New Delhi: Permanent Account Number, commonly known as PAN card, is an important document which is issued by the Income Tax Department. All existing assesses or taxpayers or individuals who are required to file a return of income, even on behalf of others, are required to have a PAN. 

In case of theft or loss of a PAN Card, the cardholder can immediately apply for a duplicate one. In such cases, the Permanent Account Number assigned to the individual remains the same. It may be noted that in order to apply for a duplicate PAN Card or to reprint your PAN card or to get your duplicate PAN Card, you need to download duplicate PAN Card application form. 

Documents required to get duplicate PAN:

1. Self-attested copy of PAN Card or PAN Allotment Letter
2. Self-attested identity proof
3. Self-attested address proof
3. Self-attested date of birth proof

Here's how you can apply for duplicate PAN:

Online Process:

Step 1: Visit https://tin.tin.nsdl.com/pan/correctiondsc.html to initiate changes or corrections in your PAN details.

Step 2: Scroll down to the bottom of the page and from “Apply for Changes Or Correction in PAN Data (for DSC users)”, select ‘Individual’ option.

Step 3: Click on 'Select' and a new web-page opens up where you can see the form for “Request For New PAN Card Or/ And Changes Or Correction in PAN Data”.

Step 4: Fill all the fields in the form but make sure to not tick on any box given on the left margin. Fill all details like PAN, full name, parents names, address for communication, date of birth, Aadhaar No, email id, contact details etc.

Step 5: Make the payment and submit the form. Once the payment is successful, the form will be submitted along with the required supporting documents and a proof of the pre-owned card which has to be reprinted. 

Step 6: After successful submission, you will receive an acknowledgement slip that contains a 15-digit acknowledgement number which can be used to track the status of the PAN application.

Step 7: Print the acknowledgement slip, sign it and affix a photograph. Mail it to the NSDL Office along with the demand draft (if you haven’t made the payment online), proof of existing PAN, proof of identity, address and date of birth as specified in the application. The address of NSDL office is-

NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure Limited,
5th floor, Mantri Sterling, Plot No. 341,
Survey No. 997/8, Model Colony,
Near Deep Bungalow Chowk, Pune – 411016

Make sure that to write ‘APPLICATION FOR PAN CHANGE REQUEST— N-Acknowledgment Number’ on the envelope. In case you have lost your Acknowledgement receipt, you can regenerate it through https://tin.tin.nsdl.com/pan/changemode.html. 

Once the acknowledgement slip is delivered at NSDL office, your request will be processed and approved. The duplicate PAN card will be dispatched to your communication address as mentioned in the form.

Things to keep in mind when applying for a duplicate PAN Card

1. Your acknowledgement, demand draft, if any, and documents, should reach NSDL within 15 days from the date of online application.

2. Applications received with demand draft as a mode of payment will be processed by NSDL only on receipt of relevant proofs and realization of payment.

3. Applications received with credit card/debit card/net banking as mode of payment will be processed by NSDL on receipt of relevant documents.

4. The form and the documents are verified by the necessary authority and if everything is correct, the duplicate PAN card is dispatched to the applicant.

5. In case of re-issuance of a duplicate PAN Card without any changes in PAN, the address for communication will be updated in the Income Tax database using the address for communication provided in the application.

The most common reason for applying for a duplicate PAN Card is that the card has been stolen, lost or misplaced. Since the PAN card is used frequently, the card can get damaged and intangible over the years and one can apply for a duplicate PAN. If the personal details of the cardholder when PAN was initially issued get changed, need for a duplicate PAN card arises.