Protean (NSDL) & UTIITSL · Updated July 2026
PAN Card Status — Track Your Application
Applied for a new PAN, a correction, or a reprint? Here’s exactly how to check your status depending on where you applied, plus a free tool to decode a PAN’s structure.
What’s New for PAN in 2026
- Existing PAN and TAN numbers remain fully valid, nobody needs to reapply under the new Income Tax Act, 2025 (effective 1 April 2026).
- Fresh applications filed from 1 April 2026 use new forms (93, 94, 95, 96, 134, 135), replacing the old Form 49A/49AA.
- Aadhaar alone is no longer accepted as proof of date of birth for new applications, a separate DOB document is now required.
- A PAN not linked to Aadhaar is treated as inoperative, which can trigger higher TDS and blocked refunds.
Source: Income Tax Department / CBDT FAQs on the Income Tax Act, 2025.
Please enter a PAN first.
This reads the structure only. The real check digit isn’t publicly documented by the Income Tax Department, so this can’t confirm a PAN is genuinely allotted.
The Structure
How a PAN Is Built
A PAN (Permanent Account Number) is a 10-character code, and unlike most ID numbers, several of its characters carry real meaning rather than being fully random.
AO Series
First 3 letters. A running alphabetic series tied to the Assessing Officer’s jurisdiction, not personally meaningful.
Holder Type
4th letter. P = Individual, C = Company, H = HUF, F = Firm, A = AOP, T = Trust, B = BOI, L = Local Authority, J = Artificial Juridical Person, G = Government.
Name Initial
5th letter. First letter of your surname (for individuals) or of the entity’s name (for everyone else).
Sequence No.
Next 4 digits. A sequential filler number, 0001 to 9999, within that AO series.
Check Digit
Final letter. A computed check character. The Income Tax Department has never published the formula, so no outside tool can verify it.
Step One
Which Portal Did You Apply Through?
This is the single biggest reason people think their application is “stuck”: they’re checking on the wrong portal. Your application only exists on the one you actually applied through.
Protean eGov Technologies (formerly NSDL)
- You’ll need your 15-digit Acknowledgement Number from your application receipt or confirmation email.
- Tracking usually opens about 24 hours after submission.
- Look for “Protean” or “NSDL” in your original confirmation email if you’re unsure.
UTIITSL
- You’ll need your Application Coupon Number plus your date of birth, or your PAN number plus date of birth for a correction/reprint.
- Entity applicants use date of incorporation/agreement instead of date of birth.
- Look for “UTIITSL” or “UTI” in your original confirmation email if you’re unsure.
More Ways
Every Way to Check Your PAN Status
SMS
Send your 15-digit acknowledgement number to check a Protean application from your phone.
NSDLPAN <ack number> → 57575Message the official Protean WhatsApp number, choose Services → Status of Application → PAN.
Save +91 8096078080Call
Speak to a call centre executive and provide your acknowledgement or coupon number.
Protean: 020-27218080 · UTIITSL: 022-67931300Apps
Use the UMANG app for Protean applications, or the MyPAN app for UTIITSL applications.
UMANG (Protean) · MyPAN (UTIITSL)Instant e-PAN (Aadhaar)
Only for a first-time PAN via Aadhaar OTP, not for tracking an existing Protean/UTIITSL application.
incometax.gov.in → Instant e-PANAlready Allotted
Already Have a PAN? Check If It’s Active
If your PAN has already been issued and you just want to confirm it’s in good standing, that’s a different check from application tracking. Log in at the Income Tax e-filing portal, or use the no-login “Verify PAN” option, to see your current status.
An inoperative PAN is almost always caused by a missing PAN–Aadhaar link. Consequences include higher TDS deduction and refunds that can’t be processed until it’s fixed. Link it directly at incometax.gov.in ↗.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on where you applied. If you applied through Protean (formerly NSDL), use your 15-digit acknowledgement number on the Protean status page. If you applied through UTIITSL, use your coupon number (or PAN) plus your date of birth on the UTIITSL tracking page.
They’re two separate, officially authorised agencies, and your application only exists on the one you actually applied through. Protean needs your 15-digit acknowledgement number. UTIITSL needs your application coupon number and date of birth. Checking the wrong one will show no record, even though your application is fine.
Only for Instant e-PAN, which is a separate, Aadhaar-only route for a first-time PAN via the Income Tax e-filing portal. If you applied the regular way through Protean or UTIITSL, you’ll need your acknowledgement or coupon number instead, Aadhaar alone won’t pull up that application.
Visit the UTIITSL PAN tracking page, enter your application coupon number (or your PAN number, if it’s already been allotted and you’re tracking a correction or reprint), add your date of birth and the captcha, then submit.
Search your email or SMS for the original application confirmation, it’s usually there. On UTIITSL, you can also track using your PAN number and date of birth once a PAN has been allotted. On Protean, some guides describe a name-plus-date-of-birth lookup, but the acknowledgement number remains the most reliable option.
Online tracking usually opens about 24 hours after you submit. The e-PAN (PDF) typically arrives by email within 3-4 days, and a physical card by Speed Post within about 15 working days. Instant e-PAN through Aadhaar OTP, where eligible, can be issued in around 10 minutes.
Reprint requests are tracked the same way as new applications, through Protean using your acknowledgement number, or through UTIITSL using your coupon number or your existing PAN plus date of birth. Reprints are typically faster than fresh applications since your details are already verified.
Log in at the Income Tax e-filing portal (incometax.gov.in) and check your profile, or use the no-login ‘Verify PAN’ option. An inoperative PAN, usually caused by not linking it to Aadhaar, can trigger higher TDS deduction and block refund processing until it’s fixed.