PAN Card Photo and Signature Size for Protean (NSDL) and UTIITSL
PAN applications go through either Protean (NSDL) or UTIITSL. Protean's own pages give a JPEG photo (3.5x2.5cm) and signature (2x4.5cm) at 200 DPI, up to 50KB each in the e-Sign scanned mode (20KB and 10KB in its DSC-mode instructions). UTIITSL does not publish its upload limits publicly, so check its upload screen.
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PAN applications through Protean (formerly NSDL) and UTIITSL each have their own photo and signature specifications, and a file sized correctly for one often fails validation on the other. Both portals ask for a small JPEG photo and a wider, shorter JPEG signature, scanned at a specific DPI, but the exact pixel dimensions and KB limits differ between the two.
Why this trips people up so often
Many applicants assume "PAN card photo size" is one universal number, then get a confusing rejection because they applied through the other portal than the one they prepared their file for. Protean and UTIITSL are two separate government-authorised PAN service providers, each running its own online form with its own upload validation, so always confirm which portal you are actually using before resizing anything.
The PAN card photo and signature resizer is set up for Protean: photo 3.5x2.5cm and signature 4.5x2cm at 200 DPI under 50KB. For a UTIITSL form, use the signature resizer, which lets you set any pixel size and KB range, to match what the upload screen asks for.
PAN resizer, set to the Protean sizes
Photo 3.5 x 2.5 cm and signature 4.5 x 2 cm at 200 DPI, each up to 50 KB. For the DSC route aim lower.
Runs in your browser. Your file never leaves your device. Open the full PAN Card Photo & Signature Resize page
Protean (NSDL) specifications, from Protean's own pages
Protean publishes its scanning rules on its own website. Its current article on the scanned-document method (e-Sign) gives a JPEG photo and a JPEG signature, both at 200 DPI, up to 50KB each, with the signature at 2cm x 4.5cm and supporting documents as PDF up to 300KB per page. Its older instruction page for the digital signature (DSC) mode lists tighter limits of 20KB for the photo and 10KB for the signature, with the photo at 3.5cm x 2.5cm. A file that fits the tighter figures passes both, so if you are unsure which screen you will see, aim under 20KB for the photo and under 10KB for the signature.
| Document | Format | File size (KB) | Dimensions | Other rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photo (Protean) | JPEG, colour | Up to 50KB (e-Sign scanned mode); 20KB max in the DSC-mode instructions | 3.5cm x 2.5cm at 200 DPI, about 197 x 276 pixels as a portrait photo | Recent colour photo, white background |
| Signature (Protean) | JPEG, colour | Up to 50KB (e-Sign scanned mode); 10KB max in the DSC-mode instructions | 2cm x 4.5cm at 200 DPI, about 354 x 157 pixels | Clear, dark ink on white paper |
| Supporting documents (Protean) | PDF (PDF/A or JPEG in the DSC instructions) | Up to 300KB per page | - | Scanned at 200 DPI, black and white |
| Photo and signature (UTIITSL online upload) | As shown on the upload screen | Not published on UTIITSL's public guidelines page | Printed form photo: 3.5cm x 2.5cm | Check the limit shown on the UTIITSL upload screen |
Source: Protean scanned PAN application article and Protean DSC-mode PAN instructions (checked September 2026); UTIITSL PAN online guidelines. The pixel figures are simply the centimetre sizes converted at 200 DPI.
UTIITSL is the harder one. Its public guidelines page only describes the printed form (two photos of 3.5cm x 2.5cm, signed in the specified boxes). Pixel and KB figures such as 213 x 213 pixels for the photo circulate on resizer sites, but we could not find them in any UTIITSL document, so do not treat them as official. Read the limit printed next to the upload button on the UTIITSL form and size your file to that.
Do not resize a file for Protean and reuse it unchanged on UTIITSL, or the other way round. Each portal validates against its own limits, and a file that uploads fine on one can be rejected on the other.
Step by step: preparing your files
- Confirm which portal your application is actually going through: Protean or UTIITSL. This is usually decided by which website or app you started your application on.
- Check that portal's current upload screen for the exact KB and pixel or DPI requirement shown at that moment.
- Take or scan a fresh colour photo against a plain white background, and sign on plain white paper in black or dark blue ink.
- Crop the photo and signature to the aspect ratio the portal expects, then resize to the pixel dimensions and DPI it specifies.
- Compress each file to sit within the stated KB range, checking the actual reported size before uploading.
- Upload and preview both files on the form before final submission, since some PAN application steps show a preview you can still correct at this stage.
Common mistakes
- Preparing a file for the wrong portal, since Protean and UTIITSL have different requirements despite both being PAN issuing authorities.
- Ignoring the 200 DPI figure in Protean's instructions and scanning at a random resolution, which makes the centimetre size come out wrong.
- Using a signature signed in blue gel ink that scans too light, which can fail a portal's clarity check even at the right file size.
- Trusting an old blog post's numbers without checking the live upload page, since portals do periodically revise these limits.
- Confusing the PAN application photo with an Aadhaar or passport photo left over from another application, which is very unlikely to match either portal's exact requirement by coincidence.
If you are applying for a minor or a first-time PAN
A first-time PAN application for a minor, or for an adult applying for the very first time, follows the same photo and signature upload mechanics described above, though the supporting identity and address proof documents required alongside it differ from a correction or reprint request. Whichever category you fall under, the same rule holds: check the specific portal's own current upload instructions rather than relying only on a generic guide, since PAN application categories occasionally have slightly different document checklists.
Keeping copies for future PAN-related requests
Once you have a PAN photo and signature file that a portal has actually accepted, save both files somewhere easy to find. Future requests, such as a PAN correction, a reprint, or linking PAN with other services, sometimes ask for the same style of photo and signature again, and having a known-good file ready saves you from re-doing the crop, resize and compress steps from scratch each time. Our government form tools collection keeps the resizers, compressors and converters you may need for PAN and other ID documents in one place.
Checklist before you submit
- Confirmed which portal, Protean or UTIITSL, your application uses.
- Checked the live upload page's stated KB and pixel or DPI requirement on the day you apply.
- Photo and signature both clear, on a plain background, in the correct format.
- Previewed both files on the form before final submission.
Tools for this
Frequently asked questions
Is the PAN card photo size the same for everyone?
No, it depends on which portal your application goes through. Protean publishes 3.5x2.5cm at 200 DPI, JPEG, up to 50KB for the photo in its scanned e-Sign mode; UTIITSL shows its own limits on its upload screen.
Can I use the same photo file for both Protean and UTIITSL?
Only if it meets both portals' limits. Check the UTIITSL upload screen's stated limit against your Protean-sized file before reusing it, and resize if needed.
Why is my PAN signature getting rejected even though the file size looks right?
Check the exact limit for your mode: Protean's DSC-mode instructions cap the signature at 10KB, while its e-Sign scanned mode allows up to 50KB. Also check the signature is dark and clear and cropped to a wide 2cm x 4.5cm shape.
Where can I check the exact current PAN photo and signature size?
Check the live upload screen on onlineservices.proteantech.in for Protean applications, or pan.utiitsl.com for UTIITSL applications, since these are the only authoritative current sources.
Does the PAN photo need a specific background?
Yes. Protean asks for a recent colour photograph with a white background, and a plain white background is the safe choice on UTIITSL too.
Sources
- Protean: Documents for scanned PAN card application (checked 2026-09)
- Protean: PAN application instructions (DSC mode) (checked 2026-09)
- UTIITSL: PAN online application guidelines (checked 2026-09)
Rules and limits change. Always check the latest official notification or portal before you submit a form.