Apply PAN Card Online (2026): New Form 93, Fees, Steps and Instant e-PAN

What are the ways to apply for a new PAN?

There are four routes. All of them give you the same PAN; they differ in who can use them, cost and paperwork.

What changed for PAN applications on 1 April 2026?

The Income-tax Act, 2025 and the Income-tax Rules, 2026 came into force on 1 April 2026. PAN is now covered by section 262 of the new Act (it was section 139A). New forms and some new document rules came with it. PANs issued earlier stay valid; you don't need to reapply. You may also read about PAN 2.0, an announced upgrade of the PAN system. Today's applications still follow the steps below.

What happens after you apply online?

Think of it as fill, prove, pay, wait. The waiting part is shortest when you go paperless.

1. Day 0Fill Form 93 and payYou get a 15-digit acknowledgement number
2. Same day / within 15 daysProve your detailsAadhaar e-Sign, or post papers (must reach within 15 days)
3. After a few working daysStatus shows upTrack with the acknowledgement number
4. NextIncome Tax Department checks and allots PANMismatches cause delay or rejection
5. After allotmente-PAN by email, card by postThe card takes longer than the e-PAN

Blue = your action · Amber = waiting · Green = government side. The 15-day rule is from Protean's Form 93 page; other times vary.

How do you apply for a PAN card online on Protean?

Keep ready: Aadhaar, a mobile and email you use, a date-of-birth document (not Aadhaar), and, for physical mode, a recent colour photo.

1. Open the Protean application page

   Go to onlineservices.proteantech.in → PAN → Apply Online. Choose New PAN - Form No. 93 (Indian Citizen) and category Individual.

2. Enter name, date of birth, email and mobile

   Write your name exactly as on Aadhaar. The name on Aadhaar is what gets printed on the PAN card. Don't add Shri, Smt or Kumari. Mobile is mandatory.

   You'll know it worked when a token number appears and arrives by email.

3. Fill the rest of the form

   Enter your Aadhaar number, father's name (and mother's name if asked), address, and source of income. Choose which parent's name prints on the card. The portal helps you pick the AO code (your tax office code) from your city.

   If your Aadhaar shows initials (like "R. Kumar"): write the full name and keep a document that shows it. Initials are not allowed.

4. Choose how to submit documents

   Paperless: e-KYC and e-Sign with an Aadhaar OTP, or upload scans and e-Sign. Nothing is posted. Physical: print the acknowledgement, sign it, paste photos, and post it with document copies.

   Even when paperless, expect to upload a date-of-birth proof other than Aadhaar, because Aadhaar no longer counts as DOB proof.

5. Choose card or e-PAN only, then pay

   Say whether you want a printed card. Check the fee table, then pay by net banking or a debit or credit card. The payment page may show other options, such as UPI.

6. Sign with Aadhaar OTP, or post your papers

   For e-Sign, enter the OTP sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile. For physical mode, post the signed acknowledgement and documents to Protean's Pune address printed on the acknowledgement, so they reach within 15 days. Write "APPLICATION FOR PAN — N-" and your acknowledgement number on the envelope.

   If the papers don't arrive in 15 days, the application isn't processed. Keep the courier receipt.

7. Save the acknowledgement

   Download the acknowledgement PDF. It is also emailed to you. Note the 15-digit acknowledgement number.

   You'll know it worked when the acknowledgement and payment receipt PDFs reach your email.

How do you apply for a PAN card on UTIITSL?

UTIITSL runs the second official PAN service. Fees are the same as Protean.

1. Open the UTIITSL new PAN page

   Go to pan.utiitsl.com → PAN for Indian Citizen/Entity → Apply.

2. Fill the form and choose the document mode

   Fill Form 93 online. Choose paperless (Aadhaar e-KYC and e-Sign) or physical documents.

3. Pay and note your application number

   Pay online. Save the application or coupon number shown at the end; you'll need it to track.

4. Send documents if you chose physical mode

   Follow the instructions on your acknowledgement. UTIITSL lists offices in Navi Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and New Delhi, and has PAN centres around India.

   You'll know it worked when Track PAN Card on UTIITSL shows your application.

How do you get a free Instant e-PAN with Aadhaar?

Use this if you are 18 or older, have never had a PAN, and your mobile is linked to Aadhaar. You also need a date-of-birth document in DigiLocker (such as a driving licence or Class 10 certificate). Other details are taken straight from Aadhaar, so check your Aadhaar is correct first.

1. Open Instant e-PAN

   On incometax.gov.in, tap Instant e-PAN → Get New e-PAN.

2. Tick the declarations and share a DigiLocker document

   Tick the eligibility and consent boxes, sign in to DigiLocker with your Aadhaar OTP and PIN, and allow it to share one date-of-birth document.

3. Enter the OTP and validate details

   Back on the portal, enter your Aadhaar and the OTP sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile. Check the details pulled from Aadhaar, add your father's name, and submit.

4. Download the e-PAN

   You get an acknowledgement number. When the PAN is allotted, download it from Instant e-PAN → Check Status / Download e-PAN.

   If the PDF asks for a password, our e-PAN password helper shows the usual format.

   You'll know it worked when the status shows your new PAN.

Can you apply at a PAN centre instead?

Yes. This suits people who don't have a linked mobile, aren't comfortable online, or want someone to check the form.

1. Find an official centre

   Use the centre lists on Protean (TIN-FC / PAN centres) or UTIITSL (application centres). Many cyber cafés and seva kendras also file on your behalf.

2. Fill a printed Form 93

   Use block letters and black ink. Paste two recent colour photos. Sign or put your thumb impression only in the boxes given.

3. Hand over copies and get a receipt

   Show originals, hand over self-attested copies, and pay. Always collect the acknowledgement with your 15-digit number.

   If the centre won't give an acknowledgement or a receipt, don't leave your documents there.

How much does a new PAN card cost?

These are the official fees, including GST, on Protean and UTIITSL. "Paperless" means e-KYC and e-Sign, or scanned documents signed with e-Sign or DSC.

Paperless applications signed with e-Sign also carry a ₹5.90 e-Sign charge, listed by the Income Tax Department. Reprint, correction and other charges are on PAN card types and fees.

How long does it take, and how do you track it?

Neither Protean nor UTIITSL promises a fixed number of days. Paperless applications with correct details are usually the fastest, and the e-PAN usually comes before the printed card. Physical mode adds postage time and the 15-day window for papers. Instant e-PAN is often done the same day.

To track: use your 15-digit acknowledgement number. Status usually shows after a few working days; a Protean article says about 3–5 working days. UTIITSL has a Track PAN Card page. How to check PAN status →

Which documents do you need for Form 93?

You need proof of identity, address and date of birth. One document can cover more than one, except that Aadhaar no longer counts for date of birth.

Full documents list and tips →

Why do PAN applications get rejected?

• Name mismatch between the form and Aadhaar, or initials used instead of the full name. Compare the names with our name checker.
• Aadhaar given as date-of-birth proof. It isn't accepted after 1 April 2026.
• Date of birth differs between the form and the DOB proof.
• Papers didn't reach Protean within 15 days in physical mode.
• Photo or signature problems: signature on the wrong photo, face covered, or stapled photos.
• Old Form 49A or 49AA used, or a wrong form (for example, a foreign citizen using Form 93).
• You already have a PAN. The system finds it, often through your Aadhaar.

A rejected application can't be edited. You apply again with correct details. PAN rejected or not received? →

What can go wrong, and how do you fix it?

Bottom line

If you're an adult with Aadhaar and a linked mobile, start with the free Instant e-PAN. If you want a printed card, need it for a child, or live abroad, fill Form 93 on Protean or UTIITSL, go paperless if you can, and keep a date-of-birth document other than Aadhaar ready. Pay only the official fee and save your acknowledgement number.