Signature Resize for PAN Card
Resize your signature to under 20 KB in JPEG format — the exact limit NSDL and UTIITSL accept. Free, instant, and your signature never leaves your device — everything runs in your browser.
Drop files here!
PAN Card Signature Size in KB — NSDL & UTI Requirements
| Requirement | NSDL | UTI (UTIITSL) |
|---|---|---|
| File format | JPEG / JPG | JPEG / JPG |
| Maximum file size | 20 KB | 20 KB |
| Background | Plain white | Plain white |
| Ink colour | Black or dark blue | Black or dark blue |
| Paper | Unruled white sheet | Unruled white sheet |
The signature limit is 20 KB — tighter than the 50 KB allowed for your photograph. Both agencies operate under the same Income Tax Department specification, so a signature file that passes NSDL will pass UTIITSL unchanged.
Why Signatures Are Harder to Compress Than Photos
Most people expect a signature to compress more easily than a portrait — it is, after all, just a few lines on white paper. In practice the opposite is true, and the reason is worth understanding because it tells you how to fix a file that will not shrink.
JPEG compression is efficient on smooth gradients — skin tones, soft shadows, blurred backgrounds — and inefficient on hard, high-contrast edges. A signature is nothing but hard edges: black ink meeting white paper, thousands of times over. JPEG stores that transition at high cost. A signature scanned at 300 DPI routinely lands between 150 KB and 400 KB even though it holds far less visual information than a photo.
This also explains why the background matters so much. A pure white background compresses almost for free because large uniform areas cost JPEG very little. Cream-tinted paper, a hand shadow, or the faint blue lines of a notebook page all add variation across the whole image — often enough to push a borderline signature past 20 KB no matter how hard you compress it.
How to Resize Your Signature to Under 20 KB
- Sign on plain white paper. Use a blank A4 printer sheet, not ruled notebook paper. A black or dark blue ballpoint pen works best — gel ink bleeds at the edges and enlarges the file.
- Photograph it flat and evenly lit. Hold your phone directly above the sheet, parallel to it, in indirect daylight. Keep your hand out of the light so no shadow falls across the signature.
- Upload it to the tool above. Signature mode is already selected for you. JPG and PNG are both accepted — the tool always outputs JPEG.
- Crop to the signature. Trim away the empty paper around it, leaving a small white margin. Less background means a smaller file and a clearer signature on the printed card.
- Download and check. The file will be under 20 KB. Confirm before uploading: right-click → Properties on Windows, or press Cmd-I on a Mac.
Why NSDL and UTI Reject Signature Uploads
Ruled or lined paper. The most common cause by far. Even faint blue rules survive compression and are clearly visible to the reviewer.
The file is a PNG renamed to .jpg. Phone screenshots save as PNG or WebP. Renaming the file changes nothing — portals read the file header, not the extension, and reject it. Running the file through the tool above converts it properly.
A shadow across the paper. This turns the background from white to grey and fails the background check, even when the size and format are correct.
Ink too light. Fine or pale strokes can disappear during compression. Use firm, even pressure with a dark ballpoint pen.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the signature size for a PAN card in KB?
Your signature must be under 20 KB in JPEG format for both NSDL and UTIITSL. There is no minimum — a 6 KB file is as acceptable as a 19 KB one, provided the signature is clearly legible.
Can I use a digital or typed signature?
No. Both portals require your genuine handwritten signature on paper, photographed or scanned. A typed name, a stylus drawing, or a scanned stamp will be rejected. It should match the signature you use on other official documents.
My signature file is 24 KB and will not go lower. What now?
Crop tighter around the signature and check the background. Excess white paper and any tint or shadow are almost always what is holding the size up. Re-shoot on a clean white sheet in flat daylight, then run it through the tool again.
Is the signature requirement the same for NSDL and UTI?
Yes — JPEG, under 20 KB, white background. One correctly sized file works for both portals, and for new applications, corrections and reprints alike.
Is my signature uploaded to your server?
No. All processing happens inside your browser using the HTML5 Canvas API. Your signature never leaves your device and is never transmitted anywhere.
Need to resize your photograph as well? Use the PAN card photo resizer for the 50 KB passport photo, or read the full NSDL photo and signature size requirements.