There is a free, official way to get a PAN card using nothing but your Aadhaar, and it takes minutes. There is also a large industry of agents and lookalike websites charging several hundred rupees for the same thing. The only difference between the two is knowing which page to open.
This is the instant e-PAN facility, run by the Income Tax Department. Here is exactly how it works, who can use it, and where the fake versions catch people.
Start at the Right Website
This matters more than any other step, because PAN is one of the most impersonated services in India.
The correct address is incometax.gov.in — the e-filing portal. On the homepage, under Quick Links, look for Instant e-PAN. It is available before you log in; you do not need an account.
Places that are not the instant e-PAN facility: incometaxindia.gov.in, which is the department’s information site; any site with “pan” and “card” in a hyphenated domain; any page that asks for payment for a new e-PAN; and anyone on WhatsApp offering to arrange it. Search results routinely put paid intermediaries above the official page, so type the address rather than clicking the first result.
What You Need Before You Begin
- A valid Aadhaar number
- A mobile number linked to that Aadhaar and currently working
- Aadhaar demographic details — name, date of birth, gender — that are correct
- An email address
The mobile number is the usual sticking point. The whole flow is verified by an OTP sent to the number in your Aadhaar record, so if that number is dead, this will not work. Fixing it is a separate errand covered in our guide to linking your mobile number with Aadhaar.
Who Is Eligible
The facility is narrower than people assume. You qualify only if all of these are true:
- You are an individual — not a company, firm, HUF or trust
- You do not already hold a PAN. Holding two PANs is an offence, so do not use this to get a spare
- You have a valid Aadhaar with a linked mobile number
- You are not a minor
- You are not covered as a Representative Assessee under section 160
If any of these fail, you need the regular PAN application route through the authorised service providers, which is chargeable.
The Process
- Open incometax.gov.in and select Instant e-PAN under Quick Links.
- Choose Get New e-PAN.
- Enter your Aadhaar number and tick the confirmation and consent boxes.
- Request the OTP. It goes to your Aadhaar-linked mobile and is valid for 15 minutes. You get three attempts.
- Enter the OTP and accept the UIDAI validation terms.
- Check the demographic details pulled from Aadhaar carefully — name spelling, date of birth, gender. This is what will be printed on your PAN, and correcting it afterwards is a separate application.
- Validate your email address if prompted.
- Submit. You receive an acknowledgement number by SMS and email.
Then use the Check Status / Download e-PAN option with your Aadhaar number to retrieve the PDF once it is generated.
How Long It Actually Takes
Nearly every article on this subject promises ten minutes. The Income Tax Department’s own user manual gives no committed time. In practice it is usually near-immediate, but it can take longer when the portal is busy or when Aadhaar validation is slow.
Treat it as “usually quick, occasionally not” and do not plan a same-hour bank appointment around it.
The e-PAN Is a Real PAN
A common worry: is the PDF a proper PAN or a provisional one? It is a proper PAN, issued with a digital signature, and it is valid everywhere a PAN is required — banks, employers, mutual funds, ITR filing.
The PDF is password protected. The password is your date of birth in DDMMYYYY format. If you want a physical card, that is a separate paid reprint request through the authorised providers; it is optional and most people never need one.
Save the PDF somewhere durable, and consider pulling your PAN into DigiLocker, where the issued copy carries the same legal standing as a physical card.
Updating an Existing PAN Through the Same Route
Less well known: the same Aadhaar-based e-KYC facility can be used to update details on a PAN you already hold, which is useful after a name change or a correction to your date of birth. Look for the update option within the Instant e-PAN section rather than starting a fresh application — applying again would create a duplicate PAN, which you must not do.
When It Fails
“Aadhaar not linked with mobile number.” The most common failure. Nothing here works until that is fixed at a Seva Kendra.
Demographic mismatch. Aadhaar details that do not match what the system expects. Correct the Aadhaar record first.
“PAN already exists.” You have one, possibly issued years ago through an employer. Retrieve it rather than applying again — the penalty for holding two PANs is real.
OTP not arriving. Check signal, wait out the 15-minute window, and retry. Repeated failures usually mean the number in your Aadhaar record is not the number in your hand.
After You Have It
The first thing to do with a new PAN is check whether it needs linking to your Aadhaar, since an unlinked PAN can become inoperative and cause problems with refunds and higher TDS. Our guide to PAN–Aadhaar linking and inoperative PAN covers who is exempt and what the penalty is.
And keep the number private. A PAN plus a name and date of birth is enough for several kinds of identity fraud. We cover India’s digital identity systems and the ways they get abused at Techleez com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is instant e-PAN free?
Yes, through the official Income Tax e-filing portal. Anyone charging you for a new e-PAN is an intermediary, not the department.
Is an e-PAN valid as a physical PAN card?
Yes. It is digitally signed and accepted wherever a PAN is required. A physical card is optional and involves a separate paid request.
What is the password for the e-PAN PDF?
Your date of birth in DDMMYYYY format.
Can I get an e-PAN without linking my mobile to Aadhaar?
No. The process is verified by an OTP sent to your Aadhaar-linked number.
Can a minor apply for an instant e-PAN?
No. Minors must use the regular PAN application route.
I already have a PAN but cannot find it. Should I apply again?
No. Holding two PANs is an offence. Use the Know Your PAN facility on the e-filing portal to retrieve the existing number.
Fold Smith
Fold Smith is a technology journalist and the lead editor of The Techleez, an India-first publication that decodes technology, digital payments, streaming and online culture for everyday readers. From UPI and fintech explainers to OTT streaming guides, Android tips and online-safety checklists, he personally tests the apps, tools and services featured on the site before recommending them. His focus is practical, research-backed guidance that helps Indian readers make smarter digital decisions — spend less, stream better and stay safe online. When he is not writing, he is usually tracking NPCI circulars, first-day-first-show box office numbers, or the next big OTT premiere.
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