How to Register a Motorcycle in Punjab

A new motorcycle is not yours on paper until it is registered, and the showroom price is not the on road price. Registration, a computerised number plate and the biometric step all come after the sticker price, and buyers routinely budget for the bike alone.

Registration is handled by the Excise and Taxation Department in Punjab. Part of it can be done online, but the biometric verification cannot, so at least one visit is unavoidable.

What you pay beyond the bike

Reported figures put registration for a 70cc in the region of a few thousand rupees, but amounts change and vary by engine size, so treat the department's own counter as the authority rather than a figure from a blog, including ours.

What to take, and what the dealer should give you

1. Your CNIC, valid and not expired, with copies.
2. The sale invoice from the dealer, in your own name.
3. The delivery or gate pass documents for the machine.
4. Proof of address if the office asks for it.
5. The engine and chassis numbers, which are checked against the bike.

Get the invoice made out in the name that will own the bike. Registering in one name and using it in another is the origin of a great deal of later difficulty, particularly if the bike is ever stopped, sold or stolen.

The biometric step is the one people are unprepared for

Verification is done biometrically against your CNIC, at the Excise office or through an authorised e-Sahulat point. That means the registered owner has to attend in person, which is awkward if somebody else was going to handle the paperwork.

An expired CNIC stops this entirely, so check the card before the day. If yours has lapsed, renewing it comes first, and there is no way around that step.

Number plates, and what is not allowed

The plate is issued by the department after processing and collected from the office. Reported guidance for 2026 is that decorative, stylised or self made plates are not acceptable, and the computerised plate is what must be fitted.

This matters more than it used to because plate readers and challan systems work from the official plate. A fancy plate is not a small act of personalisation, it is a plate the system cannot read, and the consequences land on the owner. Our guide to checking an e-challan covers the enforcement side.

Buying a used bike is a different job

If the motorcycle already exists on the record, you are dealing with a transfer rather than a fresh registration, and the seller has to be part of it. Verify what the record says before paying anything, and our guide to verifying a vehicle across provinces covers the lookup.

An unregistered used bike, or one whose papers name someone other than the seller, is a problem you inherit at the moment money changes hands. Walk away rather than plan to sort it out afterwards.

Insurance is separate, and worth thinking about

Third party motor insurance is a legal requirement in Pakistan, and it is the part of owning a motorcycle that almost nobody arranges. Cover is inexpensive relative to the bike, and it exists for the situation where you injure somebody rather than for damage to your own machine.

Comprehensive cover on a motorcycle is a different calculation, and on an inexpensive bike the premium can be hard to justify against the replacement cost. Decide deliberately rather than by default, and if you are financing the purchase the lender will usually settle the question for you.

After registration

Keep the smart card safe and keep a photograph of it separately, since the card is what proves ownership. Note the engine and chassis numbers somewhere that is not the bike.

Token tax for motorcycles is commonly settled as a one time payment, but check your own position rather than assuming, and paying token tax online covers the mechanics if anything is outstanding.

Common questions about motorcycle registration

Can I register a bike entirely online in Punjab?

No. Parts of the process are online, but biometric verification requires attendance in person, so expect at least one visit.

How much does registration cost?

It varies by engine capacity, with 70cc the cheapest band. Reported figures put it in the low thousands, but confirm at the office because amounts change.

Do I still get a paper registration book?

The smart card has replaced it. Treat the card as the ownership document and keep it safe.

Can I use a stylised number plate?

Reported guidance says no. The computerised plate issued by the department is what must be fitted, and enforcement systems read that plate.

What if the bike is in my father's name?

Then he is the registered owner and a transfer is needed to change that. Ownership follows the record, not the household.

Last checked and sources

Last checked 29 August 2026. Nothing here is read on an Excise and Taxation Punjab page. The registration cost bands, the biometric verification through the Excise office or an authorised e-Sahulat point, the smart card replacing the paper registration book, and the 2026 guidance against decorative number plates are all reported, and marked so. No fee figure is quoted as fact for that reason, because amounts vary by engine capacity and are revised. Confirm the current fee and document list at the Excise and Taxation office for your district before you go.