How can the Invalid Surname and First name error be corrected on the e-filing portal?

Reasons for an invalid surname or first name error?

These errors occur when the surname you registered your PAN card with does not match the surname you are trying to key in on the income tax portal. Many websites adopt the Western naming conventions, wherein they are required to enter surname, first name, middle name. People may end up swapping the surname for the first name and vice-versa while applying for PAN. Subsequently, when you enter your name on the income tax portal for registration, the same is mapped to the name contained in the PAN database, which might not match. An error is therefore displayed, which creates a lot of confusion among taxpayers.

How to resolve invalid surname and first name errors on the e-filing website?

Note the unique 10-digit alphameric PAN number

Say, e.g. Your name is Neeraj Chopra, and your PAN number is BLGPN5123D Of the ten characters,

- The first three indicate a unique sequence from AAA to ZZZ
- The fourth indicates your status,i.e. Whether you are an individual or a company etc., as under:

'P' stands for Individual
'H' stands for Hindu Undivided Family (HUF)
'F' stands for Firm/ Limited Liability Partnership
'C' stands for Company
'A' stands for Association of Persons (AOP)
'B' stands for Body of Individuals (BOI)
'G' stands for Government Agency
'J' stands for Artificial Juridical Person
'L' stands for Local Authority
'T' stands for Trust

- The 5th one indicates the first letter of your last name/surname if you are an individual.
If you are a non-individual, i.e. a company, firm, etc., it indicates the first character of the PAN holder’s name.
- The next four indicates a numerical sequence from 0001 to 9999.
- the last one is an alphabetic check digit.

According to the Indian naming convention, Neeraj is the first name, and Chopra is the last name. However, while in the PAN, a western naming convention might be adopted. Hence. You’ll be required to use the same on the income tax portal as well. So in the given instance, the PAN number gives you an additional clue that the surname you have entered while applying for PAN starts with the letter N. It can be deduced that Neeraj was used as your last name. Cracking this clue allows you to proceed with the registration process on the e-filing website.

If you could not fix the error using the above method, alternatively, you may try this method to get the full name as entered in the income tax records.

• Step 1: Go to the income tax e-filing website https://www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal/.
• Step 2: Click on the e-Pay tax available on the home page.

  

• Step 3: You will be redirected to the NSDL website. Select and proceed with Challan No./ITNS 280 under Non-TDS/TCS section.

  

• Step 4: Select the ‘tax applicable’ as Corporation Tax (Companies) in the case of a company.
  Select Income Tax (Other than Companies) if you are an individual or any person other than a company.

  From the ‘Type of Payment’, select ‘Self Assessment Tax’. Fill in your PAN and other personal details and proceed.

  

Your full name appears on the next page. You can use the same for continuing with the registration process.