Get a PTA Internet Licence for One District in Pakistan: Rs 300,000 Fee, 10 Years and the 14 Point Checklist
PTA's district internet licence costs Rs 20,000 to apply, Rs 300,000 initial fee and Rs 100,000 a year, rising 10%. Who can apply, the rules and the checklist.
PTA now issues a class licence to sell internet in one district of Pakistan. It costs Rs 20,000 to apply, then Rs 300,000 as the initial licence fee and Rs 100,000 for the first year, so about Rs 420,000 before you lay a single cable. The licence runs for 10 years, the yearly fee rises 10% each year, and you must connect at least 100 homes or offices within a year of starting.
We read PTA's model licence for "Internet Services at District Level", its application checklist and its class licence fee sheet on 12 November 2026. This guide is for a small operator, a cable TV business or a local Wi-Fi seller who wants to go legal. It covers the fee, who can apply, what the licence allows and the documents PTA asks for.
PTA district internet licence fee and term
The district licence has four costs: a Rs 20,000 processing fee, a Rs 300,000 initial fee, a first year fee of Rs 100,000 paid at the same time, and a yearly fee that grows 10% a year after that. The term is 10 years.
| Cost | Amount | When you pay |
|---|---|---|
| Application processing fee | Rs 20,000 | With the application, proof attached |
| Initial licence fee | Rs 300,000 | Before the licence takes effect |
| Annual licence fee, year 1 | Rs 100,000 | Together with the initial fee |
| Annual licence fee, year 2 | Rs 110,000 | By 30 June before the financial year |
| Annual licence fee, year 3 | Rs 121,000 | By 30 June before the financial year |
| Late payment | 2% a month on the amount due | Added to overdue fees |
The year 2 and year 3 figures are our own sums from PTA's 10% rule. PTA's fee sheet states the initial fee as Rs 300,000 and the annual fee as Rs 100,000 "with 10% annual increment".
Who can apply for a district internet licence
A company registered with SECP, or a firm registered with the Registrar of Firms, can apply. The applicant must not already hold any internet class licence, or a local loop, mobile, long distance or infrastructure licence. One licence covers one district only.
- Company: its main line of business in the Memorandum must include telecom or internet service.
- Firm: a registration certificate and a partnership deed attested by the Registrar of Firms.
- Not eligible: anyone with an existing internet class licence, at district level or wider.
- Not eligible: holders of local loop, cellular, long distance and international, or infrastructure licences.
- One district: the company, its parent, subsidiaries and affiliates cannot hold the same licence in another district.
What the licence lets you do, and what it does not
You can sell internet to homes and offices inside your licensed district. You must buy bandwidth from PTCL or another licensed operator, and rent the last mile cable from a licensed company, unless you already run a PEMRA cable TV network.
PTA's model licence is clear about the limits:
- No service outside the licensed district, and no network centre outside it.
- No franchisees, dealers or retailers deploying the network or selling the service.
- No wholesale bandwidth sold on to anyone for resale.
- No voice calls using normal phone numbers.
- Your own cable only after three months of failing to get it from an existing operator, and only with PTA's approval.
- Service level agreements with your bandwidth and cable suppliers, approved by PTA before you start.
- Session logs with IP addresses kept for one year.
Our view: the "no franchisees" rule matters most for the local Wi-Fi trade. A shop that resells a licensed ISP's line to neighbours is not covered by that ISP's licence. It needs its own.
PTA's checklist for the district internet licence
PTA's checklist asks for the district, your eligibility answers, the fee proof, company papers, a technical plan, an equipment list and a bank statement. Certified SECP copies must be less than three months old when PTA receives them.
- Choose the district, division and province you will serve.
- Confirm you hold no other internet, local loop, mobile, long distance or infrastructure licence.
- Pay the Rs 20,000 processing fee and attach the proof.
- Attach a board resolution authorising the application.
- Describe your key managers' degrees, certificates and industry experience.
- Give the location of your network centre or point of presence in the district.
- Name the licensed operator you will buy bandwidth from.
- Say whether the last mile is fibre, wireless links in the free ISM band, or your PEMRA cable TV network.
- Undertake to register any outdoor wireless link with the Frequency Allocation Board first.
- Undertake to follow PTA's 2020 data and infrastructure security rules.
- List every piece of equipment with its make, model and cost.
- Show the project cost, including the licence fees, and a bank statement with enough funds.
- Attach SECP's incorporation certificate, Memorandum, shareholder and director forms, or the firm's papers.
- Attach attested CNIC copies of every director and the authorised person.
PTA takes licence applications through its online system, OASIS, at eservices.pta.gov.pk, linked from its licensing menu.
After PTA grants the district licence
The clock starts on the day PTA issues the licence. You have one year to start service, then one year from your commencement certificate to reach 100 broadband connections. A network report is due to PTA by 31 July every year.
- Get a commencement certificate from PTA before you sell to customers.
- Use only PTA type approved routers and modems. Our guide to PTA type approved routers shows how to check.
- Give every customer a standard contract and a complaint system.
- Pay each year's fee by 30 June before the year begins.
PTA's public notice says providing internet without a licence is illegal and that it will take legal action under the PTA Act. Our explainer on section 31 of the PTA Act sets out the penalties, and our report on raids on illegal ISPs in Gujrat shows how it is enforced.
Common questions about the PTA district internet licence
How much does a PTA internet licence cost for one district?
Rs 20,000 to apply, Rs 300,000 initial fee and Rs 100,000 for the first year, about Rs 420,000 in total at the start.
How long is the PTA district internet licence valid?
10 years, and it may be renewed after that.
Can I run an internet business in two districts on one licence?
No. The licence covers one district, and your group cannot hold the same licence in a second district.
Can a cable TV operator get this licence?
Yes. PTA allows the last mile to run over your own PEMRA licensed cable TV network.
How many customers must a district licence holder connect?
At least 100 broadband connections within one year of the commencement certificate.
Can I sell bandwidth to other Wi-Fi sellers under this licence?
No. The licence bans wholesale bandwidth for resale and bans franchisees or dealers running the service.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 12 November 2026. Terms come from PTA's model Class Licence for Internet Services at District Level, its application checklist and its class licence fee sheet. The year 2 and 3 fees and the Rs 420,000 total are our sums. We did not apply.
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.
