What Is IMEI And How To Check It (*#06#)
Every phone has a fingerprint nobody thinks about until they need it — usually the moment a phone goes missing, or right before handing over cash for a "slightly used" one from someone they've never met. That fingerprint is the IMEI, and dialling four characters on your keypad reveals it in under a second. What you do with that number afterward is where most people stop, mostly because nobody's actually explained what it means once you have it. This guide covers both halves properly: what an IMEI actually is, and what to do with it once you've found it.
Dial *#06# on any phone and its 15-digit IMEI appears instantly, no internet or SIM required. Send that number as an SMS to 8484, and PTA replies telling you whether the device is genuinely registered to work on Pakistani networks — which matters far more than most buyers realise before purchase.
What An IMEI Actually Is
IMEI stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity — a 15-digit number burned into the hardware of every mobile device at the point of manufacture. Unlike your phone number, which can move between SIMs and devices, the IMEI is permanently tied to the physical handset itself. It's less like an address and more like a fingerprint: it identifies exactly one object, and no two genuine devices share the same one.
If your phone supports dual SIM, it has two separate IMEIs, one per SIM slot, because each slot is treated as its own radio identity by the network. This matters later when you check status, since checking only one number gives you half the picture on a dual-SIM device.
Finding Your IMEI, However You Can
There's more than one way to get to the same number, useful when a phone's screen is cracked, dead, or you're checking a box before you've even opened it.
📱 Where do I find it?
Tap a method to see how.
Open your dialer app like you're making a call, type *#06#, and the IMEI (or two, on dual-SIM) appears on screen automatically — no call button needed, no internet, works even without a SIM inserted.
On Android: Settings → About phone → IMEI. On iPhone: Settings → General → About, scroll to IMEI. Some phones show it under "Status" instead of "About."
Printed directly on the original retail box, usually on a sticker with a barcode. Many newer phones also print it on the SIM tray itself, or under the battery on older removable-battery models.
What PTA's Status Actually Tells You
Once you have the number, checking it against PTA's DIRBS (Device Identification, Registration and Blocking System) tells you one of four things.
PTA approved. Works normally on every Pakistani network, no action needed.
A genuine device brought in informally, not through commercial import. Registerable, but needs the process below.
Flagged as a non-standard IMEI. Networks will block it entirely after a set grace period unless registered.
Already restricted from Pakistani mobile networks. Usually means unregistered, cloned, or reported lost/stolen.
Checking It Properly, Step By Step
Dial *#06# or use one of the alternative methods above.
Type the 15-digit number and send it to 8484 — a small charge applies, typically a few paisas.
Enter the same number at dirbs.pta.gov.pk, no SMS charge involved.
PTA's DVS (Device Verification System) app, free on Android and iOS, does the same lookup from your phone directly.
It names one of the four statuses above — that word is the entire point of the check.
Registering A Non-Compliant Device
If your check comes back as non-compliant or valid-but-unregistered, the device isn't necessarily fake — it likely just wasn't brought in through a commercial import channel. Registering it is a genuine, straightforward process, not a workaround.
- Sign up on the Device Registration Solution at dirbs.pta.gov.pk's registration portal, selecting your user type — local Pakistani resident or overseas/foreigner, since the applicable duty differs.
- Or dial *8484# for a USSD menu that lets you check the applicable duty tax directly from your phone, without needing internet access at all.
- Pay the assessed duty through the payment slip ID (PSID) the system generates — rates vary by device value bracket and are set by FBR, not PTA.
- Wait for confirmation, which typically reflects within a few days once payment is confirmed in the system.
- Re-check via 8484 or the portal afterward to confirm the status has actually updated to compliant.
Personal-use imports are capped at a handful of devices per CNIC per year — bringing in phones for resale at volume falls under commercial import rules instead, with different documentation requirements entirely.
Why This Matters Before Buying Used
A phone that looks flawless can still be worthless on a Pakistani network if its IMEI comes back blocked — and a seller who knows this rarely volunteers the information first. Checking takes under a minute and belongs before the money changes hands, not after.
🛒 Before you hand over cash
Tick each one as you confirm it.
A Realistic Scenario
Bilquis finds a good-condition phone listed online at a price that seems fair rather than suspiciously low, which almost makes her skip checking it. She meets the seller in a public place anyway, and before paying, dials *#06# on the actual handset in front of her, not from a photo the seller sent earlier. She texts the number to 8484 right there and waits for the reply.
It comes back non-compliant, not blocked — meaning the phone is genuine but was never registered. She still buys it, since she now knows exactly what she's walking into, and registers it herself afterward through the portal, paying the assessed duty rather than being surprised by a blocked line weeks later. Bilquis is an illustrative example, not a documented case, but checking before paying, not after, is the entire difference between a manageable step and an unpleasant surprise.
If Your Check Comes Back Blocked
A blocked status can mean several different things: unregistered and past its grace period, reported lost or stolen by a previous owner, or a cloned/duplicated IMEI. If you already own the device and it's genuinely yours, registration through the process above can resolve an unregistered block. If you're mid-purchase and it comes back blocked, walk away — there's no quick registration fix for a device already flagged as stolen, and continuing the purchase means inheriting someone else's unresolved problem.
If you suspect the device itself was stolen from its original owner rather than simply unregistered, that's the same category of issue covered in our SIM swap fraud guide and our PTA vs NCCIA reporting guide — a blocked IMEI tied to theft is a criminal matter, not just a registration one.
Claims I Couldn't Verify
| The claim | What I found | Status |
|---|---|---|
| *#06# reveals a 15-digit IMEI on any phone | Confirmed directly by PTA's own DIRBS FAQ documentation | Confirmed |
| SMS to 8484 and the three-way check via SMS, web, or app | Confirmed by PTA's own DIRBS FAQs and multiple independent guides consistently | Confirmed |
| Exact SMS charge (commonly cited as roughly 10 paisas) | Cited by operator support pages, though the exact figure could shift over time and isn't something PTA itself publishes as a fixed number | Reported |
| Specific PTA tax amounts by phone value bracket | Figures circulate widely on tax-calculator sites, but exact slabs are set by FBR and change; no single figure should be treated as current without checking at the time of registration | Unclear |
| Registration typically completes within 1–3 days of payment confirmation | Widely repeated across independent guides, not stated as a guaranteed timeline in PTA's own published FAQs | Reported |
The mechanics of checking an IMEI — the code, the shortcode, the status categories — are solidly confirmed by PTA's own documentation. Tax amounts and exact processing timelines shift more often, so I've flagged those as reported rather than fixed facts; confirm current duty rates directly through the *8484# USSD menu or the portal before paying anything.
IMEI: FAQs
What does *#06# actually do?+ show
Why does my dual-SIM phone show two IMEIs?+ show
What's the difference between Non-Compliant and Blocked?+ show
Can I register a phone that comes back Non-Compliant?+ show
Is a Blocked IMEI always about theft?+ show
How many devices can I register per year?+ show
Does checking my IMEI cost anything?+ show
Do I need to register my phone if I'm just visiting Pakistan?+ show
Where else can I find my IMEI besides dialling the code?+ show
Should I check IMEI status before or after buying a used phone?+ show
One Code, One Text, One Honest Answer
*#06# for the number, 8484 for the truth about it. Cheaper than finding out the hard way after you've already paid.
Related guides: SIM Owner Details (main guide) · SIM Swap Fraud in Pakistan · How To Report SIM Fraud — PTA vs NCCIA · Fake SIM Checker Apps · PTA Complaint Process — 0800-55055 · Block Or Disown An Unauthorised SIM.
Note: this is general information, not legal or tax advice. Duty rates and timelines change — confirm current figures directly through PTA's *8484# menu or dirbs.pta.gov.pk before paying anything. This site is independent and is not a government service.