How to Apply for a New PAN Card Online Using Aadhaar or Documents

Apply for a new PAN on the Protean (formerly NSDL) website using Form 93, which replaced Form 49A from 1 April 2026. A physical card posted within India costs ₹107, or ₹101 if you apply paperless. If your Aadhaar is linked to your mobile, the instant e-PAN on the e-Filing portal is free.

Key facts

All fees include taxes and are the charges Protean lists for new PAN applications.

Who needs a PAN

You need a PAN to file an income tax return, and banks, brokers and employers ask for it for KYC and tax deduction. Apply only once. A PAN stays with you for life, so if you have lost your card, request a reprint instead of a new number.

PANs issued on the old Form 49A and Form 49AA remain valid. The new forms came with the Income-tax Rules, 2026, framed under the Income-tax Act, 2025. Protean’s download page now lists four forms: Form 93 for Indian citizens, Form 94 for Indian entities, Form 95 for foreign citizens and Form 96 for foreign entities.

Instant e-PAN or a regular application?

Pick the route that fits your situation.

• Instant e-PAN suits an adult with a valid Aadhaar linked to an active mobile number who has never been allotted a PAN. You get a digitally signed PAN in PDF form, free of cost. No photo, signature or paper is needed. You do not get a physical card, though you can order a printed one later.
• A Form 93 application suits everyone else: minors, people without Aadhaar, people whose Aadhaar details are wrong or not linked to a mobile, and anyone who wants a physical card posted to them.

For the instant route, open the e-Filing portal and choose Instant e-PAN under Quick Links. The rest of this page covers the Form 93 application.

Documents you need

An individual needs proof of identity, proof of address and proof of date of birth. The name on every document must match the name in your application exactly. Protean accepts these, among others:

A birth certificate is required as date-of-birth proof for anyone born on or after 1 October 2023. For a minor, the minor’s Aadhaar plus a parent’s or guardian’s identity document is accepted. An Indian citizen living abroad can use a bank statement from the country of residence or an NRE account statement as address proof.

If you choose the paper route, you also need two recent colour photographs of 3.5 cm × 2.5 cm.

How to apply on the Protean portal

1. Open the Protean PAN portal (tinpan.proteantech.in) and choose the online application for a new PAN.
2. Select Form 93, your category (Individual) and title, and enter your name, date of birth, email and mobile number.
3. Note the token number shown on screen. It is also emailed to you and lets you resume a half-filled form.
4. Choose how you will submit documents: Aadhaar e-KYC with e-Sign, scanned documents with e-Sign, scanned documents with a digital signature (DSC), or physical documents by post.
5. Fill in the remaining details and fix any format errors the system flags.
6. Check the confirmation screen, then edit or confirm.
7. Pay the fee by debit card, credit card or net banking. A demand draft payable at Mumbai in favour of “Protean – PAN” is also accepted.
8. Save the acknowledgement with your 15-digit acknowledgement number.
9. If you chose physical mode, sign the acknowledgement, paste your photographs and post it with your documents to the Income Tax PAN Services Unit address given on the Protean page. It must arrive within 15 days.

The paperless modes skip step 9 and cost ₹6 less.

UTIITSL is the other agency authorised to take PAN applications. The documents and the form are the same; UTIITSL gives you a coupon number instead of an acknowledgement number.

Fees in detail

For a foreign address, the payment options depend on the country; Protean lists them on its portal.

After you apply

You can check progress on Protean’s Status Track page with your 15-digit acknowledgement number, three days after applying. Protean also gives status on its IVR at 08069708080 and on WhatsApp at 8096078080. Its helpline is 020-27218080.

Once the PAN is allotted, the e-PAN is emailed to the address in your application, and the card is posted if you paid for one.

After you receive the PAN, link it with Aadhaar and use it when you file your income tax return. Our PAN, TAN and Aadhaar linking guide covers that step.

For anything unusual, such as a name mismatch across documents, a tax professional or a PAN centre can help you before you pay.

Frequently asked questions

Is Form 49A still used to apply for PAN?

No. From 1 April 2026, Indian citizens apply on Form 93. PANs issued earlier on Form 49A remain valid.

How much does a new PAN card cost?

₹107 for a physical card at an Indian address, or ₹101 if you apply paperless. An e-PAN without a card costs ₹72 or ₹66, and the instant e-PAN through Aadhaar is free.

Can I apply for PAN without Aadhaar?

Yes. You can use other identity, address and date-of-birth documents, such as a passport or voter ID, and send them by post in physical mode.

What is the acknowledgement number?

It is the 15-digit number Protean issues when you submit. You need it to track the application.

Do I need to send documents by post?

Only if you choose physical mode. They must reach Protean within 15 days. The e-KYC, e-Sign and DSC modes are fully paperless.

I lost my PAN card. Should I apply again?

No. Your PAN number does not change. Ask for a reprint or download the e-PAN instead of applying for a second PAN.

Can an NRI apply for PAN online?

Yes. An Indian citizen living abroad uses Form 93 and can give a foreign address; the card fee for a foreign address is ₹1,017, or ₹1,011 paperless.

Sources

• FAQs – Request for New PAN (fees) — Protean eGov Technologies (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Steps for online PAN application (Form 93/94) — Protean eGov Technologies (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Documents required for Form 93/94 — Protean eGov Technologies (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Download PAN application forms — Protean eGov Technologies (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• FAQ on PAN procedure — Protean eGov Technologies (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Instant e-PAN user manual — Income Tax Department e-Filing portal (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• FAQs on e-PAN — Income Tax Department (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• New PAN forms 93–96 in effect from 1 April 2026 — Business Today (checked 16 Sep 2026)