier).
  
  Note this has to be done within 15 days of the online submission of the Form 49A.
  
  
• Step 8: Once the acknowledgement form is sent to and received by the respective office, verification of PAN No. will be done, and the card will be generated after the NSDL/UTIITSL PAN verification.
  
  You will receive the physical PAN Card at your address within a period of 15 days.

How to Apply for PAN Card Offline

You can apply for a PAN Card offline through any district-level PAN agency-

• Firstly, download the PAN Card Application Form 49A from the official website of NSDL/UTIITSL or get a copy from the agents of UTIITSL or NSDL office.
  
  
• Next, fill out the form and ensure to attach the required documents like photographs, identity proofs, etc.
  
  
• Next, submit the form and the supporting documents to the NSDL/UTIITSL. Note you will be charged a processing fee while submitting as well.
  
  
• You will receive the PAN Card at the address you mentioned within 15 working days.

How to Make Changes to 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. After that, 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 excluding GST for an Indian address and a certain fee 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.

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.

PAN Card Application Fees

Below-mentioned are the fees applicable for PAN Card application-

• If Communication Address is within India

Applicants who are residing in India will be charged a fee of Rs 110. It will include a processing fee of Rs 93 + GST of 18.00%.

• If Communication Address is outside India

The government charges a fee of  Rs1020.00 (Application fee Rs 93 + Dispatch Charges Rs 771) + 18% GST for citizens outside the country who want to avail of a PAN card.

Summing Up PAN Card Apply Online & Offline Process

We hope this helps to understand PAN card apply online and offline process. Remember, under most financial transactions, like opening a bank account, investing, using mobile wallets, etc., your PAN card details become important.

The PAN card forms a part of the KYC compliance norms and, thus, becomes necessary.

Hence, you can take the help of the above-listed steps to apply for a PAN card. Apply for it soon if you haven't already.

Disclaimer: This blog is solely for educational purposes. The securities/investments quoted here are not recommendatory.