PAN Card Photo and Signature Size: How to Resize Online

30 October 2026 · ZapToolbox guides

For the PAN card photo and signature size, Protean (formerly NSDL) lists these specifications on its online Form 49A page for scanned uploads: photo 3.5 × 2.5 cm, 200 DPI, colour, JPEG, maximum 20 KB, and signature 2 × 4.5 cm, 200 DPI, JPEG, maximum 10 KB. UTIITSL runs its own PAN portal and its upload rules may differ, so always follow the instructions shown on the portal you're actually using.

This guide explains what those numbers mean in pixels, when you need to upload a photo at all, and how to prepare both files with our free Image Resizer and other tools that work in your browser.

PAN card photo and signature size (Protean / NSDL)

These figures come from the specification table on Protean's online PAN application page for scanned images. The pixel values are our own conversion at 200 DPI, to make resizing easier.

We read the photo as 2.5 cm wide and 3.5 cm tall (a normal portrait photo) and the signature as 4.5 cm wide and 2 cm tall (a wide strip). If the portal's preview shows otherwise, follow the portal.

Portals do update their pages, so take a minute to read the current instructions before you upload.

What about UTIITSL PAN photo size?

UTIITSL is the other agency that processes PAN applications. Different websites quote different photo and signature sizes for UTIITSL, and we couldn't confirm a single official figure, so we won't print one here. The portal shows its requirements next to the upload button. Note those numbers and use the same steps below with them.

Do you even need to upload a photo?

Not always. PAN can be applied for through more than one route:

• Online with scanned images — you upload a photo, signature and documents. This is where the sizes above matter.
• Online with Aadhaar-based e-KYC or e-Sign — some routes may take your photo and details from Aadhaar, so the portal may not ask you to upload a photo. Instant e-PAN on the Income Tax e-filing portal also works with Aadhaar.
• Paper Form 49A — you paste printed colour photos in the boxes and sign by hand, then send the form as instructed.

Go with whatever the portal asks for on screen. If there is no upload box for a photo, you don't need one.

How to resize your photo for a PAN card application

1. Take a clear photo against a plain light wall in daylight, looking straight at the camera.
2. Open the Image Resizer and choose the photo.
3. Set Unit to Centimetres and DPI to 200.
4. Untick "Keep aspect ratio" and enter width 2.5 and height 3.5. Do this on a photo you have already cropped to the right shape (see the tip below), so nothing gets stretched.
5. Save as JPG and tap "Resize image".
6. Check the KB. If it is above 20 KB, open the Image Compressor, set the target to 19 KB and compress the resized photo.

Tip: stretching a photo into a new shape makes faces look wide or thin. Crop it to the right shape first with Crop Image, typing pixel values in the same 5:7 ratio (for example 500 × 700 px), then resize. The Passport Photo Maker also has a PAN card (25 × 35 mm) preset with a face guide, and its "Single photo" download gives you one cropped photo that you can then resize and compress as above.

How to resize your signature for a PAN card application

1. Sign with a dark pen on plain white paper, larger than usual.
2. Photograph it from straight above in good light, with no shadow.
3. Crop it tightly around the signature, leaving a little white space, using Crop Image.
4. In the Image Resizer, choose Centimetres, DPI 200, and enter 4.5 wide × 2 high (crop to a similar wide shape first so it doesn't stretch).
5. Save as JPG, then compress it below 10 KB with the Image Compressor (a target of 9 KB is safe).

Our signature resizing guide has more tips for clean, dark signature scans.

Can I draw my signature online for PAN?

Our Signature Maker lets you draw a signature with your finger and download a PNG. It's handy for everyday documents. For a PAN application, the signature becomes your official specimen and should match how you sign bank and tax papers. Many people prefer to sign on paper with a pen and scan it, because that matches their usual signature best. If you do use a drawn signature, remember the portal wants JPEG, so convert the PNG to JPG first with our Image Converter (choose a white background).

Common reasons PAN uploads fail

• File is PNG or HEIC instead of JPEG.
• Photo is above 20 KB or signature is above 10 KB.
• Photo is black and white; the specification asks for colour.
• Signature has lines from notebook paper, or a dark shadow across it.
• Photo is a selfie with a busy background or poor light.

Privacy when preparing PAN documents

All the tools mentioned here process files inside your browser, so your photo and signature aren't uploaded to our server. Upload your PAN application only on the official Protean, UTIITSL or Income Tax portals, and be careful of look-alike websites that charge extra fees.

Frequently asked questions

What is the PAN card photo size in KB?

Protean's online Form 49A page lists a maximum of 20 KB for the photo and 10 KB for the signature, both as JPEG at 200 DPI. Check the portal you're using for its current limits.

What is the PAN card photo size in cm?

Protean lists 3.5 × 2.5 cm for the photograph, a small portrait photo.

Is the UTIITSL photo size the same as NSDL?

Not necessarily. UTIITSL shows its own requirements on its portal; follow those numbers.

Do I need a photo for e-PAN?

Routes based on Aadhaar e-KYC may use details from Aadhaar instead of an uploaded photo. If the portal shows no photo upload box, you don't need one.