PTA IMEI check 2026: SMS 8484, DVS app and what compliant, blocked mean

A PTA IMEI check takes under a minute and tells you whether a phone will keep working on Pakistani networks. Do it before you buy any used or imported handset, and again the day a new phone arrives from abroad. This guide covers the three official ways to check, what each reply means, the 60-day window, and how to register a phone that is not yet approved.

Step 1: find the IMEI

1. Dial *#06# on the phone. The IMEI (a 15-digit number) appears on screen.
2. A dual SIM phone shows two IMEIs. Check and, if needed, register both: PTA's FAQs say it is mandatory to register all IMEIs programmed in the device.
3. Match the number on screen with the box and the sticker or settings page (Settings, About phone). If they differ, walk away: an altered IMEI is exactly what Lahore police are now chasing, as we reported in our story on the IMEI tampering crackdown.

Step 2: check the IMEI with PTA

PTA's Device Identification Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS) gives three ways to check:

1. SMS to 8484: write the 15-digit IMEI as a message and send it to 8484 from any Pakistani SIM. The reply arrives within a few moments.
2. Website: enter the IMEI at dvs.pta.gov.pk, PTA's Device Verification System.
3. App: install the official DVS Android app and enter the IMEI there.

All three read from the same PTA database, so the answer is the same.

Step 3: read the reply

The 60-day window, explained

PTA's rule is that a new, unregistered device receives signals for its first 60 days and can be used without paying tax or registering. After 60 days it gets no mobile service. The clock starts from first use on a Pakistani network with a SIM.

Two things catch people out:

• The window is not a loophole for resale. If you buy a phone that already used its 60 days in someone else's hands, it can go dead the day you put your SIM in. Check first.
• Temporary registration is tied to one SIM. PTA says a temporarily registered device works only with the declared SIM; put another SIM in and it gets no connectivity.

Overseas Pakistanis and visitors

PTA offers a temporary exemption for overseas Pakistanis and foreign nationals visiting on a short-term basis, valid for 120 days from the date of arrival in Pakistan. After that, the phone must be registered and taxed like any other.

There is no free phone allowance any more: PTA's FAQs note that FBR withdrew the free baggage exemption on 30 June 2019, so every registered device is subject to FBR duties.

Step 4: register a phone that is not approved

1. Go to the Device Registration System (DRS) at dirbs.pta.gov.pk/drs, or dial *8484# from any phone, or visit an operator franchise or customer service centre.
2. Choose the right category. Residents use their CNIC. Overseas Pakistanis and foreign nationals use their passport number, plus a CNIC or NICOP for overseas Pakistanis.
3. Enter every IMEI of the device (both, on a dual SIM phone) and the mobile number to pair it with.
4. You get a PSID (payment slip ID). It is valid for 7 days from the date you apply.
5. Pay the duty and taxes at any commercial bank in Pakistan, or through online banking that supports PSID payments. The payment goes through 1-Link to FBR.
6. Once FBR confirms the payment, your application status changes from Pending to Approved. Send the IMEI to 8484 again to confirm it now shows compliant.

How much will it cost? The duty depends on the phone's value and on whether you register on passport or CNIC. Our PTA mobile tax calculator works out the amount for your model and both registration types before you start.

Step 5: if your phone is blocked

• Stolen or lost phone: file a complaint on PTA's Complaint Management System (CMS) under "Stolen Mobile Handset/IMEI Related Complaint" with the IMEI and the FIR details. The same route is used to unblock it once it is recovered.
• Genuine phone shown as non-compliant: lodge a CMS complaint in the non-compliant category with a screenshot of the IMEI, the serial number, the model and up to five phone numbers for pairing.

Our guide to filing a PTA complaint walks through the CMS portal step by step.

Common mistakes

1. Checking only one IMEI on a dual SIM phone. One slot approved does not mean both are.
2. Trusting a "PTA approved" sticker or a shop's word. Only the 8484, DVS web or app reply counts.
3. Letting the PSID lapse. It expires after 7 days; you then have to apply again.
4. Picking the wrong registration type. If you are an overseas Pakistani on a visit, compare passport and CNIC in the calculator first.
5. Buying a phone whose box IMEI does not match *#06#. That is the clearest sign of tampering.

Quick answers

• Is the PTA IMEI check free? Yes. PTA does not charge to check.
• Can I check a phone before buying it online? Ask the seller for the IMEI and send it to 8484 yourself.
• Does a compliant status mean the phone is not stolen? It means it is not reported to PTA as stolen at the time you check. Check again on the day you pay.