Islamabad Excise Office Timings: Every Counter, the Friday Break and Service Times

The Islamabad Excise and Taxation office in Sector H-9 is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4 pm, but its public counters for vehicle registration, transfer, token tax and smart cards take customers only from 8:30 am to 3:15 pm. It is closed on Saturday and Sunday, and as part of the Islamabad Capital Territory Administration it follows the federal public holidays. The lunch break is 1 pm to 2 pm from Monday to Thursday and 12:30 pm to 2 pm on Friday.

We read the department's own website, islamabadexcise.gov.pk, on 24 October 2026, including its office timing table, its counter hours and its service delivery times. The site gives two slightly different opening times, which we explain below. If you are driving across the city for a transfer or a smart card, the 3:15 pm counter cut-off is the number that matters.

Islamabad Excise counters serve the public from 8:30 am to 3:15 pm

The department's timing table lists 8:30 am to 3:15 pm for new vehicle registration, post-registration work such as transfers, token tax payment, smart card conversion and smart card delivery. The information desk stays open until 3:30 pm. Staff remain in the office until 4 pm.

Do not arrive at 3:10 pm with a transfer file. A counter that closes at 3:15 pm will not start a new case at the last minute, and you may lose the day.

The website shows 8 am in one place and 8:30 am in another

A pop-up notice on the home page says "Office Timing 08:00 AM - 04:00 PM (Monday - Friday)" with a 1 pm to 2 pm break. The detailed timing table on the About page says 8:30 am, and gives the counter hours. We go by the detailed table.

Both agree on the parts that matter most: the office shuts at 4 pm, and "Saturday and Sunday are official holidays", in the notice's own words. Both also agree on a one-hour break from 1 pm on Monday to Thursday. Friday's break is longer, from 12:30 pm to 2 pm, for Jumma prayers.

If you can only come early, plan for 8:30 am. Arriving at 8 am may just mean waiting outside.

Smart cards take 10 days, and locally made cars up to 30 days

The department publishes how long each job takes once your file is accepted. Licences for professional tax, estate agents and motor vehicle dealers take 1 day. Registration cards take 10 days for motorbikes, imported or auction vehicles and transfers, and 15 to 30 days for locally manufactured vehicles.

Fees, documents and the full transfer steps are in Islamabad vehicle registration, transfer and token tax.

Several jobs no longer need a visit to H-9

The department says token tax for 2026-27 can be paid through the PAK App or at the H-9 office. Its home page also says doorstep vehicle registration is now available in every sector of Islamabad, booked through the portal or on 051-111-383-383. Vehicle details and smart card status are online too.

• Token tax: the notice asked owners to pay before 1 October and warned that a penalty follows after that date.
• Doorstep registration: posted on the home page as available in all sectors. Book an appointment rather than walking in.
• Online checks: vehicle detail, smart card status and fee challan verification sit under the site's Online Services menu.
• Old defaulters: vehicles with tax unpaid up to 2015 have been cancelled in the system, as explained in Islamabad Excise cancelling defaulter vehicles.

The department's caution notice says only its own website and the official app are valid sources. Agents who offer to "get it done" from a roadside desk are not part of the system.

Plan your visit around holidays and the 3:15 pm cut-off

The office is part of the ICT Administration, so expect it closed on Monday 9 November for Iqbal Day and Friday 25 December for Quaid-e-Azam Day and Christmas. Come on a Tuesday to Thursday morning, with original papers and copies, and you avoid the Friday break and the Monday rush.

1. Check online first whether the job can be done on the portal, the app or by doorstep booking.
2. Avoid public holidays such as 9 November, listed in holidays in November 2026 in Pakistan.
3. Reach the H-9 office, next to the HEC building on Service Road, before 11 am if you can.
4. Carry your CNIC, the original vehicle file and copies.
5. Finish at the counter before 3:15 pm. Call 051-111-383-383 if you are unsure.

Common questions

What are Islamabad Excise office timings?

Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4 pm. Public counters for registration, transfer, token tax and smart cards close at 3:15 pm.

Is Islamabad Excise open on Saturday?

No. The department says Saturday and Sunday are official holidays. Federal public holidays such as 9 November also apply.

What is the Friday break at Islamabad Excise?

12:30 pm to 2 pm. On Monday to Thursday the break is 1 pm to 2 pm.

Where is the Islamabad Excise office?

In Sector H-9, next to the HEC building on Service Road. The helpline is 051-111-383-383.

How long does an Islamabad smart card take?

The department gives 10 days after a transfer or for imported vehicles, and 15 to 30 days for locally manufactured vehicles.

Can I pay Islamabad token tax without visiting?

Yes. The department says token tax can be paid through the PAK App as well as at the H-9 office.

How we verified this

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

We read the Excise and Taxation Department Islamabad website on 24 October 2026: the home page notices on timings, token tax, doorstep registration and official sources, and the timing and service delivery tables in the site's About section. We did not visit the office, so we cannot confirm how strictly the 3:15 pm cut-off is applied on the day. The token tax penalty amount is not given on the page, so we do not state one.