PAN card is a Permanent Account Number which is one of the most indispensable documents in India. It is needed for every citizen of the country to file income tax, IT returns, to make transactions and payments which are above 50,000 INR and even to open any bank account. It is a valid proof for identification and is issued to minors and non-resident Indians under certain conditions.
Documents Required for Applying a PAN Card
There are certain set of documents that are required to apply for a PAN card by an individual. The individual needs to provide any one of the below under the mentioned categories.
- Identity Proof.
- Address Proof.
- Date of Birth Proof.
- 2 Passport sized Photographs.
- A duly filled and signed form.
Cost to Apply for PAN Card
When this article was written in 2019, a new PAN card cost ₹116. According to Protean, one of the two agencies that issue PAN cards, the fee in 2026 is ₹107 for a physical card sent to an Indian address and ₹66 for an e-PAN applied for fully online. An instant e-PAN issued through the Income Tax Department’s e-filing portal using your Aadhaar number is free.
How to Apply for PAN Card Online
Applying PAN card online becomes easier these days. The whole process of applying a PAN card online takes few minutes only. In case, if you find any difficulty then you should go through PAN card Guide by ifinancebox so that all your queries will be solved.
- You have to apply through the websites of UTIITSL or Protean (formerly NSDL e-Governance), the two agencies authorised to issue PAN cards.
- Go to the UTITSL or NSDL page and check under ‘Application Type’. Select NEW PAN – Indian Citizen (form 49A) and foreign citizen (49AA).
- Select ‘PAN Card’ category as individual.
- Fill up all the personal details and enter the Captcha code asked to submit further. Hit on ‘Submit’ button.
- Choose any one of the options to authenticate via Aadhaar Card, or scan the documents and upload via e-sign and then proceed to submit.
- It is simple to choose Aadhaar Card where you have to give details like Aadhaar Number and hit ‘NEXT’.
- Fill in your birth date, address, name, etc. and hit ‘NEXT’.
- Now click on the ‘Banana Skin’ which is ‘Assessing Officer Code’.
- Select any one of the 4 options prompted which are – Indian Citizens, NRI and Foreign, Government and Defense employees.
- Choose your ‘AO Code’ and also select the state and residential area. You can see a list of AO codes displayed, Scroll and select the category that best suits you. If you are not sure, contact a chartered accountant for the same. Once the AO code is correctly filled, the details are auto filled in the form and you can click on ‘NEXT’.
- Select your documents to submit for age proof, proof of residence and submit.
- Now you will be auto redirected to payment page where you have options to choose from for payment. Select any one and complete the payment.
- You shall receive an acknowledgement email from NSDL about your submitted application and your PAN card will be sent via courier to you after is has been processed.
Steps to Track PAN Card Application and Check Status
In the NSDL portal itself you can easily track and check the PAN Card status. You can also click on the tracking page of PAN card on UTI site.
- You have to select your application type (NEW PAN CARD) / Application Coupon Number.
- Provide the 15 digit acknowledgement number.
- Now, fill the captcha code as asked.
- Click on ‘Submit’ and you shall be able to view the status of your application of PAN card online.
