- Instant e-PAN is free, taking ten minutes via Aadhaar.
The Income Tax Department now allows Indian residents to get a digitally issued PAN card, called an e-PAN. entirely online, without visiting any office or submitting physical documents.
The e-PAN card carries a unique 10-digit Permanent Account Number along with the holder’s digital signature. It is legally accepted for identity verification, KYC compliance, and income tax purposes, and holds the same validity as a physical PAN card.
What Exactly Is an e-PAN Card?
An e-PAN card is the digital version of the traditional PAN card, issued by the Income Tax Department. Unlike the physical card, it can be stored on a phone or computer and used for financial transactions, tax filings, and identity verification across services.
Also Read: Bank Holidays Next Week (May 18 To 24): Banks Closed On Saturday And Sunday, Check Full List
The Instant Route: 10 Minutes, Zero Fees
For those with a valid Aadhaar number, the Income Tax e-Filing portal offers an instant e-PAN, free of cost and processed in roughly ten minutes. No application form needs to be filled out, and no documents need to be uploaded. The applicant simply enters their Aadhaar number, verifies through the OTP sent to their registered mobile number, and the e-PAN is dispatched to their email.
Downloading the e-PAN
If the email carrying the e-PAN is lost or deleted, the card can be re-downloaded from the NSDL or UTIITSL websites using the acknowledgement number, PAN, or date of birth, along with an OTP. A fee applies if the download is requested more than 30 days after the e-PAN was issued. For instant e-PANs, the download is available directly on the Income Tax portal using the Aadhaar number and OTP.
The downloaded e-PAN comes as a password-protected PDF. The password is the holder’s date of birth in the DDMMYYYY format.
Also Read: Gold Silver Rate Today (May 15): Prices Fall Across Major Cities; Check Latest Rates In Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, More
Need a Physical Copy?
Those who want a printed card can request a reprint through NSDL or UTIITSL. After entering details such as PAN, Aadhaar number, and date of birth, and paying the applicable fee, the printed card is dispatched to the applicant’s residential address.
