How to Check PAN Card Status Online: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide

August 29, 2026

Applying for a Permanent Account Number (PAN) is a crucial step for managing your financial and tax-related activities in India. Once you submit your application for a new PAN card, a correction, or a reprint, you will naturally want to monitor its progress. Knowing how to check PAN card status online allows you to track your application in real time, ensuring you are updated on its processing and dispatch details.

The Income Tax Department of India has authorized two external entities to process, reprint, and update physical PAN cards: Protean eGov Technologies Limited (formerly NSDL) and UTI Infrastructure Technology and Services Limited (UTIITSL). It is important to note that an application submitted through Protean cannot be tracked on UTIITSL’s portal, and vice versa, as each entity issues its own distinct alphanumeric tracking receipt identifier. Checking your PAN status or verifying its validity online is completely free of cost. Additionally, the Income Tax Department directly issues digital e-PANs for free on its official e-Filing portal using Aadhaar card details, which is a completely paperless route that does not automatically issue a physical card.

Prerequisites for Checking PAN Card Status

Before you begin tracking your PAN card application or verifying an existing PAN, you must gather the necessary details. No physical documents need to be uploaded to track or verify PAN status online. You only need the relevant receipt numbers or core identifiers and active mobile access to receive One-Time Passwords (OTPs).

Depending on the portal you are using, make sure you have the following details ready:

For Tracking via Protean (NSDL) Portal: A valid 15-digit numeric Acknowledgement Number, which is provided to you immediately upon the submission of your new application, correction, or reprint request.
For Tracking via UTIITSL Portal: Your Application Coupon Number (which begins with ‘U-‘ followed by a series of numbers) or your existing 10-character alphanumeric PAN (if you are tracking a correction or reprint request). You will also need the Date of Birth (for individuals) or the Date of Incorporation, Agreement, Partnership, or Deed (for companies and non-individual entities).
For Tracking Instant e-PAN Status (Income Tax Portal): A valid 12-digit Aadhaar Number and active access to the Aadhaar-registered mobile number to receive the verification OTP.
For Verifying Active PAN Status (Income Tax Portal): A valid 10-character PAN, your Full Name (written exactly as it appears on the PAN card), your Date of Birth or Date of Incorporation, and any valid, active mobile number to receive a 6-digit verification OTP.

Step-by-Step Methods to Check PAN Card Status Online

There are four primary online methods to track your PAN card application or verify the validity of an existing PAN card. Follow the step-by-step instructions below for the method that matches your application route.

Method 1: Track Application Status on the Protean (formerly NSDL) Portal

If you submitted your PAN application through the Protean portal, you can track its status by following these steps:

Open your web browser and navigate to the official Protean PAN/TAN Status Tracking page.
Locate the ‘Application Type’ drop-down menu and select ‘PAN – New / Change Request’.
In the ‘Acknowledgement Number’ field, enter your 15-digit numeric tracking number.
Carefully type the security captcha code shown in the image box.
Click ‘Submit’. The screen will display your current processing status, the dispatch date, and the India Post Speed Post tracking number if the physical card has already been sent.

Method 2: Track Application Status on the UTIITSL Portal

If your application was processed through UTIITSL, use their dedicated tracking system by following these steps:

Visit the official UTIITSL Track PAN Card page.
In the first field, enter your Application Coupon Number or your 10-character PAN (if you are tracking a correction or reprint request).
Enter your Date of Birth (for individuals) or Date of Incorporation (for organizations) in the DD/MM/YYYY format.
Enter the security captcha characters exactly as they are displayed on the screen.
Click ‘Submit’. The tracking system will display your application details, its current state of completion, and dispatch details if applicable.

Method 3: Check Instant e-PAN Status on the Income Tax e-Filing Portal

If you applied for a free, paperless digital e-PAN directly through the Income Tax Department using your Aadhaar details, you can check its status and download it by following these steps:

Visit the official Income Tax e-Filing homepage.
Under the ‘Quick Links’ section on the homepage, click on ‘Instant e-PAN’.
On the next page, locate the ‘Check Status / Download e-PAN’ tile and click ‘Continue’.
Enter your 12-digit Aadhaar Number and click ‘Continue’.
Enter the 6-digit OTP sent to your Aadhaar-registered mobile number and click ‘Validate Aadhaar OTP and Continue’. Note that this OTP remains valid for 15 minutes.
The screen will display the current status of your e-PAN, showing whether it is pending generation or ready. If it has been generated, you will see options to ‘View e-PAN’ or ‘Download e-PAN’ to save a digitally signed PDF copy.

Method 4: Verify the Validity of an Existing PAN (Active/Inactive Check)

If you already have a PAN card and want to verify if it is active, valid, and contains the correct legal details in the central database, follow these steps:

Go to the official Income Tax e-Filing homepage.
In the ‘Quick Links’ menu, click on ‘Verify PAN Status’.
On the ‘Verify PAN Status’ form, enter the following details: your 10-character alphanumeric PAN, your Full Name (exactly as printed on the physical PAN card), your Date of Birth (DD/MM/YYYY), and any valid, active mobile number.
Click ‘Continue’.
On the verification page, enter the 6-digit OTP sent to your mobile phone and click ‘Validate’.
The screen will immediately display whether your PAN is active and if the details you entered match those in the central PAN database.

Alternative Offline Methods to Track PAN Status

If you face portal downtime or do not have stable internet access, Protean provides alternative offline tracking routes to check your application status:

TIN-NSDL Call Centre: You can call the official helpline on 020-27218080 or 08069708080 to request a status update from a customer service representative.
SMS-based Tracking: Send an SMS containing the text ‘NSDLPAN <your 15-digit acknowledgement number>’ to the shortcode 57575. An automated status update will be sent back to your mobile phone via SMS.
WhatsApp Inquiry: You can send ‘Hi’ to the official WhatsApp number 8096078080 to interact with the Protean support assistant and check your status.

Key Benefits of Tracking Your PAN Online

Using the official online portals to track your PAN card offers several key benefits:

Live Status Transparency: Online tracking allows you to easily trace whether your application is pending, undergoing verification, or has successfully transitioned to the printing and dispatch stage.
Postal Dispatch Details: Once your physical PAN card is dispatched, the tracking portals display the India Post Speed Post tracking number (a 13-character alphanumeric code). This allows you to trace the transit details directly on India Post’s tracking system.
Instant Digital Copy: Checking your instant e-PAN status allows you to immediately download a digitally signed PDF copy of your PAN card. This e-PAN acts as valid legal proof for all financial transactions and official purposes.

Important Rules, Limits, and Warnings

To ensure a smooth tracking experience and protect your personal data, keep the following rules, limits, and warnings in mind.

Wait Time and OTP Limitations

Tracking portals normally require 48 to 72 hours after you submit a physical or online application before your status records are updated in the system. Trying to check your status before this window has passed can lead to a ‘No Record Found’ message. Additionally, OTPs issued during the Income Tax portal steps remain valid for 15 minutes, and users have a maximum of 3 validation attempts. For individual verifications, a single mobile number can be utilized to verify a maximum of 5 different PANs per day.

Security Warning: Avoid Unofficial Trackers

Do not input sensitive personal details, such as your PAN, Aadhaar number, or Date of Birth, into third-party online status trackers. Unofficial websites can compromise your data privacy. Always ensure you are using official domains belonging to the Income Tax Department (incometax.gov.in), Protean (proteantech.in or nsdl.com), or UTIITSL (utiitsl.com).

Inoperative PAN Status and Aadhaar Linking Fee

If checking your active status reveals that your PAN has become ‘Inoperative,’ it implies that your PAN was not linked with your Aadhaar card prior to the government’s mandatory deadline of June 30, 2023. An inoperative PAN prevents the processing of income tax refunds and triggers higher TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) and TCS (Tax Collected at Source) deduction rates. To reactivate an inoperative PAN, you must pay a late payment fee of ₹1,000 via the e-Pay Tax facility on the e-Filing portal before initiating the Aadhaar link request.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the status “Under Process” mean?

This status indicates that the processing agency (Protean or UTIITSL) is currently reviewing your submitted documents and matching your details. No immediate action is required from your end while this review is underway.

What should I do if the portal says “No Record Found”?

First, double-check that you have entered the correct 15-digit Acknowledgement Number (for Protean) or Application Coupon Number (for UTIITSL). If you recently submitted your application, please wait 48 to 72 hours from the time of submission for the database to synchronize before checking again.

Can I verify my PAN status using a mobile number that is not registered with the Income Tax Department?

Yes. For the pre-login ‘Verify Your PAN’ service on the e-Filing portal, any valid, active mobile number that you currently have access to can be used to receive the 6-digit verification OTP.

Can I track my application status using only my name and Date of Birth?

UTIITSL permits users to query their dispatch details using their actual PAN number and Date of Birth (for correction or reprint requests). However, tracking a fresh PAN application from scratch typically requires your original Acknowledgement Number or Application Coupon Number.

Conclusion

Checking your PAN card status online is a simple, secure, and completely free process when conducted through official government-authorized channels. Whether you are tracking a new application through Protean or UTIITSL, downloading an instant e-PAN, or verifying the active status of an existing card, using the official portals ensures your personal data remains protected. Remember to keep your PAN active by ensuring it is linked with your Aadhaar, and resolve any ‘Inoperative’ status promptly to avoid financial disruptions or higher tax deduction rates.