In a major policy shift, Islamabad’s Excise and Taxation Department has introduced a new vehicle registration system modeled after the United States, where license plates are issued to individuals rather than vehicles. A formal notification has been issued to begin implementing the change across the capital.

Key Features of the New System

Under the updated model, every vehicle owner will be assigned a unique number plate that remains permanently associated with their name, not the vehicle. This means that upon selling a vehicle, the assigned number plate will no longer remain with the car but will be deactivated, and the new owner will be issued a different plate.

The policy applies to both newly registered and currently owned vehicles, requiring existing vehicle owners to eventually transition to the new format.

Transfer and Retention Rules

The Excise Department has introduced a one-year retention window for individuals who wish to keep their assigned number plate without attaching it to a vehicle. If the number is not linked to another vehicle within that year, it will be automatically cancelled.

A Move Toward Greater Accountability

According to the notification issued by the Director General of Excise and Taxation Islamabad, the new policy is aimed at improving transparency, simplifying the transfer process, and reducing fraud in vehicle sales and registration. Authorities believe this system will make it easier to track vehicle ownership and enforce traffic and tax laws more effectively.

This US-inspired reform is expected to modernize Islamabad’s vehicle registration system and streamline ownership verification for law enforcement and regulatory bodies.