Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Tax is applied on the import of all mobile phones in Pakistan. This post contains a simple table to help you calculate mobile phone tax to get your smartphone PTA Approved in Pakistan. This post was updated 20 November 2022 after increase in the Taxes for Mobile Phone import by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
Mobile Phone Tax for PTA Approval is necessary to get approval for an imported mobile phone in Pakistan otherwise the device will stop working on local mobile networks.
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) launched the Device Identification Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS), which is a system designed to identify non-compliant devices on local mobile networks. It automatically registers compliant devices operating on the mobile networks and eventually blocks non-compliant devices if PTA Tax is not paid in time.
The DIRBS system was initially launched on 1st December 2018.
International Passengers coming to Pakistan can register and get their mobile phone approved by paying PTA Tax, which means their device will continue to work on local networks past 60 days. These individuals can register their mobile phones with PTA at the airport counter set up for this purpose of they can do so later by paying PTA tax online or through bank branches.
There are many people confused on the amount they need to pay as PTA tax for their mobile phone import and here you will find a table instead of complicated PTA Tax Calculator with complete information on the amount of tax owed on mobile phones based on their USD value.
It is pertinent to mention that registration of mobile phone with PTA is cheaper on passport within 60 days of arrival in Pakistan to facilitate those passengers who are coming to the country, while PTA Tax is higher for those individuals importing mobile phones to the country without travelling abroad. It bears mentioning that Mobile Phone Tax has been increased on mobile phones following the introduction of the mini-budget by the Federal Government. The following table shows the new Mobile Phone Taxes on mobile phones.
Mobile Phone Tax Calculator For PTA Approval (Passport)
| Mobile Phone Value in USD | Tax in Pak Rupees (PKR) |
|---|---|
| Up to 30 | 1230 |
| Above 30 and up to 100 | 6400 |
| Above 100 and up to 200 | 17280 |
| Above 200 and up to 350 | 23800 + 17% Sales Tax |
| Above 350 and up to 500 | 34000 + 17% Sales Tax |
| Above 500 and up to 700 | 52000 + 17% Sales Tax |
| Above 700 | 60000 + 17% Sales Tax |
Mobile Phone Tax Calculator For PTA Approval (CNIC)
| Mobile Phone Value in USD | Tax in Pak Rupees (PKR) |
|---|---|
| Up to 30 | 1430 |
| Above 30 and up to 100 | 7843 |
| Above 100 and up to 200 | 20031 |
| Above 200 and up to 350 | 24770 + 17% Sales Tax |
| Above 350 and up to 500 | 39000 + 17% Sales Tax |
| Above 500 and up to 700 | 63500 + 17% Sales Tax |
| Above 700 | 71500 + 17% Sales Tax |
What is Sales Tax Ad Valorem?
Ad Valorem Sales Tax is imposed on the monetary value of the taxed item, which means that people will be charged a base tax plus a 17% sales tax depending on the exact value of the smartphone when paying the Mobile Tax for approval of their smartphone. This means that the new Mobile Phone Taxes for PTA Approval for smartphone approval will not be the same for different devices and it will be determined according to the value of the mobile phone.
How to check device status (PTA Approval)?
To check the status of your mobile device, kindly dial *#06# from the dialer of mobile device, after receiving each 15 digit IMEI number (dual SIM), send each 15 digit IMEI number via SMS to short code 8484.
You can also check status through DIRBS website at dirbs.pta.gov.pk/ or through DIRBS app on the Google Play Store.
Read more: Govt Increases Taxes on Import of Mobile Phones by 240%.
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Mobile tax you have recently imposed, is it not better to tell people not to bring mobile from overseas. Its insane, after all these tax if Pakistan is still under debt then better to take a glass of water, jump into it and die.