The correct PAN card photo size is 3.5 cm × 2.5 cm at 200 DPI (20 to 50 KB) for Protean (NSDL) and 213×213 px at 300 DPI (under 30 KB) for UTIITSL. Both portals accept JPEG only. Use the free PAN card photo and signature resize tool below to crop, compress, and download a portal-ready image.
PAN Card Photo & Signature Resizer
PAN Card Photo and Signature Specifications: NSDL vs UTIITSL
Both authorised PAN card processing agencies, Protean eGov Technologies (formerly NSDL e-Gov) and UTIITSL, enforce strict image specifications during online applications. The specifications differ between the two portals. The table below lists every parameter an applicant must meet.
| Parameter | Protean (NSDL) Photo | Protean (NSDL) Signature | UTIITSL Photo | UTIITSL Signature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 3.5 cm H × 2.5 cm W (276×197 px) | 2.0 cm H × 4.5 cm W (157×354 px) | 213×213 px (square) | 400×200 px |
| Resolution (DPI) | 200 | 200 | 300 | 600 |
| Format | JPEG only | JPEG only | JPEG only | JPEG only |
| Minimum file size | 20 KB | 10 KB | Not specified | Not specified |
| Maximum file size | 50 KB | 50 KB | 30 KB | 60 KB |
| Background / Ink | White or light background, face centred | Black ink on white paper | White background | Black ink on white paper |
| Colour mode | Colour | Colour | Colour | Black and white |
Source: Protean eGov Technologies portal guidelines and UTIITSL PAN application portal.
How to Resize Your Photo for PAN Card Using This Tool
Follow these steps to resize image for PAN card submission on the Protean or UTIITSL portal. The tool runs entirely inside the browser. No image is uploaded to any server.
- Select the portal and document type. Choose from the four preset tabs at the top of the tool: NSDL Photo, NSDL Signature, UTI Photo, or UTI Signature. A fifth tab, Custom Size, is also available for setting an exact pixel size, DPI, or file-size limit for any other document. The crop ratio and output specifications lock automatically based on the selection.
- Upload your image. Tap the upload area or drag and drop a JPG, PNG, or WEBP file. The tool accepts images up to 25 MB and converts any input format to JPEG output.
- Position the crop area. A fixed-ratio crop box appears over the image. Drag the box to centre the face (for photos) or the signature (for signature scans). Drag the corner handles to adjust the crop size. The aspect ratio stays locked to match the portal requirement.
- Enhance the signature (optional). For signature scans, toggle the enhancement switch to increase contrast. Use the contrast and threshold sliders to darken ink strokes and whiten the paper background. This step helps scanned signatures meet the black-on-white requirement.
- Crop and compress. Tap the "Crop and Resize" button. The tool resizes the image to the exact pixel dimensions, compresses it to JPEG within the required file size window, and injects the correct DPI metadata into the JPEG header.
- Review the validation checklist. Before the download activates, a checklist confirms four parameters: dimensions, file size (with actual KB shown), format, and DPI metadata. All four must show a green checkmark.
- Download the file. Tap "Download" to save the output file. The filename follows the pattern pan-photo-nsdl.jpg or pan-signature-uti.jpg for easy identification during upload.
Why PAN Card Applications Get Rejected: Three Common Image Errors
Applicants frequently encounter rejection messages such as "Invalid Photo", "Dimension Error", or "File size exceeds the limit" during the PAN card application upload step. These errors trace back to three specific technical failures.
Missing or incorrect DPI metadata
Phone cameras produce JPEG files at 72 DPI or 96 DPI by default. The Protean portal validates DPI from the JFIF metadata header inside the JPEG file, not from the pixel count. An image with the correct 276×197 pixel dimensions will still fail validation if the embedded DPI reads 72 instead of 200. Most free photo resize tools on the web crop and resize correctly but do not patch the DPI metadata. This is the single most common cause of "Invalid Photo" rejections reported by applicants and CSC operators across India.
Vertical signature scans uploaded in portrait orientation
The PAN card signature specification requires a landscape-oriented strip: 4.5 cm wide by 2.0 cm tall for Protean, or 400×200 pixels for UTIITSL. When applicants scan or photograph their signature on a vertically held phone, the resulting image is taller than it is wide. Uploading a portrait-oriented signature triggers a "Dimension Error" on the portal even if the pixel count is close to the required total. The fix is straightforward: crop the image in landscape orientation before resizing. The photo resize PAN card tool on this page enforces the correct landscape aspect ratio automatically for signature modes.
File size outside the permitted window
The Protean portal enforces both a floor and a ceiling on file size. A photo must be at least 20 KB and no more than 50 KB. Aggressively compressed images from WhatsApp shares or social media downloads often fall below 20 KB after resizing. Conversely, high-resolution DSLR shots may exceed 50 KB even at minimum JPEG quality. The image resizer for PAN card on this page uses a binary search algorithm on the JPEG quality parameter to land the output precisely inside the required window.
Protean (NSDL) Photo and Signature Requirements in Detail
Protean eGov Technologies Limited, formerly known as NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure Limited, operates the online PAN application system at onlineservices.proteantech.in. The Income Tax Department of India authorises Protean to process new PAN card applications (Form 93 for Indian citizens, Form 95 for foreign citizens), corrections, and reprints.
Photo requirements for Protean (NSDL)
The applicant's photograph must be a recent colour image on a white or light-coloured background. The face should be centred, with both ears visible and no head coverings unless worn for religious reasons. The image resize for PAN card on the Protean portal requires exactly 3.5 cm height by 2.5 cm width at 200 dots per inch. This translates to 276 pixels tall by 197 pixels wide. The JPEG file must weigh between 20 KB and 50 KB.
Protean's system reads the JFIF APP0 segment in the JPEG binary to verify DPI. If the segment is absent or reports a density other than 200, the upload fails. The official Protean guidelines page lists these specifications under the document upload instructions.
Signature requirements for Protean (NSDL)
The applicant's signature must be made with black ink on white paper. The scanned or photographed signature image must measure 4.5 cm wide by 2.0 cm tall at 200 DPI. In pixels, that is 354 wide by 157 tall. File size must fall between 10 KB and 50 KB in JPEG format. Signatures made with blue ink, on ruled paper, or on coloured backgrounds are often flagged during manual verification even when the automated upload check passes.
UTIITSL Photo and Signature Requirements in Detail
UTI Infrastructure Technology And Services Limited (UTIITSL) is the second agency authorised by the Income Tax Department to process PAN applications. The UTI PAN card photo resizer requirements differ from Protean's in several important ways.
Where UTIITSL specifications differ from Protean
UTIITSL specifies photo dimensions in pixels rather than centimetres: 213×213 pixels for the photo (a square crop) and 400×200 pixels for the signature. The photo resolution requirement is 300 DPI, compared to 200 DPI at Protean. The signature resolution requirement is 600 DPI, three times the Protean requirement. The maximum photo file size is 30 KB (stricter than Protean's 50 KB ceiling), while the signature ceiling is 60 KB (more generous than Protean's 50 KB). UTIITSL does not publish a minimum file size threshold.
These differences mean an image formatted for Protean will not pass the UTIITSL upload validator, and vice versa. Applicants must select the correct portal mode before resizing. The photo resizer for PAN card on this page includes separate NSDL and UTI modes for this reason.
Source: UTIITSL PAN application portal.
PAN Card Signature Resize: Orientation, Ink, and Paper Guidelines
The signature resize for PAN card submissions requires attention to three factors beyond pixel dimensions and file size.
Landscape orientation is mandatory
Both Protean and UTIITSL expect a landscape-oriented signature strip. For Protean, this is a 4.5 cm by 2.0 cm rectangle. For UTIITSL, it is a 400 by 200 pixel rectangle. The width must exceed the height. The PAN card document resizer on this page locks the crop box to a landscape aspect ratio when a signature mode is selected.
Black ink on white paper
The official guidelines from both agencies specify black ink on white paper. Blue ink, gel pens, and pencil marks scan poorly and may produce faded output at the small dimensions required. Dark ink produces better contrast at sizes under 50 KB because the JPEG encoder can allocate fewer bytes to uniform white areas.
Avoid digital signatures for the initial application
PAN card applications require a handwritten signature, not a digital or typed signature. The signature scan should capture the natural thickness variation of a pen stroke. Applicants who do not have a scanner can photograph their signature on a white sheet of paper under even lighting and use this tool to crop and enhance the image.
For CSC Operators and Agents: Bulk Photo and Signature Resizing
Common Service Centre (CSC) operators and authorised PAN agents process dozens of PAN card applications each day. The CSC PAN card photo signature resize tool on this page is designed to handle repeated use without page reloads or server round-trips.
Why this tool suits CSC workflows
Each resize operation runs entirely in the browser. There is no queue, no processing delay from a server, and no daily usage cap. An operator can resize one applicant's photo, download it, tap "Start Over", and immediately load the next applicant's image. The output filename includes the portal name (nsdl or uti) so files stay organised in the download folder.
Common batch processing tips for agents
CSC operators report that the most time-consuming step is not the resizing itself but the initial photograph capture. A passport-style photo taken against a white wall with the phone camera set to JPEG mode (not HEIC) produces the cleanest input. Operators who capture signatures on a clipboard with a white sheet under overhead lighting consistently avoid the "low contrast" rejections that trigger rework.
For agents processing applications across both portals, selecting the correct mode tab (NSDL or UTI) before each resize is essential. The pixel dimensions and DPI requirements differ between portals, and the tool locks all output parameters to the selected mode.
What Practitioners Report About PAN Card Image Rejections
Tax practitioners and CSC operators across India consistently report that image-related rejections are the leading cause of rework in online PAN card applications. The most frequently cited rejection trigger is incorrect DPI metadata, followed by file size violations and dimension mismatches.
Operators at Common Service Centres note that applicants who arrive with pre-edited photos from generic image editors almost always need re-processing because standard editors do not embed the 200 DPI tag required by Protean. The pan card resize photo signature step is often skipped or done incorrectly when applicants self-submit.
Practitioners also observe that UTIITSL's square photo requirement (213×213 pixels) causes more confusion than Protean's portrait rectangle because applicants expect a standard passport-style crop. The mismatch leads to stretched or distorted uploads when applicants force a rectangular photo into a square field without proper cropping.
Across both portals, practitioners recommend completing the image resize step before starting the form to avoid session timeouts. Portal sessions typically expire after 15 to 20 minutes of inactivity. Resizing images mid-form often pushes the session past this limit, forcing the applicant to re-enter all fields.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the correct PAN card photo size in pixels for NSDL?
The correct PAN card photo size for the Protean (NSDL) portal is 276 pixels tall by 197 pixels wide. This corresponds to 3.5 cm by 2.5 cm at 200 DPI. The file must be in JPEG format, between 20 KB and 50 KB. A white or light-coloured background is required, and the face must be centred in the frame.
How do I resize my PAN card photo for the UTI portal?
The UTIITSL portal requires a square photo of 213×213 pixels at 300 DPI in JPEG format, under 30 KB. Select the "UTI Photo" tab in the UTI PAN card photo resizer tool on this page, upload the image, adjust the square crop, and tap "Crop and Resize". The tool handles the DPI injection and compression automatically.
Why does the NSDL portal reject my photo even when the dimensions are correct?
The most likely cause is missing or incorrect DPI metadata. The Protean portal reads the JFIF APP0 header in the JPEG file to verify that the resolution is exactly 200 DPI. Phone cameras and most image editors produce files at 72 or 96 DPI by default. The resize photo for PAN card tool on this page patches the JFIF header to 200 DPI after compression.
Can I upload a PNG or WEBP photo to the PAN card portal?
No. Both Protean and UTIITSL accept only JPEG format for photo and signature uploads. However, the PAN card image resize tool on this page accepts PNG and WEBP as input and converts the output to JPEG automatically during the crop and resize step.
What is the PAN card signature size for NSDL and UTI?
For the Protean (NSDL) portal, the signature must be 354×157 pixels (4.5 cm × 2.0 cm at 200 DPI), between 10 KB and 50 KB. For UTIITSL, the signature must be 400×200 pixels at 600 DPI, under 60 KB. Both portals require JPEG format with black ink on a white background.
Is it safe to use an online PAN card photo resize tool?
The tool on this page processes all images inside the browser using the HTML5 Canvas API. No image is uploaded to any server. No data leaves the device. This makes it safe for processing identity document photographs. The source code is fully visible in the page and can be independently verified.
Can CSC operators use this tool for multiple applicants?
Yes. The tool runs entirely in the browser with no server dependency and no daily usage limit. After downloading one applicant's resized photo, tap "Start Over" to immediately process the next image. The output filename includes the portal name for easy file management.
What happens if my photo is below the minimum file size?
The Protean portal requires PAN card photos to be at least 20 KB and signatures to be at least 10 KB. If the image compresses below the minimum, the tool automatically pads the JPEG file with a harmless comment segment to bring it above the floor. This padding does not affect image quality or portal validation.
Resize Your PAN Card Photo Now
The PAN card photo and signature resize tool at the top of this page is free to use, requires no registration, and works on any device with a modern browser. Select the portal, upload the image, crop, and download. The output file meets all pixel dimension, DPI, format, and file size requirements published by Protean (NSDL) and UTIITSL.