Transfer from another province: NOC and re-registration in Punjab
Vehicle re-registration in Punjab NOC rules rest on two separate positions. Section 29 of the Provincial Motor Vehicles Ordinance 1965 keeps a registration from any other part of Pakistan effective inside Punjab. A separate Punjab facility from 2026 lets an owner move the record to Punjab, obtain a Punjab number, and pay Punjab dues under one process. The two positions answer different questions, and confusion between the two positions costs owners time and money. This guide separates the driving position from the record position, sets out the document set and the fee schedule, and gives the step order for a permanent move inside the wider system described in MTMIS Punjab: the complete guide to online vehicle verification.
Table of contents
- The legal position under Section 29
- The Punjab re-registration facility in 2026
- Documents for the NOC and the Punjab application
- Registration fees and the city transfer fee
- Steps for re-registration in order
- The owner change case for a Punjab buyer
- Time, cancellation and the new Punjab record
- Frequently asked questions
The legal position under Section 29
Section 29 keeps the home registration effective in Punjab. An owner who moves to Punjab holds a valid registration from the home province, and the Ordinance treats that registration as effective inside Punjab. A short stay, a work posting, or a family visit creates no re-registration duty on the owner. The position changes with a permanent move of the record. Punjab law sets a reporting duty for an owner who transfers the record to Punjab, and one leading guide states a 30-day report position for that transfer of the record. The duty covers the report of the change to the Punjab authority. The duty does not cancel the home registration of a visitor, and the duty does not turn a short stay into a re-registration case. The owner makes the real decision on practical grounds: a local number, a Punjab record for dues and verification, and a clean file for a later sale in Punjab all point toward re-registration.
The Punjab re-registration facility in 2026
The Punjab facility gives the permanent move a formal route. News reports across 2026 describe one core condition: the owner obtains a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the original registering authority before Punjab accepts the vehicle onto the Punjab record. The home authority clears token tax dues in the home province before the authority issues the NOC, and an open dues position blocks the certificate. Reports place the opening of applications in Rawalpindi on 14 February 2026, with province-wide coverage for vehicles and motorcycles from Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Kashmir and the federal register. Biometric verification stands mandatory under the facility. Punjab issues a new registration number for the city of the owner, the old registration stands cancelled, and the Punjab office informs the home authority of the change. The facility moves the record. The facility does not change the Section 29 position for a vehicle on a visit to Punjab.
Documents for the NOC and the Punjab application
The standard operating procedure carries a defined document set, and the owner gathers the full set before the Punjab visit. The Excise office checks the file as one unit, and a missing document returns the owner to the home authority.
- The NOC from the original registering authority
- A vehicle clearance certificate for the vehicle
- A Police 15 report for the vehicle
- The complete vehicle file from the home authority
- An affidavit of the owner
- The registration book or smart card and the CNIC of the owner for the NOC application at the home authority
The owner keeps copies of every document in the set. The copies protect the owner during the gap between cancellation of the old registration and issue of the new Punjab record, and the copies support any later query on the file.
Registration fees and the city transfer fee
The registration fee follows the normal Punjab schedule, and the table below gives the schedule from the official Excise rate page.
| Vehicle category | Registration fee |
|---|---|
| Motorcycles up to 70cc | Rs 1,000 |
| Motorcycles from 71cc to 100cc | Rs 1,500 |
| Motorcycles from 101cc to 125cc | Rs 2,000 |
| Motorcycles from 126cc to 150cc | Rs 2,500 |
| Motorcycles above 150cc | 2% of the value of the vehicle |
| Cars up to 1000cc | 1% of the value of the vehicle |
| Cars from 1001cc to 2000cc | 2% of the value of the vehicle |
| Cars above 2000cc | 4% of the value of the vehicle |
| Tractors, trucks, buses, rickshaws and taxis | 1% of the value of the vehicle |
The smart card fee stands at Rs 1,300. A nominal city transfer fee applies in addition to the registration fee. No official source publishes an amount for the city transfer fee, and this guide prints no amount for that fee. The Excise office confirms the figure at application, and the challan states the amount the owner pays. Punjab vehicle transfer fees and taxes in 2026 sets out the related transfer fee schedule for a standard ownership change inside Punjab.
Steps for re-registration in order
The sequence below moves the record from the home province to Punjab in the order the two authorities process the case.
- Clear token tax dues in the home province and keep the paid proof with the vehicle file.
- Apply for the NOC at the home registering authority with the registration book or smart card and the CNIC.
- Collect the NOC and the complete vehicle file from the home authority.
- Attend the Punjab Motor Registration Authority with the full document set from the checklist.
- Complete biometric verification at the Punjab office.
- Pay the registration fee and the city transfer fee against the challan the office generates.
- Receive the new Punjab registration number and the new plates.
- Collect the new smart card after issue and keep the card with the vehicle file.
The owner checks each document against the checklist before step 4. One office visit with a complete file produces a faster result than repeat visits for single missing papers.
The owner change case for a Punjab buyer
A Punjab buyer of a vehicle with a registration from another province faces a harder chain than a standard Punjab purchase. The NOC chain needs the cooperation of the seller, because the home authority deals with the registered owner on the file. A buyer should secure the NOC, the clearance documents, and the complete file as part of the purchase terms before payment in full. A purchase without the file and the NOC leaves the buyer with a vehicle the buyer cannot place on the Punjab record, and the buyer carries that risk with no quick remedy. The caution stands even for a vehicle with a clean verification result, because verification confirms the record and the record alone does not move to Punjab without the document chain. How to transfer vehicle ownership in Punjab gives the standard ownership transfer route for a vehicle with a Punjab registration.
Time, cancellation and the new Punjab record
Reports describe a processing range from a few days to a couple of weeks. The range depends on the two authorities in the chain: the home authority controls the NOC and the file release, and the Punjab office controls the biometric check, the challan, and the new number. A complete file shortens the Punjab part of the range. The home part varies by office and by the dues position of the vehicle. Punjab cancels the old registration as part of the process, and the Punjab office informs the home authority after the cancellation. The new smart card follows the new number. The owner verifies the new record on mtmis.excise.punjab.gov.pk with the registration number, the registration date, and the security code. The verification result shows the engine number, and the result does not show the chassis number. An owner with a query on the process reaches the Excise helpline on 1035, and the Excise head office stands at Transport House, 11-A Egerton Road, Lahore.
Frequently asked questions
Does Section 29 keep a registration from another province valid in Punjab?
Yes. Section 29 of the Provincial Motor Vehicles Ordinance 1965 keeps a registration from any other part of Pakistan effective inside Punjab, and an owner on a visit or a short stay holds a valid registration.
Does a visitor to Punjab need re-registration for a short stay?
No. A short stay creates no re-registration duty. Re-registration serves an owner who moves the record to Punjab on a permanent basis and needs a Punjab number and a Punjab dues record.
Does Punjab issue a new registration number under the facility?
Yes. Punjab issues a new registration number for the city of the owner, the old registration stands cancelled, and the Punjab office informs the home authority of the change.
Does biometric verification stand mandatory for re-registration?
Yes. Biometric verification stands mandatory under the Punjab facility, and the owner completes the verification at the Punjab Motor Registration Authority as part of the application.
Does an official source publish the amount of the city transfer fee?
No. No official source publishes an amount for the nominal city transfer fee. The Excise office confirms the figure at application, and the challan states the amount the owner pays.
Can a Punjab buyer place a vehicle on the Punjab record without the NOC and the complete file?
No. The NOC and the complete file form the core of the document chain. A purchase without the NOC and the file leaves the buyer with a vehicle the buyer cannot place on the Punjab record.