Selling a PTA Registered Phone: What Happens to the Registration?

10 Aug 2026 · 3 min read

Many sellers worry: "I paid PTA tax on my CNIC. What happens when I sell the phone?" The good news is simple. PTA approval belongs to the phone, not to you.

PTA approval stays with the IMEI

When a phone is PTA approved, its IMEI numbers are marked as compliant in the PTA's DIRBS system. That approval stays with the phone. After you sell it, the buyer can put in their own SIM and use it normally. You do not need to transfer anything.

What about the tax paid on my CNIC?

When you paid PTA tax, your CNIC was used to register the phone's IMEI. After the sale:

• The phone stays approved and keeps working for the buyer.
• Your CNIC was used only for that registration. It does not mean you are responsible for the phone forever.
• It is wise to keep a sale receipt with the date and the buyer's details, in case anyone ever asks where the phone went.

Check the status before you sell

Buyers will check, so you should check first:

• Dial `*#06#` to see the IMEI numbers.
• Send the IMEI by SMS to 8484, or check on DIRBS.
• Check both IMEIs on dual SIM phones.

Our guide on how to check PTA status has the full steps. Show the result to the buyer. It builds trust instantly.

Phones on a temporary registration

People coming from abroad can use a phone for a limited time without paying tax. If your phone was only temporarily allowed, it is not PTA approved and will stop working with SIMs later. You must sell it as non-PTA. See selling a non-PTA phone.

Phones with tax paid in installments

New rules allow PTA tax to be paid in installments. If you are paying in installments, check with PTA whether the phone counts as fully approved before you sell, and tell the buyer honestly. Read PTA tax in installments.

Do not sell a blocked phone

If the IMEI shows as blocked or stolen, do not sell it as normal. Find out why first. See how to check a stolen phone.

Write it in your ad

Mark the phone as PTA approved when you post. Buyers filter for it, and it is one of the biggest reasons they choose one ad over another.

Ready? Post your ad for free.