The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) must be informed so that all phones and devices brought into the country meet national rules and taxes. If you have imported a phone or intend to do so, ensure you check for PTA duty and pay where necessary to avoid any service hiccups. This tutorial will help you check PTA tax online, making everything simpler for you.
Step 1: Visit the Official PTA DIRBS Website
The very first step involves visiting the official Device Identification Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS) website run by the PTA. You can access this site through the https://dirbs.pta.gov.pk link.
Step 2: Go To ‘Device Registration’ Section
When you land on the DIRBS homepage, navigate through different sections until you find “Device Registration.” Here, you can find all the tools necessary to check whether your mobile device has paid its rightful PTA taxes.
Step 3: Enter the IMEI Number of Your Device
For this stage, get your phone’s IMEI. This number is different for each phone and can be found by dialing *#06# and going to ‘About mobile’ in settings.
- Dialing Method: Open phone dialer> type *#06#> 15 digits IMEI number will appear on screen
- Settings Method: Settings>About Phone>Status>IMEI information
- Box Method: Check the back side of the device’s box where the IMEI barcode sticker is usually affixed.
Step 4: Input The IMEI Number And Submit It For Checking the Status of The Device By PTA
Take that fifteen-digit IMEI number you just got from Step 3; enter it into the field provided on the DIRBS website, then click/press the Submit button beneath that textbox. The system will verify whether your handset has been registered with PTA or not.
Step 5: Check Device Status
As soon as you submit the IMEI number, any of the following statuses may appear:
- Compliant – No action is required if this is shown against your device.
- Non-compliant – You need to pay imposed tax by PTA in case such status is reflected against your set.
- Blocked—This is mostly due to non-payment of taxes; PTA blocks handsets with a blocked status, so they can’t operate within the country’s network.
Step 6: Know The Amount of PTA Tax
If the device falls into the non-complaint category, the amount of money payable towards it must be checked. This can be done either on the DIRBS website or through FBR’s online portal.
Step 7: Paying PTA Tax
Proceed as follows in order to clear duties levied under PTA rules:
a. Generate PSID:
DIRBS website > tax payment section> generate Payment Slip ID (PSID).
b. Make Payment:
Use PSID during the payment process for online banking, ATMs, mobile wallets, bank branch visits, etc.
c. Confirmation:
Wait for a few hours until Payment is reflected in the PTA system; upon successful transaction completion, the user will receive a confirmation message from the relevant authorities concerned.
Step 8: Verify Payment & Device Status
Once paid, re-visit the DIRBS site and re-enter the IMEI number to verify whether the tax has been paid or not. Also, wait for a minimum of 24-48 hours after making Payment because sometimes it takes time to update the compliancy status against a specific device in their database due to the heavy traffic load on servers at that particular moment.
Extra Tips
Save Your PSID For Future Reference
Make sure that you save your PSID and payment receipt somewhere safe so that if there are any problems later on down the line regarding payments being recorded correctly, they can easily be rectified using these documents as proof of payment having been made in full at the appropriate time.
Check Email Regularly For Updates From PTA
Always check your email inbox for any updates or confirmations that may have been sent by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) regarding this matter—sometimes, such messages end up in the spam folder, so you should look out for them there, too, just to be sure.
Customer Support
If you encounter any difficulties during this procedure, feel free to contact PTA’s customer support department, which will assist you accordingly with what needs to be done next.
If you want to check and pay your PTA tax online, the following steps will make it easy. Complying with PTA regulations on your device will not only prevent service interruptions but also establish a controlled and secure telecommunications environment in Pakistan. By remembering these steps, you can easily handle device registration and tax payment.