The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has introduced new measures to simplify and speed up sales tax registration for businesses, with low-risk applicants set to benefit from a faster, risk-based process through the IRIS portal.
Under Sales Tax General Order No. 20 of 2026, applications identified as low risk will be processed within three working days, provided all required information and documents are complete. FBR field offices have also been directed not to request additional documents unless they are legally required, needed for verification or specifically flagged by the automated risk-based system.
To facilitate manufacturers, sectoral associations under the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) may issue pre-registration certificates confirming the applicant’s manufacturing activity, identifiable business premises and relevant sector details. These certificates will be submitted electronically to the concerned Local Registration Office (LRO) to help speed up verification.
The FBR said incomplete applications must be flagged within seven days, with applicants given clear details about missing information or required corrections. Officials have also been instructed to avoid vague objections and allow applications to proceed once deficiencies are properly addressed.
While the new framework aims to make sales tax registration faster and more transparent, high-risk applications will continue to undergo stricter scrutiny, including pre- and post-verification. Even low-risk registrations may be reviewed later if irregularities are detected.
