Mobile Load Tax Calculator
How much balance you actually get when you load Rs 100, 500 or 1,000 on Jazz, Zong, Telenor or Ufone: the 15% advance income tax taken at recharge, the sales tax taken when you use it, and how much of the tax a filer can claim back.
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How this is calculated
Two taxes sit on prepaid mobile spending:
- Advance income tax under section 236 of the Income Tax Ordinance, collected by the network at recharge at 15% of the amount of the bill or sales price. Because the 15% is charged on the balance you receive, a Rs 100 recharge credits Rs 100 ÷ 1.15 = Rs 86.96 and the tax is Rs 13.04 (which is why you may also read "13% load tax"). It is adjustable: filers set it against their annual tax; for non-filers it is effectively final.
- Sales tax on telecom services, a provincial tax at 19.5% in Punjab, Sindh, KP and Balochistan (federal excise at 18.5% in Islamabad), charged when the balance is used.
The calculator applies both to show what a recharge is really worth. Postpaid bills carry the same taxes as line items.
Frequently asked questions
- Why do I get Rs 86.96 on a Rs 100 load and not Rs 85?
- Because the 15% is calculated on the balance credited, not on the Rs 100: 86.96 × 15% = 13.04, and 86.96 + 13.04 = 100.
- Can I get the mobile tax back?
- If you file a return, the advance tax on your mobile number is adjustable against your tax due (the networks issue certificates and FBR's portal shows the amounts). Non-filers cannot claim it.
- Is the tax the same on Jazz, Zong, Telenor and Ufone?
- Yes. Both taxes are set by law, not by the operator. Differences of a rupee come from rounding.
- Is there tax on internet packages too?
- Yes, the same sales tax on services applies to data; Punjab and some provinces have at times exempted or reduced it for data only. The advance tax is charged on the recharge regardless of what you buy with it.
Sources
- Income Tax Ordinance 2001, s.236 and Division V of Part IV of the First Schedule; provincial sales tax on services acts: FBR and provincial revenue authorities
Version 1.0.0 · reviewed 15 Sept 2026. Rates change with the Federal Budget and regulator notifications; we update this tool when they do. Confirm with the primary source before making financial decisions.