Check an AC, Fridge, Washing Machine or TV for a PSQCA Standard in Pakistan

Short answer: PSQCA, the federal standards body, lists household refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners and television receivers on its compulsory items page. Before you pay, ask the seller for the maker's PSQCA licence number and search it on PSQCA's free tool at icq.psqca.com.pk.

A new air conditioner can cost more than a motorcycle. Yet most buyers look at the brand, the ton rating and the discount, and nothing else. There is a fourth thing worth ten minutes: whether the product sits on the state's list of items that must meet a Pakistan Standard.

We read PSQCA's compulsory items page on 14 October 2026. It shows 176 entries in total. This guide covers only the big home appliances on it. We did not search any licence on the tool today, so we make no claim about which brands hold a valid licence.

Four big appliances sit on PSQCA's compulsory list

PSQCA's page names household refrigerating appliances, clothes washing machines, two kinds of air conditioner and television receivers. Each has its own Pakistan Standard number. A compulsory item is one that must meet the standard before it is sold, so a missing licence is a warning sign.

The standard numbers below are copied from the page as published. The list is easy to read, but a few of its links are broken, so use the numbers as a guide and ask the seller for the licence itself.

MEPS means Minimum Energy Performance Standards, the lowest efficiency a product may have. Notice the television entry. It is about power use, not picture quality.

A licence is a different thing from an energy star label

A PSQCA licence says the maker passed the standard for that product. An energy star label, issued by NEECA, says how much power the product uses. You can have one without the other, so check both when you buy an air conditioner or fridge.

NEECA is the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority. On its website it describes the Pakistan Energy Label as a 1 to 5 star rating, with higher stars meaning higher efficiency. For the way to read that label on a shop floor, see how to check the energy star label on an AC or fridge.

For fans, which are on both lists, the check works the same way. Our guide to the NEECA fan star rating shows the steps.

A light-hearted rule of thumb: the sticker is the shop's promise, the licence is the maker's proof. Ask for the proof.

Five steps check the licence before you pay

Ask the seller for the licence number printed in the maker's paperwork. Then open PSQCA's licence tool, search by number, product or maker, and read the status column. It needs no login. Do it in the shop, before you pay.

1. Note the brand and model name from the box and the rating plate.
2. Open the CM License Verification page at icq.psqca.com.pk.
3. Search by licence number if the seller has it. Otherwise pick the product from the list.
4. Find the brand on the results. Check that the valid up to date is in the future.
5. Photograph the result with the box in the frame, then pay.

A caution from our earlier check of the same tool. When we searched gas appliances on 2 October 2026, every record showed as expired, while cables returned valid licences. So a gap in the tool does not prove a product is illegal. It proves you must ask more questions. Read the full result in our guide to checking a PSQCA licence for a heater or cable.

If the seller cannot show a licence, ask for it in writing

Ask for the licence number in writing on the invoice or a message. If the seller refuses, you can walk away, and you can keep the receipt for any later claim. A good seller will not mind. A seller who says the standard is not needed has not read the list.

If you have already paid, keep the box, the warranty card and the invoice. A faulty appliance can be returned or replaced under provincial consumer law. The steps are in our guide to returning a faulty appliance in Punjab or Sindh.

For an online order, the platform's own rules apply first. See how a warranty claim on Daraz works for brand, seller and like-new items.

We could not read PSQCA's own complaint pages today, because they did not load for us. We have not verified a complaint route here, so use the contact details on PSQCA's website.

Common questions

Does every air conditioner need a PSQCA licence?

PSQCA lists two air conditioner standards on its compulsory page, one for non-ducted units and one for multiple split systems. Ask the seller which standard covers your model. We have not checked individual brands.

Is a PSQCA licence the same as an energy star label?

No. The licence shows the maker passed a Pakistan Standard. The NEECA label shows the energy rating. Look for both on a fridge or air conditioner.

Are televisions on the list?

Yes. PSQCA lists television receivers under PS 5422/2018, which covers minimum energy performance and Energy Star. It does not rate picture quality.

Can I check a licence on my phone?

Yes. PSQCA's licence tool is a web page that needs no login. Open it in your phone browser and search by product, maker or licence number.

What if the tool shows my brand as expired?

An expired result may mean a lapsed licence or an entry that was not updated. Ask the seller for the current licence, and think twice before you pay.

How we verified this

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

Last checked on 14 October 2026, Pakistan time. We read PSQCA's list of compulsory items and the CM License Verification page. The washing machine entry links back to the list page rather than to a standard document, and we could not read PSQCA's complaint pages. We did not search any brand's licence today.