What PTA's 8484 Reply Means for Your Phone: 5 Messages and What to Do in Pakistan
Sent your IMEI to 8484? See what the five PTA replies mean: compliant, not registered, cloned, stolen or fraud, and the one fix for each. Check before you pay.
PTA's 8484 service can send back five different messages about a phone: compliant, valid but not registered, duplicated or cloned, stolen, or fraudulent activity. Each one has a different fix, and only one of them means you should pay tax.
Send the 15 digit IMEI as an SMS to 8484 and the reply arrives in seconds. Many people read the first line and panic. We read PTA's DIRBS FAQ document, file dated 14 October 2025, on 11 October 2026, and this guide explains each reply in plain words.
How to get the reply
- Dial *#06# on the phone to see its IMEIs.
- Write down every number. A dual SIM phone shows two, and an iPhone with an eSIM shows a physical and a digital one.
- Send each IMEI to 8484 in a separate SMS.
- Read each reply in full. You can also check on the DVS website, dirbs.pta.gov.pk, or in the DVS app.
Always check every IMEI and match the model name that DVS shows to the phone in your hand. PTA says IMEIs of different models under one phone are a fraud warning. Our guide to checking an IMEI number and its PTA status shows the first step in detail.
The five replies and what each one means
The table below follows the sample messages printed in PTA's FAQ. The wording on your phone will carry your own IMEI and model.
| Reply | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Compliant | The phone is registered and approved | Nothing, but keep the FBR duty slip |
| GSMA valid but not registered | FBR duties have not been paid | Register within 60 days of first use |
| Duplicated or cloned | The IMEI is shared with another phone | Complain to PTA for SIM pairing |
| Stolen | Blocked as stolen, lost or misused | Do not buy, or the owner asks to unblock |
| Fraudulent activity | The IMEI is flagged and will be blocked | Send justification through PTA's portal |
Compliant: safe, but keep the paper trail
Compliant means the phone is registered and approved. You do not need to register it again. PTA still advises you to obtain and keep the FBR or customs duty slip, because a phone registered under an individual's CNIC or passport is tied to that person.
If you are buying, ask for the PSID and duty record. If you are selling, hand them over. And if a compliant phone still has no signal, restart it first, then ask your network to check from its side, then complain to PTA under "IMEI register but no service".
Valid but not registered: this is the tax case
"GSMA valid but not register" means the IMEI is genuine but the FBR duties have not been paid. PTA says to register through a mobile franchise or service centre, by dialling *8484# from a SIM issued on your CNIC or passport, or on dirbs.pta.gov.pk/drs, within 60 days of first use on a local network.
The system then issues a payment slip number, a PSID, valid for 7 days. You pay at a commercial bank. PTA says whitelisting normally follows within 3 to 4 hours after FBR confirms the payment. Restart the phone after that. For the full process, see our guide on registering a mobile with PTA.
Duplicated or cloned: tax will not fix it
This reply means the IMEI has been found on more than one device. You lodge a complaint on PTA's complaint portal, and PTA pairs a genuine phone with up to five SIM numbers after the manufacturer confirms it. Paying tax does not make it legal. Our guide to fixing a duplicate or cloned IMEI block lists the documents.
Stolen: blocked, and a warning for buyers
The stolen message says the phone is blocked because it was reported stolen, lost or misused. If you are the owner and the phone came back, file an unblock request on PTA's portal with your earlier complaint number, CNIC and the one time password. If you were about to buy it, walk away. Our walkthrough on blocking and unblocking a lost or stolen phone covers the owner side.
Fraudulent activity: act before the date
This message says the IMEI has been identified under fraudulent activity and will be blocked on a stated date unless justification is sent to PTA. You send it through the complaint portal on PTA's website. Read the date in your message and act before it. PTA's FAQ gives no extra time.
The FAQ describes one cause. If an IMEI of a different model was registered against another application, PTA's audit removes it and blocks it as fraud. That is why checking every IMEI on a used phone matters.
A sixth reply you may meet: GSMA invalid
The FAQ says an IMEI that is not valid by GSMA standards cannot be registered, and such a phone can be blocked. There is no tax fix for it. If you see this, the phone itself is the problem, not your paperwork.
Common questions
Is sending an SMS to 8484 free?
PTA's FAQ does not state a charge for the SMS. Check your own balance after sending, as your network sets its own SMS rate.
Does one IMEI check cover a dual SIM phone?
No. Check every IMEI the phone shows, and make sure the model name matches.
How long after paying tax does the phone work?
PTA says whitelisting normally takes 3 to 4 hours after FBR confirms payment. If service does not return within 24 hours, complain on PTA's portal.
What does the DVS app do?
It gives the same status as the SMS, using the IMEI you type in. The website is dirbs.pta.gov.pk.
Who do I contact if the reply is wrong?
File a complaint on PTA's Complaint Management System, or call the toll free helpline 0800-55055 listed on pta.gov.pk. See how to complain to PTA for the steps.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 11 October 2026. We downloaded and read PTA's DIRBS Frequently Asked Questions document, file name 2025-10-14-FAQs_updated.pdf, on pta.gov.pk. The five sample messages, the 60 day, 7 day and 3 to 4 hour timings, the unblock details and the fraud justification route come from its Status in DVS, Registration Issues and Stolen Mobile Devices sections. We did not send test IMEIs ourselves, so we cannot say how fast the reply arrives. The helpline number comes from PTA's press release pages. Confirm the current wording on dirbs.pta.gov.pk.
About the author
Technology Journalist & Multimedia Producer
Ahmad Ali is a technology journalist and multimedia producer at Pakistan Era, joining the team in October 2026. He covers consumer technology and digital life for Pakistani readers, combining research with hands-on product testing.
