The Income Tax Department has announced that instant e-PAN services will not be available for two days due to scheduled maintenance activity. For those who don’t know what an e-PAN is, the Instant e-PAN service is available to all Individual taxpayers, who have not been allotted a Permanent Account Number (PAN) but possess Aadhaar. This is a pre-login service, where you can:
- Obtain digitally signed PAN in electronic format, free of cost, with the help of Aadhaar and your mobile number linked with Aadhaar,
- Update PAN details as per Aadhaar e-KYC,
- Create e-Filing account based on e-KYC details after allotment / updation of PAN, and
- Check status of pending e-PAN request / Download e-PAN either before or after logging in to the e-Filing portal.
Instant e-PAN services will not be available on this date
The Income Tax Department said on the e-filing ITR portal: “Due to scheduled maintenance activity, Instant E-PAN services will not be available from 12:00AM, 17th August 2025 to 12:00AM,19th August 2025. Please plan your activities accordingly.”
Also read: ITR filing deadline needs to be extended due to discrepancies in Form 26AS, AIS, system error while ITR uploading, and other issues, says GCCI
Chartered Accountant Himank Singla, partner, SBHS & Associates, says: “An e-PAN (Electronic Permanent Account Number) is a digitally signed PAN card issued in PDF format. It is generated instantly for eligible applicants using their Aadhaar details, without requiring submission of physical documents. This facility is particularly useful for individuals who need a PAN urgently for opening bank accounts, investing in securities, conducting high-value transactions, or complying with income tax rules.”
Also read: Section 87A tax rebate can be claimed for short term capital gains income under new tax regime, rules ITAT Ahmedabad
FAQs on e-PAN
Question 1: I have a PAN but I have lost it. Can I get a new e-PAN through Aadhaar?
Answer: No.This service can only be used if you do not have a PAN, but have a valid Aadhaar and your KYC details are updated.
Question 2: Are there any charges / fee for e-PAN?
Answer: No. It is completely free of cost.
Question 3: What are the pre-requisites for availing an instant e-PAN?
Answer: The pre-requisite for obtaining instant e-PAN are:
- Individual who has not been allotted a PAN
- Valid Aadhaar and mobile number linked to Aadhaar
- User not a minor as on date of request; and
- User not covered under the definition of Representative Assessee u/s 160 of the Income Tax Act.
Question 4: What documents do I require for obtaining a new e-PAN?
Answer: You only require a valid Aadhaar with updated KYC details, and a valid mobile number linked with your Aadhaar.
Question 5: Why do I need to generate an e-PAN?
Answer: It is mandatory to quote your Permanent Account Number (PAN) while filing your Income Tax Return. If you have not been allotted a PAN, you can generate your e-PAN with the help of your Aadhaar and a mobile number registered with your Aadhaar. Generating e-PAN is free of cost, online process and does not require you to fill up any forms.
Question 6: The current status of my PAN allotment request status is updated as “PAN allotment request has failed”. What should I do?
Answer: In case of failure of e-PAN allotment, you can apply for PAN through NSDL or UTITSL.
Question 7: How will I know that my e-PAN generation request is submitted successfully?
Answer: A success message will be displayed along with an Acknowledgement ID. Please keep a note of the Acknowledgement ID for future reference. Additionally, you will receive a copy of the Acknowledgement ID on your mobile number registered with Aadhaar.
Question 8: I am not able to update my Date of Birth in my e-PAN. What should I do?
Answer: If only the year of birth is available in your Aadhaar, you will have to update the date of birth in your Aadhaar and try again.
Question 9: Can foreign citizens apply for PAN through e-KYC mode?
Answer: No.
Question 10: If my Aadhaar authentication gets rejected during e-KYC, what should I do?
Answer: Aadhaar authentication may get rejected due to using the wrong OTP. The problem can be resolved by entering the correct OTP. If it still gets rejected, you have to contact UIDAI.
