Source: Rediff.com
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All you want to know about PAN
July 19, 2007 | 09:54 IST
A Permanent Account Number (PAN) is
one of the most important documents in the country today. It is an
identification number which the Income Tax Department gives to all taxpayers.
You need to quote the PAN
for all financial transactions like opening a bank account, buying a property
of a car, buying or selling shares or mutual funds, applying for a
visa/passport, making payment of income tax or filing your tax return, applying
for a bank loan, etc.
Here are some frequently
asked questions and answers related to PAN:
1. What is PAN?
Permanent Account Number
(PAN) is a ten-digit alphanumeric number, issued in the form of a laminated
card, by the Income Tax Department.
A typical PAN is AABPS1205E.
2. Why is it necessary to
have PAN?
It is mandatory to quote PAN
on return of income, all correspondence with any income tax authority. From
January 1, 2005, it has been made mandatory to quote PAN on challans for any payments
due to Income Tax Department.
It is also compulsory to
quote PAN in all documents pertaining to financial transactions notified from
time-to-time by the Central Board of Direct Taxes. Some such transactions are
sale and purchase of immovable property or motor vehicle or payments in cash,
of amounts exceeding Rs 25,000 to hotels and restaurants or in connection with
travel to any foreign country.
It is also mandatory to
mention PAN for obtaining a telephone or cellular telephone connection.
Likewise, PAN has to be mentioned for making a time deposit exceeding Rs 50,000
with a Bank or Post Office or depositing cash of Rs 50,000 or more in a Bank.
It has also been made
mandatory from march 2, 2007 to quote the PAN for mutual fund investments worth
over Rs 50,000.
3. How does Income Tax
Department ensure that PAN is quoted on transactions mentioned above?
It is statutory
responsibility of a person receiving document relating to economic or financial
transactions notified by the CBDT to ensure that PAN has been duly quoted in
the document.
4. Is it compulsory to
quote PAN on return of income?
Yes, it is compulsory to
quote PAN on return of income.
5. How will these
authorities verify PAN?
A facility for verifying PAN
is available on the website of the Income Tax department.
6. Who must have a PAN?
- i. All existing assesses or taxpayers or persons who
are required to furnish a return of income, even on behalf of others, must
obtain PAN.
- ii. Any person, who intends to enter into financial
transaction where quoting PAN is mandatory, must also obtain PAN.
- iii. The Assessing Officer may allot PAN to any person
either on his own or on a specific request from such person.
7. Can a person obtain or
use more than one PAN?
Obtaining or possessing more
than one PAN is against the law.
8. Where to apply for
PAN?
In order to improve PAN
related services, the Income Tax department has authorized UTI Investor
Services Ltd (UTIISL) to set up and manage IT PAN service centres in all cities
or towns where there is an Income Tax office and National Securities Depository
Limited (NSDL) to dispense PAN services from TIN (tax information network)
facilitation centres.
For the convenience of PAN
applicants in big cities, UTIISL has set up more than one IT PAN service centre
and likewise there are more than one TIN facilitation centre.
9. How to apply for a
PAN? Can an application for PAN be made on plain paper?
PAN application should be
made only on Form 49A. A PAN application (Form 49A) can be downloaded from the
website of Income Tax department or UTIISL or NSDL
(www.incometaxindia.gov.in,www.utiisl.co.in or tin.nsdl.com) or printed by
local printers or photocopied (on A4 size 70 GSM paper) or obtained from any
other source. The form is also available at IT PAN Service centres and TIN
Facilitation centres.
10. Can an application
for PAN be made in Form 49A obtained from anywhere?
Yes, PAN application may be
made on Form 49A obtained from any source other than IT PAN Service Centres or
TIN Facilitation Centres. For instance, a PAN application may be made on form
downloaded from the website of Income Tax department or UTIISL or NSDL; or on
form printed by local printers or a photocopy of downloaded or printed form.
11. Can an application
for PAN be made through Internet?
Yes, application for fresh
allotment of PAN can be made through Internet. Further, requests for changes or
correction in PAN data or request for new PAN card (for an existing PAN) may
also be made through Internet. For more details visit (www.tin-nsdl.com)
12. How do I get a PAN
allotted quickly (Tatkal)?
If an application for
allotment of PAN is submitted through Internet and payment made through a 'nominated'
credit card, the PAN is allotted on priority and communicated through email.
13. How to find an IT PAN
service centre or TIN facilitation centre?
Location of IT PAN Service
Centres or TIN Facilitation Centres in any city may be obtained from local
Income Tax Office or any office of UTI/UTIISL or NSDL in that city or from
websites of the Income Tax department (www.incometaxindia.gov.in or
UTIISL(www.utiisl.co.in) or NSDL (http://tin.nsdl.com)
14. What services are
provided by these IT PAN service centres or TIN facilitation centres?
IT PAN service centres or
TIN facilitation centres will supply PAN application forms (Form 49A) and forms
for 'Request for new PAN card or/and changes in PAN data,' assist the applicant
in filling up the form, collect filled form and issue acknowledgement slip.
After obtaining PAN from the Income Tax department, UTIISL or NSDL as the case
may be, will print the PAN card and deliver it to the applicant.
15. What if I submit
incomplete Form 49A?
IT PAN service centres or
TIN facilitation centres shall not receive any incomplete and deficient PAN
application. However, these centres will assist applicants to correctly fill up
form 49A or 'Request for new PAN card or/and changes in PAN data,' as the case
may be.
16. What documents and
information have to be submitted along with the application for Form 49A?
- a. Individual applicants will have to affix one recent,
colour photograph (Stamp Size: 3.5 cms x 2.5 cms) on Form 49A;
- b. Any one document listed in Rule 114 must be supplied
as proof of 'Identity' and 'Address'; and
- c. Designation and code of the concerned Assessing
Officer of Income Tax department will have to be mentioned in Form 49A.
17. Which documents will
serve as proof of 'Identity' in case of Individual applicants, including minors
and HUF applicants?
- Copy of school leaving certificate or matriculation
certificate or degree of a recognized educational institution or
depository account or credit card or bank account or water bill or ration
card or property tax assessment order or passport or voter identity card
or driving license or certificate of identity signed by a MP or an MLA or
a Municipal Councilor or a Gazetted Officer;
- In case the PAN applicant is a minor, any of above
documents of any of the parents or guardian of such minor shall serve as
proof of Identity;
- In case PAN application is made on behalf of a HUF, any
of above documents in respect of Karta of the HUF will serve as proof of
Identity.
18. What is proof of
'Address' for Individual applicants, including minors and HUF applicants?
- Copy of electricity bill or telephone bill or
depository account or credit card or bank account or ration card or
employer certificate or passport or voter identity card or property tax
assessment order or driving license or rent receipt or certificate of
address signed by a MP/ MLA/Municipal Councilor / a Gazetted Officer;
- In case the PAN applicant is a minor, any of above
documents of any of the parents or guardian of such minor shall serve as
proof of Address;
- In case PAN application is made on behalf of a HUF, any
of above documents in respect of Karta of the HUF will serve as proof of
Address.
19. What documents will
serve as proof of Identity and Address for other applicants?
- Copy of Certificate of Registration issued by the
Registrar of Companies or Copy of Certificate of Registration issued by
the Registrar of Firms or Copy of Partnership Deed or Copy of Trust deed
or Copy of Certificate of Registration Number issued by Charity
Commissioner or Copy of Agreement or Copy of Certificate of Registration
Number issued by Charity Commissioner or Registrar of Co-operative Society
or any other Competent Authority or any other document originating from
any Central or State Government Department establishing Identity and
Address of such person.
20. How to find
'Assessing Officer code'?
Assessing Officer code may
be obtained from Income Tax Office where you submit your return of income.
Applicants who have never filed return of income may find out Assessing Officer
code with the help of IT PAN Service Centre or TIN Facilitation Centre or
jurisdictional Income Tax Office.
21. Is a photograph
compulsory for making an application for PAN?
A photograph is compulsory
only in case of 'Individual' applicants.
22. What is the procedure
for applicants who cannot sign?
In such cases, Left Hand
Thumb impression of the applicant should be affixed on Form 49A or 'Request For
New PAN Card Or/ And Changes In PAN Data' at the place meant for signatures and
got attested by a Magistrate or a Notary Public or a Gazetted Officer, under
official seal and stamp.
23. Is father's name
compulsory for female (including married/divorced/widow) applicants?
Only father's name is
required to be filled in the PAN application (Form 49A). Female applicants,
irrespective of marital status, should write only father's name in the PAN
application
24. Is it compulsory to
mention telephone numbers on Form 49A?
Telephone number is not
compulsory, but if provided it may help in faster communication.
25. Who can apply on
behalf of non-resident, minor, lunatic, idiot, and court of wards?
Section 160 of IT Act, 1961
provides that a non-resident, a minor, lunatic, idiot, and court of wards and
such other persons may be represented through a Representative Assessee. In
such cases, application for PAN will be made by the Representative Assessee.
26. I had applied to the
department but I do not know my PAN?
Please contact the Aaykar
Sampark Kendra (ASK) at 0124-2438000 (or 95124-2438000 from NCR) or visit the
www.incometaxindia.gov.in and go to 'know your PAN'.
27. Are there any charges
to be paid at IT PAN Service Centres or TIN Facilitation Centres?
UTIISL and NSDL have been
authorized to collect Rs.60 + Service Tax as applicable, per PAN application
and this includes cost of a tamper proof PAN card. This amount will have to be
paid in cash at IT PAN Service Centre or the TIN Facilitation Centre.
28. Do you need to apply
for a PAN when you move or transfer from one city to another?
Permanent Account Number, as
the name suggests, is a permanent number and does not change during lifetime of
PAN holder. Changing the address or city, though, may change the Assessing
Officer.
Such changes must,
therefore, be intimated to nearest IT PAN service centre or TIN facilitation
centre for required correction in PAN databases of the Income Tax department.
These requests will have to be made in a form for 'Request for new PAN card or/
and changes in PAN data.'
29. I had applied to
UTITSL/ NSDL a month ago but I have not received my PAN card and I have to file
my return of income.
Please contact Aaykar
Sampark Kendra (0124-2438000 or 95124-2438000 from NCR) or
www.incometaxindia.gov.in or send an email to [email protected].
30. Will the existing PAN
cards issued by the Department remain valid?
All PAN allotted and PAN
card issued by the Department will remain valid. All persons who have been
allotted a PAN need not apply again.
31. Income Tax Department
has issued me a PAN card; can I obtain a new tamper proof PAN card?
For obtaining the tamper
proof PAN card an application will have to be made in the form for 'Request for
new PAN card or/ and changes in PAN data' to IT PAN service centre or TIN
facilitation centre, in which existing PAN will have to be indicated and old
PAN card surrendered. The payment of Rs.60 + Service Tax as applicable, will
also have to be made.
32. I had applied for PAN
and received PAN number but have not received the PAN Card?
Apply in the form for
'Request for new PAN card or/ and changes in PAN data' at any IT PAN service
centre or TIN facilitation centre quoting the PAN allotted to you.
33. How will the new PAN
card be delivered to me?
The UTIISL or NSDL, as the
case may be, will ensure delivery of new PAN card at the address indicated by
you in the PAN application form or form for 'Request for new PAN card or/ and
changes in PAN data.'
34. I want to pay taxes
today but I do not have a PAN?
It takes about 15 days to
get a new PAN allotted. However, PAN can be obtained in around 5 days if
application is made through Internet and processing fee paid through credit
card. It is advisable to initiate action for obtaining PAN will in time.
35. Who should be
contacted for inquiries regarding PAN applications?
All such inquiries should be
addressed to:
For UTIISL
The Vice President
IT PAN Processing Centre,
UTI Investor Services Ltd
Plot No. 3, Sector - 11
CBD - Belapur
Navi Mumbai-400 614
For NSDL
The Vice President
Income Tax PAN Services Unit, NSDL
4th Floor, Trade World, A Wing
Kamala Mills Compound,
S. B. Marg, Lower Parel,
Mumbai-400 013
How to get a
new PAN card
Courtesy: Income Tax
Department