Federal Boar of Revenue in SRO 61(1) 2026 has introduced strict new measures for vehicle import in Pakistan. Interestingly, some of the changes will have strong effects on electric vehicles import in Pakistan. More and more importers will now focus on importing EVS from China instead of costly vehicles from Japan. The policy if viewed from this perspective is a welcome step towards environmental and fuel preservation point.
Detailed view of the new SRO.
Pakistan Car Import
Rules Just Changed
What every overseas Pakistani needs to know about SRO 61(I)/2026 — in plain language
Personal Baggage
Gift Scheme
Transfer of Residence
✅ Gift Scheme
✅ Transfer of Residence
Personal Baggage gone.
(≈ 23 months)
after your last import
(≈ 28 months)
from the date GD was filed for last import
What This Means For You
If you’re an overseas Pakistani in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, UK, or anywhere else — you can still bring a car home, but only under the Gift or Transfer of Residence scheme, the car must be from your country of residence, and you cannot sell it for a full year after arrival.
The government’s aim is to stop commercial dealers from misusing personal import schemes and to ensure imported vehicles meet proper safety standards.
Bottom line for overseas Pakistanis: If you’re in Dubai, you can only import a car from the UAE — not from Japan or Europe. You must hold it for a year before selling, and you need to wait ~28 months before importing another one.
Shocking Reality of New Import Rules 2026
The Old Schemes:
1. Personal baggage Scheme: Abolished
In this scheme anybody residing in a foreign country – overseas Pakistani – could import used vehicles, accident vehicles in Pakistan. The scheme was exploited in many ways so the people in power decided to completely scrap it. Now more strict policies have been devised and put in place.
Revision:
This scheme as been completed abolished.
2. Transfer of Residence Scheme: Still in Place
Under this scheme overseas Pakistanis returning to Pakistan permanently can bring their personal luggage including vehicles under reduced customs duties. The condition of 700 days (23 months) was in place before the SRO 61 2026.
Revision:
Now the period has been revised from 700 to 850 days (28 months). It means if you imported a vehicle in Jan 2025, You can now import again in May 2027.
3. Gift Scheme: Still in Place
This gift scheme still in place provides the overseas Pakistanis opportunity to import a vehicle not older than 3 years to Pakistan.
Revision:
- Students receiving remittances can not import the vehicles under this scheme
- Non earning family members can not import
- Those who imported in less than two years can not import
- Motorcycles and scooters are not allowed in this scheme.
Important Fact:
A disabled Pakistani, on the recommendation of the Federal Board of Disabled Persons, can import duty free car in new condition up to 1350 cc.
4. Country of Origin Restriction
Before the SRO 61 a Pakistani lining any part of the world could import a car from anywhere. After the revised SRO an overseas Pakistani can import a car from the same country where he formally resides. If a person is living in UAE, he can not import a car directly from Japan. The car has to be imported in the UAE and after that the importer can send it to Pakistan.
5. Transfer of Ownership Ban
Before the SRO 61, it was possible to sell or car or transfer the ownership soon after the import. Under the new policy, sell and transfer is prohibited before 1 year after the import. The rule applies to both of the permitted schemes.
6. Safety and Environmental Safeguards
The government has introduced some new , relatively strict safety measures. The vehicle inspection before and after the import is mandatory now.
7. Minimum Number of Cars Allowed
A person could import a maximum of two cars. Under the new SRO, the number has been revised to three cars in eligible schemes.
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