Short answer: To check your ATL status, send an SMS with “ATL”, a space and your 13 digit CNIC to 9966, or use FBR’s online verification on IRIS or the Tax Asaan app. If you are on the Active Taxpayers List, you are a filer and pay the lower tax rates. If you are not, the fix is to file your return, and since the Finance Act 2026, filing late can cost an individual Rs 25,000 to get back on the list.
Key takeaways
- SMS is the fastest check: ATL (space) CNIC without dashes, send to 9966.
- FBR names only two official online channels: its e.fbr.gov.pk services and the Tax Asaan app. Use those, not third party sites that ask for your CNIC.
- The list is published every 1 March and updated every Monday, so a new filing does not show up instantly.
- Missed the deadline for tax year 2026 (31 October 2026)? You need the Rs 25,000 surcharge, or a six month no property purchase undertaking, to get on the ATL.
- Income tax ATL and sales tax ATL are two different lists.
What the ATL is, in one minute
The Active Taxpayers List is FBR’s record of people who filed an income tax return for the previous tax year. Section 181A of the Income Tax Ordinance gives FBR the power to keep it, and banks, property registrars and excise offices check it before they cut tax from you. On the list, you are a “filer”. Off it, you are a “non filer” and most of these taxes are doubled, as I explain in filer vs non filer in Pakistan 2026-27.
According to FBR, the ATL for a tax year is published on 1 March of the next year and stays valid until the end of February after that. The list is updated every Monday.
How to check your ATL status: 3 official ways
1. By SMS to 9966 (fastest)
This is what FBR’s own help page lists for checking by SMS:
| Who you are | Type this | Send to |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | ATL (space) 13 digit CNIC, without dashes | 9966 |
| AOP or company | ATL (space) 7 digit NTN | 9966 |
| Individual, AJ&K list | AJKATL (space) CNIC, without dashes | 9966 |
| AJ&K, with NTN | AJKATL (space) NTN, without dashes | 9966 |
Example for an individual: ATL 3520212345678.
2. Online verification
FBR’s verification portal says that only its own e.fbr.gov.pk services and the Tax Asaan mobile app are official sources for verification, and that FBR is not responsible for information from unauthorised sites. FBR’s online verification service now sends taxpayers to IRIS. Open the online verification option there, choose the active taxpayer status check, and enter your CNIC (or NTN for an AOP or company).
3. Tax Asaan app
FBR lists its Tax Asaan app as an official channel for verification. Install it only from the listing FBR links on its own website, then use the active taxpayer status option.
Be careful with websites that offer “instant ATL check” and ask for your CNIC and phone number. They are not FBR. Your CNIC is enough to check your status for free through the official channels above.
Can I download the full list?
Yes. FBR lets you download the complete income tax and sales tax ATL files from its ATL page. For one person the SMS is much easier; the full file is mostly useful for businesses that check many suppliers.
What your result means
| Result | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Active | You filed for the last tax year and are on the current list | Nothing. Keep filing every year by the deadline |
| Not active, or not found | No return on record for the last tax year, or it was filed late without the surcharge | File the return, then pay the surcharge or give the undertaking (see below) |
| Active on sales tax list only | You file sales tax returns, but the income tax list is separate | Income tax rates depend on the income tax ATL; check that one |
Being a non filer is rarely about how much you earn. It is about one missing return, and the fix starts on IRIS.
Not on the ATL? Here is how to get on it
- File your income tax return on IRIS for the last tax year. If you have never registered, start with my step by step guide on how to become a filer in Pakistan.
- If you filed after the due date, pay the ATL surcharge or use the undertaking option below.
- Wait for the Monday update, then check again by SMS.
For tax year 2026, FBR extended the filing deadline twice, from 30 September to 15 October and then to 31 October 2026, under section 214A (Tribune, 15 October 2026). No further extension had been announced when I checked on 12 November 2026, so anyone filing for tax year 2026 now is filing late.
The late surcharge went up in 2026
Under section 182A of the Ordinance, a late filer is kept off the ATL for that year unless they pay a surcharge. The Finance Act 2026 raised it:
| Person | Before | Now (Finance Act 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | Rs 1,000 | Rs 25,000 |
| Association of persons | Rs 10,000 | Rs 50,000 |
| Company | Rs 20,000 | Rs 100,000 |
When I checked on 12 November 2026, FBR’s ATL help page still showed the old Rs 1,000 figure. The amended Ordinance is the law, so plan for Rs 25,000.
The six month undertaking: a cheaper option for many people
The Finance Act 2026 also added section 182A(3). An individual does not have to pay the surcharge if they give the Commissioner an undertaking, in the prescribed form, that they will not buy or acquire any property for six months from the date of the undertaking. If you are a student, a salaried person or a freelancer with no property deal planned, this can save you the full Rs 25,000.
Late filing can also bring a separate penalty under section 182. For individuals, the law sets a minimum of Rs 10,000 if 75% or more of your income is salary and Rs 50,000 in other cases, reduced by 75%, 50% or 25% if you file within one, two or three months of the due date, and capped at 200% of the tax payable. File as soon as you can.
Special cases FBR treats as on the ATL
- Joint bank account: treated as on the ATL if any one of the holders is on it.
- Account of a minor: treated as on the ATL if a parent, guardian or the person depositing the money is on it.
- New company or AOP: included if it was formed after 30 June of the tax year, so no return was due yet.
How long does it take to appear on the ATL?
FBR updates the list every Monday. In practice, if your return is filed on time and accepted, your name should appear on the next Monday update. If you filed late, the update comes only after the surcharge is paid or the undertaking is accepted. Check again by SMS on Tuesday morning rather than on the same day you file.
Once you are active, use our free calculators to see what you save: the filer vs non filer calculator compares both rates side by side for your own transactions, the property tax calculator shows buyer and seller tax at filer rates, and the income tax calculator estimates your yearly tax.
ATL check FAQ
Is ATL the same as having an NTN?
No. An NTN means you are registered with FBR. The ATL means you also filed your return for the last tax year. You can have an NTN and still be off the list.
My bank charged non filer tax even though I filed. What now?
Check your status on the day of the deduction. If you were already active, ask your bank to correct it with a copy of your ATL result. If the tax was cut before your name appeared, you can claim it as an adjustment or refund in your return.
Is there a separate ATL for sales tax?
Yes. FBR keeps a sales tax ATL for registered sales tax persons. Bank and property rates for individuals follow the income tax ATL.
Does ATL status carry over to next year?
No. Each list covers one tax year. You must file every year, by the due date, to stay on it.
This article is general education, not tax or legal advice. Checked against FBR’s ATL pages and the Income Tax Ordinance 2001 as amended up to 30 June 2026 on 12 November 2026.
Keep reading
