What Are the Types of PAN Card and How Much Does Each Cost?

What forms does a PAN come in?

Your PAN is a 10-character number. The number never changes. What you can choose is how you hold it: as a printed card, as an electronic file, or both.

When you apply with a card and give an email ID, you usually get the e-PAN by email too. When you pick "e-PAN only", Protean says no physical card is sent; the PDF goes to the email ID in your application.

Instant e-PAN is only for individuals who have Aadhaar with a linked mobile number. It is the cheapest and fastest route if you qualify. How Instant e-PAN works → If your Aadhaar has no working mobile, first update the mobile number in Aadhaar.

The e-PAN PDF is password-protected. Our e-PAN password helper shows the usual format, and our file unlock tool opens the PDF in your browser.

What is the QR code on a PAN card, and what is PAN 2.0?

The government says the QR code is not new: it has been on PAN cards since 2017–18. Scanning the code helps a bank or office check the details on the card. e-PAN PDFs carry a QR code too.

Older cards without a QR code are still valid. You don't need to buy a new card just to get the code. If an office insists on a card with a QR code, a reprint costs ₹50. Reprint a PAN card →

PAN 2.0 is a government project, announced in November 2024, to move PAN services to one paperless platform. The official FAQ said existing PANs stay valid, e-PAN would be free, and a printed card would cost ₹50 in India. How far it has rolled out can change, so check before you pay. PAN 2.0 explained →

What types of PAN holders are there?

"Type of PAN" can also mean the type of holder. The 4th letter of every PAN shows it. The fee is the same for every holder type.

So a dummy PAN like ABCPK1234X belongs to a person. Individuals apply on Form 93; Indian entities use Form 94. PAN for companies, firms, trusts and HUFs → Not sure which form fits? Try our which-form tool.

How much does every PAN service cost?

These are the official fees, including GST, from the Income Tax Department, Protean and UTIITSL. "Paper" means you post documents or apply at a centre. "Paperless" means you sign with Aadhaar e-Sign or a digital signature and upload scans.

Before tax, the base fee for a card in India is ₹91; for a foreign address it is ₹862. The ₹5.90 e-Sign charge is listed by the Income Tax Department on top of the paperless fee.

More detail: apply for a new PAN, PAN correction, download e-PAN, link PAN with Aadhaar.

Which PAN services are free?

You should pay nothing official for these. A shop may still charge for its time, but the service itself is free.

• Instant e-PAN on the e-Filing portal, including checking its status and downloading it.
• Application status checks at Protean (15-digit acknowledgement number) or UTIITSL (coupon number, or PAN + date of birth).
• "Verify Your PAN" on the e-Filing portal. It needs PAN, name, date of birth and mobile, and only shows information. How to verify a PAN →
• Finding your PAN from your own records, or from the e-Filing portal after login. Find your PAN number →
• e-PAN download in the free window after allotment or a change.
• Checking PAN–Aadhaar link status. Check link status →

How do you make sure you pay the right fee?

Most overpayments happen because people pick the wrong option before paying. Follow these steps on Protean or UTIITSL.

1. Choose the right service

   Pick "new PAN" only if you have never had a PAN. For wrong details, choose the change or correction request. For a lost card with correct details, choose reprint. Holding two PANs is not allowed.

   If you already have a PAN and apply again, you may end up with a duplicate. Surrender a duplicate PAN →

2. Decide between card and e-PAN only

   The form asks whether you want a physical card. If the e-PAN is enough, say no. That saves ₹35 in India and much more abroad.

3. Pick paperless or paper

   Paperless means e-KYC and e-Sign with an Aadhaar OTP, or a digital signature certificate. The fee is ₹6 lower, but the ₹5.90 e-Sign charge is added, so the real gain is speed: nothing is posted. The paper route means printing the acknowledgement and posting documents.

   If you choose paper, your documents must reach Protean within 15 days, so post them soon after you apply.

4. Check the amount, then pay once

   Compare the amount on the payment page with the fee table. Pay from your own card or net banking. If the page hangs, don't press pay again straight away.

   If money left your account but no receipt came, wait and check your email and bank SMS first. See problems and fixes.

5. Save the receipt and acknowledgement

   Download both PDFs and keep the acknowledgement number. You need it to track the application. Check PAN application status →

   You'll know it worked when the payment receipt and the acknowledgement arrive by email. Protean's acknowledgement number has 15 digits.

Why does an agent charge more than the official fee?

A cyber café, CA or agent charges for filling the form, scanning papers and fixing mistakes. That is a service charge. It is separate from the official fee that goes to Protean or UTIITSL.

• Ask what the official fee is and what their service charge is, before they start.
• Ask for the official payment receipt. It shows the real amount paid, such as ₹107 or ₹50.
• Make sure the application uses your own mobile number and email, so the e-PAN and OTPs reach you.
• Websites charging far more than the official fee are agents, not the government. Some may be fake.

How can you pay, and can you get a refund?

Payment modes: The Income Tax Department lists credit card, debit card, demand draft and net banking. The payment page may show other options, such as UPI; use what it offers. Paperless applications are paid online.

Refunds: A refund guide on Protean's blog says the PAN fee is generally non-refundable when an application is rejected because of the applicant's own mistake. The same guide lists two cases where a refund may be possible: paying twice for the same application, and money debited when no acknowledgement was created.

For a refund request, keep the transaction ID, date and time, bank details and a screenshot. Write to Protean at [email protected], the email listed on the Income Tax Department's PAN contact page. For UTIITSL, call 033-40802999. Other numbers are in our PAN customer care guide.

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

Bottom line

Pick the cheapest route that fits: Instant e-PAN is free, e-PAN only costs ₹66–₹72, and a card costs ₹101–₹107 in India. Corrections cost the same as a new PAN, and a reprint is ₹50. Keep every receipt. For help, call Protean on 020-27218080 or UTIITSL on 033-40802999.