Yes. Both Pakistani payment gateways that publish their requirements ask for an NTN. PayFast says a valid NTN is mandatory for every merchant, individuals included, and Safepay asks every type of business for its FBR taxpayer registration certificate, sole proprietors and freelancers included. You do not need a registered company, though. For an individual, the NTN is your 13-digit CNIC number once you register with FBR online, and both gateways accept individuals and sole proprietors.
This guide covers what each gateway asks for, how to get an NTN as an individual, the other documents to prepare, and what you can do while the paperwork is in progress.
What do the gateways say about the NTN?
We read the published requirements of the two gateways that put them on their own websites.
What does PayFast ask for?
PayFast’s FAQ page answers the question directly: “a valid NTN is mandatory for all merchants, including individuals”. The same page says onboarding takes three to four working days, including the KYC check, and lists a one-time setup fee of Rs 20,000 with no monthly or annual charges.
PayFast’s sign-up form asks for your full name, phone number, email, company name, company website, province, city, business type, business category and the product you want. The business type list starts with “Individual” and “Sole Proprietorship”, then goes on to partnerships and companies. So an individual can apply, and the FAQ says that individual still needs an NTN.
What does Safepay ask for?
Safepay’s help centre has a list of documents by business type. It says Safepay collects them to meet the requirements of the State Bank of Pakistan and its financial partners. The first group is “Sole Proprietorships (registered or unregistered)/ Small Businesses and Freelancers”, and it asks for three things:
- a scan of the owner’s CNIC, front and back, or a passport for a foreign national
- a bank account maintenance certificate for an account in the name of the business or the owner, no more than three months old
- a taxpayer registration certificate, which the page describes as the NTN certificate issued by FBR
We counted the business types on that page. There are six: sole proprietors, companies, partnerships, limited liability partnerships, NGOs and trusts, and government bodies. Every one of the six lists a taxpayer registration certificate. There is no route on that list that skips the NTN.
Is your CNIC your NTN?
For an individual, yes, once you are registered. FBR’s page on taxpayer registration basics says an individual counts as registered when they are e-enrolled on the Iris portal, and that for individuals the 13-digit CNIC is used as the NTN. Companies and associations of persons get a separate 7-digit NTN after e-enrolment.
Having a CNIC is not the same as being registered. Until you e-enrol on Iris, FBR has no taxpayer record for you, and you have no certificate to give a gateway.
How do you get an NTN as an individual?
FBR’s page on the registration process says online registration is available only for individuals. Companies and associations of persons register at a facilitation counter in a tax office. For online registration, FBR says you need:
- a computer, a scanner and an internet connection
- a mobile phone with a SIM registered against your own CNIC
- a personal email address that belongs to you
- a scanned PDF of a bank account maintenance certificate for a personal account in your own name
- if you have a business, scanned proof that you rent or own the business premises, and a paid utility bill for those premises no older than three months
FBR’s list of details to have ready also includes your nationality, residential address and accounting period. With business income, add the business name, business address and main business activity. Online registration starts on FBR’s Iris portal.
Iris is also where you file income tax returns once you are registered. FBR’s basics page says Iris is the only way to file an income tax return online. If you are unsure what registering means for your tax filing, talk to a tax adviser before you start.
Do you need a registered company?
No. PayFast’s sign-up form lists “Individual” and “Sole Proprietorship” as business types. Safepay’s document list has a group for sole proprietors, registered or not, small businesses and freelancers. Safepay’s list for sole proprietors asks for no SECP papers at all.
A company does change the paperwork. Safepay asks a private or public limited company for its certificate of incorporation, the SECP forms, the CNICs of all directors and shareholders, and the company’s own NTN certificate. If you already run your shop as a company, apply as the company, because the bank account and NTN must match it.
Whose name must the bank account be in?
Safepay’s article on which bank account to link says a sole proprietor links an account in the sole proprietor’s name, a partnership an account in the partnership’s name, and a company an account in the company’s name. The gateway pays your sales into that account after deducting its charges.
That article also asks for a bank account maintenance certificate, and the same certificate appears on FBR’s list for online registration. You can ask your branch for it. Safepay’s article asks for one issued within the four weeks before you submit, while its document list allows three months. Get a fresh one so it meets both, and ask the bank for a printed copy and a soft copy.
PayFast does not publish whose name the account must be in. Ask during onboarding, before you open a new account just for the gateway.
What else does a gateway check before it approves you?
The NTN is only one part. Safepay’s article on its onboarding criteria lists these checks:
- prescreening
- identity verification and KYC
- a merchant history check, including past orders and deliveries
- an analysis of the business and how it operates
- an analysis of your website content
Safepay’s onboarding form also asks how you deliver your goods and handle returns, where your customers are, and how many transactions you expect and at what sizes. It says it expects to see courier receipts as proof of delivery for earlier orders.
The website check is the one you control today. Before you apply, make sure your store has:
- real products with prices in rupees
- a refund and return policy, terms of service and a privacy policy
- delivery times and charges
- a working contact address and phone number
- an https address with no “Not secure” warning
Safepay’s step-by-step guide adds one more point for people with more than one shop. Each website needs its own Safepay account and its own KYC application, even after one site is approved.
What can you sell with while you wait for the NTN?
You do not have to keep the store closed. WooCommerce has cash on delivery and direct bank transfer built in, and neither needs a gateway or an NTN. Our guide to setting up cash on delivery in WooCommerce covers the settings, and the wider guide on accepting online payments on WooCommerce in Pakistan compares every option.
You can also build the card checkout before approval. Safepay’s step-by-step guide says you can test in sandbox mode, where no real money moves, before your documents are approved. Once your gateway account is live, our guide to setting up PayFast on a WooCommerce store takes you through the plugin.
Two things this guide does not cover. JazzCash and Easypaisa run their own merchant programmes, and we could not confirm their requirements on their sites. Ask them directly, and see our guide to accepting online payments on WooCommerce. Some banks also offer payment gateways, so ask your own bank too.
A gateway also needs your hosting to do its part. Your site must be on https, and the gateway’s server must be able to reach your store to report each payment. The WooCommerce hosting page explains how our plans handle that.
In what order should you do the paperwork?
This order avoids doing anything twice:
- Decide whether you sell as an individual or through a company. The NTN, the bank account and the gateway account all follow that choice.
- Get a bank account maintenance certificate for an account in that name.
- E-enrol on Iris as an individual, or register the company at a tax office.
- Finish the store’s policy pages, contact details and https.
- Apply to the gateway with your CNIC, the NTN certificate and the bank certificate.
- Sell with cash on delivery and bank transfer until the gateway approves you.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a payment gateway in Pakistan without an NTN?
Not from PayFast or Safepay. PayFast’s FAQ says an NTN is mandatory for all merchants, including individuals. Safepay’s document list asks every business type, sole proprietors and freelancers included, for an FBR NTN certificate.
Is my CNIC number my NTN?
Yes, once you register. FBR says that for individuals the 13-digit CNIC is used as the NTN, and an individual counts as registered after e-enrolling on the Iris portal.
Do I need to register a company to get a payment gateway?
No. PayFast’s sign-up form lists Individual and Sole Proprietorship as business types, and Safepay has a document list for sole proprietors and freelancers. You need an NTN, a CNIC and a bank account in the right name.
How long does PayFast take to approve a merchant?
PayFast’s FAQ says onboarding takes three to four working days, including the KYC check. That starts once you have submitted your details, so register with FBR first.
Can I register for an NTN online?
Yes, as an individual. FBR’s registration page says online registration through Iris is available only for individuals. Companies and associations of persons register at a facilitation counter in a tax office.
