PTA Phone Tax & DIRBS Registration in Pakistan: How Much and How To Pay
Any phone brought into Pakistan must be registered with PTA's DIRBS system within 30 days, and the tax depends on the phone's USD price bracket.
PTA registration tax is a fixed PKR amount based on the phone's USD price bracket — roughly Rs. 2,500 for an entry-level phone, Rs. 6,750 in the $200–$350 band, Rs. 21,000 in the $700–$1000 band, and Rs. 36,750 above $1,000. You register on the DIRBS portal (dirbs.pta.gov.pk) with your CNIC and the phone's IMEI, within 30 days of arrival.
Why you have to register
DIRBS (Device Identification, Registration and Blocking System) is how PTA blocks unregistered foreign phones. A phone brought from abroad works for a short grace period, then PTA blocks its ability to connect to any Pakistani SIM until the tax is paid and registration completed.
The DIRBS tax brackets
| Phone price (USD) | Registration tax (PKR) |
|---|---|
| Up to $30 | Rs. 650 |
| $30 – $100 | Rs. 2,500 |
| $100 – $200 | Rs. 3,500 |
| $200 – $350 | Rs. 6,750 |
| $350 – $500 | Rs. 10,500 |
| $500 – $700 | Rs. 15,750 |
| $700 – $1,000 | Rs. 21,000 |
| Above $1,000 | Rs. 36,750 |
Worked examples
A $250 mid-range phone
Brought in as personal baggage, registered as a personal import (no GST).
- Phone price in PKR (at Rs. 280/$)
- Rs. 70,000
- PTA bracket
- $200–$350
- Registration tax
- Rs. 6,750
Total to register: Rs. 6,750 — about 9.6% of the phone's value.
A $999 flagship
Personal import at Rs. 280/$.
- Phone price in PKR
- Rs. 279,720
- PTA bracket
- $700–$1,000
- Registration tax
- Rs. 21,000
Total to register: Rs. 21,000 — about 7.5% of the phone's value.
Declaring $1,001 instead of $999 pushes you into the Rs. 36,750 bracket — keep your purchase receipt.
How to register, step by step
- 1.Dial **\*#06#** to get your phone's 15-digit IMEI (dual-SIM phones have two — either works)
- 2.Create an account on dirbs.pta.gov.pk with your CNIC
- 3.Enter the IMEI and declared purchase price
- 4.Pay the calculated tax via bank, ATM, mobile wallet or a PTA franchise
- 5.Registration is confirmed by SMS — do this within 30 days of arrival
Common mistakes
- Waiting until the SIM is blocked — register in the first 30 days
- Assuming one free phone per year covers every device — it's one per traveller per trip
- Under-declaring the price — PTA can apply its own assessed value
- Forgetting a dual-SIM phone has two IMEIs
Check the tax before you travel
Enter the phone's USD price and today's exchange rate to see the exact DIRBS bracket and registration tax in rupees.
Open the PTA Phone Tax calculator