Illustrative AI-generated image.
Quick answer: to correct an existing PAN, use the correction service offered by Protean or UTIITSL. Individual applicants use the current form PAN CR-01, and the PAN number stays the same. Choose a correction when your recorded details need updating, or an eligible reprint service when you only need another card. Save your provider’s reference: Protean gives a 15 digit acknowledgement number, and UTIITSL gives an application coupon number on its receipt.
This is general information, not tax or legal advice. PAN forms, proofs and fees are updated from time to time, so check the provider’s current page and the amount shown at payment before you apply. This guide is independent and is not affiliated with the Income Tax Department, Protean or UTIITSL.
Where to apply
- Protean: the online change or correction and reprint service is on its correction page. The same form is used for Indian citizens and non citizens.
- UTIITSL: the change or correction page offers the online application, a regenerate option and the blank CR-01 and CR-02 forms. Its home page is here.
- e-Filing portal: if you hold an Instant e-PAN, the portal has an option to update PAN details from your Aadhaar e-KYC (see the Instant e-PAN user manual). Check the portal for who is eligible and whether any fee applies.
Only Protean and UTIITSL are authorised to process PAN applications. Do not give your documents or money to anyone else because they promise a faster correction.
Which application do you need?
| What you want | Route | Proof needed |
|---|---|---|
| Fix a spelling mistake in your name | Correction request (form PAN CR-01) | A valid identity proof that shows the correct name |
| Change your name after marriage | Correction request (form PAN CR-01) | A marriage certificate, or one of the other name change proofs listed below |
| Change your name for another legal reason | Correction request (form PAN CR-01) | A name change publication such as a Gazette notification, or a gazetted officer’s certificate |
| Change your date of birth | Correction request (form PAN CR-01) | A date of birth proof (see below). Aadhaar no longer counts as one |
| Change father’s or mother’s name, gender, address, photo, signature, mobile or email | Correction request (form PAN CR-01) | The proof for that field, and new photos where the photo changes |
| Get another card with no change to your recorded details | A reprint route (see below) | Depends on the route you use |
| Get a PAN for the first time | New PAN application | This guide does not cover new applications |
Correction, reprint and reissue are different routes
- Correction request: use this when any recorded detail has to change. You tick the box beside each field you want to change and fill in the mandatory fields too.
- Dedicated online reprint: for eligible applicants who need another card without changing their details. It is a separate service with its own eligibility and fee, and it is available for PANs processed through Protean or the e-Filing portal. Check the reprint page for your PAN before you rely on it.
- Reissue through the application form: Protean’s page also describes filling in all the fields and ticking none to get the card reissued. This is a form route with its own completion and document instructions, so follow the current CR-01 guidelines and do not assume it needs no form or documents.
The current CR-01 form tells applicants who lost their PAN card and submit that form to attach a copy of the FIR. Do not assume that requirement also applies to a separate online reprint service. Read the instructions shown for the route you choose (see the CR-01 form and guidelines).
Name, date of birth and other proofs
Name changes
- Do not write a title (Shri, Smt, Dr) or an abbreviation in the name field. If your Aadhaar name has initials, write the expanded name in the name field.
- Where Aadhaar applies to your application, complete the name fields as the current form instructs, so that your PAN and Aadhaar names agree. Applicants exempt from Aadhaar, such as non citizens, follow the separate instructions on the form.
- Protean lists these proofs for a name change after marriage: a marriage certificate, a wedding invitation, a name change publication, your husband’s name on your passport, or a gazetted officer’s certificate. For other name changes it lists a name change publication or a gazetted officer’s certificate. The full list is in the form and its guidelines, so check it beside this summary.
- A Gazette notice proves a legal name change but does not update your PAN by itself. If you need one, see the Maharashtra Gazette name change guide and then apply for the PAN correction.
Date of birth
- From 1 April 2026, Aadhaar is not accepted as proof of date of birth, including in Aadhaar based e-KYC applications. Protean’s published guidance requires a separate date of birth document. Aadhaar still works as proof of identity and address.
- If you were born on or after 1 October 2023, you need a birth certificate from the municipal authority, Registrar of Births and Deaths, or an Indian consulate.
- For other applicants who are Indian citizens, one document showing your name and date of birth is listed, such as a passport, driving licence, voter ID, pension payment order, domicile certificate, marriage certificate, matriculation certificate or mark sheet, or a government photo ID. An original affidavit sworn before a magistrate stating the date of birth is also listed.
- Foreign citizens cannot use Indian documents such as a voter ID or an Indian passport. Use the proof the form lists for non citizens.
Other fields
- Mobile number and email are mandatory on the form.
- A married woman gives her father’s name, not her husband’s.
- If you use the CR-01 form after losing your card, attach a copy of the FIR.
- The form asks for a passport number from non residents and from residents who are not ordinarily resident. Non citizens are also asked for a tax identification number in their country of residence.
How to apply online, step by step
If you apply through Protean
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Open Protean’s change or correction service and fill in the CR-01 details in English. Tick only the fields you want to change. |
| 2 | Choose how you will submit. Paperless modes are Aadhaar e-KYC with e-Sign, e-Sign with scanned documents, or a digital signature with scanned documents, and you mail nothing. Physical mode means you post the signed acknowledgement and documents. |
| 3 | Pay the fee online. Paperless applications are paid by card or net banking. |
| 4 | Download the acknowledgement. You also get an email with the acknowledgement and the payment receipt. |
| 5 | If you chose physical mode, post the signed acknowledgement, two photos, your proofs and a copy of your existing PAN to the address Protean specifies, within 15 days of applying. Write the 15 digit acknowledgement number on the envelope. |
| 6 | Track the application with the 15 digit acknowledgement number. |
You can save a draft and return to it with a temporary token sent to your email. A temporary token is not the same as the final acknowledgement number, which you get after you complete and pay for the application. In physical mode, processing starts only after your documents and payment arrive.
If you apply through UTIITSL
- Open the UTIITSL change or correction page and use its online application, or its regenerate option if you need to retrieve an application you already made.
- Follow the instructions generated for your application. They say whether you submit paperless or send documents, and where to send them.
- Keep the application coupon number or reference shown on your receipt. It is what you use to track the application on UTIITSL’s Track PAN Card page.
If your selected application mode requires physical documents, send them to the address specified in that provider’s acknowledgement. Protean’s postal instructions apply only to applications made through Protean.
Fees
Protean fees
These are the amounts shown on Protean’s correction page, including taxes. The page does not carry a date, so confirm the amount at payment. The submission mode (physical or paperless) and the way you receive the card (physical card or e-PAN only) are separate choices, and each changes the fee.
| Service | Fee including taxes |
|---|---|
| Physical mode, physical card, India address | ₹107 |
| Physical mode, physical card, foreign address | ₹1,017 |
| Paperless, physical card, India address | ₹101 |
| Paperless, physical card, foreign address | ₹1,011 |
| Reprint, India address | ₹50 |
| Reprint, foreign address | ₹959 |
| e-PAN only, physical mode | ₹72 |
| e-PAN only, paperless | ₹66 |
UTIITSL fees
UTIITSL’s page shows ₹107 for the physical card with an e-PAN, ₹1,017 for dispatch outside India and ₹72 for an e-PAN only, and links to a fee document for the details. Check its page for the amount that applies to your application.
- Some websites quote other correction fees such as ₹110. Those may be old amounts, so rely on the figure shown at payment.
- A PAN centre or agent may add a service charge on top. The official fee is what the provider shows.
Tracking your application
| Provider | Reference to keep | Where to track |
|---|---|---|
| Protean | 15 digit acknowledgement number | The status tracking link on its PAN service pages, choosing the new or change request option |
| UTIITSL | Application coupon or reference number shown on its receipt | Track PAN Card on its site |
- Neither provider states an official processing time on its page, so do not plan around a number you read elsewhere.
- After a correction you get a new card with the same PAN. If you are an Instant e-PAN holder, you can download the e-PAN from the e-Filing portal using your Aadhaar and OTP.
If the status is unclear or the application is rejected
- Check the payment first. Both providers have a payment status check and a regenerate acknowledgement option. Do not pay again unless the payment status shows the first one failed.
- Find out which state it is in. The application may be pending, awaiting documents, marked with a discrepancy, or finally rejected. For physical mode, processing does not start until your documents arrive, and they must reach Protean within 15 days of the online application.
- Read the provider’s specific instruction. The usual reasons for a problem are a name that does not match where Aadhaar applies, a title or abbreviation in the name, wrong or missing Aadhaar, a gender that does not match Aadhaar, Aadhaar used as date of birth proof, and the old Forms 49A or 49AA used instead of CR-01.
- Supply what is missing through the permitted route where the provider offers one, and contact the provider. Protean’s helplines are 020 27218080, 080 69708080 and WhatsApp 8096078080, as listed on its page. Use only the official provider.
- Submit a fresh application only when required, for example after a final rejection, with the correct documents. The provider pages do not state a refund process for a double payment or for agents.
Before you submit: a checklist
- The form is in English, in block letters, with one character per box, if you use the paper form.
- The name has no title and no abbreviation, and follows the form’s instructions for your category.
- Your proof matches the specific change, and the name and date of birth on it are the same as on the form.
- Photos: the current CR-01 PDF specifies 4.5 by 3.5 cm for the paper form. For digital uploads, follow the specification shown on the portal at upload.
- Your signature or left thumb impression is in the right place, and a thumb impression is attested by a magistrate, notary, oath commissioner or gazetted officer.
- Your mobile number and email are correct, since the acknowledgement and updates go to them.
Aadhaar, linking and an inoperative PAN
If your name, date of birth or phone number differs between PAN and Aadhaar, the income tax department says to correct either the PAN record or the Aadhaar record so they match. PAN changes go through Protean or UTIITSL, and Aadhaar changes go through UIDAI (see the NRI Aadhaar guide if you live abroad).
Linking and correction are separate tasks. A PAN that is not linked to Aadhaar after the deadline becomes inoperative, with consequences such as no refund and higher tax deducted at source, and reactivation needs a fee and the Aadhaar number (see the department’s Aadhaar linking FAQ). A correction application does not by itself restore an inoperative PAN to operative status. The department lists these exemptions from linking: people who are non resident under the Income-tax Act residency test, non Indian citizens, people aged 80 or above, and residents of Assam, Jammu and Kashmir and Meghalaya. Check the portal for your own status.
Forms and document rules from 1 April 2026
- PAN forms and document requirements changed from 1 April 2026. Change and correction requests use form PAN CR-01 for individuals and PAN CR-02 for non individuals, and both Protean and UTIITSL use them.
- The older Forms 49A and 49AA, and the old change request form, are not accepted after 31 March 2026. New PAN applications now use Forms 93 to 96, which are for fresh PANs and not for corrections (see the Protean article on the form changes).
- Fees generally stay the same as before, but check the provider’s current fee schedule before paying.
- PAN 2.0 is a government project to modernise PAN services. Nothing on the provider pages says it has replaced the Protean and UTIITSL correction routes, so use those two.
After your PAN is corrected
Protean notes that updating your PAN before you file your income tax return is not mandatory, but wrong details can delay identity checks and complicate KYC at banks and other financial institutions (see its article). Tell your bank, your employer, your demat account provider and your insurer about the corrected details, and check that the corrected PAN shows correctly on your income tax profile before you file. For the full name change process in Maharashtra, see the Maharashtra Gazette name change guide.
If you live abroad
- Citizenship, tax residency and delivery address are different things. An NRI can remain an Indian citizen, and a foreign delivery address does not by itself decide your citizenship or your tax residency.
- To correct an existing individual PAN, use the provider’s correction service and the current CR-01 instructions. Do not choose a fresh PAN application merely because you live abroad.
- Delivery of the card to a foreign address costs more, and the fee depends on the submission mode. See the Protean fee table above and confirm the amount at payment. The form needs the country name and the postal code for a foreign address.
- The form asks for a passport number from non residents and from residents who are not ordinarily resident. Non citizens also give a tax identification number in their country of residence.
- If your PAN is inoperative, the UTIITSL notice says NRIs should contact their jurisdictional assessing officer. See the guide to the documents NRIs need for Indian property for the other papers NRIs need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my PAN number change after a correction?
No. A corrected card is issued with the same PAN. Only the details on the card change.
Which form do I use for a PAN correction?
Form PAN CR-01 for an individual and PAN CR-02 for a non individual, from 1 April 2026. The older Forms 49A and 49AA are no longer accepted.
Can I use Aadhaar as proof of date of birth?
Not from 1 April 2026, including for Aadhaar based e-KYC applications. Aadhaar still works as proof of identity and address, so use a passport, birth certificate or another listed document for the date of birth.
How much does a PAN correction cost?
Protean’s page shows ₹107 for a physical card in physical mode with an India address, and ₹101 for a paperless application. A reprint is a separate service at ₹50 for an India address. UTIITSL’s fees are on its own page. Confirm the amount at payment.
How do I track my PAN correction?
For Protean, use the 15 digit acknowledgement number on its tracking page. For UTIITSL, use the application coupon or reference number from your receipt on its Track PAN Card page.
Do I need a Gazette notification to change my name on PAN?
Not always. For a name change after marriage, a marriage certificate is among the listed proofs. For other legal name changes, a name change publication such as a Gazette notice or a gazetted officer’s certificate is listed.
What if I paid twice or the status does not change?
Check the payment status on the provider’s page before paying again. If you applied in physical mode with Protean, make sure your documents reached it within 15 days. Then contact the provider’s helpline with your reference number.
Is an NRI PAN correction different?
Mostly in the delivery fee for a foreign address and the passport and tax identification number fields. Use the correction service and CR-01 for an existing PAN, and do not choose a fresh application only because you live abroad.
Sources
| Point | Source |
|---|---|
| Correction process, fees and modes (Protean) | Protean correction page and Protean PAN services index |
| Change and correction request (UTIITSL) | UTIITSL change or correction page and UTIITSL home page |
| The CR-01 form and its guidelines | Protean hosted CR-01 form |
| Form changes from 1 April 2026 | Protean article |
| Aadhaar linking and inoperative PAN | Income tax e-Filing FAQ |
| Instant e-PAN update | Income tax e-Filing user manual |
Reviewed on 4 November 2026. The points on the new forms and proofs follow the Protean and UTIITSL provider pages. Check the official pages before you apply.
NaviMumbai.com is an independent information site and is not affiliated with any government body.
