Peter Pan Once Upon a Time Costume

Short for Permanent Account Number, a PAN is the number the Indian government associates with a tax-paying person in India, similar to a Social Security number in the United States. Follow these steps to check your PAN status.

Each citizen may only have one of these numbers: Each PAN has 5 letters, followed by 4 numbers, then one final letter. It's illegal to have more than one PAN, to use another person's PAN or to knowingly use an invalid PAN. If you have a valid personal reason, you may change your PAN by filling out a form and paying a fee. You'll need to wait for the application to process after submitting the form. If you have no income, the Indian government does not require a PAN. You do need a PAN if you have taxable income, earn income, pay utilities, buy land, purchase a car or use PayPal.

National Securities Depository Limited

The National Securities Depository Limited, or NSDL, distributes the PAN and PAN card and issues all data corrections. Contact local authorities and make a statement if you lose your PAN card or discover that it's stolen or destroyed. You should also alert authorities if you believe someone is using a false or incorrect PAN. Submit a PAN Card Enquiry to find whether data associated with a PAN or a PAN card status is valid.

By Acknowledgment Number

Whether applying for a PAN online or via phone, you'll receive a 15-digit acknowledgment number. For an NSDL PAN status check using your smartphone, send an SMS to 57575 with "NSDLPAN" followed by a space and your 15-digit acknowledgment number in the body of the text. You can also log into the official NSDL website. Under Application Type, choose the first option: PAN — New / Change Request. Click on the circle next to "Acknowledgment Number," fill in the 15 digits, then click Submit. Another way to check the status is to call the TIN Call Center at 020-2721 8080.

By Name and Birthdate

You can also check your NSDL PAN status with your name and birthdate at the official NSDL website. This method is available 24 hours after you've submitted your online application. As above, choose the first option under the Application Type, and select the first option. Click on the small circle next to "Name," and enter your name and date of birth. Be sure your name is typed exactly as it appears on your submitted application form.

UTI Coupon Number

Another method of NSDL PAN verification is by using your UTI coupon number on the official UTI website. Fill in the 10-digit coupon number, and then click "Submit." You should follow these steps whether you've applied for a new PAN card or requested a reprint or change of an existing PAN card. Be sure to check the status of your PAN within five days from when your acknowledgment or coupon number is generated. If your application and documents are in order, new PAN card requests are typically processed in 15 days. Processing can take 25 days for PAN card reprints or changes.