How to Verify a PAN Card Online?

How do you verify a PAN on the e-Filing portal?

The e-Filing portal's user manual calls this service "Verify Your PAN". The link on the home page says Verify PAN Status. Anyone can use it without logging in. It checks the PAN against the name and date of birth you enter, then shows the PAN status.

Keep ready: the PAN, the holder's full name and date of birth (or date of formation for a firm or company). You also need a mobile phone that can receive an OTP.

1. Open the e-Filing portal

   Type incometax.gov.in in the address bar yourself. On the home page, find Quick Links and click Verify PAN Status.

2. Enter the PAN details and a mobile number

   Fill in the PAN, the full name and the date of birth exactly as on the PAN card. Add a mobile number you can access right now. It does not have to be the number linked to the PAN. Click Continue.

   If you are checking someone else's PAN: ask for their consent first, and ask them for the exact name and date of birth. A small spelling difference can fail the match.

3. Enter the OTP and validate

   A 6-digit OTP comes to the mobile number you entered. Type it and click Validate. The OTP is valid for 15 minutes, and you get 3 tries.

   If no OTP comes: wait until the timer ends, then click Resend OTP. Check that you typed the mobile number correctly.

4. Read the result

   The user manual says that after the OTP is validated, the PAN status is displayed.

   You'll know it worked when a status message appears for that PAN after the OTP step.

   If it says the details don't match: check the spelling, the date format and the PAN for typos. If it is your own PAN and your details really are wrong on record, see PAN correction.

What does the result tell you, and what doesn't it?

The portal says the result is "just information purpose" and does not affect anything else on e-Filing. It also says that questions about the PAN status must go to the Jurisdictional Assessing Officer (JAO), the tax officer in charge of that PAN.

PAN records can carry statuses such as operative, inoperative, deactivated or deleted. Each means something different for tax, banking and TDS. We explain them in PAN status types.

How do you check whether a PAN is operative or inoperative?

An individual's PAN usually becomes inoperative when it isn't linked with Aadhaar, unless the person is exempt. Exempt groups include residents of Assam, J&K and Meghalaya, non-residents, people aged 80 or more, and non-citizens.

An inoperative PAN still exists, but it brings real costs: no refund, no interest on the refund for that period, and higher TDS or TCS. It becomes operative again within 30 days of linking, after the ₹1,000 late fee is paid.

• For your own PAN: check the link status on e-Filing with your PAN and Aadhaar. See PAN–Aadhaar link status.
• For an employee or vendor: ask them to check and share a screenshot, because the link check needs their Aadhaar number. A deductor with higher TDS at stake should rely on its tax professional's checks.
• If it is inoperative: see inoperative PAN: effects and reactivation.

How can you spot a fake PAN card?

Every PAN has 10 characters: 5 letters, 4 numbers, 1 letter. The Income Tax Department explains what each position means.

ABCPK1234X is a dummy number for illustration, not a real PAN. Full holder-type details are in PAN card types and fees.

1. Check the 10-character format

   Anything other than 5 letters, 4 numbers and 1 letter is wrong. Watch for look-alikes such as the letter O and the number 0.

2. Match the 4th and 5th letters to the holder

   A person's PAN has P as the 4th letter. A company's PAN has C. The 5th letter is usually the first letter of the person's surname. For people with one name or an unusual name order, ask which name was used as the last name.

   If a "company" PAN has P as the 4th letter: it is probably the owner's personal PAN, or a typo. Ask before you use it.

3. Look for signs of editing

   Check for different fonts, letters that don't line up, a pasted photo, or a name that differs from the person's other IDs. These are warning signs, not proof. Names on PAN and Aadhaar sometimes differ only in spelling; our PAN vs Aadhaar name checker helps you judge it.

4. Confirm it online

   Run Verify PAN Status with the holder's consent. Only the official records can confirm a PAN.

   You'll know the card is backed by real records when the portal shows a valid status for that PAN with the holder's details.

What can the QR code on a PAN card confirm?

The Ministry of Finance's PAN 2.0 FAQ says QR codes have been on PAN cards since 2017-18. It says the QR code "helps in validating the PAN and PAN details". It also says a specific QR reader application shows the photo, signature, name, father's or mother's name and date of birth.

• An ordinary phone camera or free scanner app may not read it in a useful way. A blank or garbled scan doesn't prove the card is fake.
• Older cards without a QR code remain valid. Holders can apply for a new card with a QR code if they want.
• Under PAN 2.0, the FAQ says a dynamic QR code will show the latest data in the PAN database. See PAN 2.0 explained.

We could not confirm the name of the official reader app, so we don't name one. For most people, Verify PAN Status is the simpler check.

How can a business verify many PANs at once?

Protean runs Online PAN Verification for eligible entities, under authorisation from the Income Tax Department. It is meant for organisations that must check PANs as part of their work.

1. Check that you are eligible

   Read Protean's eligibility list and the regulatory document it asks for in your category, such as an RBI licence or a SEBI certificate.

   If you are not eligible: a small shop or landlord can check a few PANs on e-Filing, one at a time, with each person's consent.

2. Register online

   Use the registration link on tinpan.proteantech.in under Online PAN Verification. Give your organisation's details and why you need PAN verification.

3. Send the documents and pay

   Protean lists terms and an NDA on letterhead, an authorisation letter, DSC screenshots, the incorporation certificate, the PAN card, financial statements and other papers. They must be signed and stamped by the same authorised signatory. Protean says payment details are shared after your Virtual ID is created, and payment is by online transfer only. The DSC holder must be a different person from the authorised signatory.

4. Start verifying

   Once your account is active, log in with your user ID and DSC. Check PANs on screen, by file or by API.

   You'll know it worked when you can log in and the first response shows a PAN status.

How do you keep your PAN safe when sharing it?

Your PAN, name and date of birth are enough for many checks and some frauds. Share them with care.

• Write the purpose on every copy, with the date. For example: "For rent agreement with [name] only, 16 Oct 2026".
• Mask what isn't needed. When someone only needs proof that you have a PAN, cover part of the number on the copy. Ask first if they need the full number.
• Don't post PAN photos on social media, in public groups or in open email threads.
• Never share OTPs. No genuine PAN check needs your OTP to be given to someone else.
• Collect only what you need when you check other people's PANs. Store copies safely and delete them when the work is done.

What should you do if a PAN looks fake or is being misused?

• Someone else's card looks fake: don't accept it or act on it. Ask for another ID, and verify the PAN online. If they show an Aadhaar, see how to verify an Aadhaar.
• Your PAN may be misused: log in to e-Filing and look at your Annual Information Statement (AIS) and Form 26AS for income or deals you don't recognise. These download as locked PDFs; our file unlock tool opens them in your browser. Check your credit report for loans you didn't take.
• Money lost or a fraud in progress: call the cybercrime helpline 1930 quickly, or report at cybercrime.gov.in.

Full steps, including how to report and dispute entries, are in our PAN fraud and misuse guide.

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

Bottom line

To check a PAN, use the free Verify PAN Status service on incometax.gov.in with the PAN, name, date of birth and an OTP. Don't trust a card on looks or format alone. Businesses with large volumes can register with Protean. For help, call e-Filing on 1800 103 0025 or Protean on 020-27218080.