In a major shift aimed at modernizing how vehicles are registered, Islamabad’s Excise and Taxation Department has announced plans to adopt a US-style vehicle registration system—one that attaches registration numbers to owners instead of vehicles.
The new policy, detailed in an official notification, represents a significant break from Pakistan’s traditional system, where number plates have always been tied to the cars themselves. Under the updated approach, each vehicle owner will receive a unique registration number that stays with them permanently, regardless of how many times they buy or sell vehicles.
Big change for the drivers of Islamabad
For Islamabad’s drivers, this means a big change in everyday practice. When selling a car, the seller’s personal registration number will be deactivated on that vehicle, and the buyer will receive an entirely new number. Officials say this will make tracking vehicle ownership far more straightforward, reducing opportunities for fraud or misuse of duplicate plates.
It’s not just for new vehicles either. The policy will apply retroactively to cars already registered in the capital, meaning existing owners will also shift to this owner-based system.
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For up to a year, owners are allowed to hold their registration number
There’s also flexibility built in: the Excise Department says owners will be allowed to “hold” their registration number for up to a year, even if they sell their vehicle and don’t immediately replace it. If they don’t assign that number to another vehicle in that time, it will be revoked and likely reissued.
Aims behind the new system
Director General of Excise and Taxation Islamabad, while revealing these plans, emphasized that the new system aims to improve transparency, security and user experience.
Simplifying the process for owners
“This change is designed to simplify the process for owners, reduce paperwork, and make it highly easier to verify ownership. It will also help law enforcement by creating clearer records of who owns what,” he noted.
Many see the move as a step towards modern, international best practices. In the United States and some European countries, vehicle registration numbers follow the owner—not the vehicle—making ownership transfers easier to manage and track, and helping curb illegal activities like stolen car sales or fraudulent transfers.
Promise for an easier and the most secure process
For Islamabad’s drivers, it may mean some adjustment, but the promise of an easier, more secure process is welcome news for many. As car sales and transfers grow in the bustling capital, authorities hope this move will streamline bureaucratic hurdles and build public trust in the Excise and Taxation Department’s services.
All-inclusively, it’s a move that depicts Islamabad is serious about modernizing its public services—and making life a little simpler for its residents in the process.