Payment guide · Updated October 2026
How to Pay E-Challan Online in Punjab with a PSID
You can pay e-challan online in about ten minutes without visiting a bank or traffic office. First, you generate a 17-digit PSID for the challan in ePay Punjab. Then you pay that PSID in your bank app, at an ATM, or with JazzCash or Easypaisa.
The first two cards open official government services: ePay Punjab, run by the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB), and the PSCA e-challan portal. We are an independent guide, so we never collect payments or ask for your CNIC.
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- 01What is a PSID and why you need one
- 02Before you pay e-challan online: three quick checks
- 03How to pay e-challan online in ePay Punjab, step by step
- 04Ways to complete your e-challan payment
- 05After your e-challan payment: when it clears
- 06Why paying on time matters more in 2026
- 07Problems when you pay e-challan online, and fixes
- 08Paying several challans or for a sold vehicle
- 09Frequently asked questions
- 10Pay e-challan online the safe way
- 11Related guides
What is a PSID and why you need one
A PSID (Payment Slip ID) is a 17-digit number that ePay Punjab creates for one specific payment to the Punjab government. When you pay the PSID, the money goes straight into the government account for that challan. That is why a PSID is the only safe way to pay e-challan online.
Each PSID also carries an expiry date. If it lapses before you pay, simply generate a new one; the old number will not work. In addition, a PSID is tied to the challan you selected, so a PSID made for someone else's ticket will never clear yours.
Never pay through a link in an SMS
PSCA sends genuine e-challan messages only from the short code 9915, and they contain no payment link. Messages that push you to pay through a link, or to send money to a mobile number, are scams. Always generate the PSID yourself in ePay Punjab.
Before you pay e-challan online: three quick checks
A few seconds of checking can save you from paying the wrong ticket, or paying twice. So start on the official portal rather than in a payment app.
Check these first
- The challan appears on echallan.psca.gop.pk for your vehicle number
- Its camera photo shows your vehicle: the plate, make and colour all match
- Date, time and place make sense for where the vehicle was
If anything looks wrong, do not pay yet. Instead, request a review first, as our guide on how to cancel a wrong e-challan explains. A challan is far simpler to dispute before you pay it. For a full walk-through of the search itself, see our e-challan check online guide.
How to pay e-challan online in ePay Punjab, step by step
ePay Punjab is the Punjab government's official payment app and website. It handles token tax, property tax and other government dues, as well as Punjab Police traffic challans. You need a free account, which you register with your name, mobile number, email address and CNIC.
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Install and sign in
Download ePay Punjab from Google Play or the App Store (developer: Punjab Information Technology Board), or open epay.punjab.gov.pk. Then sign in with the one-time password sent to your phone and email.
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Choose the e-challan service
Open the list of departments, choose Punjab Police, and then pick the e-challan (Safe City) service. The wording can change slightly between app updates.
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Enter the vehicle details
Type the registration number, along with the CNIC or chassis number if the app asks for it. Next, search to load the unpaid challans for that vehicle.
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Select and generate
Tick the challan or challans you want to pay, then tap Generate. As a result, the app shows a 17-digit PSID, the amount and the expiry date.
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Pay and save the proof
Pay the PSID through any channel in the next section. Finally, screenshot the PSID and keep the transaction ID from your bank or wallet.
Ways to complete your e-challan payment
Once you have the PSID, you can choose whichever channel suits you. All of them send the money to the same government account, so the choice is about convenience.
| Channel | Where to find it | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile or internet banking | Bill payments → government payments or PSID (wording varies by bank) | Fastest for most people; works from abroad with a Pakistani account |
| ATM | Bill payment menu at an ATM on the 1Link network | Keep the printed slip |
| Bank branch | Over the counter at a 1Link member bank | Take the PSID written down or on your phone |
| JazzCash | Traffic challan or government payments, then PSCA | Enter the PSID or the vehicle number when asked |
| Easypaisa | Bill payments → government fees or taxes | Check the amount matches the PSID before you confirm |
For example, a family member in Lahore can pay a challan for a car registered in your name, because the PSID identifies the challan, not the payer. Similarly, overseas Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia or the UAE can pay e-challan online from a Pakistani bank app.
After your e-challan payment: when it clears
Most payments update on the e-challan portal within 24 to 48 hours. Until then, the challan may still show as unpaid, which is normal and does not mean the payment failed.
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Wait two working days
Then search the vehicle again on echallan.psca.gop.pk. The challan should now be marked paid or disappear from the unpaid list.
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Contact your bank or wallet
If it still shows as unpaid, give them the PSID and transaction ID and ask them to confirm the payment reached the government account.
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Keep the records
Store the PSID, the receipt and a screenshot of the cleared record. You may need them at a roadside check or when you sell the vehicle.
Why paying on time matters more in 2026
Unpaid e-challans used to sit quietly on the record. However, enforcement has tightened. Since 1 July 2026, Punjab Traffic Police have checked pending e-challans at roadside pickets, and vehicles with unpaid dues may be impounded.
Earlier, in October 2025, Lahore traffic police and PSCA blacklisted more than 2,500 vehicles with long lists of unpaid challans. In addition, serious offences now add penalty points to the driver's licence. So it pays to clear each challan soon after your e-challan check, rather than letting them pile up. Our e-challan fines guide lists the current amounts and points.
Problems when you pay e-challan online, and fixes
| Problem | Likely reason | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| “PSID expired” | The PSID passed its expiry date | Generate a new PSID in ePay Punjab and pay that one |
| “Invalid PSID” in the bank app | A digit is missing or the wrong menu was used | Copy all 17 digits again and use the government payments or PSID option |
| No challan found in ePay Punjab | Different vehicle format, or the challan is very new | Check the number on the PSCA portal; new challans can take one to three days to appear |
| Paid, but still unpaid on the portal | The update has not synced yet | Wait 48 hours, then contact your bank with the transaction ID |
| Money deducted twice | The payment was repeated | Ask your bank or wallet for a reversal with both transaction IDs |
If the problem is with the challan itself rather than the payment, contact PSCA through the review option on the portal. Our contact page also explains which official service handles which kind of request.
Paying several challans or for a sold vehicle
Owners with more than one vehicle need to search and pay each vehicle separately, because e-challans are linked to the registration number. On the other hand, several challans on the same vehicle can usually be selected together before you generate the PSID.
If you sold a vehicle but the transfer was never completed, new challans still go to you as the registered owner. Ask the buyer to complete the transfer at the Excise and Taxation office, and check the record on MTMIS Punjab afterwards.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pay e-challan online without ePay Punjab?
You still need a PSID, and ePay Punjab is where it is created. Some wallets, such as JazzCash, can find the challan from the vehicle number, but they still pay it through the same government PSID system.
Is there a fee to pay an e-challan online?
ePay Punjab does not charge you to generate a PSID. Your bank or wallet may apply its own charges for some transfers, so check the final amount before you confirm.
How long is a PSID valid?
Every PSID shows its own expiry date when you generate it. If you miss it, generate a fresh PSID; there is no penalty for doing so.
Can I pay an e-challan with a debit card?
Yes, indirectly. Use the card at an ATM on the 1Link network, or pay through your bank's app linked to the same account.
Can someone else pay my e-challan?
Yes. Anyone with the PSID can pay it, so a relative or friend can settle the challan for you. Ask them to send you the receipt.
Does the e-challan SMS have a payment link?
No. Genuine PSCA messages come from 9915 and have no link. Treat any challan message with a link as a scam and report it.
What happens if I do not pay the e-challan?
The challan stays on the vehicle record. Since July 2026, traffic police check pending challans at roadside pickets, and vehicles with unpaid dues may be impounded until you clear them.
Should I pay a challan I think is wrong?
No. Request a review on the official portal first. If PSCA finds the challan was wrong, it is cancelled and you have nothing to pay.
Pay e-challan online the safe way
In short, check the challan on the PSCA portal, generate your own PSID in ePay Punjab and pay it through a channel you trust. Then keep the receipt until the record clears. Following these steps, you can pay e-challan online safely in about ten minutes, and you will never fall for a payment-link scam.