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Instant e-PAN to go offline for two days next week:Here's the impact on you

The Income Tax Department has announced that its instant e-PAN service will be temporarily unavailable next week due to scheduled maintenance. The downtime will start at 12:00am on 17 August 2025 and end at 12:00am on 19 August 2025. Taxpayers who may need a PAN during this period are advised to complete the process before to avoid delays in financial transactions or compliance requirements. What is instant e-PAN? The instant e-PAN facility is aimed at individual taxpayers who do not yet have a Permanent Account Number (PAN) but possess a valid Aadhaar. The service: Issues a digitally signed PAN in PDF format. Uses Aadhaar-based e-KYC for authentication. Allows updating PAN details as per Aadhaar records. Enables creation of an e-Filing account after allotment or update. Lets users track the status of a PAN request or download the e-PAN. The entire process is paperless, requires no physical visits, and takes only a few minutes. The e-PAN document also carries a QR code with encrypted demographic details for verification. Why this matters for taxpayers A PAN is mandatory for a wide range of activities, from filing income tax returns to opening a bank account or making high-value transactions. The downtime could inconvenience individuals who need a PAN urgently for such purposes. For first-time applicants, the prerequisites are: A valid Aadhaar number linked to a mobile number. Updated Aadhaar KYC details. The applicant must not be a minor or fall under the category of 'Representative Assessee' under the Income Tax Act. What to do if you miss the window If you cannot apply before the downtime and need a PAN urgently, you can use the regular application routes via NSDL or UTITSL. In case an instant e-PAN request fails, these agencies also handle reapplications. The department's advance notice is meant to help taxpayers plan ahead. Given the growing reliance on digital services for compliance, such scheduled maintenance, though short-term, can cause hiccups in financial planning if not anticipated.