How to Check a GSTIN or PAN Number: Format, State Code and Check Digit
A supplier's invoice arrives with a GSTIN, and you need to claim input tax credit on it. Or you're entering 200 vendor GSTINs into accounting software and want to catch typos before they cause mismatches in GSTR-2B. GSTIN and PAN checker checks the structure of a GSTIN or PAN and tells you what each part means.
Steps
- Paste the GSTIN or PAN.
- Read the state, the PAN and the holder type.
- For a GSTIN, compare the check character with the one the first 14 characters produce.
Anatomy of a GSTIN
A GSTIN has 15 characters:
- Characters 1–2: state code (27 is Maharashtra, 29 Karnataka, 07 Delhi, and so on).
- Characters 3–12: the holder's PAN.
- Character 13: entity number, meaning which registration this is for that PAN in that state. 1 is the first; later ones use 2, 3 and then letters.
- Character 14: a letter, usually Z.
- Character 15: a check character computed from the first 14 with a base-36 weighted sum.
The page's sample, 27ABCPE1234F1ZB, decodes as: Maharashtra, PAN ABCPE1234F, an individual, first registration, check character B.
Anatomy of a PAN
Five letters, four digits, one letter. The fourth letter is the holder type published by the Income Tax Department: P for an individual, C for a company, F for a firm, H for a Hindu Undivided Family, T for a trust, and others. A PAN with C in that position on an invoice from "Mr Sharma" is worth a second look.
A PAN alone has no extra check digit that the page can verify. The GSTIN's final character is what adds that.
Old and new state codes
A couple of codes cause confusion: 25 was Daman and Diu's earlier code, and 26 is now the merged union territory. Andhra Pradesh moved from 28 to 37 after bifurcation. The checker knows these.
What a "valid" result means
A matching check character means the GSTIN was typed correctly: the last character fits the first 14. It catches most typos and transposed characters.
It does not mean the business is registered, active, or filing returns. Registration status lives on the GST portal, which has a public search by GSTIN. For any significant purchase where you'll claim credit, check there too.
Practical uses
- Accounts payable: validate GSTINs as you onboard vendors, before the first invoice.
- Invoice checks: confirm the GSTIN on a bill matches the supplier's state (a Karnataka supplier with a 27- GSTIN is a red flag, unless they have a Maharashtra registration).
- Data cleanup: run through a vendor master list and fix malformed entries.
- Your own invoices: make sure your GSTIN is printed correctly on your template. A typo there causes your customers headaches.
Tips
- Copy GSTINs from the source rather than retyping; O and 0, I and 1 are easy to confuse.
- Store GSTINs uppercase without spaces.
- For creating GST-compliant invoices, see Invoice generator.
Privacy
The page says everything runs in the page and stays on your device. Google ads appear on the page, as on the rest of the site.
FAQ
What does a matching check character tell me? That the GSTIN is correctly formed. Status is on the GST portal.
What's the entity number? The 13th character: which registration this is for the PAN in that state.
Why is there no check for PAN? A PAN has no separate check digit; the format and holder type are what can be checked.
Which old state codes are handled? 25/26 for Daman and Diu, 28/37 for Andhra Pradesh.
Catch GSTIN typos before they cost you credit: GSTIN and PAN checker.
— Alok Kumar Singh