How to Get a PAN Card Online: Free Instant e-PAN vs the Paid Card

If you are an adult with an Aadhaar number linked to your mobile and you have never had a PAN, you can get one free on the Income Tax e-filing portal through Instant e-PAN, and Protean describes it as near real-time. A physical PAN card costs Rs 107 through Protean, or Rs 72 if you want only the e-PAN through that route, as of October 2026. Most people should take the free one first.

• How much fees for a new PAN card?
• How does Instant e-PAN work?
• What are documents required for a PAN card?
• Can I get PAN in 2 days?
• How do you get the physical card later?

How much fees for a new PAN card?

Figures below are from the Income Tax e-filing portal and Protean, as of October 2026. Fees are revised from time to time, so go by the amount the portal shows when you pay.

Route	What you get	Fee
Instant e-PAN, incometax.gov.in	Digitally signed e-PAN, no card	Free
Protean or UTIITSL, Indian address	e-PAN plus physical card by post	Rs 107 (Rs 101 paperless via Protean)
Protean, Indian address	e-PAN only	Rs 72 (Rs 66 for paperless submission)
Protean, address outside India	e-PAN plus card by international courier	About Rs 1,017 (Rs 1,011 paperless)
Reprint of an existing PAN, dispatch in India	Physical card	Rs 50

Agent websites and apps that charge a service fee for "PAN apply" are selling you a form you can fill yourself. The official routes above are the only ones you need.

How does Instant e-PAN work?

On incometax.gov.in, click "Instant e-PAN" under Quick Links, then "Get New e-PAN". You are not eligible if you already hold a PAN, are a minor on the day you apply, or are a representative assessee under the Income Tax Act.

• Enter your Aadhaar number and verify with the OTP sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile.
• You are sent to DigiLocker to pick a date-of-birth document and allow it to be shared.
• Note the acknowledgement number; a confirmation also goes to your mobile.
• Download the e-PAN from the same page under "Check Status / Download e-PAN", using your Aadhaar and an OTP.

An Aadhaar with no linked mobile number has to be fixed first at an Aadhaar centre. Our Aadhaar update guide lists where to go in Kochi.

What are documents required for a PAN card?

For Instant e-PAN, no uploads. You need a valid Aadhaar, the linked mobile number, and a DigiLocker account holding one date-of-birth document: a driving licence, a birth certificate, a Class X marksheet or certificate, or a CGHS card. Our DigiLocker guide explains how to pull those into your account. The paid Protean and UTIITSL routes, which also handle minors and Indian citizens living abroad, ask for identity, address and date-of-birth proof with Form 93, which replaced the old Form 49A from 1 April 2026. Foreign nationals use Form 95/96 instead.

Can I get PAN in 2 days?

Yes, and usually far sooner. Instant e-PAN is issued close to real time when your Aadhaar details are in order. The paid routes take longer: Protean says the e-PAN usually arrives in 3 to 5 days and the physical card in about 10 to 15 working days.

How do you get the physical card later?

Instant e-PAN does not come with a plastic card, but the e-PAN is a valid PAN on its own. If you still want the card, Protean's reprint facility covers PANs processed through Protean or the e-filing portal, at Rs 50 for dispatch within India. Re-downloading your e-PAN from Protean is free within 30 days of issue or update and Rs 8.26 after that.

One more thing to check while you are at it: Protean notes a Rs 1,000 late fee for linking PAN with Aadhaar, so if you have an older PAN that was never linked, sort that out too. A PAN is also what you will need for EPF withdrawals and most bank paperwork.