Who needs a NTN in Pakistan, how to register with Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), what the number looks like, how to find or check one, and where it goes on your invoices.
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Updated for 2026
Last reviewed September 2026
What the NTN is
The NTN is the number Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) assigns to a taxpayer in Pakistan. It follows you across every tax you deal with: Sales tax, income tax and withholding. Businesses that pay you will ask for it before they release payment, because they report their suppliers to Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) by this number.
Individuals use their CNIC as the NTN; companies and AOPs get an NTN from the FBR. Filing puts you on the Active Taxpayer List, which halves many withholding rates.
How to register, step by step
Register on IRIS with your CNIC, a mobile number registered in your name and an email; the CNIC becomes your NTN.
Companies register with SECP first, then on IRIS with the incorporation certificate.
Register for sales tax on IRIS separately if you supply taxable goods; services are registered with the provincial authority (SRB, PRA, KPRA or BRA).
File a return each year to stay on the Active Taxpayer List.
How to find or check a NTN
Check any NTN or CNIC on the FBR's Active Taxpayer List online or by SMS to 9966.
Where it goes on your paperwork
In the invoice header next to your business name, and in the client block when the client is a registered business. Quotations and purchase orders carry it too, so the client's accounts team can match documents. The Pakistan invoice generator has a NTN field in both blocks.
Questions people ask
Does it cost anything to get a NTN?
Registration with Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is normally free. Agents charge for filling in the same form; pay one only if you want the time saved.
Can I invoice without a NTN?
You can write the document, but many clients will not pay an invoice that has no NTN, and you cannot charge Sales tax without being registered. Register first; it is usually quick.
Is the NTN the same as Sales tax registration?
Not necessarily. The NTN identifies you as a taxpayer; Sales tax registration is a separate status you take on when turnover passes the threshold or you opt in. Some countries use one number for both, others issue a separate Sales tax number.
How long does registration take?
Online registrations are often instant or take a few days; applications that need a visit or document checks take longer. Start before you need to send your first invoice.
Written from published tax-authority guidance and reviewed on 2026-09-03. Everything here is indicative rather than a ruling on your circumstances, and rules change. Confirm anything you rely on with Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) before acting on it, and tell us if you find something out of date so we can correct it.
This guide explains the rules in general terms and is not tax advice for your circumstances. Confirm your position with a qualified adviser or with Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
🇵🇰 Pakistan
Tools for Pakistan
Invoices, quotations, purchase orders, credit notes and waybills in PKR, with Sales tax and the NTN on the document. Plus a Sales tax calculator and a salary tax calculator. Everything runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded.