Address proof — what actually counts
Quick answer: For banking and KYC the list is fixed by the RBI. Six documents count as an Officially Valid Document (OVD): passport, driving licence, proof of possession of Aadhaar, Voter's ID, NREGA job card signed by a State Government officer, and the National Population Register letter. A PAN card is not one of them — it proves identity for tax, not address.
🪪 The six officially valid documents
- Passport
- Driving licence
- Proof of possession of an Aadhaar number
- Voter's Identity Card issued by the Election Commission of India
- NREGA job card, signed by an officer of the State Government
- Letter issued by the National Population Register containing name and address
Equivalent e-documents of these are accepted too, so a digitally issued copy is as good as paper.
⚠️ PAN card is not an address proof
This is the commonest mistake. Older RBI material did list PAN among valid documents, and plenty of websites still repeat it — but under the current KYC Master Direction the OVD list is the six above. A PAN card carries no address at all.
🏠 When your OVD has the wrong address
Very common: your passport or Aadhaar shows a permanent address you no longer live at. The RBI allows for this. Where your OVD does not carry your current address, these count as deemed OVDs — but only as proof of address, not of identity:
- A utility bill not more than two months old from any service provider — electricity, telephone, post-paid mobile, piped gas or water
- A property or municipal tax receipt
- A pension or family pension payment order (PPO) issued to a retired employee by a government department or public sector undertaking, if it shows the address
- A letter of allotment of accommodation from your employer — a government department, statutory or regulatory body, public sector undertaking, scheduled commercial bank, financial institution or listed company — or a leave-and-licence agreement with such an employer
This is a temporary bridge, not a permanent substitute. The Direction requires you to submit an OVD carrying your current address within three months of giving one of the documents above. So use the time to get your Aadhaar or passport address updated.
Two months and three months are set by the RBI, not by the bank — a branch asking for a bill "no older than six months" is applying its own rule, not the Direction.
🙋 If you have no OVD at all
You can still open a Small Account. The bank takes a self-attested photograph and a designated officer certifies that you signed or gave a thumb impression in their presence. It carries balance and transaction limits, but it is a real account and a legitimate route in.
📅 If your address changes
Where an OVD or other document changes, the updated document must be given to the bank within 30 days of the change.
Address proof for other purposes
The RBI list governs banking and KYC. Other bodies keep their own: GST registration wants premises proof such as a property tax receipt, municipal khata copy or electricity bill; a ration card, passport or driving licence each publish their own accepted list. Always check the one that applies to you.
Frequently asked questions
What documents count as address proof for a bank account?
The six RBI officially valid documents: passport, driving licence, proof of possession of Aadhaar, Voter's ID, an NREGA job card signed by a State Government officer, or a National Population Register letter.
Is a ration card valid as address proof?
Not as an RBI officially valid document for banking KYC. Some other departments and utilities do accept it — check the list published by whoever is asking.
Can I use PAN as address proof?
No. PAN is not in the current OVD list and carries no address. It is still required separately for tax purposes.
My Aadhaar shows my old address. What do I do?
Give a deemed OVD as proof of address: a utility bill under two months old, a property or municipal tax receipt, a pension payment order showing the address, or an employer's accommodation letter or leave-and-licence agreement. You then have three months to submit an OVD carrying your current address.
General information, not legal advice — and ToolGalli is not affiliated with any government department. Requirements change; verify the current list on the official portal.