How to Apply for a Duplicate PAN Card (Lost or Damaged PAN)

A lost or damaged PAN card doesn't mean losing your PAN number — that number is permanent and tied to your tax record for life. What you actually need is a reprint (officially called a "Reprint of PAN Card") of the same number on a fresh card, which is a much simpler process than a new PAN application.

When you need a reprint vs a correction

• Reprint — your PAN number and details are correct, but the physical card is lost, stolen, or damaged.
• Correction — one or more details (name, date of birth, address, spelling) are actually wrong and need fixing, which uses a separate PAN Correction/Update application instead of a plain reprint.

Where to apply

• The NSDL/Protean e-Gov portal or the UTIITSL portal — both are authorised by the Income Tax Department to process PAN reprints.
• Use whichever portal originally issued your PAN if you know it; either works if you don't remember.

Step-by-step: reprint your PAN card

1. Go to the NSDL or UTIITSL PAN reprint page and select "Reprint of PAN Card."
2. Enter your existing PAN number, Aadhaar number, date of birth and registered mobile/email for OTP verification.
3. Confirm your details exactly as they appear in the Income Tax database — a reprint does not let you change anything.
4. Pay the reprint fee online.
5. Track your application using the acknowledgement number — the physical card is dispatched by post, and an e-PAN PDF is usually available for download sooner.

Common mistakes

• Applying for a brand-new PAN because the card is lost — this can result in holding two PAN numbers, which is against Income Tax rules and can cause penalties.
• Not verifying that your Aadhaar and PAN details match before submitting — mismatches are a common cause of rejected reprint requests.
• Forgetting to download the e-PAN once it's ready — it's valid for most purposes immediately, even before the physical card arrives by post.