Withholding · DIRBS · Tax Year 2026-2027
PTA Mobile Registration Tax Calculator
Find the duty to register your mobile phone with PTA by its C&F value in USD — compare the passport and CNIC rates side by side.
Reference
PTA registration duty by device value
| Device value (USD) | Passport duty | CNIC duty |
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Reading the result
Passport registration is the cheaper route, once
Registering against a passport within the allowed window after arrival costs less than registering on a CNIC. The concession is limited — it exists for travellers bringing a personal device, not as a general discount — so it applies to a limited number of devices and only within the time allowed.
Missing the window moves you to the CNIC rate, which is why the registration is worth doing on arrival rather than after settling in.
The duty follows FBR's valuation
What you paid is largely beside the point. The duty is computed on an assessed value for the model, so a phone bought second-hand or on an overseas discount attracts the same charge as one bought new at full price. Budget from the model, not the receipt.
Unregistered means blocked, not merely penalised
A device that is not registered within the allowed period stops working on Pakistani networks. It is not a fine you can defer — the handset becomes unusable locally, which for an expensive phone is the entire value gone.
Where this stops
This estimates the registration duty for a personal device. Commercial imports go through a different process entirely, and the figures published by PTA and FBR are revised, so confirm against the DIRBS portal before relying on a number for a purchase decision.
FAQs
PTA registration tax FAQs
What is PTA/DIRBS tax?
The Device Identification, Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS) requires every mobile phone brought into Pakistan to be registered with PTA. Unregistered phones get blocked from local networks after a grace period — registration requires paying this duty based on the phone's customs/C&F value in USD.
Why does CNIC registration cost more than passport?
Registering via passport (typically for returning overseas Pakistanis / travellers within their baggage allowance) is charged at a lower rate than registering the same device via CNIC — the gap widens at higher device values.
How do I know my phone's USD value?
Use the phone's official retail/C&F (cost & freight) value, not the local resale price — PTA's own portal or your invoice is the authoritative source; this calculator's figures are indicative.
Where do I actually register my device?
Through the PTA DIRBS web portal or mobile app, using your phone's IMEI. Payment is made via the PSID generated there, at a bank or through mobile banking.
How much of the PTA figure is income tax?
Only a slice. The Section 148 income-tax component per phone (Ordinance, First Schedule Part II) is Rs 70 up to $30, Rs 100 for $30–100, Rs 100 for $100–200 (cut from Rs 930 by the Finance Act 2026), Rs 970 for $200–350, Rs 5,000 for $350–500 and Rs 11,500 above $500. The rest of the total is customs and regulatory duty, sales tax and levy, which is why the totals above must be checked against the live DIRBS schedule.
Can I pay the PTA tax in instalments?
Yes — the Finance Act 2026 inserted a provision in the Ninth Schedule allowing an individual liable for tax on an imported phone through DIRBS to pay in prescribed instalments, provided every instalment is paid before the end of the financial year in which the phone was imported.
Related tools
Registering an iPhone?
Every model from the 8 to the 18 Pro Max, with the regulatory duty, sales tax, handset levy and Section 148 income tax shown separately.
Open iPhone PTA Tax CalculatorRelated tools
Registering an iPhone 18?
Passport vs CNIC estimates for every iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max storage tier, scaled from the latest published DIRBS figures.
Open iPhone 18 PTA Tax CalculatorRelated tools
Check your monthly phone bill tax too
Registration duty is separate from the ongoing withholding tax on your phone bill.
Open Phone Bill Tax Calculator