Vehicle registration status in Pakistan can be checked online through provincial MTMIS portals — Punjab's MTMIS is at mtmis.punjab.gov.pk — using the vehicle registration number to see ownership, token tax status, and any encumbrances.
Access the MTMIS or Excise Portal for Your Province
Vehicle registration in Pakistan is managed at the provincial level. Each province has its own Excise and Taxation Department portal:
- Punjab:
mtmis.punjab.gov.pk(Motor Transport Management Information System) — the most developed online system - Sindh:
excise.sindh.gov.pk - KP:
excise.kp.gov.pk - Balochistan: Visit the nearest Excise office — limited online portal
Open the relevant portal in your browser. The registration check function is publicly accessible — you don't need to log in or create an account.
Enter the Vehicle Registration Number
On the portal's home page, find the "Vehicle Verification" or "Check Registration" section. Enter the vehicle's registration number — the plate number — in the format used by your province.
Punjab registration plates follow the format: LHR-1234 or LHR-12-1234 depending on the age of the plate. Sindh plates use formats like KHI-123 or newer alpha-numeric formats. Enter the number exactly as shown on the physical number plate.
Submit the query. The system checks against the Excise Department's registered vehicle database.
Review the Registration Details
A successful query returns the vehicle's registration record showing:
- Vehicle make, model, and year of manufacture
- Engine and chassis number (partially masked for security)
- Registered owner's name
- Registration date and expiry date
- Vehicle class (motorcycle, car, pickup, commercial etc.)
- Token/road tax payment status — whether it's paid up to date or overdue
- Any fitness certificate status
For buying a second-hand vehicle, this check is critical. Verify the registered owner's name against the seller's CNIC. Cross-check engine and chassis numbers with the physical vehicle.
Investigate Further If the Check Reveals Issues
Registration expired: The current owner hasn't renewed the token/registration annually. This is common and fixable — the new owner can renew after transfer, but outstanding token fees must be paid.
Owner name doesn't match seller: The seller isn't the registered owner. Demand a power of attorney or a title transfer chain explaining the discrepancy before proceeding with any purchase.
Vehicle not found: Either the plate number was entered incorrectly, or the vehicle may be registered in another province. Try other provincial portals if the vehicle might be from a different province.
Stolen flag or court attachment: The Excise portal may show police flags. Never buy a flagged vehicle — contact the relevant police station for clarification.
Vehicle Registration Problems
Try entering the plate without the hyphen (e.g., LHR1234 instead of LHR-1234). If still not found, the vehicle may be registered in another province or may be due for renewal that pushed it out of the active database.
The vehicle hasn't been transferred since the owner died. Legal ownership transfer via succession is needed before a new sale can be registered. Be cautious about buying vehicles in this status.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — MTMIS and provincial Excise portals cover all registered vehicles including motorcycles, cars, pickups, and commercial vehicles.
Some provincial portals show police flags for reported stolen vehicles, but the check isn't comprehensive. For high-value purchases, physically visit the Excise office to request a full vehicle history including any police flags.
Yes — public vehicle verification on provincial Excise portals is free of charge.
Token tax (also called annual road tax) is levied annually by the provincial Excise Department on every registered vehicle. It must be paid each year to keep the registration active. Unpaid token tax accumulates as arrears on the vehicle record.