If you have an imported phone and searched for "PTA tax installment", you probably want to know if you can register it now and pay later. The short answer is that the law allows it, but the system to do it had not been announced the last time we checked. This post explains what is confirmed, what is not, and what to do in the meantime.
What the new rule says
In the federal budget for 2026-27, the government added a provision that lets people pay the tax on an imported phone in instalments. The Nation reported on 23 June 2026 that it applies to people liable to pay tax on imported phones registered through DIRBS, both new and used, from 1 July 2026.
Two conditions were reported:
- The instalments follow a procedure that will be prescribed separately.
- Every instalment must be paid before the end of the financial year in which the phone was registered. The financial year in Pakistan ends on 30 June.
In September 2026, Digital Pakistan reported that FBR had issued Sales Tax Circular No. 1 of 2026 to explain the change. The report says the legal basis is an amendment to the Ninth Schedule of the Sales Tax Act, 1990, made through the Finance Act 2026, and that the change affects how the tax is paid, not the amount. We could not open the circular itself on FBR's website, so these details come from that report.
What has not been announced
As of the latest reports we found:
- How many instalments are allowed.
- Whether there is any markup or extra charge.
- How to choose the instalment option when registering in DIRBS.
- How each instalment is paid, and whether the phone works while instalments are pending.
- Who exactly is eligible, beyond the general description above.
ProPakistani reported on 23 August 2026 that the law provides for instalments but leaves the procedure to be set separately, and that the procedure was still missing. The September reports on the FBR circular did not describe a working system in DIRBS either.
We will update this post when PTA or FBR publishes the procedure.
Who is responsible for what
This matters because a lot of the confusion comes from mixing up the two bodies:
- FBR sets and collects the tax on imported phones. Rules on instalments come from FBR.
- PTA runs DIRBS, which registers phones and blocks unregistered ones. Any instalment option would have to be built into DIRBS.
So the first official sign that instalments are live will be either an FBR notice with the procedure, or a change on the DIRBS registration page.
The fake instalment notice
In early July 2026, a notice spread on WhatsApp and Facebook saying PTA had launched a scheme to pay device tax in instalments. On 2 July 2026, PTA issued an advisory calling it false and misleading. PTA said it had issued no such notice and could not create such a scheme, because device tax is FBR's responsibility.
PTA's advice was to rely only on its official website and verified social media accounts. For tax questions, go to FBR. Our post on how to spot a fake PTA tax notice has a short checklist.
What you can do today
If you have a phone that is not registered, here is the realistic path for now:
- Check the status. Dial *#06#, then send each IMEI to 8484 or use the DIRBS website. See how to check PTA status by IMEI.
- See the amount. Start registration on DIRBS or with *8484#. The payment slip (PSID) shows the full amount due.
- Pay in one go, or wait. FBR's procedure lets you pay the PSID through online banking, mobile banking, an ATM or a bank branch. If you wait for instalments instead, keep the time limits in mind. For travellers, FBR's procedure gives 60 days from arrival before a fine is added.
- Watch for official notices. Check the DIRBS website and FBR's mobile devices page rather than social media.
Instalments on the phone itself are different
Do not confuse tax instalments with buying a phone on instalments. Many banks and shops sell PTA-approved phones on monthly plans. In that case the tax has already been paid, and you are paying off the phone. That is a separate choice, with its own markup, and we cover it in our guide to buying electronics on installments.
Is waiting for instalments worth it?
For a cheap phone, probably not. The tax is lower and the risk of a fine or a blocked SIM is not worth it. For an expensive phone, a large one-off PSID can be hard to pay, so instalments could help once they are live. In the meantime, compare the full cost of the non-PTA phone plus tax with the price of the same model sold as PTA approved. Our guide to PTA tax on mobile phones explains how to find the exact amount.
