PAN Card Photo & Signature Size Guide — Exact KB, PX, and Format (2026)

By ExactFile Editorial Team · Published August 25, 2026 · Updated September 1, 2026 · Fact-checked August 28, 2026

Expanded and re-verified against current tool behaviour and official portal specifications, Aug 28, 2026.

PAN Card Photo & Signature Size Guide — Exact KB, PX, and Format (2026)

Applying for a PAN card online through NSDL (Protean) or UTIITSL? The photograph and signature you upload must meet exact size and dimension requirements — or the application form rejects them before you can even pay the fee. This guide gives you the complete specifications, the most common reasons uploads get rejected, and a step-by-step method to prepare both files at home in a few minutes.

The requirements below apply to the online e-PAN application portals. If you are applying through a physical form at a facilitation centre, the photo is affixed to the paper form instead, but the digital specs here are what the online portals check automatically.

Complete PAN card photo and signature specifications

A few details worth understanding before you start:

• The file size window is strict in both directions. A photo under 20 KB is rejected just as quickly as one over 50 KB. This catches many people out — a very small, heavily compressed photo fails the "minimum size" check even though it looks fine.
• Dimensions are exact, not approximate. A 212 × 276 px photo or a 213 × 275 px photo will be rejected. The portal validates pixel dimensions precisely.
• JPG only. PNG, HEIC (the default iPhone format), WebP, and BMP files are not accepted. If your phone saves photos as HEIC, you will need to convert or resize through a tool that outputs JPG.
• The signature must be of the applicant (or the parent/guardian for a minor). Typed names or stylised digital signatures drawn with a mouse are not accepted.

Common rejection reasons

Most PAN photo and signature rejections come down to a handful of avoidable problems:

1. Wrong file size. The single most common failure. Photos from modern phones are 2–8 MB — far over the 50 KB cap. Over-compressing in a basic image editor can push the file under 20 KB, which also fails.
2. Wrong pixel dimensions. Cropping "by eye" rarely lands on exactly 213 × 276 px. Even a one-pixel difference causes rejection.
3. Wrong format. Uploading a PNG or an iPhone HEIC file. The portal expects JPG.
4. Dark or coloured background. A grey, cream, or patterned wall behind you can fail the background check, especially on portals that do automated verification.
5. Shadows across the face. Overhead lighting or a window to one side creates shadows that make the photo non-compliant for identification purposes.
6. Signature touching the box edges or too faint. A signature that fills the entire frame, is cut off, or is signed in light pencil is often rejected. Use a dark pen with reasonable white space around the signature.
7. Blurry or low-resolution source image. A photo of a photo, or a heavily zoomed crop, produces visible blur and may fail manual review even if it passes automated checks.
8. Glasses glare, headwear, or covered face. See the rules in the photo section below.

How to take the photo at home

You do not need a studio. A smartphone and a plain wall are enough if you follow these rules.

Setup and lighting

• Stand in front of a plain white or off-white wall. A cream wall usually passes, but white is safest.
• Face a window so daylight falls evenly on your face, or use two light sources on either side to avoid one-sided shadows. Avoid standing directly under a ceiling light — it creates shadows under the eyes and nose.
• Ask someone else to take the photo, or prop the phone at eye level. Selfies at arm's length distort facial proportions and often fail review.

Distance and framing

• The camera should be roughly 1 to 1.5 metres from you, at eye level.
• Frame head and shoulders only. Your face should occupy most of the frame, with a small gap above your head.
• Keep your head straight, look directly at the camera, and use a neutral expression with your mouth closed. Smiling is permitted on most portals but a neutral face is the safest choice.

Glasses, headwear, and appearance

• Glasses: Allowed if you normally wear them, but remove them if there is any glare or reflection on the lenses. Tinted glasses and sunglasses are not permitted.
• Headwear: Not allowed except for religious reasons, and even then your full face from chin to forehead must be clearly visible.
• Ears and forehead: Should ideally be visible — tuck long hair behind your ears and keep fringes off your eyebrows.
• Wear normal everyday clothing. Avoid white tops that blend into a white background.

How to prepare the signature

• Sign on a plain white sheet of paper (no lines, no printed text) using a black or dark blue pen. Gel pens work well; pencils and light-coloured inks do not.
• Sign at your normal size and style — the same signature you use on bank documents. The PAN signature should match your usual one, since it may be cross-checked later.
• Photograph the signature in good daylight with the camera directly above the paper to avoid perspective distortion. Make sure there are no shadows from your hand or phone across the signature.
• Leave white space around the signature so the crop does not clip any strokes.

Step-by-step: resize your photo and signature

Photo

1. Take your photo following the home-setup rules above.
2. Open the PAN Card Photo Resizer.
3. Upload your photo. Drag or zoom to position your face in the frame — the tool crops to the exact 213 × 276 px ratio using a centre cover, so nothing important gets cut off.
4. The tool compresses the image with a binary search until it lands inside the 20–50 KB window — not under, not over.
5. Check the pass/fail checklist. Each rule (dimensions, file size, format, background) shows ✓ or ❌ against the official spec before you download.
6. Download the JPG and upload it to the NSDL or UTIITSL portal.

Signature

1. Photograph your signature on white paper as described above.
2. Open the PAN Card Signature Resizer.
3. Upload the image and adjust the crop to the signature area — the tool resizes to exactly 140 × 60 px.
4. The output is compressed into the 5–20 KB window automatically.
5. Verify the checklist, download, and upload to the portal.

Both tools also strip EXIF and GPS metadata from your files, so no location or device data travels with your uploads. Processing happens in your browser — your photo and signature are not uploaded to any server.

After uploading: what the portal checks

Once uploaded, the NSDL/UTIITSL portal validates file format, dimensions, and size instantly. Some applications also go through a manual review where an officer checks photo quality, background, and face visibility. If your application is rejected at this stage, you can usually re-upload corrected images without paying the fee again — but it delays your PAN by days or weeks, so it is worth getting right the first time.

Source

These requirements were verified on 2026-08-22 against the NSDL (Protean) PAN application guidelines. Portal rules can change, so always check the latest instructions on the official NSDL or UTIITSL website when applying.

Related tools

• SSC Photo Resizer — 200×240 px, 20–50 KB
• UPSC Photo Resizer — 350×350 px, 20–200 KB
• IBPS Photo Resizer — 200×230 px, 20–50 KB
• Compress JPEG to 50KB — for other portals with a 50 KB cap

FAQ

What is the exact PAN card photo size in pixels and KB?

The photo must be exactly 213 × 276 pixels, between 20 KB and 50 KB, in JPG format. The background should be white or light-coloured, and the image should be roughly 200 DPI for print quality on the physical card.

What is the PAN card signature size?

The signature image must be exactly 140 × 60 pixels, between 5 KB and 20 KB, in JPG format. Sign on plain white paper with a black or dark blue pen before photographing it.

Can I use a PNG or iPhone HEIC photo for my PAN application?

No. The NSDL and UTIITSL portals accept JPG/JPEG only. If your phone saves images as HEIC, run the file through the PAN photo resizer tool — it converts and compresses to a compliant JPG in one step.

My photo is under 20 KB and still got rejected — why?

The file size window has a minimum as well as a maximum: anything below 20 KB fails. This usually happens when an image is over-compressed. The resizer tool targets the middle of the 20–50 KB range so you pass both limits.

Can I wear glasses in my PAN card photo?

Yes, if you normally wear them — but there must be no glare or reflection on the lenses, and your eyes must be clearly visible. Tinted glasses and sunglasses are not permitted. If in doubt, take the photo without glasses.

Do the same specs apply on both NSDL and UTIITSL?

Yes — both portals follow the same Income Tax Department specifications: 213 × 276 px / 20–50 KB for the photo and 140 × 60 px / 5–20 KB for the signature. Check the latest instructions on the portal you use, as requirements are occasionally updated.