e-PAN Card PDF Password: Format, Fixes and How to Remove It

After you apply for a new PAN, request a correction or download your e-PAN, you receive it as a password-protected PDF, either by email or from a download page. The e-PAN is a valid digital form of your PAN card and is widely accepted for KYC, bank accounts, investments and job joining formalities. To open it, print it or upload it, you need the password. This guide explains the format, what to do when it fails, and how to remove the password for uploads.

The e-PAN password format

For an individual, the password is your date of birth in DDMMYYYY format, written without spaces, slashes or dashes, as recorded in your PAN application.

For companies, firms, LLPs, trusts and HUFs, the password is the date of incorporation or formation in the same DDMMYYYY format. Always use two digits for the day and the month, so 7 becomes 07.

The PAN services of Protean (formerly NSDL e-Gov) and UTIITSL, and the e-PAN download through the Income Tax e-filing portal, generally follow this format. The covering email or download page usually repeats the instruction; if it says something different, follow what it says.

Where e-PAN PDFs come from

• Protean (NSDL): e-PAN is emailed after a new application or correction, and can be downloaded again from its e-PAN download facility.
• UTIITSL: applicants whose PAN was processed through UTIITSL can request the e-PAN on its website; it is sent to the email address in PAN records.
• Income Tax e-filing portal: the Instant e-PAN service, which uses Aadhaar, lets you download the e-PAN after OTP verification.

Some of these services charge a small fee for repeat downloads after a certain period; check the current terms on the official site.

When the password does not work

• Check the format. 7/4/1992 must be typed as 07041992, not 741992 or 07-04-1992.
• Use the date in PAN records. If your PAN records have a different date of birth from your Aadhaar or certificates (it happens with old PAN cards), the PAN date is what counts. A correction request can fix an incorrect date.
• Entities use the incorporation date, not the date of birth of a director or partner.
• Make sure the file is complete. A partially downloaded attachment may report a wrong password or a damaged file. Download it again.
• Try another PDF viewer. Chrome's built-in viewer and Adobe Acrobat Reader handle these files well; some basic phone file managers do not.

Remove the password for uploading

Banks, brokers, employers and government portals often ask you to upload your PAN. Many systems cannot read encrypted PDFs, so you may need an unlocked copy:

1. Open Unlock PDF.
2. Select the e-PAN PDF and enter the DDMMYYYY password.
3. Download the unlocked file and open it to check.

The unlocking happens in your browser, so the document stays on your device. It requires the correct password; it does not bypass protection.

Preparing PAN for different upload requirements

Size limits differ between institutions and portals; check the instructions on the upload page or official notice.

Keep your PAN safe

A PAN number together with your name and date of birth is enough for fraudsters to attempt loans in your name or misuse it for high-value transactions. Protect copies:

• Share copies only with organisations that genuinely need them, and ask why.
• Write or stamp the purpose and date on copies, for example "For account opening at XYZ Bank only". Our guide on watermarking ID copies shows how to do it digitally.
• Keep the original password-protected e-PAN on your phone and delete unlocked copies after use.
• Check your credit report once in a while for loans you did not take.
• If you share the file by email, protect it again with a new password using Protect PDF and send the password separately.

Keeping your e-PAN safe

Your e-PAN is a valid identity and tax document, so treat the PDF like the physical card. Store it in a private folder rather than in chat downloads, and avoid opening it on shared or cyber café computers. When you must share a copy for KYC, add a watermark that names the purpose and date with Add Watermark. Read how to watermark ID copies for ideas. If a form needs an image instead of a PDF, convert the page with PDF to JPG, then crop it to the card area.

Common questions

Is e-PAN valid without the physical card?

Yes, e-PAN is an electronic PAN card and is accepted as proof of PAN. Some organisations may still ask for a photocopy of the physical card; a printout of the e-PAN usually serves the purpose.

Is the Aadhaar PDF password the same?

No. e-Aadhaar uses the first four letters of your name in capitals plus your year of birth. See the e-Aadhaar password guide.

Can I change the e-PAN password?

Not on the original file. You can unlock it and then protect your own copy with a password of your choice using Protect PDF.

Related guides

• e-Aadhaar PDF Password: Format, Examples and How to Remove It
• How to Watermark Aadhaar, PAN and ID Copies Before Sharing
• How to Compress a PDF to 500KB or 1MB (and Keep It Readable)