TAN or Tax Deduction and Collection Account Number is a unique ten-digit alpha-numeric number required to be obtained by all persons who are responsible for deducting or collecting tax. Under Section 203A of the Income Tax Act, 1961, it is mandatory to quote Tax Deduction Account Number (TAN) allotted by the Income Tax Department (ITD) on all TDS statements.

To facilitate deductors find their new TAN, ITD has now introduced a search facility on their website (www.incometaxindia.gov.in). Through this facility, deductors can search on name and old TAN to find the new TAN. Deductors are advised to find new TAN from this site before it is incorporated in their e-TDS statement to avoid any inconvenience at the time of furnishing e-TDS statements.

Every person liable to deduct tax at source or collect tax at source is required to obtain TAN. However, a person required to deduct tax under section 194IA or section 194-IB or section 194M can use PAN in place of TAN as such person is not required to obtain TAN.

(1) Section 194IA provides for deduction of tax at source from payment on transfer of certain immovable property other than agricultural land.

(2) section 194-IB provides for deduction of tax at source at the rate of 5% from payment of rent. The tax shall be deducted if the rent paid or payable exceeds Rs. 50,000 per month or part of the month. This provision is applicable on individual and HUF, who is not liable to tax audit under Section 44AB in the immediately preceding financial year.

(3) section 194M provide for deduction of tax at source at the rate of 5% on the sum paid or credited, to a resident, on account of contractual work, commission (not being insurance commission referred to in section 194D), brokerage or professional fees, by an individual or a HUF, if aggregate of such sum exceeds Rs. 50 lakhs in a financial year. This provision is applicable on individual and HUF, who are not covered under section 194C, section 194H and section 194J.

As per section 203A of the Income-tax Act, 1961, every person who deducts or collects tax at source has to apply for the allotment of TAN. Section 203A also makes it mandatory to quote TAN in TDS/TCS return (including any e-TDS/TCS return), any TDS/TCS payment challan, TDS/TCS certificates and other documents as may be prescribed. As per section 272BB, failure to apply for TAN or not quoting the TAN in the specified documents attracts a penalty of Rs. 10,000/-.

There are two modes for applying for TAN:
(1) Online mode and (ii) Offline mode, they are as follows:

OFFLINE - An application for allotment of TAN is to be filed in Form 49B in duplicate and submitted to any TIN Facilitation Centres (TIN-FC). Addresses of TIN-FCs are available at NSDL-TIN website (https://www.tin-nsdl.com).

In case of an applicant, being a company which has not been registered under the Companies Act, 2013, the application for allotment of Tax Deduction Account Number may be made in Form No. SPICe (INC-32) specified under sub-section (1) of section 7 of the said Act for incorporation of the company.

ONLINE - Online application for TAN can be made from the NSDL-TIN website.
Addresses of the TIN FC are available at www.incometaxindia.gov.in or https://www.tin-nsdl.com.

TAN is allotted by the Income Tax Department on the basis of the application submitted to TIN Facilitation Centres (TIN-FC) managed by NSDL. NSDL will intimate the TAN which will be required to be mentioned in all future correspondence relating to TDS/TCS.

In case a TAN has already been allotted for the purpose of tax deduction at source (TDS), then no separate application needs to be made for obtaining separate TAN for the purpose of tax collection at source (TCS). The same number can be quoted in all returns, challans and certificates for TCS. However, if no TAN has been allotted, a duly filled in Form 49B, along with the application fees is to be submitted at any TIN-FC.

No. PAN should never be quoted in the field where TAN is required to be quoted. The purposes for which PAN and TAN are allotted are different. TAN is a unique identification number which is allotted to persons who are required to deduct tax at source or collect tax at source.

PAN is a unique identification number issued to keep a linking of the transactions carried by a person like payment of tax, TDS/TCS credit, return of income, return of wealth, correspondence with the Income Tax Department or correspondence by the Income Tax Department, investments made by a person, loan taken by a person, etc. However, a person required to deduct TDS as per section 194IA or section 194IB or section 194M, can use PAN in place of TAN.

If there is any change in the data provided in the application for allotment of TAN (i.e. data provide at the time of allotment of TAN), then such change is to be communicated to the Income Tax Department by intimating the change in , the "Form for Change or Correction in TAN data". Duly filed form should be submitted to the TIN Facilitation Centres or an online application can be made at https://www.tin-nsdl.com