How to Self-Attest a PAN Card Copy Online (Free, No Printer)
Opening a bank or demat account, joining a new job, applying for a loan, buying a SIM, filling a mutual fund or insurance form — almost every one of them asks for a "self-attested copy of your PAN card". You don't need a printer or a photocopy shop for it. This guide covers what is specific to PAN: which side to send, why your signature should match the one on the card, how to open the password-protected e-PAN PDF, and how to make the copy harder to reuse for something else.
For the general version that works for mark sheets, certificates and other IDs, read how to self-attest any document online. Aadhaar has its own quirks — see how to self-attest an Aadhaar copy.
What a self-attested PAN copy should have
| Item | Where it goes | Needed? |
|---|---|---|
| The words Self-attested | Blank area below or beside the card | Yes |
| Your signature, in the same style as on your PAN | Next to the "Self-attested" text | Yes |
| Today's date | Next to or under the signature | Yes |
| Purpose line, e.g. For bank KYC with <bank> only | Near the signature | Recommended |
| Front side of the card | One page | Yes (back only if asked) |
Keep the PAN number, name, date of birth and photo readable. Don't place text or your signature on top of them.
Why your signature should match the one on the card
Unlike Aadhaar, your PAN card carries your signature. Banks, brokers and HR teams sometimes put the two side by side. If you now sign a little differently than you did when you applied for PAN, use the PAN version here — it saves a round of "please re-submit". If your signature has changed completely, the real fix is a PAN correction request, not a different signature on the copy.
Why add a purpose line
A PAN copy with only your signature on it can be reused for another account or another form, and misuse of other people's PAN details to open accounts or take loans does happen. Writing what the copy is for and the date, for example "For demat account opening with XYZ Securities only — 06/10/2026", makes reuse much harder. It isn't a legal requirement and no form will reject you for it.
Step 1: Get your PAN card as a PDF
If you have the physical card
Take a clear photo of the front on a plain, dark surface in good light — no glare on the laminate, all four corners visible. Open Images to PDF, add the photo and download a one-page PDF. The conversion happens in your browser, so the photo isn't uploaded.
If you have the e-PAN PDF
The e-PAN PDF is password-protected. The password is usually your date of birth in DDMMYYYY format, with no spaces or slashes — born on 5 March 1992 means 05031992. For a company or firm, it is usually the date of incorporation in the same format.
Most sign tools can't edit a password-protected PDF, so make an unlocked copy first, on your own device:
- Open the e-PAN PDF in Chrome or Edge (or any PDF reader) and enter the password.
- Press Ctrl + P (on a phone, use Share → Print).
- Choose Save as PDF as the printer and save. The new file opens without a password.
Step 2: Add "Self-attested", your signature and the date
- Open the Sign tool. Go to Sign PDF and load your PAN PDF. It opens inside your browser.
- Type the text. In the Type tab, enter Self-attested and place it in a blank area below or beside the card. Add the purpose line the same way.
- Add your signature. Draw it with a finger or mouse, or upload a photo of your signature on white paper — sign the way you did on your PAN application.
- Add the date. Tick the date option when placing your signature, or add a separate date stamp.
- Download and check. Zoom in and confirm the PAN number, photo and your signature are clear, then send it only to the organisation that asked for it.
Ready to self-attest your PAN card? Nothing is uploaded — it all happens in your browser.
Open the Sign Tool — FreeWhy "nothing uploaded" matters for PAN
Your PAN is linked to your bank accounts, your income tax records and your credit history. Handing a copy to an unknown website just to add a signature is a bad trade. DocuSmartly's Images to PDF and Sign tools run entirely in your browser: the photo, the PDF and your signature stay on your device. We also never send PAN or Aadhaar documents to any AI service — our privacy policy explains how identity documents are handled.
Common questions
Will a digitally self-attested PAN copy be accepted?
For online applications and uploads, a clearly signed and dated PDF is what's normally expected. Some branches still ask for a signed paper photocopy in person — check the form or ask before you go.
Do I need a notary or a gazetted officer?
Not for self-attestation — you are confirming the copy yourself. Attestation by an official or a notary is a different thing, needed only when a form asks for it. See self-attested vs attested vs notarised copies.
Can I put my PAN and Aadhaar in one PDF?
Only if the form asks for a single file. Otherwise keep them separate, with a purpose line on each — it makes each copy harder to reuse.
The upload limit is 100 KB or 200 KB. What do I do?
Sign first, then shrink the signed PDF with Compress PDF — see how to compress a PDF to 100 KB. Compress also runs in your browser.
Can I do this on my phone?
Yes. Take the photo, turn it into a PDF with Images to PDF, and sign with your finger in the same browser — see how to sign a document on your phone.
Related guides
Stop photocopying your PAN for every form. Self-attest it on your own device in two minutes.
Self-Attest PAN — Free & Private