Check PTA Status by IMEI and Register Your Phone
Dial *#06# to see your IMEI, then text it to 8484. PTA replies whether the phone is registered. If it isn't, register it on DIRBS; your PSID shows the exact tax.
From PTA's DIRBS FAQs (14 October 2025) Your IMEI never leaves your device
01 PTA's reply
What PTA's 8484 reply means
You'll get one of these replies by SMS, or see the same status on dirbs.pta.gov.pk and in the DVS app.
The phone is registered. Nothing to pay. The reply lists every IMEI registered with it; make sure they all belong to the phone in your hand.
If it says the phone is registered on someone's CNIC or passport, ask the seller for the customs duty slip.
A genuine phone with no tax paid in Pakistan. Register it on DIRBS within 60 days of its first use on a Pakistani network, or it loses mobile service.
Another device uses the same IMEI. Paying tax won't fix it. If your phone is genuine, complain on PTA's CMS; after the manufacturer confirms it, the IMEI can be paired with up to 5 of your SIMs.
Blocked because it was reported lost, stolen or misused. A stolen phone can't be registered. If it's yours and was recovered, apply on CMS to unblock it with your earlier complaint number.
The IMEI is flagged and will be blocked on the date shown unless you send PTA proof through CMS before then.
The IMEI doesn't meet the GSMA standard. It can't be registered and will be blocked. Don't buy a phone that gets this reply.
02 Registration
How to register a phone with PTA
Registering means applying on DIRBS and paying the duties and taxes FBR sets for your phone. There is no free registration.
Choose how to apply
- Online at dirbs.pta.gov.pk/drs (works only inside Pakistan)
- Dial
*8484#from a SIM issued on your CNIC or passport - Visit a mobile operator's service centre or franchise
Enter your details and every IMEI
Traveller: passport number, CNIC or NICOP if you have one, and a SIM on that ID. Local: CNIC and a SIM on it. Add every IMEI the phone shows.
Get your PSID and pay it at a bank
After the manufacturer check (24 to 48 hours) you get a PSID by SMS. Pay it within 7 days. The phone is usually unblocked 3 to 4 hours after FBR confirms payment.
Limits: one person can register up to 5 phones in a calendar year, and can delete a pending application up to 5 times.
03 Buying used
Before you buy a used phone
A phone that gets blocked after you buy it is very hard to fix. PTA suggests these checks, and they take two minutes.
- Dial *#06# on the phone itself, not just the box. Note every IMEI.
- Check each IMEI by SMS to 8484 or in the DVS app. All of them should be compliant.
- Match the model. The model PTA shows must be the phone in your hand. A mismatch means the IMEI may be copied.
- Ask for the duty slip if PTA says the phone is registered on someone's CNIC or passport.
- Walk away from "patched", "CPID approved" or "lifetime" phones. PTA says these have re-programmed IMEIs and can be blocked at any time.
04 Non-PTA phones
Non-PTA, blocked and patched phones
What happens to a phone that isn't registered, and what can and can't be fixed.
Not registered after 60 days
The phone stops getting mobile service. Wi-Fi isn't affected, because DIRBS blocks the phone on mobile networks only. The 60 days don't restart if you bring it back on a later trip.
Registering a blocked phone
Apply on DIRBS and pay the PSID as normal. After 60 days FBR adds a fine to the duties and taxes. Service usually returns 3 to 4 hours after payment is confirmed.
GSMA-invalid IMEI
Phones with an IMEI that doesn't meet the GSMA standard can't be registered at all, and are blocked.
Patched or cloned phones
Patching is illegal. Paying tax doesn't make a cloned IMEI legal. Only a genuine phone confirmed by its maker can be paired with your SIM through CMS.
One SIM slot works, the other doesn't
Complain on CMS under "One Slot Compliant / One Non-Compliant". After the manufacturer confirms it, the second IMEI is registered without paying duty again.
Someone used my passport
Dial *8484# or log in to DIRBS to see how many phones are registered on your passport. Report misuse on CMS and to FIA.
How do I check if my phone is PTA approved?
Dial *#06# to see the IMEI, then send it by SMS to 8484. You can also check on dirbs.pta.gov.pk or in PTA's DVS app. A "compliant" reply means the phone is registered. Check every IMEI on dual-SIM and eSIM phones.
Can I check PTA tax by IMEI?
Not before you apply. The IMEI check only tells you whether the phone is registered. The exact tax appears on your PSID after you apply on DIRBS. To know the amount beforehand, find your phone in our PTA tax calculator.
What does "GSMA valid but not registered" mean?
The IMEI is genuine, but nobody has paid the duties and taxes for this phone in Pakistan. Register it on DIRBS within 60 days of its first use on a Pakistani network, or it will lose mobile service.
Can I register a phone without paying tax?
No. The free one-phone baggage exemption ended on 30 June 2019, and every phone now pays the duties and taxes set by FBR. Sellers offering "patched" or "CPID approved" phones are selling phones that PTA can block at any time.
My iPhone shows two IMEIs. Do I register both?
Yes. PTA says every IMEI programmed in the phone must be registered. iPhones have a physical SIM IMEI and a digital (eSIM) IMEI; enter both in one application.
How do I unblock a non-PTA phone?
Register it on DIRBS and pay the PSID. After 60 days a fine set by FBR is added. The phone is usually unblocked a few hours after FBR confirms the payment. Phones with GSMA-invalid, cloned or stolen IMEIs cannot be unblocked by paying tax.
Is it legal to use a patched phone?
No. PTA describes patching as illegal re-programming of the IMEI. Patched phones can be blocked whenever DIRBS detects them, and FIA can take action under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016.
Sources and last update
- PTA DIRBS Frequently Asked Questions, updated 14 October 2025, and dirbs.pta.gov.pk/faqs (status replies)
- Type Approval and DIRBS Regulations 2021; DIRBS SOP (pairing of up to 5 SIMs)
- Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 (IMEI tampering)
- 3GPP TS 23.003: IMEI structure and check digit
- 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.