IRCTC agent news, October 2026: PAN and FASTag

If you run a counter, a customer probably tells you about a “new rule” every other week. Some of those rules are old. A few have been misread. One or two are true. This update sorts them out for 1 to 17 October 2026.

Every item below shows who published it, the date on the notice, and one label: changed, announced or unchanged. Nothing here tells you what a particular customer qualifies for. For each item, open the official page and ask the issuing body in writing.

What changed this month, and what only looks new?

The date column is the date the publisher shows, not the date we wrote this update.

Only the first row is an October change that we found. The rest are here so you can tell a customer how old each one really is.

IRCTC and Tatkal: is there anything new for agents?

We looked for an October announcement that changes how an authorised IRCTC agent books tickets, and we didn’t find one. That search covered PIB’s releases. It wasn’t a search of every Railways notice, so it doesn’t prove that nothing changed. The same limit applies to every “no change” label in this post.

The rules in force come from the announcement Indian Railways made on 11 June 2025, published by PIB as release 2135694 (PIB, 11 June 2025). It names no circular number, so we don’t give one. It holds three rules, and people often mix them up:

• Online bookings. From 1 July 2025, online Tatkal tickets are only for Aadhaar-authenticated users. From 15 July 2025, Aadhaar-based OTP is mandatory.
• PRS counters and authorised agents. From 15 July 2025, these bookings need an OTP sent to the mobile number the user gives at booking. The Aadhaar requirement belongs to online bookings, not to agents.
• Agent booking window. Authorised agents can’t book opening-day Tatkal tickets in the first 30 minutes: 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM for AC classes, and 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM for non-AC classes.

If a customer says “the agent needs my Aadhaar OTP”, you now know where that comes from and where it doesn’t. The full timing explanation is in Tatkal timings for IRCTC agents.

PAN: forms, fees and the PAN 2.0 status

Are the new PAN forms still the rule?

Yes, and nothing has changed since April. UTIITSL’s PAN portal states that all applicants must use the new PAN forms from 1 April 2026. It also says the old Forms 49A, 49AA and Change Request will not be accepted after 31 March 2026 (source: UTIITSL, pan.utiitsl.com, 17 October 2026).

The Income Tax Department’s forms FAQ says the new Forms 93, 94, 95 and 96 are for fresh applications filed on or after 1 April 2026. Applications pending on 31 March 2026 remain valid, and existing PAN numbers aren’t affected (Income Tax Department FAQ, 17 October 2026).

So which of the four does your customer need? Don’t guess. Check UTIITSL’s current list before you take an application. SiOnline’s UTI PSA agent registration page has its own detail on registration.

What PAN application fee is published?

UTIITSL’s portal lists ₹107 for a PAN with a physical card and e-PAN, and ₹72 for an e-PAN only (source: UTIITSL, pan.utiitsl.com, 17 October 2026). Quote the figure from that page. Don’t quote it from a forwarded image or a message.

Has PAN 2.0 launched?

No launch notice has appeared. PIB published the Cabinet’s approval of the Income Tax Department’s PAN 2.0 project on 26 November 2024. The release says the PAN services now spread across the e-Filing, UTIITSL and Protean portals will be brought together in a single unified portal (PIB, 26 November 2024). Its FAQ states that existing PAN holders don’t need to apply for a new PAN under the upgraded system.

The release also makes statements about fees under the new system. Those describe a planned system, not today’s fee. UTIITSL’s page, as of 17 October 2026, still lists ₹107 and ₹72.

For a PAN counter, that leaves you with three simple lines for customers:

• Don’t tell anyone PAN fees have changed because of PAN 2.0.
• Don’t tell anyone to wait for PAN 2.0 before correcting a PAN.
• Existing PAN holders don’t need a new PAN.

The release doesn’t say whether the new system changes how an agent files applications. Keep filing the way you do today until an official notice says otherwise.

FASTag: exempted tags, OneTag, KYV and one tag per vehicle

What are the new validity rules for exempted FASTags?

On 1 October 2026 the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways announced through PIB that it has revised the guidelines for issuing and renewing exempted FASTags for eligible Divyangjan and PwD vehicles. They take effect on 2 October 2026 (PIB, 1 October 2026). Earlier guidelines required annual renewal. Under the new framework, validity follows the recorded percentage of disability, shown on a valid Disability Certificate, a Unique Disability Identity card or other applicable records.

After that, the exempted tag may be renewed, subject to continued eligibility under the National Highways Fee Rules, 2008. The release says nothing about who at a counter may issue one. If a customer asks, send them to the issuing bank named on their tag.

Can a customer switch the FASTag issuer bank?

PIB’s releases describe OneTag, a portability solution for NETC FASTag launched on 11 September 2026 and run jointly by IHMCL and NPCI. Users will be able to switch the issuer bank while keeping the FASTag already on the vehicle (PIB, 11 September 2026).

A second release, dated 17 September 2026, says the service is available on NHAI’s Rajmargyatra app (PIB, 17 September 2026). It describes this sequence:

1. The user logs in to the app and enters the vehicle registration number to check eligibility.
2. The current issuer bank sends a six-digit mobile verification code.
3. After that authorisation, the user selects a new issuer, completes customer verification and wallet onboarding.
4. The previous issuer closes the old FASTag wallet and refunds the available balance, after applicable adjustments.

The FASTag ID linked to the vehicle registration number stays unchanged, and an interoperable FASTag has a cooling period of six months before it can be ported again.

Here’s what the releases leave out. They don’t list which banks take part, and they don’t say every customer is eligible. So ask the issuing bank in writing before you tell a customer a switch is possible. And promise no refund amount or date, because the refund is the previous issuer’s step. For SiOnline’s FASTag agent enquiry, see the FASTag agent page.

Is KYV still needed for car FASTags?

On 1 January 2026 NHAI announced that Know Your Vehicle (KYV) is discontinued for cars on new FASTags issued from 1 February 2026 (PIB, 1 January 2026). For existing car tags, KYV is needed only where complaints are received, such as loose FASTags, incorrect issuance or misuse. Issuer banks may activate a tag only after validating vehicle details against the VAHAN database.

If a customer’s tag was blocked on a KYV request, the NHAI release is the page to read together with them. The bank is the one that acts on the tag.

What about one tag per vehicle?

PIB published NHAI’s “One Vehicle, One FASTag” initiative on 15 January 2024. It says users should discard earlier tags through their banks, because only the latest FASTag account stays active (PIB, 15 January 2024). It’s an older notice, but it still comes up. A customer who holds two tags for one vehicle should deal with the issuing banks.

What did not change

No October notice changes any of these:

• The agent charge on a railway ticket. It’s ₹20 per PNR for non-AC classes and ₹40 per PNR for AC classes, inclusive of GST. IRCTC’s Norms for Internet Cafe Scheme (PDF created 14 June 2021) list the same two amounts as the maximum charges and say they are liable to change without notice (IRCTC).
• The FASTag annual pass fee. PIB’s 15 March 2026 release says the fee for non-commercial vehicles is ₹3,075 for the financial year 2026-27 from 1 April 2026, for one year or 200 toll plaza crossings (PIB, 15 March 2026). No October revision is announced.
• Existing PAN numbers. The Income Tax Department says the new forms don’t affect existing PAN numbers.

If you see a claim that contradicts one of these, find the notice behind it. A screenshot with no publisher, no date and no link isn’t a notice.

What do you say when a customer asks?

Here’s a quick way to answer the questions you’re most likely to get. Each answer rests on the notices above.

A few questions agents ask

Does PAN 2.0 change how I file applications? The release describes a single unified portal. It says nothing about any change to the agent’s filing steps. Carry on as you do today until an official notice says otherwise.

A customer says Tatkal now needs Aadhaar for agents too. Is that right? Not from what PIB published. The Aadhaar rule applies to online bookings on IRCTC’s website and app. For counters and authorised agents, PIB requires an OTP sent to the mobile number given at booking.

Can I tell a customer their FASTag can move to another bank? Only after the issuing bank confirms it in writing. OneTag exists, but the releases don’t list the banks that take part.

Where do I check if a new “rule” is real? Look for the publisher, the date and the link. If a message has none of the three, treat it as a rumour until you find the notice.

At the counter

If you hold an IRCTC agent ID, nothing in this update asks you to change how you log in or book. If you’re still considering one, start from IRCTC agent registration, where the eligibility check comes before payment.

When a customer brings a problem that no notice covers, SiOnline support runs 24 hours, 7 days on phone and WhatsApp, at +91 91091 35959. Send your agent ID and the question through the customer care page. Never send a password or an OTP.

All sources are linked above and were checked on 17 October 2026. Rules, fees and forms change, so confirm them at the source before you act.

Sources

Official pages linked in this article:

• PIB, 11 June 2025
• pan.utiitsl.com
• Income Tax Department FAQ
• PIB, 26 November 2024
• PIB, 1 October 2026
• PIB, 11 September 2026
• PIB, 17 September 2026
• PIB, 1 January 2026
• PIB, 15 January 2024
• IRCTC
• PIB, 15 March 2026

Fees, dates and rules change. Confirm them at the source before you act.