PAN Card: How to Apply Online, Get an Instant e-PAN, and Track the Status (2026)

How-To Guide · PAN Card

Updated for 2026 · Claw Editorial

You need a PAN to file a tax return, open most bank accounts, or make large payments, and there are two ways to get one online. The fastest is the free instant e-PAN with your Aadhaar and an OTP, issued in minutes as a PDF. The other is the regular route through Form 49A on Protean (NSDL) or UTIITSL, which carries a small fee. This guide covers both routes step by step, the documents you need, how to track your application, and the PAN-Aadhaar linking rule. Last verified: October 2026.

01Who needs a PAN card

The Permanent Account Number (PAN) is a 10-character number that identifies you to the Income Tax Department. You generally need one if you:

• File an income tax return, or have taxable income.
• Open a bank account, a demat account or a mutual fund account.
• Make or receive certain high-value payments, or buy and sell property or vehicles above set limits.
• Run a business or profession, or deduct or collect tax.

A person should hold only one PAN. If you already have one, do not apply again. If your PAN has a wrong name or date of birth, correct it instead. See how to correct or update your PAN card.

02Two ways to apply for a PAN card online

Most people searching for how to apply for a PAN card online need one of these two routes. Pick based on your situation.

Choose the instant e-PAN if you qualify, since it is free and fast. Choose Form 49A if you do not have a usable Aadhaar setup, are applying for a company, firm, trust or other non-individual, or want a physical card.

03Route 1: Get an instant e-PAN with Aadhaar

This route is free and works only if you have never been allotted a PAN and your mobile number is linked to your Aadhaar. Minors are not eligible for this route.

1. Go to the Income Tax e-filing portal at incometax.gov.in and open Instant e-PAN from the home page.
2. Click Get New e-PAN.
3. Enter your 12-digit Aadhaar number, tick the confirmation box and click Continue.
4. Read and accept the consent terms.
5. Enter the 6-digit OTP sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile. The OTP is valid for a short time (about 15 minutes) and you get a limited number of attempts.
6. Check the details taken from Aadhaar, add an email address if asked, and submit.
7. Note the acknowledgement number. When the e-PAN is issued (usually within about 10 minutes), download the PDF from the same service using Check Status / Download PAN.

The e-PAN PDF is a valid PAN document. It carries a digital signature and a QR code.

04Route 2: Apply with Form 49A on Protean (NSDL) or UTIITSL

Form 49A is the application form for Indian citizens, including companies and other entities incorporated in India. Foreign citizens use Form 49AA. You can fill it online on either service provider. Both give the same PAN.

1. Open the PAN application page on Protean (NSDL) or UTIITSL.
2. Select New PAN, Indian citizen (Form 49A) and choose your category, such as Individual.
3. Fill in your name, date of birth, address, mobile number and email exactly as on your proof documents.
4. Choose how to submit documents: paperless with Aadhaar e-KYC and e-sign, or by sending the printed acknowledgement with copies of your documents.
5. Pay the fee online by card, net banking or UPI.
6. Save the 15-digit acknowledgement number. If you chose the physical route, post the signed acknowledgement and documents to the address shown, within the time limit stated.

With the paperless Aadhaar route, there is nothing to post. Your e-PAN is emailed to you once the application is processed, and the physical card, if you chose one, follows by post.

05Documents and fees

With Aadhaar e-KYC you usually need no documents to upload. On the physical or non-Aadhaar route you generally need three kinds of proof:

• Proof of identity: for example Aadhaar, voter ID, passport or driving licence.
• Proof of address: for example Aadhaar, a recent utility bill, bank statement or passport.
• Proof of date of birth: for example a birth certificate, school leaving certificate, passport or Aadhaar.

You also need a recent passport-size photograph and your signature in the places the form asks for them. Companies, firms and trusts need their registration documents instead. The fee for a PAN application delivered to an Indian address is about Rs 107 including GST for a physical card, and about Rs 72 for an e-PAN only. The instant e-PAN costs nothing.

06How to track your PAN card status

After you apply, you get a 15-digit acknowledgement number. Use it to check progress.

• Instant e-PAN: on the e-filing portal, open Instant e-PAN and choose Check Status / Download PAN. Enter your Aadhaar number and the OTP. You can download the e-PAN PDF from here.
• Protean (NSDL) application: use the track PAN application status page on the Protean website. Enter the acknowledgement number and the captcha. This is the page people search for as NSDL PAN card status.
• UTIITSL application: use the PAN status or track application option on the UTIITSL PAN site, with the acknowledgement number or your PAN and date of birth.

Typical statuses are application received, under processing, PAN allotted, and dispatched. A physical card usually takes a couple of weeks by post. If the status shows a rejection or a mismatch, read the reason shown and re-apply or correct the details. To download your e-PAN again later, use the same download service with your Aadhaar and OTP.

07PAN-Aadhaar linking: do it after you get your PAN

Linking PAN with Aadhaar is mandatory for most existing PAN holders under Section 139AA of the Income-tax Act. If a PAN is not linked by the deadline, it becomes inoperative. An inoperative PAN means you cannot file a return with it, refunds are not paid, and tax may be deducted at a higher rate (TDS and TCS at higher rates).

To link, open Link Aadhaar on the e-filing portal, enter your PAN and Aadhaar, and validate. A late linking fee applies for PANs that were not linked within the original window, and the PAN becomes operative again after linking is processed. For next steps on filing, see how to file your income tax return.

08Where Claw fits

Your PAN is your tax identity. Once you have one, notices, assessments and refund issues are all tied to it. If your PAN is made inoperative, or you receive an income tax notice, the assessment is challenged first before the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals), or CIT(A), and then before the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT).

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09Sources and further reading

Always apply on the official sites. Beware of agents and look-alike websites that charge extra.

• Income Tax e-filing portal (instant e-PAN, Link Aadhaar): incometax.gov.in
• Protean (NSDL) PAN services: onlineservices.nsdl.com
• UTIITSL PAN services: pan.utiitsl.com
• Claw: clawlaw.in

Fees, flows and deadlines change. Confirm them on the official site before you pay. This guide was last verified in October 2026 and is general information, not tax advice.

10Frequently asked questions