How Many Phones Can You Register on One CNIC? (5-Device Limit)
PTA caps device registration at 5 phones per CNIC per calendar year. Here is exactly how the limit works and what happens the moment you hit it.
Reviewed by Salman Ahmed·Updated 27 August 2026The rule: 5 devices per CNIC, per calendar year
Under PTA's Type Approval Technical Standards Regulations 2021 (clause 12(3)(C)), an individual can register a maximum of 5 mobile devices against their CNIC within a single calendar year through DIRBS.
The count is combined, not per method
The limit is cumulative across every registration route tied to your CNIC. Personal baggage registration, passport concessionary registration, and courier-imported devices are all added into the same yearly total, they are not five separate allowances.
What happens at the 6th device
DIRBS blocks any attempt to register a 6th device once you hit the cap. You cannot register another phone on that CNIC until 1 January of the following calendar year, when the counter resets.
Why this matters if you buy and sell phones often
This is relevant if you frequently import, review or resell phones, since every one you personally register counts toward the same 5. Commercial or bulk importers use a separate registered-importer channel rather than this personal CNIC route, so a shop's inventory does not run into this cap.
How to check your current count
Log into dirbs.pta.gov.pk with your CNIC to see your registration history for the year. If you are close to the limit, plan carefully which device you register next.