The password for an e-PAN PDF is your date of birth written as DDMMYYYY: two digits for the day, two for the month and four for the year. If you were born on 15 August 1990, the password is 15081990. Type it when the PDF asks. If a website or office needs a copy without a password, save one with Unlock PDF on your own device.
Work out your password
Protean, which issues e-PAN for the Income Tax Department, gives this rule in its guide to getting e-PAN. Use the date of birth recorded with your PAN.
| Date of birth | Password |
|---|---|
| 15 August 1990 | 15081990 |
| 3 January 1985 | 03011985 |
| 28 February 2001 | 28022001 |
Use digits only, with no slashes, dashes or spaces. Days and months below 10 need a leading zero, so 3 January becomes 0301.
Open the PDF
- Download your e-PAN from the Protean website or the Income Tax e-filing portal, then find the file on your phone or computer.
- Open it in any PDF viewer. It asks for a password.
- Type your date of birth as eight digits, such as 15081990.
- If it doesn't open, check the date of birth on your PAN record and try again.
Save a copy without the password
Some forms and offices want a PDF that opens without a password. You can make that copy without sending your PAN to anyone.
- Open Unlock PDF and choose your e-PAN file. It stays on this device. Nothing is uploaded.
- Type your date of birth in PDF password, as eight digits.
- Select “I have permission to unlock these PDFs.”
- Click Unlock PDF, then download the copy.
- Open the new copy and check that your name, PAN and photo are all there.
Keep the original file too. If a portal checks the PDF's digital signature, a changed copy won't pass, so give that portal the original.
If the form has a size limit
Many application portals accept only small files. After unlocking, use Compress PDF to 100 KB or choose another size in Compress PDF. Check that your PAN and photo are still clear in the result.
Common problems
| What happens | What to do |
|---|---|
| The password is rejected | Use eight digits in day, month, year order, with leading zeros, such as 03011985. |
| You aren't sure which date to use | Use the date of birth on your PAN record. It can differ from other documents if it was entered differently when you applied. |
| The unlocked copy won't upload | Check the portal's size limit and file type, then compress the copy if needed. |
| You also need your Aadhaar PDF | Its password follows a different rule. See Aadhaar PDF password. |
Questions
Can I remove the e-PAN password without knowing my date of birth?
No. You need the correct password to open or unlock the file, and Unlock PDF does not guess passwords. Check your date of birth on your PAN record and download the e-PAN again if needed.
Does unlocking my PAN PDF send it anywhere?
No. Unlock PDF works in your browser on this device, so the file is never uploaded. You can check this yourself on the verify page.
Is an e-PAN as good as the physical PAN card?
Many places accept the e-PAN PDF wherever a PAN card is asked for. Check with the organisation if you're unsure, and keep the original file for anyone who needs to verify it.