Islamabad Vehicle Alteration: Change Colour, Engine or Category in the Excise Record (Rs 1,500 Fee, 14 Days)
Changed your car's colour, engine or category in Islamabad? Report it to Excise within 14 days and pay Rs 1,500. See the documents, inspection and other fees.
If you change your car's colour, engine or category in Islamabad, you must report it to the Excise department within 14 days, and the alteration fee is Rs 1,500. Below are the documents for each kind of change, the inspection step, the other small fees on the same schedule, and what happens to a private car that becomes commercial.
The rule is Section 33 of the Motor Vehicles Ordinance, 1965, titled "Alteration in motor vehicle". The Excise and Taxation Department of the Islamabad Capital Territory sets out the process on its own site, islamabadexcise.gov.pk, which we read on 27 October 2026.
Islamabad gives you 14 days to report a colour, engine or category change
Section 33 requires the owner to report an alteration once the details on the registration certificate are no longer accurate. The owner submits the certificate with the prescribed fee. The department says the law allows 14 days from the alteration.
In plain terms, the registration card must describe the car on the road. A white car on the card that is now black, or an engine number that does not match, is a mismatch a checkpoint or a buyer will notice. The department names three common cases: a change of colour, a change of engine number, and a change of vehicle category.
Fourteen days is short. A respray or engine swap at a workshop often takes a week by itself. Collect the documents while the work is being done, so you can file as soon as the car is back.
The alteration fee in Islamabad is Rs 1,500
The Excise fee schedule lists Rs 1,500 as the alteration fee. The same "other fees" table lists Rs 400 for a change of title, Rs 100 for a resident proof and Rs 2,400 for a smart card.
| Fee on the Islamabad schedule | Amount |
|---|---|
| Alteration fee | Rs 1,500 |
| Change of title fee | Rs 400 |
| Resident proof fee | Rs 100 |
| Smart card fee | Rs 2,400 |
The department's process ends with a new registration card being issued after the record is updated. The schedule does not say whether the Rs 2,400 smart card fee is charged on top of the alteration fee for that new card. Ask at the counter, and keep both receipts if you pay both.
A worked total, if both apply: Rs 1,500 plus Rs 2,400 is Rs 3,900 for a colour change. That is our arithmetic, not a figure the department publishes.
Documents for a colour or engine change in Islamabad
For an alteration, the department asks for an application form, the original registration certificate, a CNIC copy or company letter, proof of the engine change, a report about the new engine, and the paid alteration fee challan.
- Fill in the application form for alteration.
- Attach the original registration certificate or smart card.
- Attach a copy of the owner's CNIC, or a company letter for a company car.
- For a new engine, attach proof of the change, such as the purchase receipt.
- Attach the report about the new engine that the department asks for.
- Submit, take the vehicle for inspection, pay the challan, and collect the updated card.
The department's list prints the engine report as "Policy Report about new Engine". That is most likely a typing slip for a police report. We could not confirm it on the page, so ask the counter which report they need before you go to a police station.
Punjab handles the same job differently, with its own form and receipt. If your car is registered in Punjab, follow recording a new engine in Punjab instead.
Changing a private car to commercial needs a fitness test
The department treats a category change, such as private to commercial or a new body type, as an alteration. It needs an application, the original certificate, a CNIC copy, a fitness certificate for commercial use, an inspection report and a category change fee challan.
The order the department gives is: apply with documents, physical inspection, fitness test, approval, fee payment, and an updated registration. The fitness test is the extra step. For commercial vehicles, the department's registration page asks for a passing report from the Motor Vehicle Examiner.
Moving to commercial also changes what you pay every year. Islamabad's token tax for a motor cab runs from Rs 600 to Rs 4,200 a year by engine size, against a lifetime Rs 20,000 or a yearly percentage for private cars. The full token tax table is in Islamabad token tax and registration.
| Change | Extra document | Extra step |
|---|---|---|
| Colour | None beyond the basic set | Inspection |
| Engine | Engine change proof and engine report | Inspection |
| Private to commercial | Fitness certificate | Fitness test and approval |
Unreported changes cause trouble when you sell
A mismatch between the car and its card shows up at the worst time: at a transfer inspection. Islamabad inspects every vehicle before a transfer, so an unrecorded colour or engine change will stop the sale until it is fixed.
The same applies to modifications the Excise department fines outright. Its fine table puts tinted glass and non-original high beam lights at Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000 by engine size for a first offence, with the registration suspended until the fine is paid. Those are not alterations you can record. They have to come off.
The department's site does not mention CNG or LPG kits by name. If you are fitting a CNG or LPG kit, ask Excise whether it counts as an alteration before the work is done.
Common questions
How much is the alteration fee in Islamabad Excise?
Rs 1,500, according to the department's fee schedule.
How many days do I have to report a colour change?
Fourteen days from the alteration, as the department describes Section 33.
Do I need to take the car for inspection?
Yes. Vehicle inspection is a step in the department's alteration process.
Can I change my private car to a taxi in Islamabad?
Yes, as a category change. You need a fitness certificate, an inspection and approval before the record is updated.
Is changing the engine of my car legal?
Yes, if you record it. The department asks for proof of the engine change and a report about the new engine.
Where do I apply?
At the Excise office in Sector H-9, Islamabad. Counters take work from 8:30 am to 3:15 pm on weekdays.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 27 October 2026. The legal basis, 14 day period, document lists, process steps, fees, motor cab token tax and fine amounts come from the Excise and Taxation Department, Islamabad, at islamabadexcise.gov.pk, read on 27 October 2026. The Rs 3,900 total is our arithmetic. We did not file an alteration, and the site does not confirm whether "Policy Report" means a police report, or whether the smart card fee applies. The department works under the Islamabad Capital Territory Administration.
About the author
Global Affairs & Political Economy Writer
Muhammad Hatim is a book lover who started writing because he enjoys it. At Pakistan Era he writes about international relations, geopolitics and the global economy, with a particular interest in South Asia and the forces behind current events.
