Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce has confirmed that the five-year age restriction on commercial imports of used vehicles no longer applies from July 1, 2026, subject to existing import regulations and technical standards.
The clarification was communicated to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) through an office memorandum dated October 30 and reported on November 3.
Ministry clarifies import rules
The Commerce Ministry issued the clarification after the FBR sought guidance on whether the five-year restriction remained applicable beyond June 30.
Under an earlier government decision, commercial imports of specified categories of used vehicles were permitted subject to a maximum age of five years until the end of June 2026.
The decision also provided for the age restriction to be removed after that date.
The ministry has now confirmed that the restriction ceased to apply from July 1.
Other conditions remain in place
The change applies to commercial imports of vehicles covered by specified Pakistan Customs Tariff headings, including certain passenger vehicles, goods vehicles, buses and motorcycles.
Removing the age limit does not mean used vehicles can be imported without restrictions.
Importers must continue to comply with applicable provisions of the Import Policy Order, environmental and safety requirements, and testing and certification standards prescribed by the relevant authorities.
The clarification concerns commercial imports and should not be interpreted as a general relaxation of separate personal vehicle import schemes.
Potential impact on the automobile market
The decision could widen the range of used vehicles available for commercial import and provide greater certainty for importers.
However, the domestic automobile industry has raised concerns about competition from imported vehicles and the possible misuse of personal import arrangements.
The effect on vehicle prices and availability will depend on import duties, regulatory compliance, shipping costs and market demand.
The ministry’s clarification resolves the specific question of the five-year age restriction, while other import requirements remain unchanged.