Instant e-PAN

The Finance Ministry of the Government of India has made obtaining a PAN card easier by introducing the instant e-PAN card or instant Pan card. The Instant e-PAN facility was launched by Nirmala Sitharaman on May 28, 2020. You just need an Aadhar card which is not linked to any PAN number to apply for an Instant PAN. This facility was launched for equipping every Indian with a PAN to ensure that they are tax-compliant and don’t evade tax payments. It is also a way to root out black money and a valid form of the PAN card. It is a digitally-signed PAN card issued on basis of your KYC details. 

Application for an Instant e-PAN is followed up by Aadhar e-KYC. If you haven’t been allotted a PAN but possess an Aadhar card, you can get your Instant e-PAN right-away with an online application. Currently, someone who is minor at the date of the application and Individuals covered under the purview of “Representative Assessee” under Section 160 of the IT Act can’t apply for an Instant e-PAN. You can later update your PAN details after you get a physical PAN card based on the e-KYC details. You can create an e-Filing account based on the e-KYC details after your PAN is allotted/updated. You can’t apply for an Instant e-PAN if you have been allotted a PAN number earlier. It’s a punishable offence to have two PAN numbers. You have to pay Rs. 10,000 as fine if you have two PANs. 

Features of instant e-PAN

The features of the Instant e-PAN are given below: -

1. It is easily processed after the submission of the application. 
2. It is paperless. You don’t need to submit or forward any supporting documents to apply for an Instant e-PAN. 
3. You can apply for and submit the Instant e-PAN application within 10 minutes.
4. An Instant e-PAN has the same legal validity as a physical PAN card.
5. The only documents required to apply for an Instant e-PAN are your Aadhar number and the mobile number that is linked with the aadhar. 
6. You can download and apply for an Instant e-PAN free of cost.
7. An Instant e-PAN is usually processed within 5 minutes and you don’t receive a physical card later. 
8. Instant e-PAN cards don’t possess the father’s name in the file. 

How to apply for an Instant e-PAN?

You can apply for an Instant e-PAN from the e-Filing website of the Income Tax Department by following the steps given below: -

1. Visit Income Tax Portal E-PAN page
2. Click on “Get new e-PAN”
3. Enter your Aadhar number and accept the terms and conditions before you click on “Continue”.
4. Accept the terms and conditions on the “OTP Validation” page before you click on “Continue”.
5. Enter the OTP you received on your Aadhar registered mobile number. Click the checkbox to accept the terms before you click on “Continue”.
6. Click the checkbox to accept the terms on the “Validate Aadhar details” page.
7. You will receive an acknowledgement number with a success message on the screen after you have successfully submitted your Instant e-PAN application. Note down the Acknowledgement number. You will receive an SMS on successful submission on your Aadhar registered number. 
8. Your e-PAN will be mailed in PDF format to your Email ID after it has been allotted and generated. You will get your e-PAN in your mail only when your mail ID is registered with your Aadhar. 

Note for Step 3:

1. If your Aadhaar number is already linked to a valid PAN, you will get a message as – “Entered Aadhaar Number is already linked with a PAN.”
2. If your Aadhaar number is not linked to a valid PAN, you will get a message as – “Entered Aadhaar Number is not linked with any active mobile number.”

Note for Step 4:

1. Linking/validating your email ID (registered with your Aadhaar) is not necessary.
2. If you have updated your email ID in Aadhaar card but it has not been validated, click on “Validate Email”. On the “Validate Email ID” page, type in the OTP received on your aadhar registered mobile number before you click on “Continue.”
3. If you have not updated your email ID in your Aadhaar at all, click on “Link Email ID.” On the “Validate Email ID” page, type in the OTP received on your aadhar registered mobile number before you click on “Continue.”

Note for Step 5:

1. The OTP is valid for 15 minutes and you are given 3 attempts to enter the correct OTP. 
2. The OTP expiry countdown timer on the screen tells you the left before the OTP expires. 

How to track the status of the Instant e-PAN application?

You can track your Instant e-PAN application using your Aadhar number. The steps for tracking the status of your Instant e-PAN application are given below: -

1. Visit Income Tax Portal E-PAN page
2. Click on “Continue” under “Check status/Download PAN”
3. Enter your Aadhar card number before you click on “Submit”.
4. Enter the OTP you received on your Aadhar registered mobile number. Click the checkbox to accept the terms before you click on “Continue”.
5. On the “Current status of your e-PAN request” page, you can check the status of your Instant e-PAN.
6. If you see that your Instant e-PAN is generated, you can click on ‘view the e-PAN’ to view it.
7. You can also download the Instant e-PAN by clicking on “Download e-PAN”.

P.S.: The OTP is valid for 15 minutes and you are given 3 attempts to enter the correct OTP. 

You can’t apply for an Instant e-PAN if you have misplaced your physical PAN card. Your KYC details should be up-to-date to apply for an Instant e-PAN. In case of e-PAN queries, you can mail them at epan@incometax.gov.in. Foreign Citizens and foreign companies can’t apply for an Instant e-PAN. You don’t need to visit any PAN center for verification since everything is done online. Aadhar authentication may get rejected during e-KYC when you apply for an Instant e-PAN. Just enter the correct OTP to avoid this. You can download the Instant e-PAN and laminate the bottom part of the file to use it as a physical PAN card.