Real estate agents in Lahore are not licensed by a provincial regulator, but since January 2022 FBR has required agents to register as Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs) under the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2010 before development authorities and societies may deal with them.
A real estate agent (property dealer) in Lahore finds buyers or tenants, arranges viewings, negotiates price and helps with the paperwork at the society office or sub-registrar. Punjab has no real estate regulatory authority licensing agents, so the checks that matter are FBR's anti-money laundering registration, the agent's track record and the documents they put in front of you.
What agents do in Lahore
Most Lahore agents work from an office inside or next to a society: DHA, Bahria Town, Johar Town, Wapda Town, Model Town and the like. Their value is local knowledge: which blocks have possession, which streets flood, which files are clear.
A typical sale involves:
- Listing and pricing the property with the owner.
- Showing it to buyers and taking a token (bayana) once terms are agreed.
- Arranging verification: fard or society record, NOC, dues clearance.
- Coordinating transfer at the society or registry, and payment of taxes.
For rentals, the agent drafts the rent agreement and, by law, may be the person who reports the tenant to police (see below).
Registration and regulation
| Body | Role for agents | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| FBR | Registers agents as DNFBPs under the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2010 | Ask for the FBR DNFBP registration certificate |
| Development authorities and societies | Barred from dealing with unregistered agents on transfers | Ask the society transfer office if the agent is on its list |
| Punjab Police | Tenant registration under the 2015 temporary residence law | Agent should help register the tenant |
| RERA | Exists only in Islamabad | Not applicable in Lahore |
Profit reported in November 2021 that agents, builders and developers had to obtain FBR registration before 1 January 2022. Development authorities, housing authorities and cooperative societies may not deal with an agent for transfer or registration unless the agent is registered as a DNFBP.
The Islamabad Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act 2020 created RERA and agent registration, but ProPakistani notes its authority extends only to the Islamabad Capital Territory.
Agents and rentals: the police registration duty
Under the Punjab Information of Temporary Residence Act 2015, property dealers and landlords must report tenants to police within fifteen days of possession, according to a LUMS law school summary. Penalties include up to six months' imprisonment and fines of Rs10,000 to Rs100,000.
Lahore Police says the owner, tenant or dealer can register at the police station or a Police Khidmat Markaz. It is free and needs both CNICs, the rent agreement, an affidavit and the tenant's photo.
Commission and costs
No official commission scale for Lahore agents appears in the sources we checked. Commission is agreed between the parties, so put the rate, who pays it and when it is due in writing before any viewing.
Taxes are separate from commission. For tax year 2027, FBR's withholding tax card sets section 236K (buyer) at 1.25% for filers and section 236C (seller) at 2.75% for filers. Non-filers pay far more: 11.5% under 236C and 10.5–18.5% under 236K. Punjab stamp duty is now a uniform 1%, The News reported in April 2026. An agent who quotes an "all-inclusive" figure should show you this breakdown.
Questions to ask an agent
- Can I see your FBR DNFBP registration certificate?
- How long have you worked in this society, and which blocks?
- Have you personally seen the owner's CNIC and the title documents?
- What exactly is your commission, and is it payable by me, the other side, or both?
- Will the token be paid into the owner's bank account, not yours?
- Will you handle tenant registration with police?
Red flags
- Refuses to share the owner's name or let you meet the owner before the token.
- Asks for the token or full payment in cash or into a personal account.
- Pushes a "file" in a scheme within LDA's jurisdiction. LDA banned property file trading in private schemes from 1 July 2026, moving to QR-coded certificates, ProPakistani reported.
- Promises a fixed monthly return on a property investment. SECP has said company registration does not let anyone promise returns or take deposits.
- Advises understating the price on the deed to "save tax".
Sources
- FBR tightens noose around real estate agents, developers — Profit (Nov 2021) — DNFBP registration, dealing restriction
- RERA: the solution Pakistan's real estate industry needs? — ProPakistani (Mar 2021) — Islamabad-only RERA
- Law on information of temporary residences — SAHSOL, LUMS — 15-day reporting, penalties
- Tenants Registration — Lahore Police — where to register, documents, free
- FBR Withholding Tax Rates Card 2027 — 236C and 236K rates
- Governor signs stamp duty amendment ordinance — The News (Apr 2026) — 1% stamp duty
- LDA announces ban on property file sales — ProPakistani (Jun 2026) — file trading ban, QR certificates
- SECP clarifies it does not regulate real estate investment schemes — The Standard (Feb 2025) — promised-returns warning