K-Electric advance tax: update your CNIC in 4 steps to avoid 7.5% tax on bills above Rs 25,000

K-Electric consumers who are on FBR's Active Taxpayers List (ATL) can avoid the 7.5% advance income tax on their electricity bills by linking their CNIC to their account, and KE has set out a four-step way to do it online, ARY News reported on Sunday 11 October 2026.

Who pays the tax

Under the Finance Act 2021, a 7.5% advance income tax is charged on monthly electricity bills above Rs 25,000 for residential consumers who are not on the ATL. On a Rs 30,000 bill, that is Rs 2,250 extra a month. If you are a filer but KE does not have your CNIC, its system cannot match you to the ATL, so you can end up paying it anyway.

Update your CNIC in 4 steps

1. Open K-Electric's official website, ke.com.pk.
2. On the homepage, click Update Customer Details.
3. Enter your 13-digit CNIC and your primary mobile number.
4. Press Submit.

The CNIC should be that of the person whose name is on the connection, or of the filer who is responsible for the bill. KE has not given a deadline, and neither KE nor ARY gave an SMS code for the update, so use the website.

Check you are actually on the ATL first

Linking a CNIC only helps if that CNIC is on the Active Taxpayers List, which FBR updates every week. You can check it on FBR's ATL page or by sending an SMS with ATL, a space and your CNIC to 9966. If you are not on it, our guide on how to become a filer and the income tax calculator show what filing would cost and save you.

If you have already paid it

Advance tax collected on a bill is adjustable: if you file a return, the amount shown on your bills counts against your tax for the year. Keep your bills, since the tax line on each one is your proof.

Salaried people and FBR notices

Separately, FBR Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial has told tax officials not to send advance income tax notices to people whose only income is a salary, as we reported on Saturday. Salaried people with other income may still owe advance tax.

Estimate next month's bill with our electricity bill calculator, or check your current one with the K-Electric bill check guide.