PAN photo size: digital upload vs printed form

There is no single 'PAN photo size'. The size depends on the submission context, and this guide explains each with its source, in plain language.

Digital upload (Protean DSC, Forms 93/94)

2.5 × 3.5 cm at 200 DPI → about 197 × 276 pixels (portrait) (cm × 200 ÷ 2.54, rounded). Colour JPEG, maximum 20 KB. PanCard Resizer Online reads '20 KB' as 20 × 1024 = 20,480 bytes.

Pixels shown like '213 × 213' or '200 × 230' online predate the 1 April 2026 form change and were never on this Protean table. Do not use them for a 2026 DSC submission.

Printed form (paper Form 93)

Two colour photographs pasted into boxes labelled 4.5 cm × 3.5 cm, white background. No pixel or byte rule exists — only physical dimensions. A 3.5 × 4.5 cm portrait file at 300 DPI (413 × 531 px) prints exactly to the box.

Do not upload the physical-form print file to the DSC digital workflow; the aspect ratio does not match the digital table.

How to avoid the classic mistake

Before resizing, decide which form you are actually completing. Then select the workflow in PanCard Resizer Online and check the 'last reviewed' date on the requirement panel.

After export, compare the shown pixel and byte values with the live form instructions yourself. Meeting the settings does not guarantee acceptance — photo content rules (face visibility, background, no stamps) stay outside the tool's control.

Change log

2026-10-23 — Initial publication based on the official Form 93 PDF and Protean DSC guidance page.

Sources

Income Tax Department — Form No. 93 (official PDF)Photo boxes 4.5 × 3.5 cm.
Protean — DSC-based PAN application guidelinesPhoto 3.5 × 2.5 cm, 200 DPI, max 20 KB.

Last reviewed 23 October 2026 by the PanCard Resizer Online spec owner.

Independent utility — not affiliated with or endorsed by the Income Tax Department, Protean (NSDL), UTIITSL, or any government body. Forms change; check the official pages before submitting.