How to Register a Tenant With Police or Levies in Balochistan Within 3 Days
Landlords in Balochistan must file Form-I with the SHO within 3 days of signing a rent deed. See the papers, the receipt, and the penalty of up to one year.
Short answer: In Balochistan, a landlord must give the Station House Officer (SHO) of the police station or Levies thana the tenant's details on Form-I within 3 days of signing the rent agreement. The SHO then issues a Tenant Acknowledgement Receipt. Breaking the rule can mean up to one year in jail, a fine, or both.
You have rented out a house in Quetta, Gwadar or Khuzdar and the tenant has moved in. Now a 3 day clock is running. The Balochistan Restrictions of Rented Buildings (Security) Act, 2015 puts the duty on you as landlord, not on the tenant.
We read the Act as published on the Balochistan Code (balochistancode.gob.pk) on 14 October 2026, including its Schedule with Form-I and Form-II. This guide follows that text. If you live in another province, the rules differ, and our pages on tenant registration in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and in Sindh explain those.
The landlord must report the tenant within 3 days
Section 4 says the landlord, lessee or manager, and the property dealer if one arranged the deal, must give the Officer Incharge the tenant's details on Form-I within three days of signing the agreement. The Officer Incharge is the SHO of the police station or Levies thana for that area.
The Act says "landlord" means the person whose name stands in government records for the building. A lessee who sublets or a manager who runs the property for the owner has the same duty. If you used a property dealer, the dealer must sign the form too.
Count the three days from the day the agreement is signed, not from the day the tenant arrives. Do not wait for the keys to change hands.
The rent agreement must be written, signed and attested
Section 3 says that if you let anyone other than your legal heirs live in your building, the agreement must be written on a legal document. The landlord, tenant and any property dealer sign it. A Magistrate, Notary Public or Oath Commissioner must attest it.
The agreement must carry enough detail to identify the tenant. It must also name two references, with their CNIC numbers and phone numbers. The two references are known persons who vouch for the tenant. The landlord must take "due care" to check who the tenant is.
For the stamp paper side of the agreement, read rent agreements and stamp paper in Pakistan. For how to get a paper attested, see the page on attesting an affidavit with an Oath Commissioner, which shows the Oath Commissioner route in Punjab.
Form-I needs four sets of papers
Section 4(1) lists what goes to the SHO: an attested copy of the rent agreement, an attested copy of the tenant's CNIC, copies of the CNICs and phone numbers of the two references, and details of every male aged over 14 living with the tenant.
The Schedule adds more to the form itself. Form-I also asks for the owner's CNIC and the property dealer's CNIC, the tenant's permanent address and previous place of residence, and the number of family members. For a foreign or Afghan family it asks for a passport number or Afghan citizen card number instead of a CNIC.
- Sign the written, attested rent agreement with the tenant and two references.
- Fill in Form-I (Tenant Information Form). Owner, tenant and property dealer sign it.
- Attach attested copies of the agreement and of every CNIC the form lists.
- Take the set to the SHO of the police station or Levies thana within 3 days.
- Collect the Tenant Acknowledgement Receipt and give the tenant an attested copy.
The police issue a receipt and the tenant gets a copy
After the SHO is satisfied, he issues a Tenant Acknowledgement Receipt on Form-II and notes it in the police Daily Diary. The landlord must then give the tenant one attested copy of that receipt. Keep your own copy safe.
Form-II comes in three copies: one for the police station, one for the landlord and one for the tenant. It lists the documents handed in and carries a receipt number, the diary number and the SHO's signature. The receipt is your proof that you reported on time.
| Step | Who acts | Time limit in the Act |
|---|---|---|
| Written, attested rent agreement | Landlord and tenant | Before the tenant occupies |
| Form-I with documents to the SHO | Landlord, lessee or manager | 3 days from signing |
| Tenant Acknowledgement Receipt (Form-II) | SHO | No time stated |
| Attested copy of receipt to tenant | Landlord | No time stated |
| Show agreement and receipt on police request | Tenant | 24 hours |
Tenants must show their papers within 24 hours if police ask
Section 6 lets the Officer Incharge call for the rent agreement and the receipt from any tenant. The tenant must hand over all the documents named in section 4 within 24 hours. A tenant who has lost the receipt should ask the landlord for the copy.
Police of at least Assistant Sub-Inspector rank, or Levies officers of at least Risaldar rank, can also inspect a rented building with the SHO's approval. The landlord, lessee or manager must help during the inspection.
Tenants should also keep a personal file: the agreement, their CNIC copy, and the receipt. If you are a tenant, ask your landlord for the receipt within a few days of moving in. It protects you as well as the owner.
Hostels have extra duties
Section 5 covers private hostels and student hostels. Only enrolled students may stay in a student hostel. Every hostel must keep a full record of residents, show it to police when asked, and check rooms for arms, explosives or hate material.
The Act allows a hostel manager to keep a licensed weapon for the safety of the hostel and its students. No tenant in a hostel may keep arms, ammunition or explosives. If you run a hostel in Quetta or another city, follow the same Form-I steps for private hostel residents.
Breaking the rule is a serious offence
Section 10 punishes anyone who breaks sections 3 to 6 with up to one year in prison, a fine, or both. Section 12 makes the offence cognizable and non-bailable, tried by a First Class Judicial Magistrate. Police can also treat a careless landlord as an abettor.
The Act does not state a fine amount in rupees. We cannot tell you what a fine would be. Section 10(2) says that if police find a landlord knew of a tenant's criminal plans, or did not verify the tenant with due care, he can be charged with abetment.
The simplest protection is the receipt. A landlord who reported within three days and holds a stamped receipt has shown due care. A landlord who skipped the step has no such proof.
What the Act does not cover
The Act is about security reporting. It does not set rent limits, eviction rules or a rent controller process for Balochistan. For land records in the province, see how to get a fard in Balochistan. For rent rules in general, read Pakistan's rent laws on raising rent.
We did not find an online portal for this step in the Act. It speaks of Form-I and a police station visit. The Act also tells the Police Department to build a central database of tenants. We could not confirm whether it is running, so ask your thana whether any online option exists.
Common questions
Who must register the tenant in Balochistan, the landlord or the tenant?
The landlord, lessee or manager. If a property dealer arranged the rent, the dealer shares the duty. The Act does not ask the tenant to file Form-I, but the tenant must produce the papers within 24 hours when police ask.
What is the deadline to report a new tenant to police in Balochistan?
Three days from signing the agreement. The Act counts from the signing, not from the day the tenant moves in. The report goes to the SHO of the police station or Levies thana where the building stands.
What is a Tenant Acknowledgement Receipt?
It is the Form-II receipt the SHO issues after taking Form-I. It records the tenant, landlord and documents handed in, and is noted in the police Daily Diary. The landlord gives the tenant an attested copy.
Do I need two references for my tenant?
Yes. Section 3 requires at least two known persons to verify the tenant. Their CNIC numbers and phone numbers must appear in the rent agreement and on Form-I.
What if I do not report the tenant?
You can face up to one year in prison, a fine, or both. The offence is cognizable and non-bailable. Report early and keep the receipt, because it is your only proof you did.
Does a family member who lives in my house count as a tenant?
No. Section 3 applies when you let anyone other than your legal heirs occupy the building. Your legal heirs are outside the written agreement duty.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 14 October 2026. We read the full text of the Balochistan Restrictions of Rented Buildings (Security) Act, 2015 (Balochistan Act X of 2015) with its Schedule on the Balochistan Code, balochistancode.gob.pk. We did not find a fine amount, an online filing option or the rules made under section 15. Check with your local police station or Levies thana before you file.
About the author
Tax, Bills and Technology Writer
Ali Akhtar is a young and curious voice here at Pakistan Era. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels and has a growing interest in Pakistan’s changing industrial landscape and educational trends. Ali likes to write in a way that helps him explain and explore the world around him. His writing reflects the perspective of the new generation navigating the evolving trends of Pakistan where technology, youth innovation, and shifting opportunities are reshaping the country’s future.
