PAN card validator: check the format of a PAN number
A Permanent Account Number (PAN) is the ten-character identifier the Income Tax Department issues to every taxpayer in India — individuals, companies, firms, trusts and more. This PAN card validator checks that a number follows the official structure of five letters, four digits and one letter, and decodes what the structure tells you: the fourth character shows the type of holder and the fifth is the first letter of the holder’s surname or entity name.
It is useful when you record a landlord’s PAN for HRA, a vendor’s PAN for TDS, a customer’s PAN in KYC forms, or the PAN embedded in a GSTIN. A mistyped PAN fails immediately, and the decoded holder type lets you spot a company PAN entered where an individual’s was expected. The bulk mode validates a pasted list and exports CSV. Everything runs in your browser.
Important: this is a format check only. A number that passes may never have been issued, may be deactivated, or may belong to someone else. To confirm a PAN is genuine and active, use “Verify Your PAN” on the Income Tax e-filing portal or your bank’s or employer’s verification service.
How to use the PAN Card Validator
- Type or paste the number in the PAN box; spaces and lower case are corrected as you type.
- Read the verdict and the colour-coded breakdown: series, holder type, name initial, number and check letter.
- If the format is wrong, the checklist shows which rule failed — a digit where a letter should be, a wrong length, or an unknown holder type.
- Switch to Bulk to validate a list, one PAN per line, with Validate list.
- Press Download CSV to save the results with the holder type and reason for each line.
PAN Card Validator features
Strict format check
Matches the official pattern AAAAA9999A character by character and names the exact character that breaks it.
Holder type decoded
The fourth character is mapped to its meaning: P individual, C company, H HUF, F firm or LLP, A AOP, T trust, B BOI, L local authority, J artificial juridical person, G government.
Name initial
The fifth character is shown as the first letter of the surname (individuals) or of the entity name (everyone else), a quick sanity check against the name on the form.
Bulk validation and CSV
Paste hundreds of PANs and download a table of valid and invalid numbers with reasons.
Private by design
No network requests; the numbers never leave your device.
PAN number format explained
Take ABCPS1234K:
| Position | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | ABC | Alphabetic series running from AAA to ZZZ |
| 4 | P | Holder type — P means an individual |
| 5 | S | First letter of the surname (individuals) or of the entity name (others) |
| 6–9 | 1234 | Sequential number from 0001 to 9999 |
| 10 | K | Alphabetic check letter assigned by the department |
What the fourth character of a PAN means
The same PAN appears as characters 3–12 of a GSTIN, so a GST number of a company always has C in its sixth position. The GSTIN validator decodes it from the GST side, and the TDS calculator shows why a missing or invalid PAN raises TDS to 20% under section 206AA.
| Letter | Holder type | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| P | Individual | Salaried employees, professionals, landlords |
| C | Company | Private and public limited companies |
| H | Hindu undivided family | Family businesses and property held as HUF |
| F | Firm | Partnership firms and LLPs |
| A | Association of persons | Societies, clubs, joint ventures |
| T | Trust | Charitable and private trusts |
| B | Body of individuals | Unincorporated groups |
| L | Local authority | Municipal corporations, panchayats |
| J | Artificial juridical person | Statutory bodies, universities |
| G | Government | Central and state government agencies |
Common PAN mistakes this check catches
- Confusing the letter O with the digit 0, or I with 1 — a letter in positions 6–9 or a digit elsewhere fails the pattern.
- Dropping a character when copying from a scanned card, giving nine characters.
- Entering a GSTIN or an Aadhaar number in a PAN field: the wrong length is reported at once.
- A fourth character outside the ten valid holder types, which usually means two characters were swapped.
- Using a company’s PAN (C) for a director, or an individual’s PAN (P) for the company — the decoded holder type makes the mix-up visible.
PAN Card Validator FAQ
Does “valid format” mean the PAN is real?
No. The PAN card validator only confirms the structure. Whether the number was issued and is active can be checked on the Income Tax e-filing portal’s “Verify Your PAN” service with the holder’s name and date of birth.
What does the 4th letter of a PAN mean?
The holder type: P for an individual, C company, H HUF, F firm, A association of persons, T trust, B body of individuals, L local authority, J artificial juridical person, G government.
What does the 5th letter of a PAN mean?
For individuals it is the first letter of the surname; for every other holder it is the first letter of the entity’s name. Married women who changed their surname keep their original PAN, so it may not match the current name.
How is the last letter of a PAN calculated?
It is a check character generated by the Income Tax Department’s system. The algorithm is not published, so this tool verifies that it is a letter but cannot recompute it.
Can a PAN contain lower-case letters?
PANs are issued in upper case. The validator converts lower case for you; on forms and returns, always write it in capitals.
Is bulk validation safe for client data?
Yes — the list is processed in your browser and the CSV is created on your device. Nothing is uploaded.