PAN card i.e Permanent Account Number is an Alphanumeric Code of 10 digits issued by the Income Tax Department. The PAN card is issued to individuals, companies, NRIs or anyone paying tax in India.
PAN is an electronic system through which the tax-related information of every person and company is recorded based on the given PAN number. Its main purpose is to prevent tax evasion. Is not based on your address and always remains the same. Along with this, a person or company cannot have more than one PAN number and no two persons or companies can have the same PAN number.What is PAN Card?
"C" stands for Company
"H" stands for Hindu Undivided Family (HUF)
"A" stands for Association of Persons (AOP)
"B" stands for Body of Individuals (BOI)
"G" stands for Government Agency
"J" stands for Artificial Juridical Person
"L" stands for Local Authority
"E" stands for Limited Liability Partnership
"F" stands for Firm
"T" stands for Trust Fifth character of PAN represents the first character of the PAN holder's last name/surname in case of an individual. In case of non-individual PAN holders fifth character represents the first character of PAN holder's name.
Utility of PAN
Who has to obtain PAN?
PAN is to be obtained by :- Every person if his total income or the total income of any other person in respect of which he is assessable during the previous year exceeds the maximum amount which is not chargeable to tax.
- A charitable trust who is required to furnish return under Section 139(4A)
- Every person who is carrying on any business or profession whose total sale, turnover, or gross receipts are or is likely to exceed five lakh rupees in any previous year
- Every importer/exporter who is required to obtain Import Export code
- Every person who is entitled to receive any sum/income after deduction of tax at source
- Any person who is liable to pay excise duty or a producer or manufacturer of excisable goods or a registered person of a private warehouse in which excisable goods are stored and an authorized agent of such person
- Persons who issue invoices under Rule 57AE requiring registration under Central Excise Rules, 1944
- A person who is liable to pay the service tax and his agent
- Persons registered under the Central Sales Tax Act or the general sales tax law of the relevant state or union territory
- Every person who intends to enter into specified financial transactions in which quoting of PAN is mandatory
Transactions in which quoting of PAN is mandatory
- Sale or purchase of any immovable property valued at five lakh rupees or more
- Sale or purchase of a motor vehicle or vehicle (other than two wheeled vehicles).
- Making a time deposit with a banking company exceeding fifty thousand rupees or deposit in Post Office Savings Bank exceeding fifty thousand rupees.
- In an application for telephone connection including cellular telephone.
- Payment in cash for purchase of bank drafts or pay orders or banker's cheques for an amount aggregating to fifty thousand rupees or more during any one day or deposit in cash aggregating to fifty thousand rupees or more with a bank during any one day.
- A contract of a value exceeding one lakh rupees for sale or purchase of securities.
- Opening of a bank account. In case of a minor, PAN of Father, Mother or guardian, as the case may be, shall be mentioned
- Payment to hotels and restaurants against their bills for an amount exceeding twenty-five thousand rupees at any one time.
- Payment in cash in connection with travel to any foreign country of an amount exceeding twenty-five thousand rupees at any one time. Travel to foreign country does not include travel to Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan or Sri Lanka or Travel to Saudi Arabia for Haj or travel to China on Pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarover.
- Making an application for issue of credit card or debit card.
- Payment of an amount of fifty thousand rupees or more to a Mutual Fund for purchase of its units.
- Payment of an amount of fifty thousand rupees or more to a company for acquiring shares issued by it.
- Payment of an amount of fifty thousand rupees or more to a company or an institution for acquiring debentures or bonds issued by it;
- Payment of an amount of fifty thousand rupees or more to the Reserve Bank of India for acquiring bonds issued by it.
- Payment of an amount aggregating fifty thousand rupees or more in a year as life insurance premium to an insurer.
- Payment to a dealer :
- i. of an amount of five lakh rupees or more at any one time; or
- ii. against a bill for an amount of five lakh rupees or more for purchase of bullion or jewellery
How to apply for PAN?
Income Tax Department has authorised UTI Infrastructure Technology and Services Limited (UTIITSL) and National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL) to set-up and manage PAN Service Centers. UTIITSL and NSDL have established PAN Service Centers and TIN Facilitation Centers at various places in major cities of India (hereinafter referred to as PAN application centers of UTIITSL/NSDL). Read Documents Required for PAN-Card Application- Website of Income Tax Department : www.incometaxindia.gov.in
- Website of UTIITSL : www.utiitsl.com
- Website of NSDL : www.tin-nsdl.com
How to correct any mistake in PAN card or intimate any change in data pertaining to PAN?
- How to correct any mistake in PAN card or intimate any change in data pertaining to PAN?
- If the application is for re-issuance of a PAN card without any changes in PAN related data of the applicant, fill all fields in the Form but do not select any box on left margin.
- In case of either a request for Change or Correction in PAN or request for re-issuance of a PAN Card without any changes in PAN data, the address for communication will be updated in the ITD database using address for communication provided in the application
- For Cancellation of PAN, fill all mandatory fields in the Form, enter PAN to be cancelled in appropriate column of the Form and select the check box on left margin. PAN to be cancelled should not be same as PAN (the one currently used) mentioned at the top of the Form.