which is pan card number

The Permanent Account Number (PAN) is a unique 10-character alphanumeric identifier issued by the Income Tax Department of India. It is mandatory for all significant financial transactions and serves as a crucial identity proof for tax purposes. A PAN number follows a specific structure: the first five characters are letters, followed by four sequential numerals, and the final character is an alphabetic check digit. The fourth character specifically denotes the status of the PAN holder, such as 'P' for an individual, while the fifth character is the first letter of the holder’s last name or surname.