Tax & Registration · Business & Trade

PSEB registration for freelancers and IT companies: fees, documents, benefits

PSEB registration costs Rs 1,000 a year for freelancers and Rs 5,000 to 10,000 for IT companies, takes 2 to 5 working days and cuts tax on IT exports to 0.25%.

By Ahtisham Imtiaz · Updated · 3 min read

Freelancer fee
Rs 1,000 a year
Company fee
Rs 5,000–10,000
Time
2–5 working days
Tax on IT exports
0.25% vs 1%
Summarize it for me

AI Summary

PSEB registration costs Rs 1,000 a year for a new freelancer (Rs 2,000 to renew), Rs 5,000 for an IT startup under a year old and Rs 10,000 for other IT companies. You apply on PSEB's online portal, get initial approval, pay, and receive your certificate in about 2 to 5 working days. The main benefit is tax: PSEB-registered exporters pay 0.25% on IT export proceeds instead of 1%, a rate FBR has extended to tax year 2029.

PSEB (Pakistan Software Export Board) registration costs Rs 1,000 a year for a new freelancer and Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 a year for an IT company. You apply online, pay after initial approval, and get your certificate in about 2 to 5 working days. The payoff is tax: registered IT exporters pay 0.25% on export proceeds instead of 1%.

Tax on Rs 10 lakh of IT export income

Rs 2,500 vs Rs 10,000

0.25% if PSEB-registered, 1% if not (section 154A, extended to tax year 2029)

What does PSEB registration cost?

PSEB’s fees as of October 2026, per year:

Who New registration Renewal
Freelancer Rs 1,000 Rs 2,000
IT/ITeS startup (under 12 months old) Rs 5,000 by revenue, below
IT/ITeS company (older) Rs 10,000 by revenue, below
Call centre Rs 20,000 + Rs 10,000 per branch same

Company renewal depends on annual revenue: Rs 10,000 up to Rs 5 crore, Rs 15,000 up to Rs 10 crore, Rs 20,000 up to Rs 30 crore, Rs 25,000 up to Rs 60 crore, and Rs 30,000 above that. An expired company registration adds a Rs 5,000-a-year surcharge.

You pay through PSEB’s online payment gateway or by pay order or demand draft to Pakistan Software Export Board (G) Ltd.

What documents do I need?

Freelancer:

  • a personal NTN with no business name (see how to get an NTN)
  • both sides of your CNIC
  • a letter or certificate for your personal bank account

Business (sole proprietor, partnership or company):

  • a business NTN
  • CNICs of all owners, partners or directors (passports for foreign nationals)
  • for SECP companies: memorandum and articles, Form 29 and the incorporation certificate
  • for partnerships: the partnership deed, and the firm registration certificate if registered
  • six months of business bank statements, or a bank letter for a new account

A sole proprietorship with a business NTN uses the business route, not the freelancer one.

How do I register, step by step?

  1. Sign up on PSEB’s portal at techdestination.com (the old pseb.org.pk address redirects there).
  2. Fill in the online form, upload your documents and submit for initial approval.
  3. After initial approval, pay the fee and upload the payment receipt.
  4. Submit for final approval. PSEB issues the certificate (or, for companies, a provisional letter valid for 90 days) in about 2 to 5 working days after verifying payment.

To renew, freelancers send a summary of export revenue under the State Bank’s IT/ITeS codes and last year’s income tax return. Companies send the revenue summary and their financial statements or tax return.

What do I get?

  • Lower tax on export income: 0.25% on IT and IT-enabled services export proceeds, against 1% if not registered. FBR’s budget for 2026-27 extended this rate up to tax year 2029. See freelancer tax in Pakistan.
  • Startups: PSEB says registered startups get a 100% tax credit for 3 years.
  • Foreign currency: PSEB says IT companies can keep up to 50% of export remittances in a foreign currency account for business costs.
  • Call centres: PTA and law enforcement treat only PSEB-registered call centres as legally operating.
  • Other support listed by PSEB: office space in Software Technology Parks, subsidised certifications, training and trade-show participation.

More guides: Tax & Registration.

Questions people ask

What does PSEB registration cost?

As of October 2026, Rs 1,000 a year for a new freelancer (Rs 2,000 to renew), Rs 5,000 a year for an IT startup under 12 months old, Rs 10,000 for older IT companies, and Rs 20,000 for a call centre plus Rs 10,000 per branch.

What documents do freelancers need for PSEB registration?

A personal NTN with no business name, both sides of your CNIC, and a letter or certificate for your personal bank account.

How long does PSEB registration take?

About 2 to 5 working days after PSEB verifies your payment.

What tax do PSEB-registered freelancers pay on export income?

0.25% of IT and IT-enabled services export proceeds, against 1% for those not registered. FBR has extended the 0.25% rate up to tax year 2029.

Should a sole proprietor register as a freelancer or a business?

PSEB's freelancer route needs a personal NTN with no business name. A sole proprietorship with a business NTN registers through the company route, which takes proprietors, partnerships and companies.

Sources

  1. Freelancer Registration, Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) (accessed 7 Oct 2026)
  2. Company Registration, Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) (accessed 7 Oct 2026)
  3. Call Center Registration, Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) (accessed 7 Oct 2026)
  4. Membership Benefits, Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) (accessed 7 Oct 2026)
  5. Withholding Income Tax Rate Card, Tax Year 2027, FBR (accessed 7 Oct 2026)
  6. Salient Features, Budget 2026-27, FBR (accessed 7 Oct 2026)
  7. Register (Income Tax), FBR (accessed 7 Oct 2026)
  8. Budget offers tax break to salaried class, businesses, Dawn (accessed 7 Oct 2026)

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