Quoting the Permanent Account Number or PAN is a mandatory requirement in many cases ranging from cash deposits of ₹50,000 or more in a bank account to certain specific financial transactions.
Fortunately, getting a PAN allotted to you is fairly easy. All you need to do is submit Form 49A along with the required documentation to the entities authorised to collect and process PAN applications, which are Protean eGov Technologies Limited and UTIITSL.
If you don’t have a Permanent Account Number yet and would like to apply for one, here’s everything you need to know about Form 49A, the various components in the form and the documents you need to submit along with it.
What is Form 49A?
Form 49A is the application form through which Indian citizens, including those residing outside India, can apply for a Permanent Account Number (PAN). In addition to Indian citizens, incorporated and unincorporated entities and Indian companies can also use Form 49A to apply for a PAN.
What are the Various Sections of Form 49A?
The 49A form for a PAN card contains several sections where you’re required to specify information such as your personal details, contact information and other specifics. Here’s an overview of some of the key sections of the form.
1. Assessing officer (AO code)
The first section of Form 49A requires you to fill in details such as your area code, range code, assessing officer (AO) type and AO number. These details vary depending on the place of your residence and can be obtained from the Income Tax portal.
Read More About AO Code
2. Full Name
Under this section, you need to enter your title and your full name, including your first name, middle name (if any) and last name or surname. When filling up this section, make sure not to use any initials.
3. Abbreviations of the Above Name
If your name is too long or if you prefer to have only a part of your name printed on the PAN card, you can specify the same in this section of Form 49A. Even abbreviations of your name are accepted.
4. Have you ever been known by any other name?
If you have been formally or officially referred to by another name or if you’ve recently changed your name, the details of the other name must be entered in this section. Everything from the title, your first and middle names and your last name or surname must be entered.
5. Gender
In this section of Form 49A, you need to specify your gender; whether you’re male, female or transgender. This section is only applicable to individuals and not to entities or companies looking to apply for PAN.
6. Date of Birth
Under this section, you need to specify your date of birth in the DDMMYYYY format. If Form 49A is being filled for an entity or a company, you need to enter the entity’s date of incorporation, formation or signing agreement.
7. Details of Parents
If you’re filling out a 49A form for a PAN card as an individual, you need to enter the details of your parents under this section. Both the father’s and the mother’s full name must be entered in the respective boxes. Entering the father’s name is mandatory except if your mother is a single parent, in which case, you can apply for a PAN by furnishing just your mother’s name. As with the gender, this section is also only applicable to individual applicants and not entities.
8. Address
In this section of Form 49A, you need to enter the full address of your residence and your office address (if any). When filling out the application, make sure to include the name of the premises or building, street name and the name of your locality, among others.
9. Address for Communication
In this section, you can choose which of the two addresses – residential or office – you wish to receive all official communication from the income tax department.
10. Telephone Number & Email ID Details
Under this section, you need to enter your telephone number or mobile number and email ID, which will be used for communication. If you’re entering your telephone number, make sure to specify the country code and area or STD code along with your telephone number.
11. Status of the Applicant
Here, you need to choose your status as an applicant. The following options are provided in Form 49A.
- Individual
- Hindu undivided family
- Company
- Partnership Firm
- Government
- Association of Persons
- Trusts
- Body of Individuals
- Local Authority
- Artificial Juridical Persons
- Limited Liability Partnership
12. Registration Number
If you’re filling out Form 49A to obtain a Permanent Account Number for an entity or a company, you will have to enter the unique registration number that was assigned to the entity at the time of registration, formation or incorporation. If the entity is unregistered, you don’t have to fill out this section.
13. Aadhaar number or Aadhaar Enrolment ID
Since Aadhaar and PAN details are required to be linked, you need to enter your Aadhaar number or the Aadhaar Enrolment ID in this section of Form 49A. Additionally, you also need to specify your name as per your Aadhaar.
14. Source of Income
In this section of the 49A form for PAN cards, you need to specify the source of your income. You may select multiple options if you generate income from multiple sources. Here are the options that you can find in the form.
- Salary
- Capital Gains
- Income from Business or Profession
- Income from Other Sources
- Income from House Property
If you don’t have any income, this section also has an option titled ‘No Income’, which you can choose.
15. Representative Assessee (RA)
A representative assessee is an individual who acts as a legal representative of another individual. For instance, in the case of a minor, the parent or guardian can be the representative assessee. If you have a representative assessee, the details of the individual, including their full name and address, must be specified under this section.
16. Documents Submitted as Proof of Identity (POI), Proof of Address (POA) and Proof of Date of Birth (POB)
In this section, you need to specify the name and type of document you have enclosed along with Form 49A as proof of identity, proof of address and proof of date of birth.
How to Fill Form 49A Online?
If you wish to fill out and submit Form 49A online, here’s a brief overview of the steps you need to follow.
- Step 1: Visit the PAN portal of UTIITSL or Protean eGov Technologies Limited.
- Step 2: Select Form 49A from the list and the applicant status.
- Step 3: Select the mode of filing Form 49A. Under the digital mode, you have the option to sign the form with the Aadhaar e-sign facility or using your digital signature token (DSC).
- Step 4: Proceed to fill out the application online.
- Step 5: Attach scanned copies of all of the relevant documentary evidence including a scanned copy of your photograph and your signature.
- Step 6: Submit the application online and make the payment.
That’s it. Your Form 49A will be submitted and processed by the relevant issuing authority. Once the verification of the form is done, a Permanent Account Number will be allotted to you.
Note: The process outlined above is merely illustrative and may vary slightly depending on the authorised PAN processing entity you opt for.
How to Fill Form 49A Offline?
If you prefer to fill out and submit the form offline, all you need to do is visit the Income Tax website or the website of UTIITSL or Protean eGov Technologies Limited. Here, you will find an option for the 49A form download.
Download the form, print it and proceed to manually fill out all of the sections of the form. Remember to fill all of the details in block letters and with black ink. Once you’re done filling out the form, affix your signature in the relevant spaces. Also, affix two passport-size photographs on either side of the first page of Form 49A. Affix your signature across the passport-size photo affixed on the left side of the form.
After that’s done, you can mail the filled-out and signed Form 49A along with all the relevant documentary evidence to UTIITSL or Protean eGov Technologies Limited.
Documents to be Submitted Along with Form 49A
Submitting the right documentary evidence along with Form 49A is crucial to getting a PAN allotment. Here’s an overview of the list of commonly accepted documents that you can submit.
- Proof of Identity (any one of the following)
- Aadhaar Card
- Elector’s photo identity card
- Passport
- Driving Licence
- Ration Card
- Proof of Address (any one of the following)
- Aadhaar Card
- Elector’s photo identity card
- Passport
- Driving Licence
- Post Office Passbook with Address
- Latest Utility Bill such as Electricity Bill, Telephone Bill, Water Bill, Bank Account Statement or Credit Card Statement
- Domicile Certificate Issued by the Government
- Proof of Date of Birth (any one of the following)
- Birth Certificate
- Matriculation Certificate
- Marriage Certificate
- Pension Payment Order
- Driving Licence
- Passport
- Aadhaar Card
If you’re filling out the 49A form for a PAN card for an entity or a company, the following list of documents would have to be enclosed.
- Company: Copy of Registration Certificate issued by the Registrar of Companies (ROC).
- Partnership firm: Copy of Registration Certificate issued by the Registrar of Firms or a copy of the partnership deed
- Limited Liability Partnership (LLP): Copy of Registration Certificate issued by the Registrar of LLPs
- Trusts: Copy of trust deed or copy of registration certificate issued by the Charity Commissioner.
- Association of Persons, Local Authority, Body of Individuals or Artificial Juridical Persons: Copy of Agreement or copy of registration certificate issued by a competent authority
Conclusion
With this, you must now be aware of everything related to Form 49A. Remember, the form is only used to apply for a new Permanent Account Number (PAN). If you wish to make any changes to your existing PAN details, you will have to use a separate form, which you can download from the Income Tax portal or the websites of UTIITSL or Protean eGov Technologies Limited.
FAQs
Who can fill out and submit Form 49A?
Indian citizens, companies and entities incorporated in India and unincorporated entities in India can all fill out and submit Form 49A to obtain a Permanent Account Number (PAN).
Can Form 49A be filled out online?
Yes. Both the authorised PAN processing entities – UTIITSL and Protean eGov Technologies Limited provide the option to fill out and submit Form 49A online.
How can I check the status of my Form 49A application?
The status of your Form 49A application can be checked online using the acknowledgement number provided at the time of submission.
Can non-resident Indians apply for PAN using Form 49A?
Yes. As long as the non-resident Indians are Indian citizens, they can apply for PAN using Form 49A. Foreign citizens, whether resident or non-resident, can only apply for PAN through Form 49AA.
Is there an option for expedited processing of Form 49A?
Yes. The time taken to process Form 49A would be much shorter compared to the offline method if you opt for the Aadhaar-based e-KYC option. This option is available on both UTIITSL and Protean eGov Technologies Limited.
