What is a PAN Card?
A Permanent Account Number (PAN) is a 10-character alphanumeric identifier issued by the Income Tax Department of India. It is mandatory for filing income tax returns, opening bank accounts, and conducting high-value financial transactions.
Photo & Signature Requirements
- Photo: Plain white background, front-facing, eyes open
- NSDL Portal — Photo: 197×276 px · Colour JPEG · Max 50 KB
- UTI Portal — Photo: 213×213 px · Colour JPEG · Max 30 KB
- NSDL Portal — Signature: 354×157 px · Colour JPEG · Max 50 KB
- UTI Portal — Signature: 354×157 px · B&W JPEG · Max 60 KB · 600 DPI
- No hats, sunglasses, or heavy filters on photos
Documents Required
- Identity Proof: Aadhaar Card / Voter ID / Passport / Driving Licence
- Address Proof: Aadhaar / Utility Bill / Bank Statement / Rent Agreement
- Date of Birth Proof: Birth Certificate / Aadhaar / Matriculation Certificate
NSDL vs UTI — Which Portal to Use?
Both portals are authorised by the Income Tax Department. NSDL (now Protean) is the older and more widely used portal. UTI Infrastructure is the alternative with a slightly different set of upload requirements. Both result in the same PAN card.
Use our PAN Photo Resizer to prepare the correctly-sized images for whichever portal you choose.
Processing Time & Fees
- e-PAN (digital): usually issued within 48 hours · ₹66 (Indian address)
- Physical PAN card (Indian address): 15–20 working days · ₹107
- Physical PAN card (foreign address): ₹1,017
- Correction/reprint: same fees as fresh application