# Imported cars in Punjab: no transfer for one year after registration

Source: Searchable (https://searchable.pk/news/auto/imported-cars-in-punjab-no-transfer-for-one-year-after-registration)
Type: News article
Author: Searchable Editorial
Published: 30 Sept 2026
Updated: 30 Sept 2026
Retrieved: 30 Sept 2026

> An imported car now stays in the importer's name for a full year before it can be sold on. What changed, why, and what to check before you buy one.

**Imported cars in Punjab can no longer be sold on straight after registration.** The Punjab Excise Department now registers an imported vehicle only in the name of the person it was imported for, and that owner must keep it for **one year from the date of registration** before it can be transferred, ProPakistani and Pakistan Observer reported on Wednesday 30 September 2026. The department has added a system check that blocks any ownership transfer until the year is up.

## What has changed

| | Before | Now |
| --- | --- | --- |
| First registration | Could be done and then passed on | Only in the name of the person the car was imported for |
| Transfer to a buyer | Possible immediately after registration | Blocked by the Excise system for 1 year from registration |
| Schemes affected | Personal, gift and transfer of residence imports | Same |

Imported vehicles make up about **20% of all vehicle registrations in Punjab**, Pakistan Observer reported, and officials expect the change to affect Excise revenue. No exemptions have been announced.

## Why it is happening

The federal government tightened the gift and transfer of residence schemes earlier this year to stop traders using overseas Pakistanis' passports to bring in cars for quick resale, PakWheels reported, citing SRO 61(I)/2026 of 15 January 2026. PakWheels says the personal baggage scheme was abolished, the gap between imports was raised from 700 to 850 days, and provincial excise departments began enforcing the lock in August and September. Punjab's system check is that rule being applied at the registration counter.

## If you are buying an imported car in Lahore, Rawalpindi or anywhere in Punjab

1. **Ask for the registration date, not just the import date.** Punjab counts the year from registration. A car registered in March 2026 cannot be transferred before March 2027.
2. **Do not pay in full on an "open letter".** A car sold with signed transfer papers but no transfer is still legally the importer's. If it is used in a crime or picks up e-challans, the trail leads to the registered owner, not you.
3. **Verify the car online first.** Run the registration number through Punjab Excise's vehicle verification before any money changes hands.
4. **Budget for the transfer when it becomes possible.** Our [vehicle transfer fee calculator](/tools/cars/vehicle-transfer-fee-calculator) and [token tax calculator](/tools/cars/token-tax-calculator) show what you will pay at the Excise office.

## If you imported a car to sell

The quick-flip route is closed in Punjab. The car stays in your name for a year, with the token tax, insurance and any challans in your name too. Registering in another province to get around the lock is not a safe plan: the federal one-year rule on gift and residence imports applies across the country, PakWheels reports.

For what a new locally assembled car costs instead, see our [car prices in Pakistan](/prices/cars) list, updated from the makers' own price sheets.

## Frequently asked questions

**Can I transfer an imported car in Punjab right after registration?**

No. Since the Punjab Excise Department's change reported on 30 September 2026, an imported car is registered only in the importer's name and cannot be transferred for one year from the date of registration.

**Which imported cars does the one-year rule cover?**

Cars imported under the personal, gift and transfer of residence categories, which could previously be transferred immediately after registration. No exemptions have been announced.

## Sources

- Punjab Introduces New Policy for Imported Vehicles (30 Sep 2026) (ProPakistani): https://propakistani.pk/2026/09/30/punjab-introduces-new-policy-for-imported-vehicles/
- New policy announced for excise registration, transfer of imported cars (30 Sep 2026) (Pakistan Observer): https://pakobserver.net/new-policy-announced-for-excise-registration-transfer-of-imported-cars/
- No Personal Baggage Scheme, No Quick Transfer for Imported Cars (12 Sep 2026) (PakWheels): https://www.pakwheels.com/blog/no-personal-baggage-scheme-no-quick-transfer-for-imported-cars/

How to cite: "Imported cars in Punjab: no transfer for one year after registration", Searchable, 30 Sept 2026, https://searchable.pk/news/auto/imported-cars-in-punjab-no-transfer-for-one-year-after-registration