How to Apply for a New PAN Card Online

To apply for a new PAN card online, use one of the two authorised providers that are linked from the Income Tax Department: Protean (formerly NSDL e-Gov) or UTIITSL. You complete the online form, verify your identity (Aadhaar e-KYC with an OTP is the fastest and fully paperless route), pay a small fee, and then receive a digital e-PAN plus a physical card by post. If you only need the PAN number quickly and your Aadhaar is linked to your active mobile number, the free Instant e-PAN service on the Income Tax portal is a separate and faster option, described in its own guide.

PAN (Permanent Account Number) is a ten-character alphanumeric identifier used for income tax, opening bank accounts, large transactions and many government services. Because it is so widely used, fake agent websites target people applying for the first time. This guide sticks to the official routes and tells you how to spot the imposters.

Which websites are genuine

Only two organisations are authorised to accept PAN applications and issue cards: Protean eGov Technologies (which most people still call NSDL) and UTIITSL. You can reach both safely by starting at the Income Tax Department e-Filing portal and following its PAN links, or by typing the provider address yourself rather than clicking an advertisement. Any site that charges a large convenience fee, asks for your Aadhaar OTP, or promises a PAN in one hour is an unofficial middleman at best and a phishing site at worst. The government never routes PAN applications through a private agent.

Before you start

Keep the following ready. This is a general list; the online form shows the exact requirement for your category, so confirm it there rather than relying on any fixed list you read elsewhere.

• Your Aadhaar number, with a mobile number currently linked to it for the OTP.
• Proof of identity, address and date of birth, as the form specifies for your category.
• A recent passport-style photograph and your signature, if you are not using full Aadhaar e-KYC.
• A means of payment (card, net banking or UPI as offered on the portal).

Step-by-step on Protean or UTIITSL

The two portals work almost identically. The steps below describe the common flow.

1. Open the provider site from the Income Tax Department links, and choose the option to apply for a new PAN.
2. Select your applicant category (for example, Individual) and the correct application form, which the online wizard selects for you.
3. Enter your personal details exactly as they appear on your Aadhaar, complete the on-screen captcha, and submit. The portal issues a token or acknowledgement number; save it, because it lets you resume an unfinished form.
4. Choose how to submit documents. The paperless route uses Aadhaar e-KYC and e-Sign, verified by an OTP, so you upload nothing. Alternatively you can upload scanned images, or post physical documents.
5. Review the preview of your application carefully. Mistakes here are the most common cause of rejection and later correction requests.
6. Pay the fee and download the payment acknowledgement.
7. If you chose e-Sign, complete the Aadhaar OTP to sign the form. Your submission is then complete.

Fees and timelines

As of 2026, the fee for a PAN application is modest, and it is higher when the communication address is outside India because of dispatch costs. Fees and processing times change, so always verify the current figure on the official portal before paying. The table below is a general comparison of the routes, not a fee schedule.

After you apply

Both providers offer a Track Application Status link where you enter your acknowledgement or token number. A digital e-PAN is usually issued within a few working days of successful verification, and the laminated physical card is dispatched by post afterwards. Keep the acknowledgement until the card arrives.

Common mistakes and safety

Do not apply for a second PAN to fix an error on an existing one; holding more than one PAN is not allowed and can attract a penalty. Instead use the correction process. Do not share your Aadhaar OTP with anyone who calls or messages you claiming to speed up your PAN. Decline any site asking for payment to a personal wallet or UPI handle. If a page looks slightly different from the official provider, close it and type the address again. Finally, enter your name, father’s name and date of birth exactly as on your Aadhaar, because a mismatch is the single most frequent reason applications are returned. By using only the authorised providers and the free Instant e-PAN service, you keep both your money and your identity data safe while getting a valid PAN.

What PAN is and why it matters

A Permanent Account Number is a ten-character code made of letters and digits that the Income Tax Department issues to a person or entity. It is permanent, which means it stays with you for life and does not change even if you move, marry or change your name; those updates are handled as corrections to the same PAN rather than a new one. You need PAN to file income tax returns, to open most bank and demat accounts, to receive a salary through formal payroll, to buy or sell property above certain values, and for many high-value purchases. Because so many services check it, an accurate PAN that matches your Aadhaar and bank records saves you repeated friction later, which is why it is worth getting the details right the first time.

Understanding the document submission modes

When you apply through Protean or UTIITSL, you choose how to prove who you are, and the mode you pick decides how quickly the application clears. The three modes are explained below.

• Aadhaar e-KYC and e-Sign (paperless): You authenticate with an OTP sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile, your photo and details are pulled from Aadhaar, and you sign electronically. Nothing is scanned or posted, so this is the fastest and least error-prone route.
• Scanned upload with e-Sign: You upload scanned images of your photograph, signature and documents, then sign electronically. Use this if your Aadhaar photo is outdated or you want a different photograph on the card.
• Physical dispatch: You print the completed form, affix photographs, sign, and post it with document copies to the provider. This is the slowest route and is sometimes required for photo or signature changes.

For most first-time individual applicants with an active Aadhaar mobile, the paperless e-KYC route is the best choice.

After the card is dispatched

Once your application is approved, the provider emails the e-PAN and dispatches the physical card by post to your communication address. If the card does not arrive within the expected window, use the Track Application Status link with your acknowledgement number, and check that your address was entered correctly. If you later lose the card or it is damaged, you do not reapply for a new PAN; instead you request a reprint of the same PAN through either provider for a small fee, and you can also re-download the e-PAN at any time. Keep a digital copy of the e-PAN saved securely so you always have your number to hand.

If your application is rejected or held

Applications are occasionally returned, and the reason is almost always a correctable detail rather than anything serious. The most frequent cause is a mismatch between the name, father’s name or date of birth you entered and what Aadhaar or your proof documents show, so a single extra space or a reversed name order can trigger it. Other causes include an unclear scanned document, a photograph that does not meet the specification, or a signature that falls outside the box in the physical mode. When this happens, the provider usually tells you what to fix, and you can resubmit using the same token number rather than starting over. If a payment went through but the application did not complete, do not pay again immediately; use the resume option with your token, and contact the provider’s helpdesk listed on the official site if the amount is not reflected. Patience here is cheaper than a duplicate application.

Which route should you choose

If you are an adult who simply needs a working PAN number for tax or bank KYC and your Aadhaar mobile is active, start with the free Instant e-PAN and only apply to a provider later if you want the laminated card. If you need a physical card, or you are applying for a minor, a firm or as an NRI, go straight to Protean or UTIITSL. Either way, the authorised, Aadhaar-verified path is faster, cheaper and safer than any agent. Treat the few extra minutes spent on the official portal as the price of keeping your money and your identity data in your own hands.