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

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.

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:

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).

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)

If you haven’t set up the business yet, see how to register a sole proprietorship or partnership firm registration in Punjab.

How do I apply for PEC registration online?

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.

If you’re setting up to bid with heavy equipment, see our guides to importing construction machinery from Japan, customs duty on construction machinery and buying used machinery.

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