# How to check filer status in Pakistan: ATL check by SMS, online and by NTN

Source: Searchable (https://searchable.pk/guides/taxes/how-to-check-filer-status-atl-pakistan)
Type: Guide
Author: Searchable Editorial
Published: 12 Sept 2026
Updated: 15 Sept 2026
Retrieved: 15 Sept 2026

> Your filer status decides whether you pay the normal or the doubled withholding rate. Checking it takes ten seconds by SMS or on the FBR website.

## Three ways to check the Active Taxpayer List

### 1. By SMS (fastest)
Send **ATL (space) 13-digit CNIC** to **9966**. The reply says *Active* or *Inactive* with the date. For a company or AOP, send **ATL (space) 7-digit NTN**.

### 2. Online
Open the FBR website → **Online Verifications → Active Taxpayer List (Income Tax)**. Enter the CNIC or NTN, the captcha, and check. The result shows the name, registration number and status.

### 3. Download the full list
FBR publishes the complete ATL as a downloadable file every Monday. Useful for businesses that need to verify many vendors at once.

## What "filer" and "non-filer" mean

A **filer** is a person whose name appears on the ATL because they filed the return for the latest tax year (or paid the surcharge to be added). A **non-filer** pays higher withholding rates under the Tenth Schedule, roughly double on vehicle registration, property transactions, bank profit and more. See [what non-filers pay extra](/news/economy/filer-vs-non-filer-what-you-pay-extra-on-cars-property-and-bank-transactions).

## Why you might show as inactive

- You registered on IRIS but never submitted a return.
- You filed after the deadline and did not pay the Rs 1,000 ATL surcharge.
- The ATL updates weekly; a return filed on Tuesday appears the following Monday.
- The new tax year's ATL replaced the old one (published 1 March each year) and you have not filed for the new year yet.

## How to become active

File the return for the latest tax year on IRIS, the [step-by-step guide](/guides/taxes/how-to-file-income-tax-return-pakistan), or, if the deadline has passed, file and pay the surcharge through a PSID generated in IRIS. Status updates on the next Monday.

## Checking someone else's status

Businesses routinely check vendors and buyers before applying withholding. The SMS and web checks work for any CNIC or NTN; no login is required.

## Frequently asked questions

**How do I check filer status by CNIC?**

SMS 'ATL <CNIC>' to 9966, or use Online Verifications → Active Taxpayer List on the FBR website. Both are free.

**What is the difference between ATL and NTN?**

An NTN is your registration number with FBR (your CNIC for individuals). The ATL is the list of registered people who actually filed the latest return: only those on it are filers.

**How long after filing does the ATL update?**

The list is refreshed every Monday. File by Sunday to appear on Monday's list.

**I filed last year: why am I a non-filer now?**

A new ATL based on the latest tax year is published every 1 March. You must file each year to stay active.

## Sources

- FBR: Active Taxpayer List (Federal Board of Revenue): https://fbr.gov.pk
- Income Tax Ordinance 2001: section 182A and Tenth Schedule (FBR)

How to cite: "How to check filer status in Pakistan: ATL check by SMS, online and by NTN", Searchable, 15 Sept 2026, https://searchable.pk/guides/taxes/how-to-check-filer-status-atl-pakistan