How to apply for a lost PAN Card?

Introduction

PAN, the Permanent Account Number, is the single most important document issued by the government to track the financial transactions of an individual in India. The PAN Card becomes an important document required for all financial transactions, especially those involving large sums of money. All such transactions can fail if the PAN Card is not readily available or misplaced. It is, thus, an important document every citizen must possess as proof of financial identity.

What is a duplicate PAN Card?

The Income Tax Department issues a Duplicate PAN Card in case the original is lost, misplaced, or stolen. You can obtain the duplicate by following an easy procedure online on the website authorized by the IT department. You can get a copy offline by submitting the necessary paperwork.
 

How to get a Duplicate PAN Card?

You can apply for a duplicate PAN card online as well as offline.

Online Application Process

Step 1: Visit the official NSDL website link given below. https://www.onlineservices.nsdl.com/paam/endUserRegisterContact.html

Step 2: Under ‘Application Type’, select the option ‘Changes or Correction in existing PAN data/ Reprint of PAN Card (No Changes in Existing PAN Data)

Step 3: Select the ‘Category’ from the options in the dropdown menu.

Step 4: Complete the form on the page by filling in the required fields of full name, Date of Birth, email, and mobile number. Click on submit after authenticating the Captcha.

Step 5: A token number is sent to the email provided by you. Click on the button given below the token number. The token number should be preserved for future reference.

Step 6: On the new page that appears, select ‘Submit digitally through e-KYC and e-sign (paperless).’

Step 7: In the next menu, you can select if you want a physical or virtual card. If you select ‘Yes’ under ’Whether Physical PAN Card is required?’, you will receive the physical card at your registered address. If you choose to receive an e-PAN Card, it will be delivered to your email id.

Step 8: All the required information will be taken directly from your Aadhar once you check the declaration.

Step 9: Check if all the details are correctly filled in the form that appears on the screen. If there are no errors, click on ‘Proceed’.

Step 10: The next section is the payment section, where you must make the payment using one of the options of demand draft, net banking, debit card, or credit card.

Step 11: After successful payment, an acknowledgement slip is generated with a 15-digit number that can be used to track the status of your application.

Step 12: The card is sent to your email 15 days after applying. 

How to apply for a Duplicate PAN Card offline?

Step 1: Download the form ‘Request for new PAN Card and/or changes or corrections in PAN data’ from any one of the following websites: www.incometaxindia.gov.in OR www.utiitsl.com OR www.tin-nsdl.com

Step 2: Fill your details like name, date of birth, mobile number, email address, etc.

Step 3: Fill in your 10-digit PAN Number.

Step 4: Paste your passport-size photographs in the spaces provided. Sign across the photographs or print a thumb impression over the photograph.

Step 5: Send the form to the nearest Protean eGov Technologies Ltd. centre with the other required documents like proof of identity, proof of address, and proof of birth.

Step 6: After the payment is made, the Protean eGov centre will review the form and provide you with a 15-digit reference number.

Step 7: The application must be approved by the Income-tax PAN services unit. If approved, you will receive the Duplicate PAN Card 14 days from the date of your application.

When do you need to apply for a duplicate PAN Card?

There can be many circumstances under which an entity or individual may have to get a duplicate PAN Card. The most common ones are discussed below:

1. Loss or Theft: The PAN Card is usually carried and stored in safe baggage. You can keep it in a handbag or a wallet or any such means of carrying items when you are travelling. There is always a possibility of losing personal baggage like purses, handbags, and document files where we store important documents. Many times, such baggage is recognizable and hence more at the risk of theft and loss. Theft is one of the most common instances when the PAN Card needs to be reprinted.

2. Misplaced: The PAN Card being relatively small in size, can get misplaced very easily. Sometimes, you may keep it too carefully and misplace it in the process.

3. Damaged: The PAN Card can get damaged or disfigured due to accidents like being wet for a long time in rains or breakage due to wear and tear. The card is practically useless if details on the card are not visible. In such situations, it is necessary to reprint the card.

4. Change of information: PAN is an important document and it is not advisable to have wrong information on it. If there is a misprint of any information on the card, like a spelling mistake, you must correct it and the card must be reprinted. 
 

Who can apply for a duplicate PAN Card?

Every entity that pays taxes must have signatory authority for the PAN. Apart from an individual, every entity such as an organization, a business, or a HUF (Hindu Undivided Family) has an authorized signatory as given below:
 

How to surrender duplicate PAN Card?

If you hold more than one PAN Card, you have to surrender it to the Income Tax department. The law does not permit any entity to hold more than one PAN Card. Follow these steps to surrender your extra PAN Card.

1. Write a letter to the assessing officer with all your details like Name, Date of Birth, and the details of the PAN Card. These details have to be given for both the cards -  the one to be retained and the one to be surrendered.
2. You can hand over the letter to the assessing officer or send it by speed post. 
3. The acknowledgment receipt is proof of the duplicate card being cancelled.

The PAN card is the most important financial document for every tax-paying Indian citizen or entity. The government has made it mandatory to attach a copy of the PAN for every process that involves a financial transaction. 

In such a situation the online process of getting a duplicate PAN Card makes matters easy for every citizen. They can get a duplicate of their lost PAN in a fixed time or even download a soft copy on their hard drive. This can help citizens and entities to complete mandatory financial processes seamlessly without being hassled or delayed.