Quick answer every car and motorcycle in Islamabad needs an M-Tag, also called the E-Tag. It costs Rs 250. Bring the vehicle, its original registration card and the owner’s original CNIC to any of 14 booths, open 9am–9pm daily, including I-8 Kachnar Park, F-9 Park Gate 2, Lake View Park and Tarlai. Already have a motorway M-Tag? You’re covered; no second tag needed.
1. Is M-Tag Mandatory in Islamabad?
Yes. Every car and motorcycle on Islamabad roads must have an M-Tag (the same thing as the E-Tag). It does not matter where the vehicle is registered: Islamabad, Punjab, KP or anywhere else, and even if you are only visiting for one day.
- Cars: enforced since January 2026.
- Motorcycles: enforced since March 2026, including Bykea, delivery and heavy bikes.
- How you get caught: tag readers at 12 city entry points and at checkpoints flag any vehicle without a working tag.
2. M-Tag Centres in Islamabad: Where to Go
All booths are open 9am to 9pm, seven days a week. If you only need the tag, go to a park booth. Go to the Excise office only if you have other Excise work that day.
| Centre | Best for residents of |
|---|---|
| I-8 Kachnar Park | I-8, I-9, I-10, H-8, H-9 |
| F-9 Park (Gate 2) | F-6 to F-11, G-9, G-10, E-11 |
| F-7 Gol Market | F-6, F-7, E-7 |
| Lake View Park | Bani Gala, Bhara Kahu, Murree Road |
| Tarlai CFC | Tarlai, Alipur Farash, Koral |
| Gulberg Greens | Expressway, DHA, Bahria |
| I-11 Metro Cash & Carry | I-10, I-11, I-12 |
| 26 Number Chungi | GT Road, Tarnol, people coming from Taxila/Wah |
| Excise & Taxation Office, H-9 | Islamabad-registered vehicles with other Excise work |
| Parade Ground, Soan Gardens, G-14 police post, 17 Meel toll plaza | Nearby residents (cars and motorcycles) |
Directions: F-9 Park · Tarlai CFC · 26 Number · Gulberg Greens · Lake View Park · I-8 Kachnar Park · I-11 Metro · Excise Office
I-8 Kachnar Park
- One of the busiest booths, because it serves the whole I and H belt.
- At the park entrance, ask the guard for the M-Tag counter before you park.
- Avoid 5pm–8pm and weekends, when park visitors fill the parking. Go on a weekday between 10am and 12pm.
H-9 Excise Office
- Slowest option for a tag alone: the same building handles registration, transfers, token tax and smart cards, so parking and gates are crowded.
- The tag desk asks for the same two documents as any park booth; there is no extra paperwork.
- Smart move: pay your token tax at the National Bank booth inside and get tagged on the same visit.
- Car registered outside Islamabad? Skip Excise and use a park booth.
Lake View Park, F-9 Park and Tarlai
- These booths do one job only: issue, install, recharge and fix tags. That makes them faster than the Excise office.
- F-9 Park: the most central. Use Gate 2, where the booth is.
- Lake View Park: go on a weekday morning; weekend afternoons are packed with lake visitors.
- Tarlai: least crowded, but call 1313 to confirm it’s open before driving out.
3. Documents Required for M-Tag
You need only two documents. No stamps, attestation, affidavits or forms.
- Original vehicle registration card or book. A photocopy or phone photo will not work.
- Original CNIC of the registered owner. The name must match the registration card.
- One photocopy of each, in case the booth keeps a copy.
- The vehicle itself. The tag is fixed on the spot.
- Official Excise number plate on the vehicle.
- Your mobile number, which gets linked to the tag.
- Rs 250 cash, plus extra if you want balance for the motorway.
Avoid this mistake: bringing your own CNIC when the car is in your father’s, spouse’s or company’s name. The booth needs the owner’s CNIC.
If the owner can’t come
- You have the owner’s original CNIC: that’s enough. Bring it with the registration card.
- You don’t have the owner’s original CNIC: call 1313 and ask your booth before going; there is no fixed authority-letter procedure.
- Company or bank-leased car: bring a company authority letter on letterhead plus your own CNIC, and confirm with the booth first.
- Rented or borrowed car: you still need the owner’s documents.
- Car bought recently, transfer pending: the tag registers in the name on the current card. Complete the Excise transfer first.
4. I Have an M-Tag. Do I Need an E-Tag Too?
No. In Islamabad the M-Tag is the E-Tag. A motorway M-Tag works for city entry, and you do not need a second tag. The tag issued at Kachnar, F-9 and every other Islamabad booth is the same M-Tag.
Your tag may still fail if:
- it was peeled off and re-stuck, or moved from another car;
- it is an old pre-2018 NADRA E-Tag (treat it as no tag);
- it is still registered to the previous owner;
- metallic or heavy tint film covers it.
What to say if stopped
- “Sir, this is an M-Tag. The Islamabad E-Tag and M-Tag are the same system, and the Excise Department has confirmed vehicles with an M-Tag don’t need another.”
- Point to the tag and show your registration card.
- Ask them to scan it.
- If it doesn’t read, the tag is the problem. Get it checked at the nearest booth the same day.
Pro tip: keep a photo of your M-Tag receipt on your phone.
5. Checkpoints and Penalties
Tag readers are active at 12 city entry points. The main checkpoints to expect:
- 9th Avenue: traffic from Rawalpindi via IJP Road and Faizabad.
- Margalla Avenue: traffic from GT Road, Taxila and the M-1.
- G-14: traffic from the M-2 motorway and Srinagar Highway.
- Faizabad, Srinagar Highway, G-11 and G-13: main internal corridors.
- Also expect checks on the Islamabad Expressway, Murree Road at Bhara Kahu and GT Road near 26 Number.
What happens without a tag:
| Vehicle | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Car | Stopped at the checkpoint, then legal action, a fine, or denied entry into Islamabad |
| Motorcycle | Stopped and seized, then shifted to police custody |
No fixed fine amount for cars has been announced. Don’t count on getting a tag at the checkpoint; get it before you drive in.
6. How to Get Your M-Tag: Step by Step
At the counter it takes about 10–15 minutes. These steps make sure you only go once.
Step 1: The night before
- Check whose name is on the registration card. If it isn’t yours, get the owner’s original CNIC.
- Put the original card, original CNIC, one copy of each and Rs 250+ in one envelope.
- Make sure the number plate is the official Excise pattern.
- Clean the inside of the windshield at the top centre (or around the speedometer on a bike) and remove old stickers.
- Call 1313 to confirm your booth’s hours.
- Plan to go on a weekday between 10am and 12pm.
Step 2: Arrival
- Kachnar Park, F-9 Gate 2, Lake View: park in the public lot and ask the gate guard for the M-Tag counter.
- Metro I-11 and Gulberg Greens: use the main parking; the booth is close by.
- H-9 Excise: ask the information desk for the M-Tag counter, not the registration hall.
- Ask the first staff member: “Is there a token, or do I join the queue directly?”
Step 3: At the counter
- Hand over both originals together.
- Check the registration number, chassis number and owner name the clerk enters.
- Give a mobile number you will keep using.
- Pay Rs 250, take the receipt and photograph it. Note your M-Tag ID.
If anyone asks for a stamp, attestation or affidavit, politely ask for the supervisor. The M-Tag needs only the two original documents.
Step 4: Installation
- Let the staff fix the tag. On a car it goes on the windshield; on a bike, near the speedometer.
- Ask them to test-scan it before you leave.
- Don’t touch, press or wash that area for the rest of the day.
- Never peel and re-stick the tag; it can stop working.
- Keep tint film off the tag area.
- Selling the car? The tag stays with it; the new owner updates it at any booth.
7. Motorcycle M-Tag in Islamabad
Every motorcycle in Islamabad needs an M-Tag: standard, heavy, Bykea and delivery bikes, with no exemptions.
- Documents: original CNIC and original bike registration papers or smart card.
- Where: F-9 Park, Tarlai CFC, 26 Number, Gulberg Greens, F-7 Gol Market, Lake View Park, I-8 Kachnar Park, I-11 Metro, Excise office, Parade Ground, G-14 police post, Soan Gardens or 17 Meel toll plaza.
- Placement: near the speedometer.
- Penalty: untagged bikes are stopped, seized and sent to police custody.
Warning: a bike on an open file can’t be tagged in your name. Complete the Excise transfer first.
8. Check M-Tag Balance and Recharge
City entry only checks that you have a working tag. Balance matters on motorway toll lanes.
- Check balance and details: download the M-TAG One Network app. It shows your balance, travel history, and account and vehicle details. If the details are wrong, fix them at any booth.
- Recharge: in the M-TAG app, at any booth, or in NayaPay (tap M-Tag, enter your M-Tag ID, confirm and pay).
- Help: call 1313, email connect@onenetwork.pk, or file a complaint in the app.
Pro tip: save your M-Tag ID from the receipt on day one. You’ll need it for every recharge and complaint.
9. Common Problems, Solved
My car is registered in Lahore but I live in E-11. What do I do? Get tagged at F-9 Park or Kachnar Park. You don’t need to re-register the car in Islamabad. Don’t go to H-9 Excise for this.
I live in Rawalpindi and cross into Islamabad daily. You need the tag. 26 Number or Kachnar Park on a weekday morning is quickest.
I’m visiting Islamabad for one day. You still need it. Coming by M-2, get the tag at the motorway booth before you reach the city.
My motorway M-Tag has zero balance. Will I be stopped in Islamabad? City readers check the tag, not the balance. Recharge anyway before using the motorway.
My tag stopped working. Take the car and both original documents to any booth for a check or replacement.
I changed my windshield. The tag went with the old glass. Take the car, your old receipt and both documents to a booth for a new one.
I bought a used car that already has a tag. Complete the transfer at Excise, then update the tag details at any booth.
The car is in my late father’s name. Complete the succession transfer at Excise first (death certificate, NADRA family registration certificate, succession document and heirs’ biometrics). Then get the tag in the new owner’s name.
Can I apply online? No. The tag is fixed on the vehicle, so you must visit a booth.