In case of a company, an application for incorporation, allotment of Permanent Account Number (PAN) and allotment of Tax Deduction and Collection Account Number (TAN) may be made through a Common Application Form submitted to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA). In these cases, the Certificate of Incorporation (COI) issued by MCA contains a mention of both PAN and TAN.

Finance Act, 2018 amended section 139A of the Income-tax Act, 1961  removed the requirement of issuing PAN in the form of a laminated card. Hence, it is clarified that PAN and TAN mentioned in the COI issued by MCA shall also be treated as sufficient proof of PAN and TAN for the said company assessees.

PAN recognition: PAN and TAN in a company's incorporation certificate now constitute valid proof for corporate assessee. The amendment removes the requirement for a laminated PAN card and provides that where a company obtains PAN and TAN through the common incorporation application process, the certificate of incorporation showing PAN and TAN shall be treated as sufficient proof of PAN and TAN for that corporate assessee.