# PEC registration for construction firms: categories, fees and how to apply

URL: https://which.pk/business/guides/pec-registration/
Author: Ahtisham
Updated: 18 Oct 2026

## Summary

Construction firms register with the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) online on its Constructor Operator portal. A firm owned by a non-engineer can start only in category C-6, for projects up to Rs 25 million, for a fee of Rs 15,000. A firm at least 51% owned by engineers can start in C-5, C-4 or C-3 (up to Rs 500 million), depending on the engineers' experience. PEC's bye-laws say engineering works above Rs 4 million need a PEC-licensed contractor. Processing takes about 15 days.

## Key facts

- C-6 fee: Rs 15,000
- C-6 limit: Projects up to Rs 25m
- Processing: About 15 days
- Apply at: coportal.pec.org.pk

PEC registration is the licence a construction firm gets from the Pakistan Engineering Council to build engineering works. You apply online on PEC's **Constructor Operator portal** (coportal.pec.org.pk). A firm owned by a non-engineer can start only in **category C-6**, for projects up to **Rs 25 million**, for a fee of **Rs 15,000**. A firm at least 51% owned by engineers can start as high as C-3. PEC says processing takes about **15 days**.

**Smallest licence: C-6:** Rs 15,000 (For projects up to Rs 25 million, with one Registered Engineer and 5 professional credit points. Fee table in effect since 1 Jan 2017, still shown on PEC's site in January 2026.)

## Do I need PEC registration?

Yes, if you build engineering works worth more than Rs 4 million. PEC's Construction and Operation of Engineering Works Bye-laws, 1987 say **no engineering work shall be built except by a constructor licensed by the Council**. The bye-laws don't apply to works worth less than **Rs 4 million**.

PEC licenses two kinds of firm: **constructors** (C categories), who build projects, and **operators** (O categories), who run engineering projects on a continuing basis. Working without a licence of the right category, or beyond your category's limit, can bring a fine of **three times the fee** for that category, under PEC's Registration Policy.

A licence doesn't guarantee you a contract. The bye-laws let clients add their own conditions, such as financial soundness, equipment and past experience.

## What are the PEC categories and fees?

Each category caps the size of project you can take, and needs a minimum number of engineers and professional credit points (PCPs; PEC has a PCP calculator at pcpcalculator.pec.org.pk). PEC's fee table, in effect since 1 January 2017:

| Category | Project cost limit | Engineers needed | PCPs | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C-6 | Up to Rs 25 million | One RE | 5 | Rs 15,000 |
| C-5 | Up to Rs 65 million | One RE | 5 | Rs 30,000 |
| C-4 | Up to Rs 200 million | 50% REs | 15 | Rs 45,000 |
| C-3 | Up to Rs 500 million | 50% REs | 20 | Rs 75,000 |
| C-2 | Up to Rs 1,000 million | One PE + REs | 35 | Rs 125,000 |
| C-1 | Up to Rs 2,500 million | Two PEs (10 years each) + REs | 90 | Rs 150,000 |
| C-B | Up to Rs 4,000 million | Two PEs (15 years each) + REs | 120 | Rs 250,000 |
| C-A | No limit | Two PEs (20 years each) + REs | 200 | Rs 400,000 |

An RE is a Registered Engineer and a PE a Professional Engineer, both registered with PEC. Firms in C-2 and above must also employ trainee engineers. Operator categories O-6 to O-A have lower project limits (O-6 up to Rs 20 million, O-A no limit) and the same fees.

Half of the fee is a scrutiny fee: if PEC rejects your application, it refunds half. A firm that isn't engineer-owned and registers new in C-3 or above pays **three times** the fee, for example **Rs 225,000** for C-3. Moving up later costs the new category's fee for one step, twice it for two steps, and three times for three or more.

## Which category can my firm start in?

It depends on who owns the firm:

- **Non-engineer owner:** C-6 only, PEC's portal FAQ says. You need the Rs 15,000 fee, the required PCPs (one Registered Engineer on staff), and an NTN in the name of the owner or firm.
- **Engineer-owned firm** (engineers hold at least **51%** of shares, and one is Chairman, CEO, Managing Director or Managing Partner):
  - **C-5:** no experience required
  - **C-4:** each engineer has over 5 years' experience
  - **C-3:** each engineer has over 10 years' experience
  - **C-2:** each engineer has over 20 years' experience

Engineer-owned firms up to C-3 get a relaxed PCP requirement and pay the single category fee. A new engineer-owned firm in C-3 or C-2 must show SECP registration (see [how to register a company with SECP](/business/guides/how-to-register-a-company-in-pakistan/)).

Since February 2022, PEC no longer registers or upgrades firms on the basis of net worth. Upgrades are based on work done: projects from the last three years, at least 60% complete, worth at least 70% of your current category's limit for a one-step upgrade.

## What documents do I need for PEC registration?

The bye-laws list these for a new licence:

- CNIC copies of the owner, partners or shareholders
- the fee voucher for your online bank deposit
- a bank statement for the last year, or accounts verified by a chartered accountant, or audited statements
- for each engineer: appointment letter, signed CV, PEC card, proof of salary payments and NTN
- an affidavit on Rs 100 stamp paper listing works in progress or completed
- a list of machinery and equipment the firm owns
- an organisation chart
- your ownership papers: a sole proprietor's affidavit, a partnership deed with Form C, D or H, or a company's incorporation certificate, memorandum and articles, Form 29 and Form A
- the firm's NTN (see [how to get an NTN](/business/guides/how-to-get-ntn/))

If you haven't set up the business yet, see [how to register a sole proprietorship](/business/guides/how-to-register-sole-proprietorship/) or [partnership firm registration in Punjab](/business/guides/partnership-firm-registration-punjab/).

## How do I apply for PEC registration online?

1. **Check your firm's name.** Use the name availability check on coportal.pec.org.pk. If another firm has the name, change yours.
2. **Sign up on the portal.** Create an account and click the activation link emailed from noreply@pec.org.pk (check your spam folder).
3. **Add your engineers.** Each engineer gets an employment offer by SMS and email and must accept it. They then get a PEC Attachment Code (PAC) by SMS from 8138, valid for 5 days, and do biometric verification at a NADRA e-Sahulat centre, which charges **Rs 160**.
4. **Upload documents.** Scan them as JPG or PDF, ideally around 600 KB and no more than 2 MB each.
5. **Pay the fee.** The portal generates a fee challan. PEC's fee page says you can pay at any online MCB branch; the payment is verified through the bank link.
6. **Do your own biometric check.** The owner, leading partner or CEO must give biometrics at a PEC office for a new registration.
7. **Get your licence.** A PEC committee at the regional office decides C-6 to C-3 cases, meeting on Tuesdays and Fridays. The licence comes by courier.

PEC says the average processing time is **15 days** if your documents are complete. To track your application, sign in to the portal: the status is on your dashboard.

## How do I check a firm's PEC licence?

Go to **verification.pec.org.pk** and enter the firm's category and licence number. This is worth doing before you hire a contractor or subcontract work, because the bye-laws hold clients to the rules too.

## When does a PEC licence expire?

Licences run to **30 June**, and you can renew for one to three years at a time, paying the fee for each year. Multi-year renewals need biometric checks of engineers and owners every 1 July.

PEC often extends the deadline. In 2026, the validity of all constructor, operator and consulting licences was first extended to 31 August, and a notification of 28 August extended it again to **30 September 2026**. We found no later extension as of 18 October 2026.

**We read PEC's site through archive copies:** PEC's main website blocked our requests on 18 October 2026. We read the bye-laws, the Registration Policy, the 2026 notification and the portal FAQ directly, and the fee and procedure pages from Internet Archive copies of January 2026. Use PEC's fee calculator on the portal to confirm your fee before paying.

If you're setting up to bid with heavy equipment, see our guides to [importing construction machinery from Japan](/business/guides/import-construction-machinery-japan/), [customs duty on construction machinery](/business/guides/customs-duty-construction-machinery/) and [buying used machinery](/business/guides/buy-used-construction-machinery/).

**More guides:** [Company Setup](/business/company-setup/) · [Business structures in Pakistan](/business/guides/business-structures-pakistan/) · [Sales tax registration](/business/guides/sales-tax-registration/)

## Questions people ask

### What is the PEC registration fee for a contractor?

From Rs 15,000 for C-6 to Rs 400,000 for C-A, per PEC's fee table in effect since 1 Jan 2017. A firm that isn't engineer-owned and registers new in C-3 or above pays three times the fee.

### Which PEC category can a new firm get?

A non-engineer owner can register only in C-6, for projects up to Rs 25 million. A firm at least 51% owned by engineers can start in C-5, C-4 or C-3, depending on the engineers' experience.

### How do I check my PEC registration status?

Sign in to the Constructor Operator portal at coportal.pec.org.pk: your application status is on the dashboard. Anyone can check a licensed firm at verification.pec.org.pk with its category and licence number.

### How long does PEC firm registration take?

PEC says about 15 days on average if your documents are complete.

### Do I need PEC registration for a small job?

PEC's bye-laws don't apply to engineering works worth less than Rs 4 million. Above that, a work must be built by a PEC-licensed constructor, and the client can set extra conditions of its own.

## Sources

- [Construction and Operation of Engineering Works Bye-laws, 1987 (amended up to 26 Jul 2023)](https://www.pec.org.pk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/PEC-Eng_Works_BYELAWS-1987-AMENDED-VERSION-2023.pdf), Pakistan Engineering Council (accessed 18 Oct 2026)
- [Pakistani Firms Fee Structure (Internet Archive copy of 16 Jan 2026)](https://web.archive.org/web/20260116064600/https://www.pec.org.pk/firm-registration/pakistani-constructor-operator-firms/pakistani-firms-fee/), Pakistan Engineering Council (accessed 18 Oct 2026)
- [Registration Policy 2017: guidelines for constructors/operators licence (amended up to 28 Jun 2024)](https://www.pec.org.pk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Updated-Registration-Policy-July-30-2024.pdf), Pakistan Engineering Council (accessed 18 Oct 2026)
- [Constructor Operator Registration Portal: FAQs](https://coportal.pec.org.pk/Miscellaneous/FAQs), Pakistan Engineering Council (accessed 18 Oct 2026)
- [Notification PEC/CILD/Ext./07/2026: licence validity extended to 30 Sep 2026 (28 Aug 2026)](https://www.pec.org.pk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/extension-of-validity-till-30-sept-2026.pdf), Pakistan Engineering Council (accessed 18 Oct 2026)
- [Extension for Constructors/Operators & Consulting, 2025 (Internet Archive copy)](https://web.archive.org/web/20250809184825/https://www.pec.org.pk/extension-for-constructors-operators-consulting/), Pakistan Engineering Council (accessed 18 Oct 2026)
- [Registration procedure for local firms (Internet Archive copy of 16 Jan 2026)](https://web.archive.org/web/20260116061111/https://www.pec.org.pk/firm-registration/registration-procedure/), Pakistan Engineering Council (accessed 18 Oct 2026)