How to Buy Special Savings Certificates in Pakistan: 3 Years, From Rs 500, Profit Every 6 Months

Short answer: A Special Savings Certificate is a 3-year National Savings certificate that starts at Rs 500, pays profit every six months and can be cashed at par at any time. No profit is paid if you cash it before six months. Buy it with the SC-1 form at a National Savings Centre or bank branch.

Small savers often ask for a certificate that is simple, starts small and pays something regularly. The Special Savings Certificate, or SSC, is one such scheme. It is easy to confuse with the Special Savings Account, which is a different product.

We read the SSC product page and the FAQ page on savings.gov.pk on 13 October 2026. The rate page carries the date "w.e.f. 01-10-2026", but its table is an image, so we link to our own rates page for the numbers.

The certificate runs 3 years and starts at Rs 500

The SSC has a tenure of 3 years. The minimum is Rs 500 and there is no maximum. Denominations are Rs 500, 1,000, 5,000, 10,000, 50,000, 100,000, 500,000 and 1,000,000. The scheme was launched on 4 February 1990.

The product page says it was created for small and medium investors who want a bi-annual return. It is a registered certificate, so your name is on it. Any Pakistani national and any overseas Pakistani can buy.

Profit is paid every six months

Profit is payable on the completion of each period of six months. Over three years that makes six profit payments. The pages we read do not say whether the payment is paid by cheque or credited to an account, so ask the office.

The rate can change over time, and the rate page lists separate figures for the first periods and the last period. Our page on National Savings profit rates from 1 October 2026 shows the Special Savings figures from the CDNS rate sheets. Read it before you buy, since the rate for a new purchase is what counts.

You can cash it at par, with a six-month rule

The SSC can be encashed at par at any time after purchase. But no profit is payable if you cash it before completing six months. No service charge is deducted for these certificates, the product page says. So your capital is safe from fees.

That is unlike some other schemes, where early cash-in costs a percentage. For those, read how to encash National Savings Certificates early. The FAQ also says SSCs can be pledged and transferred.

Buy it with the SC-1 form in five steps

You can buy an SSC at any National Savings Centre, at an authorised branch of a scheduled bank or at the State Bank of Pakistan. Fill in the free SC-1 form and attach your identity copy. Cash gets a certificate at once.

1. Get the SC-1 form from the issuing office. It is free.
2. Fill it in. Pick single, joint or minor.
3. Attach a CNIC copy. Overseas Pakistanis attach a NICOP or POC copy. A minor needs Form B or a CRC.
4. Pay by cash, cheque, draft or pay order.
5. Collect the certificate. For a cheque, it starts when the cheque clears.

For two holders, see Joint-A or Joint-B before you fill in the form. If you live abroad, read how to invest from abroad with a draft.

Certificates bought after 15 November 2010 do not reinvest at maturity

The product page says SSCs issued, purchased or re-invested on or after 15 November 2010 shall not be re-invested on maturity. When your 3 years end, you collect your money. You must buy a new certificate if you want to continue.

Tax and Zakat also apply. The page says withholding tax on profit is 15 percent for filers and 30 percent for non-filers, and Zakat is collected at source as per rules. See Zakat on National Savings schemes for the full list. If you lose the certificate, follow the steps to get a duplicate. A mistake on tax status is costly, so check your name on the Active Taxpayer List first.

Do not confuse the SSC with the Special Savings Account. They share a name and a six-month profit cycle, but the account is not a certificate and has its own rules.

Common questions

What is the minimum for a Special Savings Certificate?

Rs 500, with no maximum, as the product page states.

How often is profit paid?

On completion of each six-month period, so six times over the 3 years.

Can I cash it before 3 years?

Yes, at par at any time. But no profit is paid if you cash it before six months, and no service charge is deducted.

Is Zakat deducted?

The pages say Zakat is collected at source as per rules. We found no rate or date there.

Can I reinvest at maturity?

Not for certificates issued or reinvested on or after 15 November 2010. You must buy a new one.

Where can I buy it?

At National Savings Centres, authorised bank branches and the State Bank of Pakistan, as the product page says.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked on 13 October 2026, Pakistan time. We read the Special Savings Certificates page and the FAQ page of the Central Directorate of National Savings. The FAQ shows "Last Updated: 26 August, 2025". We did not read rates from the rate image, and we did not buy a certificate. Confirm with the helpline (051) 111 267 268.