Nepal

At a glanceRequirements at a glance

Company Registration Required

Yes. Registration with the Office of Company Registrar (OCR) under the Companies Act 2063, local Ward registration, and PAN tax registration (mandatory from day one) are all required.

Transport Operator License Required

Yes

Yes, where the mover operates its own vehicles. DOTM issues the Transport Operator License authorizing commercial vehicle operation for goods transport, distinct from a logistics/freight-forwarder authorization (which covers third-party warehousing and freight brokerage activities). Where a mover hires another company to do the driving (a subcontracted carrier), the carrier’s own licence covers the transport it performs, and the mover should use carriers that hold the licences that transport requires.

Vehicle Route Permits Required

Yes, where the mover operates its own vehicles. Each vehicle needs its own route permit, applied for at the local TMO or DOTM with a route map, vehicle details, and supporting documents; valuable/high-demand routes may involve competitive allocation under DOTM guidance.

Commercial Vehicle Registration Required

Yes, where the mover operates its own vehicles. Vehicles used for hire-and-reward goods transport must be registered under the commercial (yellow-plate) category, distinct from private (white-plate) or tourist (green-plate) vehicles; private vehicles cannot legally be used for commercial hire.

Licence Fee and Validity

Approximately NPR 25,000 for a transport operator license, valid for 5 years (figure confirmed for a closely related vehicle-operator licensing category; confirm the exact current fee for goods transport specifically).

VAT Registration

Mandatory above NPR 30 lakh (3 million) annual taxable turnover, administered by the Inland Revenue Department (IRD); voluntary registration is available below this threshold to claim input VAT credits.

Foreign Ownership

Generally requires a locally registered entity. Foreign investors typically operate transport services through a locally registered Nepali entity rather than directly; sectoral restrictions or additional approvals may apply.

Consumer Protection

Yes. The Consumer Protection Act 2075 (2018) is Nepal’s general consumer protection statute, administered by the Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection (DoCSCP), under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies.

Consumer Complaint Resources (For Movers Not Vetted as ITMs)

Yes, including a dedicated judicial body. Consumers can file complaints (written, oral, or electronic) with DoCSCP or local district-level consumer protection committees, with mediation services available for amicable resolution. If mediation fails, a dedicated Consumer Court, currently operating in Kathmandu, can order remedies including refunds, repairs, or replacement, distinct from Nepal’s ordinary court system.

Industry Association

None dedicated. No dedicated Nepal moving-industry trade association was identified in this research. The Nepal Tourist Vehicle Association (NTVA) is a real, established body, but specific to tourist vehicles rather than household moving.

OverviewOverview & Scope

Nepal separates general business registration (OCR, Ward, PAN) from transport-specific licensing, which runs through DOTM and local TMOs under the Motor Vehicles and Transport Management Act 2049. A moving company that operates its own vehicles needs a Transport Operator License plus a route permit for each vehicle, with vehicles registered under the commercial (yellow-plate) category rather than the private or tourist categories. Where a mover subcontracts road transport, the carrier’s own licence, permits and registration cover the transport it performs, and the mover should use carriers that hold them. Some provinces (for example Bagmati and Gandaki) have their own procedures for certain vehicle categories, so check provincial procedures where they apply.

Foreign investors typically need to operate through a locally registered entity. On the consumer side, Nepal’s Consumer Protection Act is backed by a genuinely multi-layered system: district-level committees, mediation services, and a dedicated Consumer Court currently operating in Kathmandu, distinct from Nepal’s regular judiciary. There is no dedicated Nepal moving-industry trade association.

RegistrationRegistration & Compliance Essentials

Company licensing

1. Register the company with the OCR, local Ward office, and for PAN.
2. Register for VAT if annual taxable turnover exceeds NPR 30 lakh.
3. Where the mover operates its own vehicles, obtain a Transport Operator License from DOTM.

Vehicles and drivers (where the mover operates its own vehicles)

4. Obtain a route permit for each commercial vehicle, with route map and vehicle details submitted to the local TMO or DOTM.
5. Register vehicles under the commercial (yellow-plate) category.

Subcontracted transport

6. Where transport is subcontracted, use carriers that hold the licences required for the transport they perform.

Customer practices

7. Ensure consumer-facing practices comply with the Consumer Protection Act 2075.

ChecklistCompliance checklist

Company licensing

• OCR company registration, Ward registration and PAN registrationVerified by DocumentRequired
• VAT registration with the IRDWhere applicable (annual taxable turnover above NPR 30 lakh)Verified by DocumentRequired
• Transport Operator License held from DOTMWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles)Verified by DocumentRequired

Subcontracted transport

• Where transport is subcontracted, the mover uses carriers that hold the licences required for the transport they performWhere applicableVerified by AffirmationRequired

Vehicles and drivers (where the mover operates its own vehicles)

• Route permit held for each commercial vehicleWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles)Verified by DocumentRequired
• Vehicles registered under the commercial (yellow-plate) categoryWhere applicable (mover operates its own vehicles)Verified by DocumentRequired

Customer practices

• Consumer-facing practices comply with the Consumer Protection Act 2075Verified by AffirmationRequired