Lost your PAN card? Don't worry, you can get duplicate PAN by doing this

New Delhi: Permanent Account Number (PAN) is a ten-digit unique alphanumeric number issued by the Income Tax Department and the laminated plastic card popularly known as PAN card is an important financial document.

Who needs to get a PAN card?

Every person has a business or profession with total sale, turnover, or gross receipts that are likely to exceed Rs 5 lakh in any previous year has to obtain a PAN card. Additionally, every person who wants to carry on a specified financial transactions in which quoting of PAN is mandatory must also obtain a PAN card.

​But what if you already have a PAN card and you have lost it? What do you do in such a situation?

Well, you need not worry. You can always apply for a duplicate PAN card by submitting the Form for "Request for New PAN Card or/ and Changes or Correction in PAN Data". But before that, you must file an FIR regarding your lost PAN. While submitting the form, you will have to attach a copy of the FIR along with the form.

What to do if you don't remember your PAN number?

If you have lost your PAN card and you don't remember your PAN number then you can know your​ PAN by using the facility of "Know Your PAN" provided by the Income Tax Department. You just need to log in to www.incometaxindia.gov.in and avail the facility.

For knowing your PAN number online, you will be required to provide some vital details like your name, father's name and your date of birth. After knowing the PAN you can apply for duplicate PAN card by submitting the "Request For New PAN Card Or/ And Changes Or Correction in PAN Data".

What are the charges for obtaining a PAN?

The charges for applying for PAN is Rs 110 (Application fee Rs 93 + 18% GST) within address inside India and Rs1020 (including GST) for foreign communication address.​

Meanwhile, for the uninitiated, you must also know about the e-PAN facility launched by the government.

This facility is now available for those PAN applicants who possess a valid Aadhaar number and have a mobile number registered with Aadhaar. The allotment process is paperless and an electronic PAN (e-PAN) is issued to the applicants free of cost.

Here is how to apply for instant PAN through Aadhaar based e-KYC

- The process of applying for instant PAN is very simple.

- The instant PAN applicant is required to access the e-filing website of the Income Tax Department to provide your valid Aadhaar number

- Then submit the OTP received on your Aadhaar registered mobile number.

- On successful completion of this process, a 15-digit acknowledgment number is generated.

- You can check the status of the request anytime by providing your valid Aadhaar number and on successful allotment, can download the e-PAN.

- The e-PAN is also sent to you one your email id, if it’s registered with Aadhaar.