If you don’t have an NTN or CNIC registered with FBR yet, IRIS lets you self-register before you can log in and file anything. This is the registration wizard – separate from actually logging in and filing your first return – and it also covers the fuller registration profile (property, business, bank account details) you’ll complete once you’re in.
For the full return walkthrough once you’re registered, see our step-by-step guide to filing your income tax return online.
Step 1: Self-Register for a New CNIC-Based Login
On the IRIS login screen, choose “Registration for Unregistered Person.” You’ll be asked for:
- Your CNIC (13 digits, no dashes needed)
- A Prefix (Mr./Mrs./Ms., etc.), First Name, Middle Name, and Last Name
- Your Cell No. and a confirmation of the same number – IRIS notes this must be “Registered on your CNIC” against your mobile SIM
- Your Email and a confirmation of the same address
Click Submit, and IRIS sends an SMS Code and an Email Code to verify both. Enter both codes and click Submit again – use the Resend button if a code doesn’t arrive within about 5 minutes.
Step 2: Complete Your Registration Profile
Once verified, IRIS creates your login and drops a “181 (Form of Registration filed voluntarily)” into your Draft folder under Registration. Open it and click Edit to start filling in your actual profile – Personal details and Accounting Period first, then the four sections below.
Step 3: Add Your Property
Under the Property tab, click “+ Property” and provide:
- Type and Form of the property, plus Address 1/2/3, Union Council, Tehsil, District, and Province (searchable by Union Council)
- Covered Area, Land Area, and Measurement Unit
- Acquisition Date, your Capacity (owner, co-owner, etc.), and % Share
- Owner CNIC if the property is jointly owned
Click OK to save the property, then use “+” under Utility Connections to add any electricity, gas, or similar connection tied to it – Type, Form, Reference/Consumer Number, Provider, and Connection Date.
Step 4: Add Your Business
Switch to the Business tab and click “+ Business.” Enter the Business Name, Type, Form, Accounting System/Method, Acquisition Date, Capacity, and % Share.
Under Business Activities, click “+ Business Activity” and use Search to find your Principal Activity – IRIS organizes these hierarchically by Section, Division, Group, Class, and Sub-Class, so search by keyword and click Select on the closest match rather than trying to browse the full list. Add a Start Date and click OK.
If the business operates from a property you already declared, use “Link Property” from the Business list to connect the two instead of re-entering the address.
Step 5: Add Your Bank Account
Under the Bank Account tab, click “+ Bank Account” and provide the Account/Instrument Type, Account Number or IBAN, Institution (searchable), Currency, Opening/Acquisition Date, your Capacity, and % Share if it’s a joint account.
Step 6: Link Related Persons (If Applicable)
Under Links, click “+ Link Person” if you need to record a relationship to another registered person – a spouse, business partner, or dependent, for example. Search for them by name, set your Capacity and % Share if relevant, and add a Start Date.
Step 7: Submit
Once every section that applies to you is filled in, click Save to keep working on it later, or Submit to finalize your registration. You can Print a copy of the submitted form for your records.
Common Mistakes We See With IRIS Registration
- Using a mobile number not registered on the applicant’s own CNIC. IRIS explicitly checks this during self-registration – a number registered to someone else’s SIM will fail verification.
- Skipping the Business Activity search and guessing a category. The activity list is large and hierarchical; searching by keyword and picking the closest real match matters for how your income gets categorized later.
- Not linking a business to its property. Re-entering the same address as a separate, unlinked record creates duplicate data instead of a clean profile.
- Forgetting to add % Share on jointly owned assets. This affects how income and wealth get apportioned in your return later, not just the registration form itself.
FAQ
Do I need to register separately for income tax and sales tax?
No – your core CNIC-based registration in IRIS covers income tax. Sales tax registration is a separate, additional step you only need if your business meets the sales tax registration threshold or you choose to register voluntarily.
What if I don’t own any property, business, or bank account yet?
You can still complete registration with just your Personal details filled in. Add the Property, Business, and Bank Account sections later, whenever they become relevant – you don’t need everything on day one.
Can I edit my registration after submitting it?
Yes. Log back in, go to Registration, and update the relevant section – IRIS treats this as an ongoing profile you keep current, not a one-time form.
