TIN PAN Card: Complete Guide
Quick Answer: A TIN PAN card is not a separate card. TIN stands for Tax Information Network, the Income Tax Department system run by Protean eGov Technologies Limited (formerly NSDL e-Governance) that accepts and processes PAN applications. The output is a standard PAN card. Apply at tinpan.proteantech.in, UTIITSL, or the Income Tax e-filing portal. Fee for a physical card in India is ₹107 including GST.
Two Different TINs
| Term | What it is | Status |
|---|---|---|
| TIN (Tax Information Network) | ITD back-end run by Protean for PAN, TAN, TDS/TCS and tax payments | Active |
| TIN (Taxpayer Identification Number) | 11-digit number issued by state VAT departments to dealers | Replaced by 15-digit GSTIN from 1 July 2017 |
Businesses searching for a “TIN number” today need a GSTIN. Every business also needs a PAN, issued under Section 139A of the Income-tax Act.
Where to Apply
| Channel | Operator | Scope | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| tinpan.proteantech.in | Protean eGov Technologies | New PAN, correction, reprint, entities | ₹72 to ₹1,017 |
| pan.utiitsl.com | UTIITSL | New PAN, correction, reprint | Same structure |
| Income Tax e-filing portal | Income Tax Department | Instant e-PAN, individuals only | Free |
- Protean was NSDL e-Governance until 2021. “NSDL PAN” and “tin-nsdl” refer to the same operator.
- Current domains: tinpan.proteantech.in and protean-tinpan.com. Verify the domain before paying.
- Instant e-PAN is free but limited to individuals with Aadhaar linked to an active mobile, no existing PAN. Companies, firms, HUFs, trusts and non-residents (see PAN rules for NRIs) are excluded.
New Forms Effective 1 April 2026
| Old form | Applicant | New form |
|---|---|---|
| Form 49A | Indian citizens and Indian entities | Form 93 / Form 94 |
| Form 49AA | Foreign citizens and foreign entities | Form 95 / Form 96 |
Applications on Form 49A or 49AA filed after 1 April 2026 are liable to be rejected. Printed stock of the old forms is still circulating with vendors and agents.
Fees
| Service | Indian address | Foreign address |
|---|---|---|
| New PAN, physical card + e-PAN | ₹107 | ₹1,017 |
| New PAN, e-PAN only | ₹72 | Not available |
| Change or correction | ₹107 | ₹1,017 |
| Reprint, no data change | ₹50 | ₹959 |
| Instant e-PAN (e-filing portal) | Free | Not available |
- Base charge fixed by ITD: ₹91 + GST (India), ₹862 + GST (foreign).
- Card payments attract about 2% extra from the bank. Demand drafts favour “Protean – PAN”, payable at Mumbai.
- Fees are non-refundable. A rejected application must be filed and paid for again.
- The ₹50 reprint rate applies only through the dedicated reprint link, and only where the last application was processed by Protean or the e-filing portal.
Application Steps
- Open tinpan.proteantech.in, then Services > PAN > Apply Online.
- Select Form 93/94 (Indian) or 95/96 (foreign) and the correct category: Individual, HUF, Company, Firm, LLP, Trust, AOP or Local Authority.
- Choose submission mode:
- Aadhaar e-KYC (OTP): no uploads, no courier. Fastest.
- Scanned upload + e-Sign: uploads required, no courier.
- Physical: print acknowledgement, courier to Protean within 15 days.
- Enter details exactly as they appear on the identity proof.
- Select the AO code (Area Code, AO Type, Range Code, AO Number) using the portal’s search by city and applicant type.
- Pay by card, net banking or demand draft.
- Complete OTP or e-Sign verification.
- Save the 15-digit acknowledgement number. It is the only tracking reference.
Read more: How to Link Aadhaar with PAN Card
Documents
Individuals need proof of identity, address and date of birth. Aadhaar satisfies all three, which is why e-KYC removes the upload step.
- Identity: Aadhaar, passport, voter ID, driving licence
- Address: Aadhaar, passport, bank statement, electricity or landline bill under three months old
- Date of birth: birth certificate, matriculation certificate, passport, Aadhaar
Entities:
| Entity | Document |
|---|---|
| Company | Certificate of Incorporation from RoC |
| Partnership firm | Partnership deed or Registrar of Firms certificate |
| LLP | Certificate of Registration from Registrar of LLPs |
| Trust | Trust deed or Charity Commissioner registration |
| AOP / Society | Registration certificate or agreement copy |
Offline Route: TIN Facilitation Centres
Protean runs TIN Facilitation Centres and PAN Centres nationwide, listed under the Facilitation Centre menu on the TIN site. Useful for:
- Entity applications with bulky supporting documents
- Applicants whose Aadhaar biometrics or OTP repeatedly fail
- Senior citizens without an Aadhaar-linked mobile number
Blank forms are free at these centres and downloadable free online. Any charge for the form itself is an overcharge.
Tracking Status
- Track at tin.tin.proteantech.in under “Know Status of Your Application” using the 15-digit acknowledgement number.
- Standard processing: about 15 working days from receipt of documents or OTP verification, not from the payment date.
- Aadhaar e-KYC applications clear faster because there is no courier leg or manual verification.
- Status stuck at “Documents not received” past ten days usually means the courier leg failed. Send a fresh signed acknowledgement rather than waiting.
PAN 2.0: What Changes for Businesses
| Point | Position as of mid-2026 |
|---|---|
| Approval | CCEA approved on 25 November 2024, outlay ₹1,435 crore |
| Implementation | LTIMindtree Limited as Managed Service Provider |
| Unified portal | In advanced testing. Protean, UTIITSL and e-filing portals continue to operate |
| Existing cards | Remain valid. No expiry, no new number, no reapplication needed |
| New cards | Carry a dynamic QR code reflecting live database values |
| Stated fees under PAN 2.0 | Allotment, updation and correction free; ₹50 for a physical card in India |
PAN is intended to become a common business identifier across government digital systems. Until the unified portal goes live, the current Protean and UTIITSL fee schedule applies.
Messages claiming old PAN cards will be deactivated by a deadline are not supported by any CBDT notification.
Common Rejection Triggers
- Name mismatch with the identity proof, including initials and their expansion
- Wrong AO code, such as a non-corporate applicant selecting a corporate ward
- Superseded form (49A or 49AA) used after 1 April 2026
- Second PAN applied instead of a correction. Holding more than one PAN attracts a ₹10,000 penalty under Section 272B
- Signature crossing the box on a physically submitted acknowledgement
- Paying an agent for Instant e-PAN, which is free for eligible individuals
What Experts Say
Practitioners handling volume PAN work recommend Aadhaar e-KYC wherever the applicant is eligible, since it removes the two largest failure points: the courier leg and manual document verification.
Tax professionals flag the form transition as an active rejection cause through 2026, because old Form 49A stock remains in circulation.
On PAN 2.0, the standard advice to businesses is to take no action. Existing PANs stay valid and no reapplication is required.
FAQs
Is a TIN PAN card different from a normal PAN card? No. TIN is the processing network, not a card category. A PAN issued via Protean is identical to one from UTIITSL or the e-filing portal.
What does a PAN card cost through the TIN portal? ₹107 for a physical card with e-PAN in India, ₹72 for e-PAN only, ₹1,017 for dispatch abroad, ₹50 for a reprint without data change.
Which form applies in 2026? Form 93 or 94 for Indian citizens and entities, Form 95 or 96 for foreign applicants. Both replaced Form 49A and 49AA on 1 April 2026.
Is tin-nsdl.com still valid? TIN services now sit at tinpan.proteantech.in and protean-tinpan.com. Confirm the domain before entering data or paying.
How long does it take? About 15 working days from document receipt or OTP verification. Aadhaar e-KYC is faster.
Can a company get an Instant e-PAN? No. Instant e-PAN is restricted to individuals with Aadhaar. Companies, firms, LLPs and trusts must apply through Protean or UTIITSL.
Does a business need a TIN or a PAN? A PAN is mandatory. The old state VAT TIN no longer exists and has been replaced by GSTIN for GST-registered businesses.
Do existing PAN cards need replacing under PAN 2.0? No. They remain valid indefinitely. A QR-enabled card is issued only on a correction or reprint request.
Bottom Line
Related PAN guides and tools: If you are applying fresh, see our step-by-step PAN card apply online guide. Lost or damaged your card? Read the PAN card reprint guide. Already have your e-PAN? Use the free PAN card photo resize tool to get your photo and signature portal-ready.
For an Indian business in 2026: use Form 93 or 94, apply through Protean or UTIITSL for entities, choose Aadhaar e-KYC where eligible, budget ₹107 per physical card, and ignore PAN 2.0 replacement rumours.
For PAN corrections, Aadhaar-PAN linking and PAN 2.0 updates, see the related guides on FinPulse India.