Official specification
| Item | Photo | Signature |
|---|---|---|
| Common PAN portal size (UTIITSL style) | 213 × 213 px, 300 dpi, max 30 KB | 400 × 200 px, 200 dpi, max 60 KB |
| Protean (NSDL) online application | 3.5 × 2.5 cm (≈197 × 276 px at 200 dpi), max 20 KB | 2 × 4.5 cm (≈354 × 157 px at 200 dpi), max 10 KB |
| Format | JPEG / JPG, colour | JPEG / JPG |
| Background | Plain white or light, no shadow | White paper, black or dark blue ink |
| Face / content | Front facing, eyes open, no cap or dark glasses | Full signature, inside the box, not in capital letters if avoidable |
Protean’s own instruction page lists 200 dpi, colour JPEG, photo up to 20 KB (3.5 × 2.5 cm) and signature up to 10 KB (2 × 4.5 cm). The 213 × 213 px / 30 KB and 400 × 200 px / 60 KB values are the sizes most PAN agents and UTIITSL-style forms ask for, but we could not find them on an official page, so treat them as the common rule and follow your form if it says something different.
Last checked: . Source: Protean (NSDL) – Online PAN application instructions; 213×213 / 400×200 values: commonly used UTIITSL/PAN agent requirement (no official page found). Rules change between notices — always match the instructions on your own form.
How to use
- Pick the right tab: Photo 213×213 or Signature 400×200 for most forms, or the Protean tabs if you are applying on the NSDL/Protean site.
- Choose a photo from your gallery or camera, drag it in, or paste it with Ctrl+V. HEIC photos from iPhones work too.
- Drag and pinch inside the frame so your face sits inside the dotted oval (or your signature fills the box). For signatures keep Clean signature on.
- Check that the After size is below the limit, then tap Download JPG and upload that file to the PAN form.
Which PAN size should you use?
There is no single PAN photo size that every website uses, which is why people get confused. The PAN application can be filed through two agencies, and different counters, CSC centres and agents follow slightly different rules. The safe approach is simple: read the line next to the upload button on your form and pick the matching tab above.
- If the form says 213 × 213 pixels or max 30 KB for the photo, use Photo 213×213. Most UTIITSL-style forms and PAN agents ask for this.
- If it says 400 × 200 pixels or max 60 KB for the signature, use Signature 400×200.
- If you are on the Protean (NSDL) site and it mentions 3.5 × 2.5 cm, 200 dpi, 20 KB or 10 KB, use the two Protean tabs. The tool writes 200 dpi into the file for you.
A square 213 × 213 photo is small, so cropping matters more than usual. Leave a little space above your head and include the top of your shoulders. Your face should fill roughly two-thirds of the height of the frame.
Common rejection reasons and fixes
“File size exceeds the limit.” The file is over 30 KB (or 20 KB / 10 KB on Protean). Download again from this tool — the result panel shows the exact KB before you download, and it is always under the limit you picked.
“Invalid file format.” The portal wants a .jpg file. Screenshots are often PNG and iPhone photos are HEIC. This tool always saves a real JPEG, whatever you upload.
“Photo is not clear / face not visible.” Usually the photo was taken in dim light or from too far away. Take a new photo near a window in daylight, crop so the face fills the dotted oval, and avoid zooming in on an old group photo — it looks blurred at any size.
“Signature is not visible.” A thin pen on grey-looking paper disappears at 10–60 KB. Sign with a thicker black gel pen, keep Clean signature on, and crop so the signature fills most of the box with only a small white margin.
Photo rejected at verification. A cap, tinted glasses, a busy background or a heavily filtered selfie can lead to rejection after submission even if the upload worked. Use a plain light background and an unedited, recent photo.
Wrong orientation. If your photo appears sideways, tap Rotate 90° before downloading. The tool crops to the exact shape the portal expects, so nothing gets squashed or stretched.
Frequently asked questions
What is the correct photo size for a PAN card application?
Most PAN forms and agents ask for a 213 × 213 pixel colour JPEG photo under 30 KB. If you apply directly on the Protean (NSDL) website, its instructions say 3.5 × 2.5 cm at 200 dpi and a maximum of 20 KB. Use the tab that matches the form in front of you.
What size should the PAN card signature be?
The commonly used size is 400 × 200 pixels under 60 KB. Protean’s online form lists 2 × 4.5 cm at 200 dpi and up to 10 KB. Sign on plain white paper with a black or dark blue pen so the scan stays clear even at a small file size.
Why does the PAN portal say my photo is too large even though it looks small?
The portal checks the file size in KB, not how big the photo looks on screen. A phone photo is often 2–5 MB. This tool lowers the JPEG quality step by step until the file is under the limit, and it counts 1 KB as 1000 bytes so the file passes even on strict portals.
Is it safe to resize my PAN photo on this website?
Yes. The photo is processed by your own browser using JavaScript. It is never uploaded to any server, so nobody else can see it. You can even switch on airplane mode after the page loads and the tool will still work.
Can I use a selfie for my PAN card photo?
You can, if it looks like a passport photo: face straight at the camera, plain light wall behind you, even light with no harsh shadow, no cap or sunglasses. Hold the phone at eye level, about an arm’s length away, then crop it here.
My signature looks grey and dirty after scanning. How do I fix it?
Keep the Clean signature option on. It turns the paper pure white and darkens the ink. If you still see shadows, move the Remove shadows slider to the right. Taking the photo in daylight near a window also helps a lot.
Related tools
- Signature resize 20 KBPhotograph your signature on white paper — the tool cleans it and sizes it to 10–20 KB.
- Passport size photo makerCrop a photo to 3.5 × 4.5 cm, download it, or print 8, 16 or 30 copies on a single A4 page.
- Photo + signature joinerFor forms that want photo and signature in a single image: set the size, add both, download.
- Resize image to 50 KBThe 50 KB limit is the most common one on exam forms. Get a clear JPG below it in seconds.
हिंदी में जानकारी
पैन कार्ड के लिए फोटो और सिग्नेचर का साइज ठीक करने के लिए ऊपर सही टैब चुनें — ज़्यादातर फॉर्म के लिए फोटो 213×213 पिक्सेल (30 KB से कम) और सिग्नेचर 400×200 पिक्सेल (60 KB से कम)। अगर आप Protean (NSDL) की वेबसाइट पर आवेदन कर रहे हैं, तो Protean वाले टैब इस्तेमाल करें। फोटो चुनें, फ्रेम में चेहरा सही जगह रखें और Download JPG दबाएँ। आपकी फोटो कहीं अपलोड नहीं होती, सब कुछ आपके फोन में ही होता है।