How to Apply for a PAN Card Online for Free (Instant e-PAN)
Get a free instant e-PAN using your Aadhaar in minutes, or apply for a physical PAN card. Documents, steps and common mistakes explained.
EDTechToolsCenter EditorialYou can get a PAN card completely free using the Instant e-PAN service on the Income Tax portal — no fees, no agents. This guide shows you how. See the full checklist on our PAN Card service page.
Free instant e-PAN (using Aadhaar)
- Go to the official Income Tax e-filing portal (incometax.gov.in).
- Choose 'Instant e-PAN'.
- Enter your Aadhaar number and verify with the OTP sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile.
- Confirm your details and submit.
- Download your e-PAN PDF — it's issued within minutes, free of cost.
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Applying for a physical PAN card
For a physical card or corrections, apply through the authorised agencies (Protean/NSDL or UTIITSL), upload your documents, photo and signature, and pay the small fee. If your photo or signature is rejected for size, compress it first with our PAN photo compressor.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Applying on unofficial third-party sites that charge extra
- Name or date-of-birth mismatch between PAN and Aadhaar
- Uploading an oversized photo/signature that gets rejected
Tools used in this article
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Frequently asked questions
Yes — the Instant e-PAN service on the official Income Tax portal issues a PDF e-PAN free of cost using your Aadhaar.
TechToolsCenter Editorial
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