PTA Tax Calculator 2026 – Check PTA Mobile Tax Online

PTA tax is the common name for the duties and taxes you pay to register an imported mobile phone in Pakistan, so it can work on Jazz, Zong, Ufone, Telenor and SCO SIMs. Every phone that was not officially imported or assembled in Pakistan (a "non-PTA" phone) has to pay it once, or it gets blocked.

FBR sets the tax, PTA only registers the phone

Despite the name, PTA does not decide or keep this money. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) sets every rate through the Finance Act and customs SROs, and Pakistan Customs works out the amount. PTA's job is the DIRBS system: it checks your IMEI, registers the phone once the tax is paid, and blocks it if it isn't. So "FBR PTA tax" and "DIRBS PTA tax" both mean the same payment.

What PTA tax is made of

For a smartphone in 2026-27, the PTA mobile tax is made up of:

• Regulatory duty: a fixed rupee amount based on the phone's dollar value.
• Sales tax: 18% of the phone's value up to $500, and 25% above $500.
• Income tax (section 148): a fixed amount charged only when you register on a CNIC.
• Mobile handset levy: a one-off fixed amount by price bracket.
• Customs duty and additional customs duty: currently exempt for smartphones.

Which phones need PTA tax?

Any phone bought abroad, brought in by a relative, ordered online from another country, or sold locally as "non-PTA" or "JV". Phones sold officially in Pakistan by brands like Samsung, Infinix, Tecno and Xiaomi are already PTA approved, and so are many used phones listed as PTA approved on iSwap.

DIRBS stands for Device Identification, Registration and Blocking System. It is PTA's national system that keeps a record of every valid IMEI in Pakistan. When you put a Pakistani SIM in a phone, DIRBS checks its IMEI and decides whether the phone is compliant, needs registration, or has to be blocked.

PTA DIRBS vs FBR: who does what

• PTA DIRBS registers the phone, gives the IMEI status and blocks unregistered, stolen or cloned phones.
• FBR calculates the duties and taxes through its customs system and issues the payment slip (PSID).
• Your bank or wallet collects the payment against that PSID.

That is why people search for "FBR DIRBS" and "PTA DIRBS": both are part of one process.

Official DIRBS portals

• dirbs.pta.gov.pk: the main PTA DIRBS website, used to check IMEI status (DVS).
• dirbs.pta.gov.pk/drs: the Device Registration System (DRS), where individuals register phones and generate the PSID. Many people type "dirbs.pta.gov.pak/drs", but the correct address ends in .gov.pk.
• DIRBS DVS app: PTA's mobile app for checking whether an IMEI is approved.

Only use these official addresses. PTA does not charge any separate fee for registration, and nobody needs your password to register a phone for you.

Our PTA mobile tax calculator uses the same method FBR uses. It takes four steps:

1. Find the phone's customs value in US dollars. FBR publishes an official dollar value for most models (its valuation ruling). This is usually close to the phone's launch price abroad, and it is not the price you paid in Pakistan.
2. Convert it to rupees at the exchange rate. The calculator above uses the rate shown under the input box.
3. Find your slab. The dollar value decides which price slab applies (see the PTA mobile tax list above).
4. Add up the charges. Add regulatory duty, sales tax (a percentage of the rupee value), the handset levy and, on a CNIC, the income tax.

Worked examples (2026-27, Rs 280/US$)

• A $150 phone: Rs 6,000 regulatory duty + Rs 7,560 sales tax + Rs 200 levy = Rs 13,760 on passport, Rs 13,860 on CNIC.
• A $300 phone: Rs 8,800 + Rs 15,120 + Rs 1,800 = Rs 25,720 on passport, Rs 26,690 on CNIC.
• iPhone 16 (official value $666): Rs 17,600 + Rs 46,620 + Rs 8,000 = Rs 72,220 on passport, Rs 83,720 on CNIC.

The $500 cliff

Above $500 the sales tax jumps from 18% to 25% on the whole value, and regulatory duty and the levy both step up too. A $500 phone pays about Rs 41,200 on a passport, but a $501 phone pays about Rs 60,670. That's almost Rs 19,500 more for one extra dollar of value. If you're choosing between two variants, check which side of $500 each one falls on.

Why your final amount can differ

• FBR uses its own valuation of your exact model, which may be higher or lower than the value you enter.
• CNIC registrations can carry a fine on top of the tax, especially if you register late. That fine isn't published in advance, so treat any CNIC figure as a minimum.
• The exchange rate on the day you generate your PSID is the one that counts.

The PSID amount shown on DIRBS is always the final figure. Use this calculator to plan and budget, then confirm the amount there.

There are two ways to do a PTA tax check. One gives a quick estimate before you buy; the other gives the exact official amount for your own phone.

1. Check PTA tax with the calculator (estimate)

1. Find the phone's dollar value. For a new model, use its launch price abroad (for example, from the brand's US website).
2. Enter it in the PTA tax calculator at the top of this page.
3. Select CNIC or Passport.
4. You'll see the total PTA tax and every charge that makes it up.

You can also scroll to the model-wise list above to see the PTA tax for popular phones directly, or search our mobile prices pages. Each phone page shows its PTA DIRBS tax per storage variant.

2. Check the exact PTA tax for your IMEI (official)

1. Dial *#06# on the phone to see its IMEI number(s). A dual-SIM phone has two, and both must be registered.
2. Open dirbs.pta.gov.pk/drs and log in to your DIRBS account.
3. Start a new individual registration and enter the IMEI(s) and your CNIC or passport details.
4. The system shows the exact duties and taxes and generates a PSID for that amount.

This is the only method that shows the exact PTA tax for your specific phone, because FBR uses the official value for that exact model and variant.

How to check if a phone is PTA approved (DIRBS IMEI check)

Before you buy a used phone, check whether it is already registered:

• SMS: send the 15-digit IMEI number to 8484 from any Pakistani number. You'll get a reply saying whether it is compliant, valid, or blocked.
• Website: enter the IMEI on dirbs.pta.gov.pk.
• App: use PTA's DIRBS DVS app.

"Compliant" or "valid" means the phone is already PTA approved and you won't pay any tax. If it isn't registered, the phone will need PTA tax paid within the grace period.

Online registration on dirbs.pta.gov.pk/drs takes about ten minutes once you have your documents ready.

What you need

• The phone's IMEI number(s): dial *#06#
• Your CNIC, or your passport (for the passport route you need a recent arrival in Pakistan, which the system checks against FIA travel records)
• A Pakistani mobile number and email address for the account and OTP

Step-by-step DIRBS online registration

1. Go to dirbs.pta.gov.pk/drs and click Sign up to create an account (skip this if you already have one).
2. Verify your account with the OTP sent to your mobile number and email.
3. Log in and choose Individual (personal use) registration.
4. Select CNIC or Passport as the registration type.
5. Enter the phone's IMEI number(s), brand and model, and submit the application.
6. FBR generates a PSID showing the exact PTA tax to pay.
7. Pay the PSID (see "How to pay PTA tax online" below).
8. After payment, the phone is usually registered within a few hours and at most one to three working days. Confirm by sending the IMEI to 8484.

PTA DIRBS Login (dirbs.pta.gov.pk Login)

For DIRBS login, open dirbs.pta.gov.pk/drs and sign in with the email or username and password you created at sign-up.

• Forgot your password? Use the "Forgot password" link on the DIRBS login page, which resets it through your registered email.
• No OTP received? Check that the mobile number is correct and not blocked, and look in your email's spam folder.
• Portal not loading? The DIRBS portal sometimes restricts access from outside Pakistan, so try from a Pakistani connection and without a VPN.
• Commercial importers use a separate login for bulk registration. Individuals should always choose the individual option.

PTA tax is paid against the PSID (Payment Slip ID), a 17-digit FBR reference that DIRBS generates when you apply. You don't pay PTA directly, and there is no need to visit an office.

Ways to pay PTA tax online

• Mobile or internet banking: in almost every bank app (HBL, Meezan, UBL, MCB, Allied and others), go to Bill Payments → FBR / 1Link → PSID, enter the PSID and pay.
• JazzCash or Easypaisa: use the government / FBR payments option and enter the PSID.
• Bank branch: hand over the PSID at any bank branch that accepts FBR payments.

Things to know before you pay

• Pay quickly. The PSID stays valid for a limited time, typically 7 days. If it expires, the application is removed and you have to apply again.
• Check the amount. Make sure the PSID amount matches your phone and registration type (CNIC or passport).
• Keep your receipt until the IMEI shows as registered on 8484.
• Instalments: the Finance Act 2026 allows FBR to introduce instalment payments for PTA tax, but the rules have not been published yet. For now, plan to pay the full amount in one go.

The same phone can cost very different amounts depending on how you register it.

Passport registration (cheaper)

• For phones you bring into Pakistan yourself from abroad.
• You must register within 60 days of arriving in Pakistan.
• Income tax is not charged, which saves you up to Rs 11,500 on phones above $500.
• The number of phones allowed per passport is limited. FBR has tightened this over time, so check DIRBS before carrying several phones.

CNIC registration

• For phones bought locally as non-PTA, gifted, ordered online, or registered after the passport window has closed.
• Income tax (section 148) is added, and a late-registration fine may also apply.
• PTA's FAQs allow a limited number of phones per CNIC each year.

Temporary registration for visitors

Foreign nationals and overseas Pakistanis visiting Pakistan can temporarily register one phone for up to 120 days without paying tax. The phone must be registered before the visitor leaves again, and the same phone can't be temporarily registered a second time on another passport.

How long can you use a phone before paying?

An unregistered phone keeps working for 60 days from the day a Pakistani SIM is first used in it. After that, DIRBS blocks it on every network until the tax is paid. Wi-Fi will still work.

Samsung's Ultra phones are among the most-searched non-PTA phones in Pakistan. FBR has not published official values for every new model, so these estimates use each phone's US launch price at Rs 280/US$. Enter a different value in the calculator if FBR's valuation for your variant is different.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra PTA tax

At a launch price of $1,299:

• Passport: about Rs 124,530 (Rs 17,600 regulatory duty + Rs 90,930 sales tax + Rs 16,000 levy)
• CNIC: about Rs 136,030 (the same, plus Rs 11,500 income tax), and possibly a fine

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra PTA tax

At a launch price of $1,199:

• Passport: about Rs 117,530 (Rs 17,600 + Rs 83,930 sales tax + Rs 16,000 levy)
• CNIC: about Rs 129,030, and possibly a fine

An older or used S23 Ultra can have a lower official FBR value than its launch price, so the real PSID is often less. The DIRBS PSID amount for your IMEI is the final figure.

For newer Samsung flagships, see the exact PTA tax on our Galaxy S25 Ultra and Galaxy S26 Ultra pages, and for Apple the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Here are the latest PTA tax updates for 2026. We update this page whenever FBR changes the rates.

PTA tax reduction in Budget 2026-27

• Regulatory duty cut by 20% from 1 July 2026 under SRO 1064(I)/2026. For phones above $500 it fell from Rs 22,000 to Rs 17,600, a saving of Rs 4,400 per phone.
• Other slabs dropped by the same 20%. For example, $351–$500 phones went from Rs 15,000 to Rs 12,000, and $201–$350 phones from Rs 11,000 to Rs 8,800.
• Sales tax is unchanged at 18% (up to $500) and 25% (above $500), so on expensive phones the total saving is modest.

PTA tax in instalments

The Finance Act 2026 gives FBR the power to let buyers pay PTA tax in instalments. FBR has not yet published the rules. Until it does, DIRBS still asks for the full amount.

Has PTA tax been abolished?

No. Viral posts in 2026 claimed PTA tax on phones had been removed. That isn't true. Parliament discussed relief for mid-range phones, but the tax still applies to every non-PTA phone. Any change only counts once FBR issues an official notification.

2025-26 vs 2026-27 regulatory duty

• Up to $30: Rs 300 → Rs 240
• $30–$100: Rs 3,000 → Rs 2,400
• $101–$200: Rs 7,500 → Rs 6,000
• $201–$350: Rs 11,000 → Rs 8,800
• $351–$500: Rs 15,000 → Rs 12,000
• Above $500: Rs 22,000 → Rs 17,600

• Register on a passport within 60 days. If you or a family member is flying in with the phone, this skips the income tax and any CNIC fine.
• Watch the $500 line. A variant valued just under $500 can cost nearly Rs 20,000 less in PTA tax than one just over it.
• Register early. Registering on a CNIC after the grace period can add a fine, so don't wait until the phone is blocked.
• Buy PTA approved instead. For many phones, a PTA-approved unit costs less overall than a non-PTA phone plus tax. Compare PTA approved mobiles on iSwap before you buy.
• Don't buy "patched" phones. Unofficially "PTA patched" phones can be blocked again at any time, and you lose both the phone and the money.

The rates on this page come from official FBR and PTA publications:

• SRO 1064(I)/2026: regulatory duty on mobile phones (FY 2026-27)
• SRO 1063(I)/2026: additional customs duty exemptions
• Sales Tax Act 1990, Ninth Schedule: sales tax on mobile phones
• Income Tax Ordinance 2001, section 148: advance income tax at import
• Finance Act 2018 (and amendments): mobile handset levy
• PTA DIRBS FAQs and dirbs.pta.gov.pk: registration, 8484 IMEI check and the 60-day rule

This calculator gives an estimate for planning only. The PSID issued on DIRBS is the final amount.