Income Tax Department Updates Instant e-PAN Guidance: DigiLocker Access and Date-of-Birth Proof Now Central to the Online Flow

The Income Tax Department's updated Instant e-PAN FAQ on the e-Filing portal sets out the current eligibility rules and a DigiLocker-based step for fetching date-of-birth proof. Instant e-PAN is a free, pre-login service that gives an individual who has not yet been allotted a PAN a digitally signed PAN in electronic form, using Aadhaar and the mobile number linked to it.

Who can and cannot use Instant e-PAN

The service is for individuals who do not already have a PAN. The FAQ says it cannot be used by a person who:

• already has a PAN allotted;
• is a minor on the date of the application; or
• is a representative assessee under section 160 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 or section 303 of the Income-tax Act, 2025.

There is no fee. The applicant needs three things: a valid Aadhaar number, a mobile number linked to that Aadhaar for OTP verification, and access to DigiLocker.

How the DigiLocker step works

The process starts from the e-Filing portal home page: select "Instant e-PAN" under Quick Links and click "Get New e-PAN". During the flow the applicant is redirected to DigiLocker, which is used to fetch date-of-birth details and supporting proof for PAN generation. The applicant selects one document, edits its validity date and consents to share it with the Income Tax Department.

If more than one document is selected, the documents are sorted alphabetically and the first one in that order is used as proof of date of birth.

When something is missing

• No DigiLocker account: an account can be created within the e-PAN flow using OTP on the Aadhaar-linked mobile, followed by choosing a username and password.
• Mobile not linked to Aadhaar: the mobile must first be linked at an Aadhaar Enrolment or Update Centre, since both the Aadhaar OTP and DigiLocker sign-up depend on it.
• Document not in DigiLocker: check whether the issuing authority is a DigiLocker partner and pull the document using the relevant ID details; where supported, upload a self-attested scanned copy and e-sign it; otherwise use the regular PAN application route.
• Newly issued document not showing: wait a few minutes and refresh the "Issued Documents" section in DigiLocker.
• DigiLocker not responding: wait and retry, check digilocker.gov.in directly, avoid refreshing mid-process, or try another browser or device.

Email, acknowledgement and download

Validating the Aadhaar-registered email is optional while generating e-PAN, but becomes mandatory at the time of e-Filing registration if it was not done earlier. On successful submission, a success message shows an Acknowledgement Number, and a confirmation is sent to the Aadhaar-linked mobile.

To check status without logging in, choose "Instant e-PAN" on the home page, click "Continue" on the "Check Status / Download e-PAN" tile, enter the 12-digit Aadhaar number and validate the 6-digit OTP. Once the PAN is allotted, it can be viewed or downloaded and an e-Filing account can be created. Registered users can also go to Dashboard, then Services, then View / Download e-PAN, and validate with Aadhaar OTP. DigiLocker-specific problems go to DigiLocker's support channels; issues within the e-PAN flow go to the e-Filing helpdesk.

What applicants should check before starting

Confirm that the mobile number is linked to Aadhaar, sign in to DigiLocker and make sure at least one accepted date-of-birth document has been fetched from its issuer. If several accepted documents are selected, remember the alphabetical rule, so the intended document is the one used.

Updated on 27 September 2026: linked the official FAQ, corrected the accepted document list (Central Government Health Scheme card), and added the start steps, DigiLocker troubleshooting and download path.