The standard PAN card photo size changed on 1 April 2026. If you learned the old 3.5 cm x 2.5 cm rule before that date, or you copied specs from a resizing tool that hasn’t updated, your application can bounce back. This guide covers the current photo, signature, and document size for every PAN application mode: the new Forms 93/94/95/96, the Protean (NSDL) online portal, and the UTIITSL portal.
PAN Card Photo Size: Old vs New (2026 Rule Change)
Forms 49A and 49AA were retired on 31 March 2026. Form 93, 94, 95, and 96 replaced them under Rule 158 of the Income-tax Rules, 2026, and the physical photograph size on these new forms changed too.
| Detail | Old spec (Form 49A/49AA, discontinued) | New spec (Form 93/94/95/96, from 1 April 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Photo size | 3.5 cm x 2.5 cm | 4.5 cm x 3.5 cm |
| Applicable form | Form 49A (Indian), 49AA (foreign) | Form 93 (Indian individual), 94 (Indian entity), 95 (foreign individual), 96 (foreign entity) |
| Status | No longer accepted for new applications | Mandatory for all new PAN applications |
Source: Protean eGov Technologies (formerly NSDL), official guidance on the April 2026 PAN form changes.
This is the size to use for the physical photograph pasted onto a printed application form, or for a fresh passport-style photo taken specifically for a new PAN application. Existing PAN cards and PAN numbers issued under the old forms stay valid. You don’t need to reapply just because the form changed.
PAN Card Photo Size for Online Application (Protean/NSDL Portal)
If you’re applying digitally through Protean’s online PAN portal, the scanned image you upload follows a separate technical specification from the physical print size above. As of this writing, Protean’s live guidelines page for Form 93/94 online applications lists these scan requirements:
| Parameter | Photograph | Signature | Supporting documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 200 DPI | 200 DPI | 200 DPI |
| Type | Colour | Colour | Black & white |
| File type | JPEG | JPEG | PDF/A or JPEG |
| File size | Max 20 KB | Max 10 KB | Max 300 KB per page |
| Dimension | 3.5 cm x 2.5 cm | 2 cm x 4.5 cm | N/A |
Source: Protean eGov Technologies, PAN new application guidelines (Form 93/94).
A discrepancy worth flagging: Protean’s own guidance on the new forms states the physical photo size has increased to 4.5 cm x 3.5 cm, but its current online scan-upload specification for Form 93/94 still shows the older 3.5 cm x 2.5 cm dimension. This may reflect a page that hasn’t been updated yet, or it may mean the physical print size and the digital scan size are genuinely different values. Until Protean clarifies this on the live portal, prepare a scan at 3.5 cm x 2.5 cm, 200 DPI, under 20 KB for online submission, and check the confirmation screen before you pay. The portal will reject an out-of-spec file at upload, so you’ll know immediately if it wants something different.
UTI PAN Photo Size: UTIITSL Portal Specifications
UTIITSL runs a separate PAN portal with its own scan specifications, distinct from Protean’s:
| Parameter | Photograph | Signature |
|---|---|---|
| Dimension | 213 x 213 pixels | Flexible, roughly 400 x 200 pixels |
| Resolution | 300 DPI | 600 DPI |
| Type | Colour | Black & white |
| File type | JPEG | JPEG |
| File size | Under 30 KB | Under 60 KB |
The application form and supporting documents (POI/POA) are typically scanned at 200 DPI in colour, PDF/A format, and combined into a single upload capped around 2 MB. Because UTIITSL’s specification page isn’t crawlable, verify the current numbers on the portal itself before you upload. Treat the table above as a close reference, not a guarantee.
Protean vs UTIITSL: Photo and Signature Size at a Glance
| Portal | Photo dimension | Photo size limit | Signature dimension | Signature size limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protean (NSDL) | 3.5 cm x 2.5 cm | 20 KB | 2 cm x 4.5 cm | 10 KB |
| UTIITSL | 213 x 213 px | 30 KB | ~400 x 200 px | 60 KB |
The two portals are not interchangeable. A photo cropped and compressed for Protean will almost always fail UTIITSL’s upload check, and vice versa. Confirm which portal your application is routed through before you prepare files.
PAN Card Signature Size
The signature requirement is easy to get wrong because it’s a landscape strip, not a square or portrait crop like the photo.
- Protean portal: 2 cm (height) x 4.5 cm (width), 200 DPI, colour JPEG, under 10 KB.
- UTIITSL portal: roughly 400 x 200 pixels, 600 DPI, JPEG, under 60 KB, typically scanned black and white.
- Sign in black or dark blue ink on plain white paper. Avoid ballpoint pens that skip or fade under scanning light.
- Don’t sign across the photo on the physical acknowledgment form unless the instructions specifically ask for it. On the PAN Change Request acknowledgment, the signature must partly overlap the photo on the left side; on the photo affixed on the right side, it must not.
PAN Card Photo Size in KB: File Size Limits by Portal
If you only need the file-size numbers:
- Protean photo: maximum 20 KB
- Protean signature: maximum 10 KB
- Protean supporting document: maximum 300 KB per page
- UTIITSL photo: under 30 KB
- UTIITSL signature: under 60 KB
- UTIITSL combined form + documents: around 2 MB total
Both portals reject files that exceed these limits outright. There’s no manual review step for an oversized file, so compress before you attempt the upload rather than after a rejection.
PAN Card Document Size: Supporting Document Upload Limits
Beyond the photo and signature, you’ll scan and upload Proof of Identity, Proof of Address, and Proof of Date of Birth documents. On the Protean portal, each supporting document page must be black and white, PDF/A or JPEG, at 200 DPI, and under 300 KB per page. Note that from 1 April 2026, Aadhaar is no longer accepted as standalone proof of date of birth: a birth certificate, passport, driving licence, or similar document is required for that specific proof, even though Aadhaar still works for identity and address.
On UTIITSL, the application form and supporting documents are generally scanned together at 200 DPI in colour, PDF/A format, and uploaded as one file capped around 2 MB.
Common Mistakes That Get PAN Photos Rejected
- Using the old 3.5 cm x 2.5 cm size on a new Form 93/94/95/96 application instead of 4.5 cm x 3.5 cm
- Uploading a PNG, WebP, or HEIC file where only JPEG is accepted
- Cropping to the right pixel dimensions but leaving the DPI metadata at 72 or 96 instead of 200 or 300
- Submitting a UTIITSL-sized photo to the Protean portal, or the reverse
- A signature that bleeds outside the box on the physical acknowledgment, or one that touches the photo on the wrong side
What Experts Say
Practitioners who handle PAN corrections regularly point out that photo and signature rejections are the single most common reason a PAN application stalls after submission, ahead of document mismatches. The recurring advice: don’t trust a generic photo resizer blindly, since many haven’t caught up with the April 2026 dimension change and still output the old 3.5 cm x 2.5 cm size. Cross-check the dimension against whichever form and portal you’re actually using before you upload.
FAQs
What is the current PAN card photo size? For new applications on Form 93, 94, 95, or 96 (effective 1 April 2026), the photo size is 4.5 cm x 3.5 cm. For online scan uploads through the Protean portal, the current live specification is 3.5 cm x 2.5 cm. Confirm which one applies to your application mode before preparing your photo.
What is the PAN card signature size? On the Protean portal, the signature should be 2 cm x 4.5 cm, 200 DPI, JPEG, under 10 KB. On UTIITSL, it’s roughly 400 x 200 pixels, 600 DPI, JPEG, under 60 KB.
What is the maximum PAN card photo size in KB? 20 KB on the Protean portal and under 30 KB on UTIITSL. Signatures are capped at 10 KB on Protean and under 60 KB on UTIITSL.
Is the UTI PAN photo size different from NSDL? Yes. UTIITSL uses 213 x 213 pixels at 300 DPI, under 30 KB, while Protean (formerly NSDL) uses 3.5 cm x 2.5 cm at 200 DPI, under 20 KB. The two portals are not interchangeable.
What is the maximum PAN card document size for upload? On Protean, each supporting document page is capped at 300 KB in PDF/A or JPEG format. On UTIITSL, the form and supporting documents are typically combined into one file capped around 2 MB.
Can I use my old passport photo for the new PAN application? Only if it matches the new 4.5 cm x 3.5 cm dimension. An older passport-style photo cropped to 3.5 cm x 2.5 cm will not meet the current Form 93/94/95/96 requirement.