What It Costs to Register a Business in Pakistan (2026)

Checked September 2026. Government fees are set by the Companies Act 2017 and revised periodically. Verify current amounts on SECP’s official fee calculator before you pay.

The short answer

Registering a business in Pakistan costs far less than most people are quoted.

If you are a freelancer, consultant, or run a small online business on your own, your registration is a National Tax Number from the FBR. It is free. The portal takes under half an hour.

If you need a private limited company, the government fee at minimum authorised capital is roughly Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500 when you file online.

Almost everything above those figures is professional service fees. That is not fraud, and for a company registration it is often money well spent. But you should know which part of the bill is the government’s and which part is the consultant’s, because the quotes vary enormously for identical work.

The two routes, compared

Sole proprietorship: the route most small operators need

There is no separate sole proprietorship registry in Pakistan. You do not register with SECP at all. Getting an NTN from the FBR is what makes your business official, and it is what banks, corporate clients and tender processes ask to see.

This surprises people. There is no certificate with the word “sole proprietorship” on it. You receive an NTN certificate in your own name, and that is the document.

What it costs

The NTN itself is free. Registration happens on FBR’s IRIS portal at iris.fbr.gov.pk and there is no government charge.

Your real costs are small and physical:

• A business stamp — a few hundred rupees
• Printed letterhead — a few hundred rupees
• Total, doing it yourself: roughly Rs 500 to Rs 1,000

What you need before you start

• Your CNIC
• A working mobile number and email address registered in your own name
• Proof of your business address — a rent agreement or an electricity bill
• Bank account details

The process

1. Choose a business name. Formal name registration is not mandatory for a sole proprietorship, but check that your name is not already trademarked before you print anything.
2. Register on IRIS. Go to iris.fbr.gov.pk, select New Registration, choose Individual, and enter your CNIC, mobile and email. Verify by OTP.
3. Add your business details — business name, address and activity.
4. Receive your NTN. Straightforward applications complete quickly; expect a few working days if documents need verification.
5. Get a stamp and letterhead made.
6. Open a business bank account with your CNIC, NTN certificate, letterhead and stamp.

Private limited company: what SECP actually charges

Company fees are set under the Seventh Schedule of the Companies Act 2017 and scale with your authorised share capital. Filing online through SECP’s eServices portal costs significantly less than filing on paper, which is why nearly everyone files online.

At the common starting point of Rs 100,000 authorised capital, the total government fee for online incorporation comes to roughly Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500. New users pay a one-time portal registration charge of Rs 100 on their first submission. The fee rises as authorised capital rises.

There is no mandatory minimum paid-up capital for a private limited company under the Companies Act 2017. Rs 100,000 is simply a common practical figure, not a legal requirement.

The process

1. Reserve your name through SECP’s portal. Approval typically takes 24 to 48 hours.
2. Prepare documents — Memorandum and Articles of Association, and CNIC copies for every director and shareholder.
3. File incorporation through eServices and pay the fee online.
4. Receive your Certificate of Incorporation, generally within 3 to 7 working days.
5. Complete FBR registration. A company NTN is generated alongside SECP incorporation.
6. Open a corporate bank account.

Allow 5 to 10 working days end to end, from document preparation to a functioning bank account.

A private limited company needs at least two shareholders and two directors, though the same people can hold both roles. If you are on your own and want a company structure, a Single Member Company is the equivalent form.

The part nobody puts side by side

This is where the real money goes, and where the numbers stop making sense.

NTN registration is free on IRIS. In September 2026, published consultant pricing for that same free registration ranged from about Rs 1,500 at the low end to Rs 20,000 at the high end. Same portal, same form, same outcome.

For a private limited company, SECP’s fee at minimum capital is around Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,500. Published consultant packages ranged from roughly Rs 15,000 to Rs 60,000, with one firm listing Rs 50,000.

None of this is hidden. Every one of those firms publishes its rates openly. But if you have never seen the government figure, a quote of Rs 20,000 for an NTN sounds like a government fee rather than a service charge — and there is nothing on the invoice to tell you otherwise.

When paying a consultant is sensible

For an individual NTN with straightforward income, the IRIS process is clear enough to do yourself in under thirty minutes.

For a company incorporation, an AOP, or anything involving multiple partners, professional help is a reasonable expense. Memorandum and Articles drafting is real legal work. Choosing the wrong tax category or entering the wrong address is genuinely tedious to correct later.

The point is not that consultants overcharge. It is that you should know you are paying for expertise and time, not for a government fee. The same problem shows up across professional services in Pakistan — we found the same pattern when comparing published SEO agency rates, where the quoted ranges contradict each other from one source to the next.

Costs people forget to budget for

• Sales tax registration. If you cross the turnover threshold, goods businesses register federally with FBR; service providers register with their provincial authority — PRA in Punjab, SRB in Sindh, KRA in KP, BRA in Balochistan.
• Trade licences and municipal permits for certain activities.
• Trademark registration, if you want your brand name protected. This is separate and considerably more expensive.
• Annual tax filing, whichever structure you choose.
• Chamber of Commerce or PSEB registration, if your clients or export requirements need it.
• Being found by customers. Registration makes you legal; it does not make you visible. Budget separately for a website and marketing — what SEO services cost in Pakistan is usually a far larger recurring expense than anything on this page.

Which one should you choose?

Sole proprietorship if you are working alone, your clients do not require a company, and you want to be operating this week. It is free, fast, and reversible — you can incorporate later.

Private limited company if you have partners, need limited liability, are raising investment, or are bidding for contracts that require a registered company.

Most freelancers and small online businesses need the first one and are sold the second.

Before you pay anything

Check the current fee on SECP’s official incorporation fee calculator. The Seventh Schedule is amended periodically and any figure you read online — including the ones on this page — can go out of date.

If someone quotes you a single combined number, ask them to split it into government fees and service fees. Any legitimate consultant will do this without hesitation.

Frequently asked questions

Is NTN registration really free?

Yes. FBR charges nothing for NTN registration on the IRIS portal. Any amount you pay is a consultant’s service fee, not a government charge. FBR keeps it free deliberately, to bring more people into the tax system.

Do I need to register with SECP as a freelancer?

No. SECP registration applies to companies. As a sole proprietor you register only with FBR, and your NTN certificate serves as your business registration for banks, clients and tenders.

How long does company registration take in Pakistan?

Name reservation is usually approved within 24 to 48 hours, and incorporation typically completes in 3 to 7 working days once documents are correct. Allow 5 to 10 working days in total if you include FBR registration and opening a bank account.

Can I open a business bank account without an NTN?

Not in your business name. Banks ask for your NTN certificate along with your CNIC, business letterhead and stamp before opening an account under a business name.

Is there a minimum capital requirement for a private limited company?

No. The Companies Act 2017 sets no mandatory minimum paid-up capital. Rs 100,000 authorised capital is a common practical starting point because it sits in the lowest fee band, not because the law requires it.

This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Verify all fees and requirements with SECP and FBR directly before acting.