PAN Card Photo Size Requirements — NSDL and UTIITSL Specifications 2025
Applying for a new PAN card or making changes to an existing one requires uploading your photograph and signature. The size requirements for these images are strict, and the portals — both NSDL (now Protean eGov Technologies) and UTIITSL — will reject uploads that do not meet their specifications without any useful error message.
This guide gives you the exact requirements for both portals and explains how to prepare your photo without paying for it.
NSDL PAN Card Photo Requirements
NSDL (now operating as Protean eGov Technologies) handles PAN card issuance for most applicants in India. Their online application portal requires:
| Field | Requirement |
|-------|-------------|
| Photo dimensions | 35mm × 45mm (3.5cm × 4.5cm) |
| File format | JPEG/JPG only |
| Maximum file size | 20KB |
| Minimum resolution | 200 DPI |
| Background | White |
| Face position | Looking directly at camera |
| Expression | Neutral, eyes open |
| Glasses | Not permitted |
The 20KB file size limit is the part that most applicants struggle with. A photo taken on a modern smartphone is typically 2MB to 8MB — roughly 100 to 400 times larger than the limit. You need to resize and compress the image before uploading.
UTIITSL PAN Card Photo Requirements
UTI Infrastructure Technology and Services Limited (UTIITSL) runs a separate portal for PAN card applications and corrections. Their photo requirements are nearly identical:
| Field | Requirement |
|-------|-------------|
| Photo dimensions | 35mm × 45mm |
| File format | JPEG |
| Maximum file size | 20KB |
| Background | White or off-white |
| Head covering | Not permitted except for religious reasons |
Both portals use the same underlying format. A photo prepared for NSDL will work on UTIITSL as well.
How to Resize Your Photo to Meet PAN Card Requirements
The correct sequence is: crop first, then compress.
Compressing without cropping first often leaves too much empty background in the frame, which wastes kilobytes and may cause the face to appear smaller than required.
Step 1: Crop to the correct ratio
Use our Aadhaar & PAN Photo Formatter to crop your photo to the 35×45mm standard. Upload your original photo and select "PAN Card" from the document type selector. The tool crops and scales the image to the correct dimensions automatically.
Step 2: Compress to under 20KB
The formatted photo will then need to be compressed to under 20KB. Use our Resize Image to 20KB tool. This uses adaptive compression to hit exactly 20KB while preserving as much image quality as possible. The photo remains recognisable and human-identifiable even at this file size.
Common PAN Card Photo Rejection Reasons
Applications submitted online are reviewed both by automated checks and human reviewers at the printing centre. Here are the causes of rejection most commonly seen:
Technical rejections (automated):
- File larger than 20KB
- Wrong file format (PNG, WEBP, BMP instead of JPEG)
- Image resolution too low (below 200 DPI equivalent)
- Face not centred or head cut off
Human reviewer rejections:
- Coloured, patterned, or shadowed background
- Glasses (prohibited since 2021 Ministry guidelines)
- Poor lighting — shadows across the face
- Photo appears to be a scan of a printed photograph (loses quality each generation)
- Headgear that covers the top of the head (except religious)
PAN Card Signature Requirements
Alongside the photograph, NSDL and UTIITSL require your signature to be uploaded separately:
- File format: JPEG
- Maximum file size: 10KB
- Dimensions: 2cm × 6.5cm (width × height)
- Background: White
PAN Card Photo for Minor Applicants
For PAN cards applied for in the name of a minor (under 18), the photograph should be of the child — not the parent or guardian. The parent's photograph is used only for documents requiring the parent's KYC details.
The same size and format requirements apply regardless of the applicant's age.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a photograph from my Aadhaar card for a PAN card application?
Technically yes, but the quality of an Aadhaar photograph is often lower because UIDAI stores images at lower resolution. A fresh photograph meets the requirements more reliably. If you are using an existing photo, confirm it is at least 200×260 pixels and can be compressed to under 20KB without looking unrecognisable.
Why does my photo appear blurry in the NSDL preview even though it looks fine on my computer?
The NSDL portal applies its own preview compression. The uploaded image is shown at a small size in the preview window, which can make it appear pixelated. The actual image stored by the system is your uploaded file. Do not re-upload at higher resolution based on preview appearance alone.
My PAN card application was rejected for "blurred photo." What went wrong?
This usually means the photo was taken with an out-of-focus camera, or was originally a low-resolution image that was enlarged before uploading. Always start with a high-quality original (taken with a phone in good lighting, in focus) and then resize down to the required dimensions.
Does the photo need to be recent?
NSDL does not specify a date requirement, but logically the photo should represent your current appearance. Most processing centres look for consistency with your Aadhaar photo and other ID documents.
Prepare Your PAN Card Photo Now
Use our Aadhaar & PAN Photo Formatter to create a correctly sized photograph ready for both NSDL and UTIITSL portals. It is free, requires no account, and your photo is processed privately without being stored on our servers.