Two agencies are authorised by the Income Tax Department to issue PAN cards: Protean (formerly NSDL e-Gov) and UTIITSL. Both are equally official.
What's the difference Functionally, none. Both accept the same documents, charge the same fee bands and produce the same PAN. Portal UX differs.
Documents Proof of identity (Aadhaar, Passport, Voter ID), proof of address (utility bill within 3 months, bank statement), and one photograph if applying offline.
Fees Around ₹107 for a physical PAN delivered inside India, and around ₹1017 for delivery outside India (verify on the official portal — fees change).
Timeline Instant e-PAN via Aadhaar OTP is available for individuals with an Aadhaar-linked mobile — usually issued within 10 minutes. Physical card takes 15–20 working days.
Always apply through incometax.gov.in, protean-tinpan.com or utiitsl.com. Never pay any "agent" a premium on WhatsApp.