How to Register as an Importer With Customs in Pakistan: The 19 Items FBR Lists for WeBOC
Register as an importer or exporter with Pakistan Customs: the 19 items FBR lists for a WeBOC user ID, with NTN, sales tax, bank papers and a Rs 500 deposit.
Short answer: To import goods into Pakistan you need a trader user ID on Customs' WeBOC system. FBR's registration page lists 19 items for it, including an NTN, sales tax registration, six months of bank statements ending at Rs 300,000, premises papers and a Rs 500 pay order or cash deposit.
Many new importers buy stock first and learn about registration at the port. Then the shipment waits while they chase papers. The list below comes from FBR's own page, so you can collect everything before you pay a supplier.
We read FBR's Register for Customs page on 14 October 2026. We did not apply for a user ID, so the processing time and the exact order of steps at your collectorate are not verified.
What registering as a trader means
Registration gives your business a WeBOC user ID so it can file import and export declarations with Pakistan Customs. The page names the person as a trader, which covers importers and exporters. Customs also has separate registration for agents, bonded carriers, shipping lines and warehouse operators.
Most of the papers prove that your business is real and pays tax. Customs wants to see an NTN, an active tax record, a bank account and a place of business. If you are a sole trader, you may already hold some of these. Our guide to registering as a sole proprietor with FBR covers the NTN part.
The list is for registering the business. Some goods also need permission from another government department. Check that separately before you place an order.
The 19 items FBR lists
FBR's list covers identity, tax, bank, premises and legal papers. The items are numbered on the page. We group them below so you can collect them in sets. The Rs 500 deposit has to be made in the importer's name with the NTN on the receipt.
| Group | Items on FBR's list |
|---|---|
| Identity | Proprietor original CNIC, NADRA verification, visiting card and 2 passport size photographs |
| Application | Request for a WeBOC user ID on letterhead, and the WeBOC External User Registration Form |
| Tax | NTN certificate; sales tax registration certificate or IRIS-14(I); IRIS-181; IRIS-114 voluntary return for a full year; Active Taxpayers List for sales tax and income tax; online NTN and STRN inquiry showing importer or exporter as the principal activity |
| Bank | Bank account maintenance certificate of the firm, signed and stamped; 6 months statements with a last balance of Rs 300,000 |
| Premises | Current utility bills; property papers or a valid rent agreement with the landlord's CNIC copy |
| Trade body | Valid Karachi Chamber of Commerce certificate |
| Legal | Undertaking on Rs 100 stamp paper with 2 witnesses' CNICs; partnership deed, memorandum and articles or Form 29 for non-sole proprietors |
| Fee | Bank receipt of a pay order or cash deposit of Rs 500 |
The chamber item names the Karachi Chamber of Commerce. We did not find a separate list for other cities, so if you are outside Karachi, ask your collectorate which chamber certificate it accepts.
Extra papers depend on your business type
A sole proprietor does not need a partnership deed or company papers. A partnership needs its deed. A company needs its memorandum and articles of association and Form 29 from SECP. Pick the row that matches how your business is registered and prepare that paper first.
If you run a company, the Form 29 is the director record. Our guide on reporting a director change to SECP on Form 29 explains it. Keep your SECP record current, because a mismatch between SECP and Customs papers will slow you down.
The sales tax certificate is its own process. See exactly what FBR can ask you for in sales tax registration. The page also asks for an Active Taxpayers List check, so read how that list updates after the 15 October deadline.
How to prepare and apply in order
Collect the tax papers first, because the bank and premises papers are quick by comparison. Then make the Rs 500 deposit, fill in the application and the External User Registration Form, and submit the file to your collectorate. Expect a check of your identity and papers.
- Confirm your NTN, sales tax registration and Active Taxpayers List status.
- Check that your NTN record shows importer or exporter as the principal activity.
- Get the bank maintenance certificate and six months of statements.
- Collect utility bills and the rent agreement or property papers.
- Prepare the stamp paper undertaking with two witnesses.
- Make the Rs 500 deposit in your name with your NTN.
- Submit the full set with the request letter and the WeBOC form.
Our guide on registering as an exporter through WeBOC and TDAP describes the in-person steps in more detail. After registration, the next question is which system to file in. Read WeBOC or PSW: which one to use to file your goods declaration.
Things to check before you place an order
Registration is not permission to bring in any product. Some goods are banned or need a permit, and some imports must meet other rules. Check the product rules and your payment route before you pay a supplier abroad.
For example, importers must prove goods are free of forced labour under an SRO. Read how to prove your imports are free of forced labour. Banks also check import prices, so see how to prepare for the bank's import and export price check. And link your bank profile on PSW to skip extra forms: link your bank profile on PSW.
A good rule: do a small first order, keep every invoice and learn the process on a shipment that cannot hurt you if it is delayed.
Common questions
How many documents does FBR list?
FBR's page lists 19 items for registering as a trader, covering identity, tax, bank, premises and legal papers.
How much is the registration fee?
The list asks for a bank receipt of a Rs 500 pay order or cash deposit in the importer's name with the NTN.
What bank balance do I need?
The list asks for the current six months of bank statements with a last balance of Rs 300,000.
Do sole proprietors need company papers?
No. The partnership deed, memorandum and articles or Form 29 are not required for sole proprietors.
Is a chamber certificate needed outside Karachi?
The list names the Karachi Chamber of Commerce. Ask your own collectorate which chamber it accepts.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 14 October 2026, Pakistan time. We read FBR's Register for Customs page. It lists the 19 items but gave no date or processing time in the text we read. We did not apply. Confirm the current list with your collectorate before you start.
About the author
Public Services and Education Journalist
Fajr Riaz is a journalist and content writer at Pakistan Era, based in Lahore. She covers the questions people meet in everyday life in Pakistan: how a public service works, what a change in the rules means, and where to find a reliable answer.
