PAN Card

1. Issued By & Official Portals

Protean (NSDL) & UTIITSL

Government-Authorized Portals & Intermediaries

NSDL and UTI are two government-authorized intermediaries appointed by the Income Tax Department of India to process PAN (Permanent Account Number) card applications and related services. You can apply for a PAN card from either portal — there is no difference in official government fees, processing priority, or card validity and usage. Important: Once you choose between them, all your future PAN services (such as reprint of physical card, details correction, and e-PAN downloads) will be delivered and serviced by that same service provider.

2. Why It Is Required

A Permanent Account Number (PAN) is a ten-digit alphanumeric identifier issued by the Income Tax Department of India. It is mandatory for financial transactions, filing income tax returns, and opening bank accounts.

3. Who Is Eligible

  • Any Indian citizen (Individual, Minor, Adult)
  • Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and foreign citizens earning income in India
  • Companies, LLPs, Partnerships, Trusts, and HUFs

Minor vs Major PAN Card (Differences & 18+ Conversion)

A minor PAN card is issued to individuals under the age of 18 and lacks a personal photograph and signature, whereas a major PAN card is for adults aged 18 and above and features the holder's photo and signature.

Lifelong Validity of 10-Digit PAN

Both cards share the exact same 10-digit alphanumeric Permanent Account Number (PAN), which remains valid for the holder's entire lifetime.

Key Differences

Age Eligibility
👶 Minor PAN (<18 years)

Issued to children and teenagers under 18 years old.

👤 Major PAN (18+ years)

Issued or updated for adult individuals aged 18 years and older.

Photograph & Signature
👶 Minor PAN (<18 years)

Does not show the child's photo or signature; it uses the parent's or legal guardian's signature instead.

👤 Major PAN (18+ years)

Displays the applicant's official passport-size photo and clear specimen signature.

Legal Capacity
👶 Minor PAN (<18 years)

Cannot be used independently to sign tax returns, open standalone demat accounts, or enter financial contracts.

👤 Major PAN (18+ years)

Full legal validity for filing personal ITR, independent bank accounts, loans, and demat trading.

Validity
👶 Minor PAN (<18 years)

Valid until the minor turns 18 years old.

👤 Major PAN (18+ years)

Valid for lifetime once converted to major PAN card.

Converting Minor PAN to Major PAN After Age 18

A minor can convert their PAN card to a major PAN card upon completing 18 years of age by submitting a PAN data update/correction form (Form 49A / Correction) to add their adult photograph and personal signature.

4. Official Application Fees & Timeline

Direct Govt Portal Rates

Official Fee Breakdown

Physical PAN Card (Delivery in India)₹107

Official government fee including GST & postal speed post delivery across India.

Standard Delivery
e-PAN Card Only (Digital PDF)₹72

Digitally signed e-PAN delivered directly to your email address.

Digital Only
Physical PAN Card (Foreign / NRI Address)₹1,017

Includes international air dispatch and customs handling to overseas address.

NRI / International

Estimated Processing Timeline

Digital e-PAN Issuance2 to 3 hours

Available for instant download upon successful Aadhaar OTP verification.

Application Processing & Verification2 to 5 business days

Verified by NSDL (Protean) / UTIITSL back-office teams.

Physical Card Speed Post Delivery7 to 15 days

Printed and dispatched by India Post to your communication address.

Government fee is uniform across both official portals (Protean / UTIITSL). Zero hidden charges.

5. Documents Required

3 Document Types
1. Proof of Identity (PoI)identity
Accepted Proofs
Aadhaar CardVoter IDPassportDriving LicenceRation Card with Photo
2. Proof of Address (PoA)address
Accepted Proofs
Aadhaar CardElectricity Bill (under 3 months)Bank Account StatementPassportPost Office Passbook
3. Proof of Date of Birth (PoD)dob
Accepted Proofs
Birth Certificate10th MarksheetAadhaar CardPassportDriving Licence

6. Prepare Your Documents (Auto-Fix Studio)

Auto-crop your photograph, resize your signature to exact pixel and DPI specs, and convert identity proofs into compliant A4 PDFs under portal size limits.

7. Full Application Guide & Specifications

Official Application Steps

1

Choose Authorized Portal

Visit either Protean (formerly NSDL) or UTIITSL official portal. Both charge identical government fees.

2

Select Application Type

Choose Form 49A for New PAN (Indian Citizens) or Changes/Correction in existing PAN data.

3

Fill Demographic Details

Enter full name, parent details, date of birth, mobile number, and email. Ensure spelling matches Aadhaar exactly.

4

Upload Photo, Sign & Proofs

Upload 300 DPI photo (under 50KB), signature (under 50KB), and combined proof PDF (under 300KB).

5

Pay Nominal Government Fee

Pay ₹107 (for physical card in India) or ₹72 (for digital e-PAN only) via Netbanking, UPI, or Card.

6

Complete e-Sign & Download Ack

Authenticate using Aadhaar OTP e-Sign. Note the 15-digit acknowledgement number for tracking.

Technical Upload Specifications

Photograph Rules

Size: Max 50 KB

Dimensions: 3.5 cm x 2.5 cm (300 DPI)

Background: White or light background

Signature Rules

Size: Max 50 KB

Ink: Black / Blue

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