ITR, Aadhaar, NPS, PAN, GST — 10 Most Common PDF Passwords Decoded

Introduction

You just downloaded your ITR acknowledgement. Double click. And boom — password protected. You try your date of birth. Nothing. Your PAN. Still nothing.

I’ve been there too. Every government and bank document in India now comes as a password-locked PDF. Aadhaar, bank statement, GST certificate, NPS statement — each one has a different format. Get it wrong and you’re staring at that “incorrect password” popup forever.

Here are the 10 most common passwords. Bookmark this page, share it with anyone who struggles with PDFs. Trust me, it will save you time.

1. ITR Acknowledgement / Notice

Password: PAN (lowercase) + DOB in DDMMYYYY

Example: PAN: ABCDE1234F, DOB: 15 August 1990 → abcde1234f15081990

ITR V, notices, Section 143(1) intimations, rectification orders — pretty much everything from the Income Tax Department uses this. The PAN must be in lowercase, DOB in DDMMYYYY, no spaces. This is the most common government PDF password you’ll come across.

2. Aadhaar Card (e-Aadhaar)

Password: First 4 letters of name in CAPITAL + Year of Birth (YYYY)

Example: Suresh Kumar, Year 1990 → SURE1990

UIDAI keeps the e-Aadhaar locked with the first four letters of your name (uppercase) plus your birth year. Names shorter than 4 letters? Just use whatever you’ve got. “RIA” + 1990 = RIA1990. Names with initials like “P. Kumar”? The dot stays — P.KU1990.

3. PAN Card (e-PAN)

Password: DOB in DDMMYYYY

Example: 15 August 1990 → 15081990

Simplest one on this list. Just your date of birth. Companies and LLPs use their date of incorporation instead. Nothing else needed.

4. Form 16 / Form 16A

Password: First 5 letters of PAN (uppercase) + DOB in DDMMYYYY

Example: PAN: ABCDE1234F, DOB: 15 August 1990 → ABCDE15081990

Your employer sends you Form 16 showing tax deducted from your salary. The password takes the first five letters of your PAN in uppercase (not the full PAN, just the first five) followed by your DOB.

5. Form 26AS

Password: DOB in DDMMYYYY

Example: 15 August 1990 → 15081990

Form 26AS from TRACES uses only your date of birth. If you download it from the Income Tax portal directly, the HTML version doesn’t even need a password. The PDF file from TRACES is where the password applies.

6. AIS / TIS

Password: PAN (lowercase) + DOB in DDMMYYYY

Example: ABCDE1234F, 15 August 1990 → abcde1234f15081990

Same as ITR documents. The Annual Information Statement and Taxpayer Information Summary show all your financial transactions in one place. PDF and JSON files both use the same lowercase PAN + DOB formula.

7. NPS Statement

Password: First 4 letters of first name (lowercase) + DOB in DDMM

Example: Name: Hemant, DOB: 16 November → hema1611

NPS monthly statements from Protean (NSDL) CRA use this format. Take the first four letters of your first name (lowercase) and add your DOB in DDMM — only day and month, no year. Short name? Add 9s. “Om” with 16 Nov becomes “99om1611”.

Important: If your NPS account is serviced by KFintech CRA, the first 4 letters must be in UPPERCASE (e.g., HEMA1611). Check which CRA manages your account.

8. GST Registration Certificate

Password: No PDF password — but you need portal login

The GST Registration Certificate (Form GST REG-06) has no PDF password. The catch? You have to log into gst.gov.in to download it. Forgot your GST login? Use the “Forgot Password” option on the portal.

9. Bank E-Statements

This is where things get messy. Every bank has its own system.

The #1 mistake people make? HDFC uses your Customer ID for bank statements, not your DOB. If you’re stuck, open the HDFC app and check your profile for the Customer ID.

10. EPFO UAN Passbook

Password: No password on the downloaded PDF

Example: Opens directly once downloaded

Here’s the thing — the downloaded EPFO passbook PDF is not password-protected. It opens directly. The UAN and login password are only needed to log into the portal and download the file. Once downloaded, just double-click and it opens.

Bonus: TAN Letter

Password: 6-digit PIN code of your registered address

Example: PIN 276303 → 276303

Your TAN letter from the Income Tax Department uses your address PIN code. Simple but easy to forget if you’ve moved.

Quick Reference Table

A Few Things to Keep in Mind

• Case matters. “ABCD” is not “abcd”. Most government documents want lowercase PAN, but banks vary (ICICI/BoB = lowercase, Axis/HDFC credit card = UPPERCASE).
• DDMMYYYY is not MMDDYYYY. 15 August = 15081990, not 08151990.
• No spaces, no symbols. Unless the format says so (like Aadhaar dots).
• Joint accounts? Use the first holder’s details.
• Check the email. Banks usually print the password format in the email itself.
• NPS CRA matters. Protean = lowercase, KFintech = UPPERCASE. Check your welcome letter or portal.
• SBI has two formats. YONO/Net Banking = account number. Email = mobile + DDMMYY.

Wrapping Up

Getting stuck on a PDF password is frustrating. But once you know the pattern, it clicks. Most government documents use PAN + DOB, name + year, or just DOB. Bank statements are the wild card — each bank does its own thing. Bookmark this, save it, and you’ll never waste time guessing passwords again.

Which PDF gave you the most trouble? Let me know in the comments.

This is for educational purposes only. Password formats can change. Consult the respective bank/portal for the latest information. Consult a qualified financial advisor for personalized advice.

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