PAN Card Download — Free e-PAN in Minutes

The e-PAN PDF is password-protected. The password is your Date of Birth in DDMMYYYY format — eight digits with no spaces or slashes. For example, a DOB of 15 March 1985 gives the password 15031985, and 01 January 2000 gives 01012000. For a non-individual PAN, use the date of incorporation/formation in the same format.

First confirm the date of birth exactly as recorded against your PAN (which may differ from Aadhaar). Enter it as DDMMYYYY with no separators. Open the file in a full PDF reader such as Adobe Acrobat rather than a browser preview. If it still fails, download a fresh copy from the portal, or contact the NSDL/Protean or UTIITSL helpline.

Yes, on the income tax portal. The Instant e-PAN download needs only your Aadhaar number and the OTP sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile — no PAN login or password. Your Aadhaar must be linked to an active mobile number. On UTIITSL you typically enter the PAN and date of birth instead.

On the income tax portal the instant e-PAN download is free. NSDL/Protean and UTIITSL allow free downloads within a short window after PAN allotment or update, and charge a nominal fee of about Rs 8.26 afterwards. Avoid third-party websites that charge Rs 200-500 to "download PAN" — use only the official portals.

It is instant. Once you enter your Aadhaar and verify the OTP on the income tax portal, the digitally signed e-PAN PDF is generated and available to download within a minute or two. There is no waiting period for the electronic copy — only a physical reprint takes 15-20 working days.

Yes. A 2018 Gazette notification recognises the e-PAN as legally equivalent to a physical PAN card. It carries a QR code with encrypted details for verification and is accepted for bank KYC, income tax filing, GST registration and most official purposes. If a particular office insists on the physical card, a colour printout of the e-PAN is usually accepted.

Not for digital use. The e-PAN is valid for ITR, GST, bank KYC and most transactions, so if your card is only lost or damaged you can simply download the free e-PAN. Order a physical reprint only if a specific authority requires the plastic card. A reprint keeps your existing PAN number unchanged.

Yes. The QR code on the e-PAN stores your PAN details in encrypted form so that banks and offices can verify authenticity instantly using a QR reader. Always keep the full colour PDF (or its colour printout) rather than a black-and-white copy so the QR code remains scannable.

You can apply through NSDL/Protean using Form 49A (Indian citizens) or through UTIITSL, or get an instant e-PAN free on the income tax portal if you have Aadhaar linked to an active mobile and no existing PAN. Aadhaar-based instant e-PAN is issued within minutes; a physical card via NSDL/UTIITSL takes around 15-20 working days.

Your PAN number never changes. For digital use, download the free e-PAN from the income tax portal. For a fresh physical card, apply for a reprint through NSDL/Protean or UTIITSL (a small fee applies), which is delivered by post in about 15-20 working days. If the details are also wrong, file a correction rather than a plain reprint.

Downloading the e-PAN will not fix wrong details — you must file a PAN correction application (Form 49A correction) through NSDL/Protean or UTIITSL with supporting proof. Once the correction is processed, download the updated e-PAN. This is separate from a simple reprint or download.

No. Holding more than one PAN is not allowed and can attract a penalty under the Income-tax Act. If you accidentally hold two PANs, surrender the extra one. Losing your physical card does not create a second PAN — you keep the same number and simply download the e-PAN or order a reprint.

Your Aadhaar must be linked to an active mobile number to receive the OTP for the download. Separately, PAN-Aadhaar linking is mandatory — if your PAN has become inoperative because it is not linked, downloads and OTP-based services may fail until you complete the linking. Keep PAN-Aadhaar linking current.

PAN (Permanent Account Number) identifies a taxpayer for income tax, while TAN (Tax Deduction and Collection Account Number) is required by anyone who deducts or collects TDS/TCS. They are different numbers and cannot be used interchangeably — many businesses need both a PAN and a TAN.

Yes. PAN is the base identifier for both income tax and GST, and the e-PAN is accepted for GST registration, ITR filing and related verifications. Your GSTIN and tax records are linked to your PAN, so a valid, active PAN (in e-PAN or physical form) is sufficient for these processes.