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What is a PAN CARD? Why do I Need it? For any questions about PAN Card, click here.

1. What Is PAN Card?
Permanent Account Number (PAN) is a ten-digit alphanumeric number, issued in the form of a laminated card, by the Income Tax Department. A typical PAN is AABPS1205E.

2. Why Is It Necessary To Have PAN?
It is mandatory to quote PAN on return of income, all correspondence with any income tax authority. From 1 January 2005 it will be mandatory to quote PAN on challans for any payments due to Income Tax Department.

It is also compulsory to quote PAN in all documents pertaining to financial transactions notified from time-to-time by the Central Board of Direct Taxes. Some such transactions are sale and purchase of immovable property or motor vehicle or payments in cash, of amounts exceeding Rs. 25,000/-to hotels and restaurants or in connection with travel to any foreign country. It is also mandatory to mention PAN for obtaining a telephone or cellular telephone connection. Likewise, PAN has to be mentioned for making a time deposit exceeding Rs. 50,000/- with a Bank or Post Office or depositing cash of Rs. 50,000/- or more in a Bank.

3. How does Income Tax Department ensure that PAN is quoted on transactions mentioned above?

It is statutory responsibility of a person receiving document relating to economic or financial transactions notified by the CBDT to ensure that PAN has been duly quoted in the document.

4. Is it compulsory to quote PAN on return of income?
Yes, it is compulsory to quote PAN on return of income.

5. How will these authorities verify PAN?
A facility for verifying PAN is available on the website of the Income Tax department.

6. Who must have a PAN?
i. All existing assesses or taxpayers or persons who are required to furnish a return of income, even on behalf of others, must obtain PAN.
ii. Any person, who intends to enter into financial transaction where quoting PAN is mandatory, must also obtain PAN. { Section 139A (5) (c) read with Rule 114B}
iii. The Assessing Officer may allot PAN to any person either on his own or on a specific request from such person. {Section 139A (2) and (3)}

7. Can a person obtain or use more than one PAN?
Obtaining or possessing more than one PAN is against the law. {Section 139A (7)}

8. Where to apply for PAN?
In order to improve PAN related services, the Income Tax department has authorized UTI Investor Services Ltd (UTIISL) to set up and manage IT PAN Service Centers in all cities or towns where there is an Income Tax office and National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL) to dispense PAN services from TIN Facilitation Centers. For convenience of PAN applicants in big cities, UTIISL has set up more than one IT PAN Service Center and likewise there are more than one TIN Facilitation Centers.

9. How to apply for a PAN? Can an application for PAN be made on plain paper?
PAN application should be made only on Form 49A. A PAN application (Form 49A) can be downloaded from the website of Income Tax department or UTIISL or NSDL (www.incometaxindia.gov.in,www.utiisl.co.in or tin.nsdl.com) or printed by local printers or photocopied (on A4 size 70 GSM paper) or obtained from any other source. The form is also available at IT PAN Service centers and TIN Facilitation centers. 10. Can an application for PAN be made in Form 49A obtained from anywhere? Yes, PAN application may be made on Form 49A obtained from any source other than IT PAN Service Centers or TIN Facilitation Centers. For instance, a PAN application may be made on form downloaded from the website of Income Tax department or UTIISL or NSDL; or on form printed by local printers or a photocopy of downloaded or printed form.

11. Can an application for PAN be made through Internet?
Yes, application for fresh allotment of PAN can be made through Internet. Further, requests for changes or correction in PAN data or request for new PAN card (for an existing PAN) may also be made through Internet. For more details visit (www.tin-nsdl.com)

12. How do I get a PAN allotted quickly (TATKAL)?
If an application for allotment of PAN is submitted through Internet and payment made through a 'nominated' credit card, the PAN is allotted on priority and communicated through email.

13. How to find an IT PAN Service Center or TIN Facilitation Center?
Location of IT PAN Service Centers or TIN Facilitation Centers in any city may be obtained from local Income Tax Office or any office of UTI/UTIISL or NSDL in that city or from websites of the Income Tax department (www.incometaxindia.gov.in or UTIISL(www.utiisl.co.in) or NSDL (http://tin.nsdl.com)

14. What services are provided by these IT PAN Service Centers or TIN Facilitation Centers? IT PAN Service Centers or TIN Facilitation Centers will supply PAN application forms (Form 49A) and forms for 'Request For New PAN Card Or/ And Changes In PAN Data', assist the applicant in filling up the form, collect filled form and issue acknowledgment slip. After obtaining PAN from the Income Tax department, UTIISL or NSDL as the case may be, will print the PAN card and deliver it to the applicant.

15. What if I submit incomplete Form 49A? IT PAN Service Centers or TIN Facilitation Centers shall not receive any incomplete and deficient PAN application. However, these centers will assist applicants to correctly fill up form 49A or 'Request For New PAN Card Or/ And Changes In PAN Data', as the case may be.

16. What documents and information have to be submitted along with the application for Form 49A?
a. Individual applicants will have to affix one recent, colored photograph (Stamp Size: 3.5 cms x 2.5 cms) on Form 49A;
b. Any one document listed in Rule 114 must be supplied as proof of 'Identity' and 'Address'; and
c. Designation and code of the concerned Assessing Officer of Income Tax department will have to be mentioned in Form 49A.

For applying for your PAN card or for more details, click here to visit the official page for PAN Card