Vehicle Ownership Transfer Punjab
Move a car or bike into the buyer’s name without standing in a queue. Vehicle ownership transfer in Punjab now runs on biometrics in the Pak ID app and a fee paid through ePay, and the Excise Department says it completes within 48 hours of the payment.
How vehicle ownership transfer in Punjab works in 2026
A transfer moves the vehicle's file from the seller's name to the buyer's name at the Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department. Until it is complete, the law still sees the seller as the owner, with every challan and every tax that comes with the vehicle.
In February 2026 the department moved the identity check into the Pak ID app, which it built with NADRA and the Punjab Information Technology Board. Its director general said all manual, alternate and embassy based verification procedures were abolished. As a result, a transfer now has four parts, and only one of them is a payment.
This guide is independent of the government. Our how we check page explains where each fact comes from and how often we review it.
Who does what
Seller
- Makes sure the token tax is paid and the file is clear
- Starts the transfer in the Pak ID app with the buyer's CNIC
- Gives a face scan and fingerprints, then shares the tracking ID and PIN
- Hands over the smart card or the registration book
Buyer
- Runs the vehicle verification before paying anything
- Gives a face scan and fingerprints with the tracking ID and PIN
- Pays the NADRA fee in the app and the transfer challan on ePay
- Follows the file until it shows Delivered
Part one: check the vehicle before the transfer
First, never start a transfer on a vehicle you have not checked. Use the form at the top of this page with the registration number and the registration date, and compare the owner name with the seller's CNIC. Then check the e challans and the theft status, as our vehicle verification Punjab guide explains.
Also, pay attention to the token tax line. If the vehicle owes tax, the ePay challan will include the arrears, and in June 2026 the department suspended the registrations of more than 850,000 defaulters until they paid. So agree in writing who pays any arrears before the transfer starts.
Part two: biometrics in the Pak ID app
Both the seller and the buyer verify their identity in the Pak ID app with a face scan and fingerprints. The phone camera reads the fingerprints, so no scanner is needed. The steps below follow the app as ARY News described it in July 2026.
For the seller
- Open Pak ID, go to Apply Digital Cards and choose Vehicle to see the vehicles in your name.
- Pick the vehicle and tap Transfer Now.
- Tap Verify Applicant Facial and hold your face in the circle until its border turns green.
- Tap Verify Applicant Fingerprint and scan your fingers as the app asks.
- Enter the buyer's CNIC, choose the processing category to see the fee, and tap Submit Application.
- Open Applications, copy the tracking ID and the PIN, and send both to the buyer.
For the buyer
- Open Pak ID and complete your own face scan and fingerprints with the seller's tracking ID and PIN.
- Pay the fee shown, by e Sahulat, Raast, EasyPaisa, JazzCash or a bank card.
Use a plain white background and good light for the face scan. Face recognition also helps older owners whose fingerprints have faded, and overseas owners can do the whole step from abroad.
Part three: the transfer of motor vehicle challan on ePay
You pay the transfer fee itself through ePay Punjab, the government payment system. The Excise Department's own guide describes the steps on the ePay website.
- Log in to ePay Punjab and open Excise and Taxation, then Transfer of Ownership for Motor Vehicle.
- Enter the registration number. The screen shows the make, the chassis number, the current owner and the tax position.
- Confirm, then enter the buyer's details: CNIC, name, father's name, address, city, mobile number and the district of the deal.
- Answer whether the vehicle is on hire purchase from a bank. If it is, add the bank's name and NTN.
- Press Generate Challan to get a 17 digit PSID, then pay it in any banking app.
After the payment, the file moves through the department's own stages. You can watch each one, because the application status changes as the file moves.
Bio pending
Waiting for biometrics
The file waits until the seller and the buyer have both verified, and a bank too for a leased vehicle.
EV pending
Checked by an inspector
An Excise and Taxation Inspector approves the biometric and electronic data.
PA
Approved by the authority
The Motor Registering Authority gives the final approval.
Delivered
Transfer complete
The file is in the buyer's name, and the new smart card goes out by post.
Transfer fees, token tax and FBR tax
The ePay challan shows the exact amount for your vehicle, and that figure is the one to trust. Fees in Punjab have changed several times since 2025. So use the figures below as a guide to what can appear on the bill.
| Cost | Who collects it | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer fee | Excise Department | Depends on engine size. Reported in July 2025 as Rs 605 for a motorcycle, Rs 3,025 for 650 to 1000 cc, Rs 6,050 for 1000 to 1800 cc and Rs 12,100 above 1800 cc |
| Bike fee waiver | Punjab government | Announced in May 2026 for motorcycles up to 150 cc |
| Token tax arrears | Excise Department | Added to the PSID when the vehicle owes tax |
| Advance income tax | FBR, collected by Excise | Due on transfers within five years of first registration; not on motorcycles |
| Biometric fee | NADRA, in the Pak ID app | Shown in the app before you submit |
| Smart card fee | Excise Department | Listed at Rs 1,300 in an April 2026 notice |
Source: ProPakistani, July 2025; PakWheels, May 2026; FBR guidance for tax year 2027; The Express Tribune, April 2026.
The FBR rule matters for newer cars. Excise collects the advance tax at the transfer only when the vehicle's first registration was less than five years ago, and the rate depends on the vehicle. Filing your income tax return usually means a lower rate, so check your status on the Active Taxpayers List before you pay.
Punjab vehicle transfer and the CNIC linked number
Since 1 September 2025, a Punjab registration number stays with its first owner. When the vehicle is sold, the seller keeps the number for a future vehicle, and the buyer receives a new number. According to PakWheels, the department holds an unused number for up to two years, and moving a number to another vehicle costs Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000.
Meanwhile, plates changed too. In February 2026 the Excise Department stopped making official number plates. So after a transfer, the buyer orders new plates from a private vendor in the approved Punjab format, and traffic police may not demand an original government plate.
Open letter sales and how to fix them
An open letter sale is one where the seller signs a transfer letter but the file stays in his name. It feels quick. However, it leaves the seller liable for the vehicle and leaves the buyer without any record of ownership.
For the seller, the fix is simple. In August 2025 the Excise Department said an original owner whose sold vehicle was never transferred can call its 1035 helpline to have the registration suspended. That stops new challans and taxes from landing on his name.
For the buyer, the only real fix is a transfer, and that needs the registered owner's biometrics. So if you hold an open letter, contact the owner now, while he can still be found. If he cannot be found, ask your Excise office what it will accept before you spend any money.
Track the transfer and the new smart card
Once the fee is paid, follow the file with the application ID from your receipt and the vehicle's chassis number. The tracker below reads the official MTMIS application record and shows the stage your transfer has reached.
When the status reads Delivered, the new smart card is on its way by post. You can follow it on the smart card tracking page. Meanwhile, the e registration card gives you a PDF copy in your name, and our application tracking guide explains every status. For motorcycles, the bike verification Punjab guide covers the life time tax line.
Questions about vehicle transfer in Punjab
How long does a vehicle transfer take in Punjab?
The Excise Department says a transfer completes within 48 hours once both biometrics are verified and the fee is paid. After that, the new smart card travels by post, which takes longer. So keep the e registration card on your phone until the plastic card arrives.
Can I transfer a vehicle online in Punjab without visiting an office?
In most cases, yes. Both people give their biometrics in the Pak ID app, and the fee is paid on ePay. You need an office only when something is wrong, for example a disputed file or a vehicle with a problem on its record.
Can the seller live abroad?
Yes. Since February 2026, overseas owners verify with Face ID and fingerprints in the Pak ID app from their own phone. According to Dawn, they no longer need embassy visits, attested affidavits or a power of attorney for this step.
Does the buyer keep the old number?
No. Under the rule in force since September 2025, the number stays with the first owner, and the buyer gets a new number after the transfer. The chassis and engine numbers stay with the vehicle, so they are what identifies it from then on.
What if the vehicle is leased from a bank?
The ePay form asks whether the vehicle is on hire purchase. If it is, the bank's name and NTN go on the form, and an authorised person from the bank must also give biometrics. The challan also includes any amount due to the bank.
How do I check my Punjab vehicle transfer status?
Use the tracker on this page with the application ID and the chassis number. It shows the stage of the file, from biometrics pending to delivered. You can also check the same record on the official MTMIS application tracking page.
Sources
- Transfer of ownership through ePayExcise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department, Punjab Official
- Punjab Excise department launches biometric verification of vehiclesDawn, 17 February 2026
- How to complete vehicle biometric verification via the Pak ID appARY News, 27 July 2026
- Punjab launches online biometric for vehicle transfersPakWheels, 16 February 2026
- Punjab hikes vehicle and bike transfer feeProPakistani, 9 July 2025
- Punjab waives bike transfer fee as petrol hits Rs 414PakWheels, 13 May 2026
- FBR explains advance tax on motor vehicles for tax year 2027PKRevenue, 1 November 2026
- Punjab linked number plates to CNIC: what car owners must knowPakWheels, August 2025
- Punjab to link vehicle registration numbers with CNIC from SeptemberProfit, 26 August 2025
- Traffic police barred from fining number plate violators in PunjabDawn, 23 February 2026
Check it, then transfer it
Vehicle ownership transfer in Punjab now takes two phones and a payment. Start with a clean vehicle check, because a transfer cannot fix a vehicle that was never the seller's to sell.