A masked PAN card hides the middle 5 characters of your 10-character PAN (e.g. ABCDE_____F), preserving the format so the document is recognisable for compliance while protecting your full PAN from misuse. Drop your PAN scan, pick the PAN-middle preset, and export the masked image at original resolution. Everything runs in your browser - the scan never leaves your device.
When to use this
When to share a masked PAN instead of the original: emailing scans to landlords or rental agents, marketplace seller-verification forms (Amazon / Flipkart / Meesho), gig-platform onboarding (Swiggy / Zomato / Ola fleets), share-trading and demat account verification where only PAN format is checked, gym / club / hotel registrations, and any context where PAN format proof matters more than the specific number. Full unmasked PAN is only required by banks, tax authorities, employer payroll, and authenticated NSDL / UTIITSL workflows.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a masked PAN card look like?
A masked PAN replaces the middle 5 characters with X's or a black bar - so ABCDE1234F becomes ABCDEXXXXF (or with a black-box overlay). The first 5 letters and last letter stay visible, which preserves the AAAAA9999A format so the recipient can still verify it's a valid PAN structure without seeing the unique 4 digits.
Which PAN digits should I mask?
The middle 5 characters (positions 4-8 - that's the 4 numeric digits plus the letter just before them). PAN format is AAAAA9999A: first 5 letters indicate type and category, last letter is a checksum. Masking the 4 numbers + 1 surrounding letter preserves the visible structure while removing the identifying digits.
How do I mask my PAN card online for free?
Upload your PAN card scan (JPG / PNG / WebP), pick the 'PAN middle' preset, fine-tune the mask box if needed, and download the masked PNG. The whole flow runs in your browser - nothing is uploaded, stored, or logged. Free, no signup, no watermark.
Is it legal to share a masked PAN card?
Yes - in fact, IT department and CBDT guidance encourages sharing only masked PAN for non-tax contexts (KYC for rentals, marketplaces, gig platforms). Sharing an unmasked PAN with non-essential parties is what's risky, not the masking itself. For banking, tax filing, and employer payroll you still need to share the full unmasked PAN.
Will banks accept a masked PAN for account opening?
No - bank account opening (KYC under PMLA / RBI rules) requires the full unmasked PAN. Masking is appropriate for lower-trust contexts: marketplace seller forms, rental agreements, gig-platform onboarding, hotel / gym registrations - any context where parties need PAN-format proof but don't legally need the full number.
Can someone unmask my PAN from the masked image?
No. Our tool applies a flat black overlay that becomes part of the image pixels - it can't be peeled off the way Acrobat's annotation layer can. The output is a flattened PNG where the redacted region is genuinely opaque. EXIF metadata is also stripped from the output, so the recipient can't recover the original through metadata either.
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