Many PAN card holders assume that correcting or updating PAN information always requires submitting documents separately. However, the Income Tax Department provides an Instant e-PAN facility through which eligible individuals can update certain PAN details using Aadhaar-based e-KYC.

This can be particularly useful when the information on your Aadhaar and PAN does not match. The facility is available through the Income Tax e-Filing portal.

Which PAN details can be updated?

Using the Aadhaar e-KYC-based facility, eligible users can update certain details in their PAN records, including:

• Name
• Date of birth
• Photograph
• Mobile number
• Email ID
• Address

The information is fetched from Aadhaar and can be used to update the corresponding PAN details.

However, this does not mean that every PAN-related correction can be completed through Aadhaar. Some changes may require a separate PAN correction process and supporting documents.

Who can use this facility?

The Instant e-PAN service is intended for individuals who meet the Income Tax Department's eligibility conditions and have a valid Aadhaar with a mobile number linked to it.

For the update facility, the user needs to authenticate through the mobile number registered with Aadhaar.

The service is available through the Income Tax Department's official e-Filing portal.

How to update PAN details using Aadhaar

The process is relatively simple.

Step 1: Open the Income Tax e-Filing portal

Go to the official Income Tax Department e-Filing website and select the Instant e-PAN service.

Step 2: Select "Update PAN"

Choose the option for updating PAN details using Aadhaar.

Step 3: Enter your Aadhaar number

Enter your 12-digit Aadhaar number and proceed after providing the required consent.

Step 4: Verify with OTP

An OTP will be sent to the mobile number registered with your Aadhaar.

Enter the OTP to complete Aadhaar authentication.

Step 5: Check the details

The portal will display your Aadhaar e-KYC information along with the details currently associated with your PAN.

You can select the eligible information that you want to update.

Step 6: Submit the request

After confirming the selected changes, submit the request.

The Income Tax Department provides an acknowledgement number that can be used to track the request later.

Important: Your Aadhaar and PAN name should match

One common problem occurs when the name on Aadhaar and PAN is significantly different.

For example, if your Aadhaar contains "Rahul Kumar Sharma" while your PAN contains "Rahul Sharma", the Aadhaar-based update may not work as expected.

In such cases, you may need to correct the relevant identity document first or use the appropriate PAN correction process.

What about date of birth?

Date of birth can also be updated through Aadhaar e-KYC where the facility permits it.

There is an important catch: if the PAN contains only the year of birth, the Income Tax Department says the complete date of birth must first be updated in Aadhaar before using Aadhaar e-KYC for the PAN update.

This is something people should check before starting the process.

What if your Aadhaar mobile number is not active?

The Aadhaar-based process relies on OTP authentication.

If your current mobile number is not registered with Aadhaar, you may not be able to complete the online process.

UIDAI states that a registered mobile number is essential for accessing Aadhaar online services.

In such a situation, you may first need to update your mobile number through an Aadhaar enrolment/update centre.

Another useful PAN trick: Check whether you already have a PAN

If you are applying for a PAN using the Instant e-PAN service, the Income Tax Department checks whether the Aadhaar is already linked to an existing PAN.

If the Aadhaar is already linked to a valid PAN, the system will indicate that the Aadhaar is already associated with a PAN rather than issuing another one.

This is useful because individuals should not hold multiple PANs.

Don't use third-party websites

For PAN or Aadhaar corrections, avoid entering your Aadhaar number, PAN number or OTP on random websites offering "instant correction" services.

Use the official Income Tax e-Filing portal for PAN services and the official UIDAI/MyAadhaar platform for Aadhaar services.

UIDAI currently provides services including Aadhaar updates, Masked Aadhaar, Virtual ID and biometric locking through its official MyAadhaar platform.

Quick checklist before updating PAN

Before starting the process, keep these things ready:

• Valid Aadhaar
• Mobile number registered with Aadhaar
• Existing PAN
• Correct Aadhaar details
• Access to your Aadhaar-linked mobile number

Also check the spelling of your name and your date of birth on Aadhaar before requesting a PAN update.

Bottom line

If your PAN details need correction and your Aadhaar contains the correct information, you may be able to update several PAN details through Aadhaar e-KYC without going through a separate traditional correction process.

The Income Tax Department's current facility allows eligible users to update details such as name, date of birth, photograph, mobile number, email ID and address through the Aadhaar-based process.