Pakistan · Business Hub
Register and Run Your Company in Pakistan — Properly
SECP registration, an NTN, the right tax registrations and every filing that follows. Whether you are starting your first company, formalising a business you already run, or managing it from overseas.
- Every structure — Pvt. Ltd., SMC, Sole Proprietorship, Partnership
- SECP registration from $250
- NTN, federal and provincial tax registration
- 25 Pakistan services under one team
- A local team, not an overseas call centre
Why Here
Why Registering Properly Is Worth It
Plenty of businesses in Pakistan operate informally for years — until a bank, a corporate client or a tax notice forces the issue. Registering first is cheaper than fixing it later.
Banks Require It
A business bank account in the company’s name needs a registered entity and an NTN. Running company money through a personal account creates problems you do not want.
Corporate Clients & Tenders
Larger clients and public tenders contract with registered companies. Without registration you are simply not eligible to bid.
Limited Liability
A Private Limited Company or SMC creates a separate legal person, helping protect shareholders from company debts, subject to applicable law.
Filer Status on the ATL
Filing returns keeps you on the Active Taxpayer List. Non-filers pay materially higher withholding on banking, property and vehicle transactions.
IT & Export Facilitation
PSEB registration and formal export documentation are open to registered companies — and commonly expected by international clients.
Credibility That Compounds
Suppliers, landlords, insurers and international platforms all treat a registered company differently to an individual.
An Honest Answer
Is a Pakistan Company Right for You?
We would rather tell you no than sell you the wrong structure. Here is who this genuinely suits — and who is usually better served by a different jurisdiction.
A good fit if you are
- Operating a business physically in Pakistan
- Serving Pakistani customers or corporate clients
- A software house or IT company exporting services
- Import, export or trading through Pakistani ports
- Manufacturing, retail, hospitality or clinics
- A freelancer who wants filer status and clean tax records
- An overseas Pakistani with business or property interests at home
- Anyone bidding for local tenders or government work
Probably not the right move if
- You need Stripe or U.S. payment rails — a Pakistan-registered company generally will not get you there, and a U.S. LLC is the usual route
- Your customers, your team and your money are entirely outside Pakistan
- You want owner privacy — SECP maintains public company records
- You are hoping registration reduces your tax — it formalises your obligations, it does not remove them
- You want a company but do not intend to file returns — an unfiled company becomes a liability, not an asset
If the first bullet in the second column describes you, say so on a call. We form U.S. and U.K. companies too, and we will tell you honestly which one fits.
Choose Your Structure
Which Structure Should You Register?
Pakistan gives you four realistic options. The right one depends on how many owners there are, how much liability protection you want, and how much annual filing you can live with.
| Private Limited | SMC | Sole Proprietorship | Partnership / AOP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our fee | From $250 | $225 | $99 | $175 |
| Owners | Two or more members | Exactly one | Just you | Two or more partners |
| Liability | Limited | Limited | Unlimited — personal | Shared and unlimited |
| Registered with | SECP | SECP | FBR (NTN-based) | Registrar of Firms |
| Best for | Growing companies, investors and tenders | Solo founders who still want limited liability | Testing an idea or small local trade | Family businesses and professional firms |
| Annual filings | SECP + tax | SECP + tax | Tax only | Tax only |
| Setup time | Typically 3–7 working days | Typically 3–7 working days | Fastest | Varies with documentation |
SECP government fees are charged separately in every case, and depend on your authorised capital. Not sure which fits? The first consultation is free.
Where to Register
Where You Operate Decides Your Provincial Registrations
SECP registration is federal — unlike U.S. states, you do not choose a province to register in. But where you actually operate decides which provincial authority you register with for sales tax on services, and whether professional tax applies.
Punjab — PRA
Punjab Revenue Authority handles sales tax on services for businesses operating in Punjab.
Sindh — SRB
Sindh Revenue Board covers services rendered in Sindh, including most Karachi-based businesses.
KP & Balochistan
KPRA and BRA handle services in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan respectively.
The distinction that catches people out: sales tax on GOODS is federal (FBR), sales tax on SERVICES is provincial. Many businesses need one, some need both, and plenty need neither.
Start to Finish
What the Whole Journey Looks Like
Registration is the first step, not the last. Here is the sequence in the order it actually happens.
Choose Your Structure
Private Limited, SMC, sole proprietorship or partnership — decided by owners, liability and filing appetite.
Register With SECP
Name reservation, incorporation documents, MOA and AOA, and your Certificate of Incorporation.
Get Your NTN
Your National Tax Number with FBR — required for banking, invoicing and every filing that follows.
Register for Sales Tax
Federal with FBR if you sell goods, provincial with PRA / SRB / KPRA / BRA if you sell services. Only if it applies to you.
Open a Business Bank Account
Application assistance with the documents banks actually ask for. The bank alone decides approval.
Stay Compliant & Grow
Annual SECP filings, income tax returns, bookkeeping and payroll — then trademark, PSEB and export registrations.
25 Services
Every Pakistan Service We Offer
The complete list, from registering the company to keeping it filed, staffed and growing — every price published on its own page.
Register a Business5
Tax Registration6
Filing & Compliance5
Run Your Business5
Read This Before You File
What Every Pakistani Business Owner Must Know
These are the things that quietly cost businesses money in Pakistan. None of them are complicated — but almost nobody explains them until you have already paid for not knowing.
Filer vs Non-Filer — it costs you on every transaction
The Active Taxpayer List is the practical dividing line in Pakistan. Being off it means higher withholding on banking, property and vehicle transactions — every transaction, all year, whether or not you owed any tax.
If you are off the list, our ATL assistance ($35) diagnoses exactly why and what it takes to get back on. FBR maintains the list — listing and timing are their decision, not ours.
Goods are federal, services are provincial
Sales tax on goods is registered with FBR; sales tax on services is registered with your provincial authority — PRA, SRB, KPRA or BRA. This is the most common registration mix-up we see. Some businesses need one, some need both, many need neither.
SECP compliance is separate from your tax return
Filing your income tax return does not satisfy SECP, and filing with SECP does not satisfy FBR. Registered companies answer to both, on different cycles, with different penalties for missing them.
Hiring triggers more than payroll
Employing people can bring EOBI and provincial social security registration into play, each with its own contributions. Whether they apply depends on headcount, activity and province — worth checking before an inspection does it for you.
A company does not erase your personal obligations
Directors and owners still have their own filing position. A registered company adds a layer of compliance on top of your personal one — it does not replace it.
What registration IS — and isn’t
It IS
- A separate legal identity for your business
- Limited liability protection (Pvt. Ltd. and SMC)
- A route to business banking and corporate clients
- Eligibility to bid for tenders and register with PSEB
It is NOT
- Automatic tax exemption or reduction
- A guarantee of bank account approval
- Eligibility for Stripe or U.S. payment rails
- A substitute for filing your annual returns
What it actually costs to keep running
| SECP annual compliance | From $150 / year |
| Income tax return filing | From $75 |
| Bookkeeping & accounting | From $75 / month |
| Payroll management | From $50 / month |
| ATL assistance (if you have lapsed) | $35 |
SECP, FBR and other government fees are charged separately where applicable, and depend on your capital and activity.
Every Year, Without Fail
What Recurs, Every Year
Registration happens once. These come back around — and we put your specific dates on a calendar so they are not a surprise.
Annual SECP filings
Registered companies file an annual return and keep their statutory records current. Missing it is how companies quietly fall out of good standing.
Annual income tax return
Filed with FBR each tax year — for the company and, separately, for you. This is also what keeps you on the Active Taxpayer List.
Sales tax returns
If you are registered for federal or provincial sales tax, returns are filed on a recurring monthly cycle, whether or not you had sales that period.
Employer contributions
If EOBI or provincial social security applies to you, contributions and schedules are an ongoing obligation, not a one-time registration.
Books that stay current
Monthly bookkeeping is what makes every filing above straightforward instead of a scramble — and it is what a bank or investor will ask to see.
A review of what changed
New premises, new partners, new provinces or new staff all change what you owe. The first consultation each year is free.
Pakistan Questions, Answered
How long does SECP registration take?
Typically 3–7 working days for a Private Limited Company or SMC, depending on SECP review, name availability and how complete your documents are. Sole proprietorship is faster because it is NTN-based rather than an SECP filing.
Private Limited or SMC — which should I choose?
An SMC is a single-member company: you get limited liability with one owner. A Private Limited Company needs at least two members and is the better fit if you will add shareholders, take investment or bid for larger contracts. We will talk it through before filing anything.
Can an overseas Pakistani register a company?
Yes. Foreign nationals and overseas Pakistanis may register companies in Pakistan, subject to SECP regulations, approvals and documentation requirements. Much of the process can be handled remotely, though some steps depend on document attestation.
Do I need sales tax registration?
Only if it applies to you. It depends on what you sell and where. Sales tax on goods is federal with FBR; sales tax on services is provincial with PRA, SRB, KPRA or BRA. We review your activity and register you only where it genuinely applies.
What is the NTN actually for?
It is your National Tax Number with FBR, and it underpins everything else — opening a business bank account, invoicing corporate clients, filing returns and appearing on the Active Taxpayer List. Almost nothing else works without it.
Can I get Stripe with a Pakistan company?
Honestly, no — Stripe is generally not available to a Pakistan-registered business, and company formation alone does not change that. If you need Stripe or U.S. payment rails, the usual route is a U.S. LLC, which we also form. We would rather tell you this up front.
What if I have never filed a return?
It is more common than you would think, and it is fixable. We work out what is outstanding, what a late-filing surcharge might look like, and the route back onto the Active Taxpayer List — before it costs you more on your next property or vehicle transaction.
Can you take over an existing company?
Yes. We onboard existing companies regularly — cleaning up bookkeeping, catching up SECP filings and tax returns, and putting the recurring dates on a calendar we watch.
What are the real total costs?
Our fee starts at $250 for a Private Limited Company, plus SECP government fees which depend on your authorised capital. After that, budget for annual SECP compliance from $150 and your income tax return from $75. Government fees are always charged separately and stated as such.
Do you handle tax audits or notices?
We help you understand a notice and prepare a response, and coordinate with tax professionals where a case needs it. We do not provide legal representation, and we will say so plainly rather than take on something outside our scope.
Register Your Company in Pakistan
The right structure, registered properly, with the NTN, tax registrations and annual filings handled by a team that is actually here.
From $250 · SECP and government fees charged separately · Every structure covered · SECP and FBR decide approvals