Paying the PTA tax on an imported phone in Pakistan can be painful. Flagship phones from Apple, Samsung, and Google can carry tax bills of Rs. 60,000 to well over Rs. 100,000, and until now the whole amount had to be paid in one go. That has changed: the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has officially allowed buyers to pay the sales tax on imported mobile phones in installments. Here is how the new rule works, who benefits, and what you should know before you register your next phone.
What Is the New PTA Tax Installment Rule?
In September 2026, the FBR issued Sales Tax Circular No. 1 of 2026, which added a new provision to the Ninth Schedule of the Sales Tax Act, 1990, through amendments made under the Finance Act, 2026. The change allows an individual to pay the sales tax on an imported mobile phone in installments through PTA's Device Identification, Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS), instead of paying the entire amount upfront.
The facility applies to the sales tax component of the mobile phone tax, which is the largest part of the bill for expensive phones. For phones valued above $500, the published slabs are Rs. 27,600 plus 17% sales tax on a passport and Rs. 37,007 plus 17% sales tax on a CNIC, with the actual sales tax calculated on the customs-assessed value.
The One Condition: Pay Before the Financial Year Ends
The installment option is flexible but not open-ended. Every installment must be cleared before the end of the financial year in which the phone was imported. Pakistan's financial year ends on 30 June, so a phone imported in October 2026 must be fully tax-paid by June 2027.
This means the facility changes when you pay, not how much you pay. The total tax stays exactly the same; you cannot carry the outstanding balance into the next financial year.
Is the Installment Option Working Yet?
Here is the honest answer: the legal framework is in place, but the practical mechanism is not. The FBR has given the legal footing, but PTA still needs to build the operational system inside DIRBS that lets users split payments and tracks their installment status. Until PTA implements it, you should plan to pay the full tax upfront when registering your phone.
Key details that are still unknown:
- How many installments will be allowed (two, three, more?)
- Whether the first installment must be a minimum percentage
- Whether the phone stays registered on local networks while installments are pending
- How to apply for the facility inside DIRBS
We will update this guide as soon as PTA announces the procedure.
Who Benefits Most?
- Flagship buyers: importing an iPhone, Galaxy S series, or Pixel can mean a tax bill of Rs. 60,000 to Rs. 100,000+. Spreading that over months is real relief.
- Students and young professionals: people buying one premium phone abroad and paying tax from a salary.
- Families registering multiple phones: households that bring several devices from abroad at once.
If you are unsure how much tax your specific phone carries, search this blog for our step-by-step guide to checking PTA mobile tax, which walks through the whole DIRBS process; you can also browse useful phone accessories in the JustMobilePk store while you wait for your phone to clear registration.
How PTA Registration Normally Works (Step by Step)
- Dial *#06# on your phone to get the 15-digit IMEI number.
- Apply on the PTA DIRBS portal with your CNIC or passport details.
- Alternatively, send your IMEI by SMS to 8484 to check status.
- DIRBS issues a payment slip (PSID). Pay it through banks, ATMs, or mobile banking apps.
- Pay within the given deadline, usually 7 days, or the slip expires.
Remember: register on a passport within 60 days of arrival for the cheaper slab. On a CNIC, or after 60 days, you pay more.
PTA Tax System: Quick Background
Pakistan introduced DIRBS in December 2018 to identify and block unregistered phones. The old duty-free facility for phones brought in by travellers was withdrawn in July 2019. Since then, every imported phone must be tax-paid and registered before it works fully on Pakistani networks. If you found this guide helpful and want to pass it to a friend importing a phone, you can shorten the link before sharing it with a free link shortener.
FAQs
Can I pay PTA tax in installments in Pakistan?
Yes, legally. The FBR's Circular No. 1 of 2026 (September 2026) allows the sales tax on imported phones to be paid in installments via DIRBS, but PTA still has to build the payment mechanism, so the facility may not be practically available yet.
When must all installments be paid?
All installments must be cleared before the end of the financial year (30 June) in which the phone was imported.
Does paying in installments reduce the total tax?
No. The total tax stays the same. The facility only spreads the payment over time.
Does this apply to phones bought in Pakistan with PTA approval?
No. Locally bought PTA-approved phones are already registered. The rule only helps people registering imported phones themselves.
Bottom line: the FBR's installment facility is a genuine relief for buyers facing five-figure tax bills, but until PTA switches on the mechanism, keep paying the full amount upfront and watch for PTA's announcement.
