Verify the format of an Indian PAN number, decode what each letter means, and identify the taxpayer type.
| Position | Characters | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | AAA | Sequence of alphabets issued by Income Tax Dept |
| 4 | P / C / H / F / A / T / B / L / J / G | Taxpayer type (see below) |
| 5 | Surname initial | First letter of surname (individual) or entity name |
| 6–9 | 0001–9999 | Running sequence number |
| 10 | A–Z | Alphabetic check digit |
The Permanent Account Number (PAN) is a unique 10-character alphanumeric identifier issued by the Income Tax Department of India under the provisions of Section 139A of the Income Tax Act, 1961. PAN was introduced in 1972 on a limited basis and expanded nationally through the 1990s to combat tax evasion by linking all financial transactions of an individual or entity to a single identifier. As of 2024, over 70 crore PAN cards have been issued across India. The PAN is mandatory for filing Income Tax Returns, opening bank accounts above threshold amounts, property transactions above Rs. 30 lakh, and investments in mutual funds and stock markets through SEBI-registered platforms.
The 10-character PAN follows a strict format: the first three characters are alphabetic series (AAA to ZZZ) representing the issuing office sequence, the fourth character indicates the taxpayer type (P for individual/person, C for company, H for Hindu Undivided Family, F for firm, A for AOP, B for BOI, G for government, J for artificial juridical persons, L for local authority, T for trust), and the fifth character is the first letter of the surname (for individuals) or the entity name. Characters 6-9 are sequential digits (0001-9999), and the 10th character is an alphabetic check digit computed using a weighted algorithm.
Enter any PAN number to instantly validate its format, decode the taxpayer type from the fourth character, and identify the first-letter series. This tool performs structural validation only - it does not verify whether the PAN is registered with the Income Tax Department. For official verification, use the Income Tax e-filing portal's PAN Verification service at incometax.gov.in.