PAN card treated as a valid identity proof for most scenarios in India, It is a 10-digit alphanumeric number that is unique and issued by the Income Tax Department. PAN or Permanent Account Number enables the Income tax department to identify/ link all transactions of the PAN holder. These transactions include tax payments, TDS/TCS credits, returns of income, specified transactions, correspondence etc., and so on.
Though PAN is a number, the PAN Card is a physical card that contains details such as your PAN, name, date of birth, a photograph and the name of your father. The card holds good as proof of identity or for date of birth.
The concept of PAN was introduced by the government of India in 1972 and made statutory under section 139 A of the Income Tax Act w.e.f. 1st April 1976. Section 139A of the Income Tax Act, 1961, lays down various conditions under which you are required to obtain a PAN. You are required to mention your PAN in all communications with the Income Tax Department and while entering into specified financial transactions8. If you do not already have a PAN card, you can apply for one or can apply for a duplicate PAN if you have lost your existing card.
How to Apply for PAN Card?
You can visit the local PAN agencies of your district to apply for PAN offline. You may apply for a new PAN card or update correct information on your existing one or even apply for a duplicate card.
Alternatively, you can apply for PAN online through NSDL or UTIITSL. You may take the help of any of the two agencies mentioned above. You would need to fill out Form 49A which is an application for allotment of PAN and submit relevant documents.
What is PAN Acknowledgement Number?
On successful completion of the application for a PAN card, an applicant receives a 15-digit unique number. This unique code is known as the PAN acknowledgement number. The ones who apply for PAN online through NSDL, can then use the acknowledgement number to track their PAN card status online.
The usage of the acknowledgement number is not limited to just checking pan card status. You can also use the number to download e-PAN card. You may do this within a month of the issuance of a new card or for an updated card as well. And it can be used in both the NSDL and UTIISL websites.
How to Check PAN Application Status?
Whether you have applied for a new PAN card or a duplicate PAN card, you can find out your pan card application status with a few simple steps. You can check the PAN card application status either by calling, through SMS or online.
1. Call11
You can contact the call centre number of TIN at 020-27218080 and provide your acknowledgement number from your PAN application which is a 15-digit number on the application.
2. SMS11
To check the status of your PAN card application via SMS, you can send your 15-digit acknowledgement number to 57575. You will receive back an SMS updating the status of your request.
3. Online
You can also check the status of your Pan card application online via the website of the service provider whose services you may have availed to apply for the PAN card. It can be any of the following9:
- Protean
- UTIITSL
Steps to Check PAN Card Status On UTI Website
Taxpayers who have applied for their Pan card using the UTI website need to keep their application coupon number handy. Here are the steps10 to get online status.
- Access the UTIITSL portal https://www.trackpan.utiitsl.com/PANONLINE/#forward
- Enter your application coupon number if it is a new application and your PAN number if it is a duplicate application
- Enter Date of Birth /Incorporation / Agreement / Partnership or Trust Deed / Formation of Body of Individuals / Association of Persons, as applicable
- Type in the Captcha in the box provided
- Click on the submit button to view the status
Aadhaar Card / PAN Card Link Status
You can check your Aadhaar Card / PAN Card linking status through UTITSL and also through the Income Tax website. The process is as follows –
Through UTITSL12
- Visit https://www.pan.utiitsl.com/
- Click PAN & Aadhar link Status
- Enter your PAN Card number and Date of Birth
- Enter the captcha code displayed on the screen
- Click on ‘Submit’
- The status of the linking would be displayed
Through income tax portal1
- Visit the e-filing portal of the income tax department.
- On the home page, you can check the status without logging into your e-filing account. To do so, go to ‘Quick Links’ and choose ‘Link Aadhaar Status’
- Enter your PAN Card number and Aadhaar Card number
- Click on ‘View Link Aadhaar Status’ and the status would be displayed.
- If you have logged into your account, then also you can check the linking status. To do so, go to your Dashboard and choose ‘Link Aadhaar Status’. You can also get this option under the ‘My Profile’ section.
- You can check the status under your name. If the Aadhaar is linked, the number would be shown under your name. If not, it would be blank.
Conclusion
Not having a PAN card can make things a little bit tricky for you since it is needed for any financial transactions. Thus, you can consider applying for a PAN card at the earliest. And if you do so, you can check the status of your application online using the above methods.
FAQs
1. Can I apply for PAN through NSDL and UTIITSL?
Yes, you can apply for PAN through NSDL and UTIITSL2. The respective portals are https://www.onlineservices.nsdl.com/paam/endUserRegisterContact.html and https://www.pan.utiitsl.com/PAN/.
2. What is the difference between the acknowledgment number and the application coupon number?
The only difference is the portal that you use for generating your PAN Card. If you use the NSDL portal, you get an acknowledgement number3 and if you use the UTIITSL portal, you get the application coupon number4.
3. Can I change the PAN Card delivery address?
Yes, you can change the PAN Card delivery address. However, the facility is available only for Indian citizens who have linked their Aadhaar cards to their PAN cards. Such individuals can opt for the address update facility through DigiLocker or Aadhaar-based e-KYC modes5.
4. What is e-PAN?
e-PAN is short for electronic PAN. The facility of e-PAN is offered to individuals who don’t have a PAN but have an Aadhaar card. The e-PAN is a pre-login service offered to individuals wherein they can do the following6 –
- Get a digitally-signed PAN Card in electronic form.
- Update their PAN Card details per Aadhaar e-KYC
- Create an e-filing account after the PAN has been allotted or updated
- Check the status of the e-PAN request or download the e-PAN.
The e-PAN is a 10-digit alphanumeric number which is offered to first-time taxpayers so that they can do financial transactions and also file their returns7.
Sources:
1. https://www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal/help/how-to-link-aadhaar#:~:text=Step%201%3A%20On%20the%20e,regarding%20your%20Link%20Aadhaar%20Status.
2. https://incometaxindia.gov.in/Pages/tax-services/apply-for-pan.aspx#:~:text=PAN%20%2D%20ONLINE%20APPLICATION&text=Online%20application%20can%20be%20made,%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B).
3. https://incometaxindia.gov.in/Pages/tax-services/status-of-pan-nsdl.aspx
4. https://incometaxindia.gov.in/Pages/tax-services/status-of-pan-utitsl.aspx
5. https://www.pan.utiitsl.com/PAN_ONLINE/homeaddresschange#:~:text=The%20address%20update%20facility%20is,number%20registered%20with%20UIDAI%20records.
6. https://www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal/help/how-to-generate-instant-e-pan#:~:text=1.,(PAN)%20but%20possess%20Aadhaar.
7. https://cleartax.in/s/e-pan-card
8. https://incometaxindia.gov.in/Documents/about-pan.htm#:~:text=Section%20139A%20of%20the%20Income%2Dtax%20Act%2C%201961%2C%20prescribes,entering%20into%20specified%20financial%20transactions
9. https://incometaxindia.gov.in/Pages/tax-services/apply-for-pan.aspx#:~:text=Online%20application%20can%20be%20made,%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B
10. https://www.trackpan.utiitsl.com/PANONLINE/#forward
11. https://tax2win.in/guide/track-pan-card-application-status
12. https://aadharcard-uidai.com/pan-aadhaar-link-status/
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