PAN Card Photo & Signature Size 2026

When you apply for PAN online through Protean with scanned images, the photo must be at most 20 KB and the signature at most 10 KB, both colour JPEG at 200 DPI. In e-KYC mode the photo comes from Aadhaar and nothing is uploaded.

Checked against: Protean PAN online application guidelines (scanned-image mode); PAN forms are now Form 93–96 under the Income-tax Rules 2026 · last checked 19 Oct 2026 · हिंदी

Upload requirements at a glance

Upload	Size	File size	Format
Photo	3.5 × 2.5 cm (height × width) at 200 DPI	up to 20 KB	JPG
Signature	2 × 4.5 cm (height × width) at 200 DPI	up to 10 KB	JPG

Requirements change between notifications. Always confirm against the official notice before you submit.

Make your PAN Card photo and signature here

Drop your photo or scan here, or click to choose

JPG, PNG or WebP. It stays on your device — nothing is uploaded.

Rules for each upload

Photo

Colour JPEG at 200 DPI, maximum 20 KB.
Size 3.5 cm high × 2.5 cm wide (197 × 276 px at 200 DPI).
In e-KYC (Aadhaar) mode the photo is taken from Aadhaar and you do not upload one.

Signature

Colour JPEG at 200 DPI, maximum 10 KB.
Size 2 cm high × 4.5 cm wide (354 × 157 px at 200 DPI).
Do not sign on a patterned or coloured background.

Before you apply

One Protean article mentions looser limits (up to 50 KB, 5 × 2.5 cm photo). The 20 KB / 10 KB limits from the official guideline table meet both, so the tool uses them.
Supporting documents (identity, address, date of birth) are 200 DPI black & white PDF, max 300 KB per page.
UTIITSL shows its exact limits only inside its application; check them there if you apply through UTIITSL.
Since April 2026 the PAN application forms are Form 93 (Indian citizens) to Form 96, replacing Form 49A/49AA.

How to prepare and upload your PAN Card files, step by step

Choose the mode on the Protean PAN site. With Aadhaar e-KYC your photo is taken from Aadhaar and nothing is uploaded; follow the steps below only for the scanned-image mode.
Pick the right form: since April 2026, Form 93 is for Indian citizens, and Forms 93–96 replaced Form 49A/49AA.
Use a colour photograph for the 3.5 cm high × 2.5 cm wide frame.
Sign on plain white paper — never on a patterned or coloured background.
Scan the photo and the signature in colour at 200 DPI.
In the tool above, open the Photo tab: it outputs 197 × 276 px (3.5 × 2.5 cm at 200 DPI) and keeps the JPG at or under 20 KB.
Open the Signature tab: it outputs 354 × 157 px (2 × 4.5 cm at 200 DPI) and keeps the JPG at or under 10 KB. Tick "Make the paper pure white" to remove paper texture.
Scan your proof of identity, address and date of birth separately as black & white PDF at 200 DPI, at most 300 KB per page.
Applying through UTIITSL instead of Protean? UTIITSL shows its limits only inside its application, so read them there before uploading.

Why PAN Card uploads get rejected — and how to fix each one

Photo larger than 20 KB. Fix: The Protean guideline table allows 20 KB at most. Remake it in the Photo tab, which lowers the JPEG quality until it fits.
Signature larger than 10 KB. Fix: Remake it in the Signature tab; whitening the paper also makes the file smaller.
Signature on lined, patterned or coloured paper. Fix: Sign again on plain white paper and scan it in colour at 200 DPI.
Photo or signature saved in black & white, or at the wrong size. Fix: Both must be colour JPEG at 200 DPI: photo 3.5 × 2.5 cm, signature 2 × 4.5 cm. The tool sets these pixel sizes for you.
Supporting documents uploaded as colour images or over 300 KB per page. Fix: Scan them as black & white PDF at 200 DPI and keep each page under 300 KB.
File made to the looser 50 KB limit from a Protean article. Fix: Use the 20 KB photo / 10 KB signature limits from the official guideline table; they satisfy both.

PAN Card final checklist before you submit

Mode chosen: e-KYC (no photo upload) or scanned images.
Photo: colour JPEG, 200 DPI, 3.5 × 2.5 cm (197 × 276 px), 20 KB or less.
Signature: colour JPEG, 200 DPI, 2 × 4.5 cm (354 × 157 px), 10 KB or less, plain background.
Supporting documents: black & white PDF, 200 DPI, up to 300 KB per page.
Correct form (Form 93 for Indian citizens).
Limits re-checked inside the UTIITSL application if you apply there.

Frequently asked questions

What is the PAN card photo size for online application?

For Protean's scanned-image application: colour JPEG, 200 DPI, 3.5 × 2.5 cm, maximum 20 KB.

What is the PAN card signature size?

Colour JPEG, 200 DPI, 2 × 4.5 cm (height × width), maximum 10 KB.

Do I need to upload a photo if I use Aadhaar e-KYC?

No. In e-KYC mode your photo is taken from Aadhaar.

Which PAN application form do I use now?

Since April 2026 the PAN application forms are Form 93 (Indian citizens) to Form 96, which replaced Form 49A and 49AA.

How should PAN supporting documents be scanned?

Proof of identity, address and date of birth go up as black & white PDF scanned at 200 DPI, with a maximum of 300 KB per page. Only the photo and signature are colour JPEG.

Official sources

Image EditPro is not affiliated with PAN application through Protean (formerly NSDL e-Gov). See our Disclaimer.