How to Pay PTA Tax (2026-27)

Register your phone on PTA's DIRBS to get a payment ID (PSID), then pay it at a bank within 7 days. The phone is usually unblocked 3 to 4 hours after FBR confirms the payment.

Checked against PTA's DIRBS FAQs (14 October 2025) Updated for 2026-27

  • 7 daysto pay a PSID before the application is deleted
  • 3 to 4hto unblock the phone after FBR confirms payment
  • 60 daysa phone from abroad works before it must be registered
  • 5 phonesthe most one person can register in a calendar year

01 Before you start

What you need to pay PTA tax

Have these ready before you apply. It takes a few minutes.

Check the tax first
  • Every IMEI of the phone. Dial *#06#. Dual-SIM and eSIM phones show two or more IMEIs, and all of them must be registered. iPhones have a physical and a digital IMEI.
  • Your CNIC, or your passport if you brought the phone into Pakistan in your baggage (see passport or CNIC).
  • A Pakistani SIM issued on that CNIC or passport. DIRBS sends your PSID to this number, and the registration website only works inside Pakistan.
  • An idea of the amount. Our PTA tax calculator shows it before you apply; your PSID shows the exact figure.

02 Step by step

How to pay PTA tax in 5 steps

From checking the phone to getting a signal. Most people finish in two to three days, mainly waiting for the manufacturer check.

  1. Check whether the phone needs registering

    Send each IMEI by SMS to 8484. If PTA replies that the phone is compliant, it is already registered and you pay nothing. If it says GSMA valid but not registered, carry on.

    What every PTA reply means

  2. Apply on DIRBS

    Use any one of PTA's three channels:

    • Online at dirbs.pta.gov.pk/drs
    • By dialling *8484# from a SIM issued on your CNIC or passport
    • At a mobile operator's service centre or franchise

    Enter your CNIC (or passport and travel details), your SIM number and every IMEI.

  3. Wait for your PSID

    PTA sends the IMEIs to the phone's manufacturer to confirm they belong to one device. This usually takes 24 to 48 hours. You then get an SMS with a 17-digit PSID and the amount set by FBR.

  4. Pay the PSID at a bank within 7 days

    Take the PSID to any commercial bank in Pakistan and pay it there. The bank sends the payment to FBR through 1-Link. Check that the PSID you give the bank matches your SMS, and keep the receipt.

  5. Wait for approval and restart the phone

    When FBR confirms the payment, your application changes from Pending to Approved. The phone is usually unblocked within 3 to 4 hours; restart it. No signal after 24 hours? See if something goes wrong.

03 Ways to pay

Where to pay PTA tax

PTA's official route is a bank branch. Apps and wallets are widely used for other FBR payments, but PTA says online payment is not available for phones.

What PTA says: pay "by visiting personally any commercial bank in Pakistan". Online banking is "currently not available" for duties on phones, and paying that way is the most common reason a paid application stays "Not registered".

PTA DIRBS FAQs, 14 October 2025.

Way to payStatusWhat to know
Bank branchPTA's official routeAny commercial bank. Take the PSID and pay at the counter. Keep the receipt.
Bank app or internet bankingNot confirmedPTA says it is not available for phone duties. If you try it, check that DIRBS shows "Approved" within a day.
JazzCash, Easypaisa, ATMNot confirmedNot listed by PTA. Same risk: the payment may not reach your application.

Paid against the wrong PSID? PTA cannot refund it; go to the nearest FBR Customs House with the details.

04 Instalments

Pay PTA tax in instalments

FBR lets you split the sales tax into monthly payments when you register through DIRBS. Everything else is paid upfront, and the last instalment is due by 30 June.

Choose your phone to see what you pay now and each month if you apply this month.

  • Sales tax onlyCustoms duties, income tax and the levy are paid with the first PSID.
  • Months leftOne instalment for each month to June, counting the month you apply.
  • Monthly PSIDEach instalment has its own PSID, issued on the same date each month. You can pay early.
  • Don't miss oneThe phone is blocked and the whole remaining sales tax becomes due.

05 Passport or CNIC

Paying on a passport or a CNIC

The steps are the same. What differs is who can use each route, the deadline and the amount.

Passport (international traveller)

  • For phones you brought into Pakistan in your baggage.
  • Enter your passport number, CNIC or NICOP if you have one, and a SIM issued on it.
  • Register within 60 days of the phone's first use on a Pakistani network. The 60 days don't restart on a later trip.
  • DIRBS checks your travel record with FIA. With no travel history you'll see "not eligible for tax exemption".
  • Usually cheaper: no additional customs duty and no income tax.

CNIC (local applicant)

  • For phones bought online, sent from abroad or bought used without registration.
  • Enter your CNIC and a SIM issued on it.
  • All six charges apply, including additional customs duty and income tax.
  • Non-filers pay double the income tax part.
  • PTA notes a fine may apply under FBR's assessment; your PSID shows the final amount.
Compare passport and CNIC

06 Problems

If something goes wrong

PTA's own fixes for the most common payment problems. Complaints go through PTA's Complaint Management System (CMS).

My PSID expired

Unpaid PSIDs are deleted after 7 days. Apply again on DIRBS to get a new one.

I paid, but it still says "Not registered"

FBR hasn't confirmed the payment yet, which usually happens after paying online. Check with your bank or FBR. Your status changes to "Approved" once FBR confirms.

I paid, then deleted my application

Complain on CMS with your payment proof, the phone's IMEIs and the CNIC or passport you used.

I paid the wrong PSID

PTA can't refund it. Take the PSID details to the nearest FBR Customs House.

I deleted the SMS with my PSID

On the DIRBS website, use "forgot password" with the same number you applied from. Your PSID, tracking ID and IMEIs are in your account.

I entered a wrong IMEI

If the application is still pending, delete it and apply again. If it's approved, complain on CMS under "Correction of wrongly entered IMEIs".

Approved, but no signal

Restart the phone after 3 to 4 hours. Still nothing after 24 hours? Call your network's helpline, then complain on CMS under "IMEI registered but no service".

Only one SIM slot works

Complain on CMS under "One Slot Compliant / One Non-Compliant". After the manufacturer confirms the second IMEI, it can be registered without paying again.

07 Answers

Questions about paying PTA tax

Short answers from PTA's and FBR's rules.

Estimate instalments

Can I pay PTA tax online or with JazzCash?

PTA's official guidance (DIRBS FAQs, 14 October 2025) says to pay the PSID at a bank, and that online banking is currently not available for duties on phones. Some people report paying through a bank app or wallet, but if FBR does not receive the payment, your application stays "Pending". Paying at a bank branch is the safe route.

How long is a PSID valid?

7 days from the day it is issued. If it is not paid in that time, the application is deleted and you have to apply again.

How long after paying does my phone start working?

Once FBR confirms the payment, the application changes from "Pending" to "Approved" and the phone is usually unblocked within 3 to 4 hours. Restart the phone. If there is still no signal after 24 hours while DIRBS shows "Compliant", complain to PTA through its Complaint Management System.

Can I pay PTA tax in instalments?

FBR allows the sales tax part to be paid in monthly instalments when you register through DIRBS (Customs General Order 06/2026). The other charges are paid upfront and every instalment must be paid by 30 June. Check that DIRBS offers the instalment option when you apply; if it does not, pay in full.

Do filers pay less PTA tax?

There is no discount on customs duties for filers, students, government employees or overseas Pakistanis. On CNIC registration only, the income tax part is doubled for people who are not on the Active Taxpayer List.

What happens if I register after 60 days?

A phone brought in your baggage works for 60 days from its first use on a Pakistani network. After that it loses mobile service, and registering it then costs the duties and taxes plus a fine set by FBR.

How many phones can I register?

Up to 5 phones per person in a calendar year.

Can I register and pay from abroad?

No. PTA says the DIRBS registration website only works inside Pakistan, and you need a Pakistani SIM issued on your CNIC or passport.

Sources and last update

  • PTA DIRBS Frequently Asked Questions, updated 14 October 2025, and dirbs.pta.gov.pk/faqs
  • Type Approval and DIRBS Regulations 2021 (five devices per person per year)
  • Finance Act 2026, Sales Tax Act 1990 Ninth Schedule (instalments through DIRBS)
  • FBR Customs General Order 06 of 2026, Procedure for Regularization of Unregistered Mobile Devices with SIM/IMEI Functionality, as reported by Business Recorder and ProPakistani (October 2026)
  • Federal Board of Revenue (FBR)

Last reviewed: 7 November 2026. How we calculate

Results are estimates, not tax advice. For your exact tax, check your salary certificate or ask a tax professional.