Pan Card Surname: Match Mandatory?

The Indian government has made it mandatory to link your PAN with your Aadhar. The name on the PAN card must match the name on the Aadhar card. If there is a mismatch in the names, the PAN will be considered invalid. The PAN card is issued under Section 139A of the Income Tax Act. The PAN structure is as follows: AAAPL1234C: First five characters are letters, next four numerals, last character letter. The first three letters are a sequence of alphabets from AAA to ZZZ. The fourth character informs about the type of holder of the card. The fifth character of the PAN is the first character of the surname or last name of the person. The last character is an alphabetic check digit.

How to check surname in PAN

To check the surname on your PAN card, you must first understand the structure of a PAN. A PAN is a 10-character alphanumeric number, with the first five characters being letters, the next four numerals, and the last character a letter. The first three characters are a sequence of alphabets from AAA to ZZZ. The fourth character indicates the type of holder of the card, and the fifth character is the first letter of the surname.

For example, consider the PAN "AAAPL1234C". Here, the first three characters "AAA" are a sequence of alphabets, the fourth character "P" indicates the holder is an individual, and the fifth character "L" is the first letter of the surname.

To find out your surname, follow these steps:

Step 1:

Note down your 10-character alphanumeric PAN number.

Step 2:

Understand the structure of your PAN by identifying the first five characters as alphabets, the next four as numerals, and the last as an alphabet. Identify the first three characters as a sequence from AAA to ZZZ and the fourth character as either "P" for an individual or "C" for a company.

Step 3:

The fifth character of your PAN is the first letter of your surname. For example, if the fifth character is "T", then "T" is the first letter of your surname as provided in the PAN application form.

Step 4:

To register on the e-filing portal, enter your PAN, date of birth, and name properly, ensuring that the surname matches the one on your PAN card.

It is important to note that the name appearing on the PAN card might differ from the PAN database due to the use of shorter forms or nicknames. Therefore, if you encounter an error during registration, validate your PAN and name using the link provided by the Income Tax Department.

Additionally, when registering on the e-filing website, ensure that the order of your first name and surname matches the PAN card. The registration process may fail if the name and surname are not entered correctly as per the PAN card.

PAN card name and Aadhar card name mismatch

If there is a mismatch between the name on your PAN card and your Aadhar card, you can still link the two. However, the process may vary depending on the type of mismatch.

If there is only a minor mismatch in the name on your Aadhar card, you can link the two by following these steps:

• Visit the e-filing website of the Income Tax Department: https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in.
• Click on 'Link Aadhar' under the 'Services' menu.
• Enter your PAN number, Aadhar number, name as per Aadhar, and the Captcha Code.
• Submit the details and an OTP will be sent to your mobile number registered with Aadhar.
• Enter the OTP and your Aadhar will be linked to your PAN.

Note that for the linking to be successful, your date of birth and gender must be exactly the same on both cards.

However, if there is a major mismatch between the names on the two cards, you will need to correct the name on either your Aadhar or PAN card before linking the two. To do this, you can visit an Aadhar enrolment centre and request a form for amending details. There will be a small fee for this service. Alternatively, you can download a form from the NSDL website, have it attested by a gazetted officer, and courier it along with your other documents.

Once the names on your PAN and Aadhar cards match, you can proceed with linking the two by following the steps outlined above.

PAN card name and Income Tax database name mismatch

When registering on the e-filing website of the income tax department, you may encounter error messages such as 'Invalid Surname. Please retry' or 'Invalid First Name. Please retry'. These errors occur when the name you are trying to enter on the income tax portal does not match the name on your PAN card.

The name entered on the income tax e-filing portal must match the order of the first name and surname on the PAN card. When applying for a PAN card, an individual is required to specify their name, middle name, and surname. The PAN card subsequently issued is based on the data furnished at the time of the application. Therefore, when registering on the e-filing website, the details entered should match the name and surname furnished at the time of the PAN application.

To resolve this issue, you can find out the name/surname on your PAN card by following these steps:

• Note your unique 10-digit alphanumeric PAN number.
• The first five characters are letters, the next four are numbers, and the last character is a letter.
• The first three characters are a sequence from AAA to ZZZ.
• The fourth character is either P or C, representing an individual or a company, respectively.
• The fifth character denotes the first letter of your surname if you are an individual. If you are a non-individual (company, firm, etc.), it indicates the first character of the PAN holder's name.

For example, consider that your name is Sridhar Kashyap and your PAN is AxxPSxxxxM. According to the naming convention followed in India, Sridhar is the first name, and Kashyap is the surname. However, PAN may have considered it the other way around. Therefore, you have to follow the same naming convention while registering on the e-filing portal.

If you are still unable to fix the name/surname error while registering on the portal, you can seek assistance from an expert chartered accountant.

PAN card name and EPFO name mismatch

The name on your PAN card must match the name on your EPFO card. If there is a mismatch, you will not be able to upload your KYC details on the EPFO website, and you will not be able to withdraw your provident fund online.

If you are getting a "PAN verification failed" error when trying to upload your PAN card details, it is because the name on your PAN card does not match the details registered in the EPF UAN portal. To solve this issue, you will need to update your name in the EPFO database by filling out and submitting an EPF Joint Declaration Form. This form can also be used to update other details, such as your date of birth, date of joining, date of leaving, and PF/EPS account number. You will need to mention your wrong name as well as your correct name on the form, get it attested by your employer, and then submit it to your regional EPF office. The process can take at least 30 days.

If your PAN card details are incorrect, you will need to correct your name with the PAN authority. If your name is different across various documents, it is recommended to change it to match your educational records, as these serve as the first record for any individual. However, keep in mind that changing your name can have collateral implications, as you will have to re-verify your identity with other services.

PAN card name and UAN name mismatch

It is important to ensure that the name on your PAN card matches the name on your UAN. A mismatch in names can cause issues with tax filing, EPFO registration, and other financial services.

If there is a mismatch between the name on your PAN card and your UAN, you may need to correct your PAN card details. To do this, you can follow the steps outlined below:

• Visit the official website of the Income Tax Department (https://www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in).
• Click on the "Link Aadhaar" option under the "Services" menu on the left side of the website.
• Enter the required details, including your PAN number, Aadhaar number, and name. Ensure that the name entered is exactly the same as it appears on your Aadhaar card to avoid spelling mistakes.
• Submit the details, and the linking will be confirmed after verification from the UIDAI.
• If there is a slight difference between the Aadhaar name and the taxpayer's actual name, a One-Time Password (OTP) will be sent to the registered mobile number. Ensure that the date of birth and gender in PAN and Aadhaar are exactly the same.
• After filling out all the details and the Aadhaar number, the system will display a message if your Aadhaar is linked with the PAN.

In some cases, you may need to correct your name on your Aadhaar card to match your PAN card. Here are the steps to correct your Aadhaar details:

• Visit the UIDAI website (https://uidai.gov.in) or the Aadhaar Enrolment Centre.
• Download the Aadhaar Enrolment/Correction Form or update your details online.
• Fill in the required details and submit the form along with supporting documents for name change/correction.
• Provide biometric authentication and pay the applicable fees.
• Once the correction is processed, you will receive a confirmation message and your updated Aadhaar card will be dispatched to your registered address.

It is important to ensure that the name on your PAN card, UAN, and Aadhaar card are all consistent to avoid any issues with tax filing, EPFO registration, or accessing financial services.

Frequently asked questions