Customer and vendor records
Catch PAN typing mistakes before saving them.
PAN Format Validator
Type a PAN to check the format and read what its letters mean.
Your files stay with you. Your files never leave your browser. This tool runs on your device: nothing is uploaded to our servers, so there is nothing for us to store or see.
How to use it
- Type the 10-character PAN.
- Read whether the format is correct.
- See the holder type and, to confirm it was issued, use the Income Tax portal's Verify PAN.
Where it helps
TDS and payouts
Check payee PANs before deducting and depositing TDS.
Rent and HRA
Check a landlord's PAN before giving it to your employer.
Good to know
Stays in your browser
What you type is processed on your device and never sent to our servers.
Format only
Use the Income Tax portal's Verify PAN to confirm issue.
Fifth letter
For individuals, usually the surname's first letter.
Treat PANs carefully
They're personal data; share only when needed.
Questions people ask
How do you check whether a PAN is in the right format?
Type the 10-character PAN and the tool checks its format, five letters, four digits and a letter, and tells you what the fourth letter says about the holder: individual, company, firm, trust and so on. A correct format doesn't prove the PAN was issued; use Verify PAN on the Income Tax portal for that.
- 10 chars AAAAA9999A. Format checked.
- 4th letter Holder type. P, C, H, F and more.
- No checksum Format only. Verify on the IT portal.
- 0 Data sent. In your browser.
How do I check a PAN number's format?
Type the 10-character PAN into the box. The tool checks it has five letters, four digits and a final letter, and shows what its fourth letter means about the holder. If the format is wrong, retype it carefully, because letters and digits are easily confused.
What does the fourth letter of a PAN mean?
It's the holder type: P for individual, C company, H Hindu Undivided Family, F firm or LLP, A association of persons, T trust, B body of individuals, L local authority, J artificial juridical person and G government. The tool names it for you. Check it matches.
What does the fifth letter mean?
For an individual, with P as the fourth letter, it's normally the first letter of the surname. For other holders, it's the first letter of the entity's name. A mismatch with the name you have can be a sign the PAN was typed wrongly or belongs to someone else.
Does a correct format prove the PAN is real?
No. PAN has no public checksum, so the tool only confirms the shape. Use the Verify PAN service on the Income Tax e-filing portal to confirm that a PAN was issued and matches the name. Do that before relying on a PAN for TDS or large payments.
Is the PAN I type sent anywhere?
No. The check runs entirely in your browser, so the PAN isn't sent to our servers or stored. That's important, because PANs are personal data that can be misused in identity fraud. Only share PANs where they're genuinely required. Nothing is stored after you close the page.
Why does a PAN fail the format check?
Usually because of a typing mistake, such as the letter O in place of zero, an I instead of 1, a missing character or an extra space. Copy it again from the PAN card or ask the person to confirm it. Spaces are ignored, but wrong characters aren't.
Why check PAN for TDS?
Deducting TDS against a wrong PAN means the credit doesn't reach the payee, causing mismatches and corrections later. Checking the format first, then verifying the PAN on the portal, avoids those problems for contractor, rent and commission payments. A wrong PAN can also attract a higher TDS rate in some cases.
Can I check a company's PAN?
Yes. A company's PAN has C as the fourth letter, and the fifth letter is the first letter of the company's name. The tool checks the format the same way. Company PANs also appear inside their GSTINs, which you can check with the GSTIN validator.
Is a PAN the same as a GSTIN?
No, but they're linked. A GSTIN contains the business's PAN in characters three to twelve, plus a state code, an entity number, the letter Z and a check character. A business has one PAN but can have several GSTINs in different states. Both can be checked here.
Do I need a landlord's PAN for HRA?
If your yearly rent is more than ₹1,00,000, you must give your landlord's PAN to your employer to claim HRA exemption. Check its format here before submitting, and keep rent receipts and the rent agreement as supporting documents. The PAN validator checks the format in a second.
What is an e-PAN?
An e-PAN is the electronic version of a PAN card, issued as a PDF, often instantly through Aadhaar-based e-KYC. It's valid in the same way as a physical card. The PAN number on it follows the same format checked by this tool. It can be downloaded anytime.
Can a person have two PANs?
No. Holding more than one PAN isn't allowed, and penalties can apply. If you've accidentally been issued two, apply to surrender the extra one through the Income Tax department. This tool can't detect duplicates; it only checks the format. Each person should keep exactly one.
Is the PAN validator useful for small businesses?
Yes, for checking customer and supplier PANs on invoices, TDS records and partner payouts. Marketiism deducts TDS on affiliate commission payouts and keeps records, so correct PANs matter for those payments as well. Clean records make year-end filing and reconciliations much smoother. Check each one once.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. Type a PAN on your phone and see the result instantly. It's handy when someone reads their PAN out over the phone or sends a photo of their card, and you want to check you've copied it correctly. No app or account is needed for any of it.
Is it free?
Yes. The PAN format validator is free, with no sign-up and no limit. It's part of the free India business tools from Marketiism, alongside the GSTIN validator and IFSC code checker. Nothing you type is stored, and there's no limit on how many PANs you check.
Want this inside your own account?
Marketiism keeps your invoice numbers, GST reports, UPI payment links and WhatsApp reminders in one place. Leave your details and we'll call to set it up for your business, or start the trial yourself.
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