Company Registration in Nepal 2026: Complete Guide
Complete Step-by-Step Process, Costs, Documents, and Legal Requirements
Company Registration in Nepal 2026: Complete Step-by-Step Guide
Last reviewed: September 13, 2026
Primary authorities: Office of the Company Registrar (OCR), Inland Revenue Department (IRD), Department of Industry (DOI), Nepal Law Commission
Important: Government procedures, fees, tax thresholds and online systems can change. This guide prioritizes official Nepal government sources. Where an exact processing time or cost is not published as a guaranteed service standard, it is labeled as an estimate rather than a legal requirement.
Quick Answer
To register a company in Nepal, entrepreneurs generally reserve a company name through the Office of the Company Registrar (OCR), prepare the Memorandum of Association (MOA) and Articles of Association (AOA), submit the required information and documents through the OCR's online system, complete OCR review and pay the applicable government fee. After incorporation, the company must complete applicable tax, local and sector-specific registrations and maintain ongoing company and tax compliance.
For current procedures, start with the Office of the Company Registrar (OCR) and its company-registration information page.
What Is Company Registration in Nepal?
Company registration is the legal process of incorporating a company under Nepal's Companies Act, 2063 (2006). The OCR states that a registered company is a separate organized entity capable of acquiring, holding and selling movable and immovable property and conducting business in its own name.
Official sources:
Why Register a Company?
A properly incorporated company can provide:
Legal recognition as a corporate entity
Limited liability protection, subject to the Companies Act
A structure for ownership through shares
The ability to enter contracts and conduct business in the company's name
A basis for opening a corporate bank account
A clearer structure for investment and financing
A formal basis for tax and regulatory compliance
Registration does not by itself give a company permission to conduct every type of business. Some activities require additional licenses, approvals or industry registration.
Types of Companies in Nepal
The Companies Act provides different forms of companies, including private companies, public companies and companies not distributing profits.
Private Limited Company
A private company is commonly used for startups and privately held businesses. The exact shareholder, director, capital and governance requirements should be checked against the current Companies Act and OCR requirements before filing.
The OCR's registration guidance covers both private and public company incorporation.
Public Limited Company
A public company is subject to additional legal requirements and is designed for a structure in which securities may be offered to the public in accordance with applicable law.
Company Not Distributing Profits
A company not distributing profits is formed for objectives where profits are not distributed to members. Its formation and continuing obligations are governed by the Companies Act.
Do not choose a company type solely from a generic online checklist. Confirm the current legal requirements with the Companies Act and OCR before submitting an application.
What Should You Prepare Before Registration?
1. Company Name
Choose a name that can be accepted by the OCR. It should not conflict with an existing company name or otherwise violate applicable restrictions.
Use the official OCR system rather than relying only on third-party company-name websites.
2. Registered Office
Prepare the company's registered-office details and supporting evidence requested by the OCR.
3. Shareholders and Directors
Decide the ownership structure, share allocation and proposed directors before preparing the incorporation documents.
4. Business Objectives
Write business objectives accurately and specifically enough to describe the activities the company intends to undertake. Additional sector approval may still be required for regulated activities.
Documents Required for Company Registration
The exact documents depend on the company type, ownership structure and circumstances. OCR's official registration guidance should be treated as the controlling checklist.
Common incorporation documents/information can include:
Citizenship or identity documents of relevant founders/directors
Memorandum of Association (MOA)
Articles of Association (AOA)
Proposed company objectives
Share and capital information
Registered-office information
Supporting documents requested by OCR
Authorization/Power of Attorney documents where applicable
Official checklist: OCR — Company Registration Information
Do not assume that every company needs exactly the same document set.
Step-by-Step Company Registration Process in Nepal
Step 1: Create Access and Submit the Company Name
The OCR provides online company-registration services. Start through the official OCR system and submit the proposed company name and required preliminary information.
Official portal: OCR Online Company Registration
OCR's current website also identifies CAMIS as the system used for company registration and other company-related services.
Important: A fixed 1–3 working-day approval period should not be presented as a guaranteed government service standard unless OCR publishes that standard. Processing can depend on the application and the workload at the time.
Step 2: Prepare the MOA and AOA
Prepare the:
Memorandum of Association (MOA) — the company's constitutional document containing matters such as its objectives and capital/share structure.
Articles of Association (AOA) — the document governing internal administration and management.
Use the current OCR requirements and templates where applicable.
Step 3: Submit the Incorporation Application
After the name/objectives stage, submit the incorporation information and supporting documents through the OCR online system.
The OCR's current online system provides services for company registration and other company events.
Official CAMIS access: CAMIS / OCR online system
Step 4: OCR Review
OCR reviews the submitted information and documents for compliance.
If corrections or additional information are required, follow the instructions provided through the official system.
Do not treat a generic internet claim such as “OCR always approves within X days” as an official deadline unless the OCR publishes it.
Step 5: Pay the Applicable Government Fee
The company-registration fee depends on the applicable capital and legal fee schedule.
Do not publish an old fee table as a fixed 2026 fee without checking the current OCR schedule. OCR's website publishes current notices and company-registration information, and its FAQ confirms, for example, that the minimum authorized capital for a company registration is currently stated as NPR 100,000 with NPR 1,000 revenue for that minimum level.
Official sources:
Step 6: Receive the Company Registration Certificate
After the incorporation process is completed, OCR provides the company's registration documentation and registration number.
The company then exists as a legally incorporated entity subject to the Companies Act and other applicable laws.
Step 7: Complete Tax Registration
The Inland Revenue Department (IRD) administers tax registration and related tax services.
Use:
Important 2026 update
OCR currently reports an initiative under which PAN can be automatically created by the Inland Revenue Office after company registration through CAMIS. Because this is an evolving government service, readers should check the current OCR/IRD instructions rather than assuming that every company must repeat an old manual PAN-registration workflow.
Official OCR source: OCR — online services and PAN automation notice
Step 8: Determine Whether VAT Registration Applies
VAT is not automatically required for every newly incorporated company.
The IRD currently states that taxpayers carrying out annual taxable transactions above:
NPR 50 lakh for taxable goods, and
NPR 20 lakh for taxable services
are required to register for VAT under the applicable rules.
There can also be compulsory-registration rules for particular activities. Therefore, do not determine VAT liability solely from turnover if the business operates in a specially regulated or compulsory-registration category.
Official source: IRD VAT FAQ — current threshold information
Step 9: Open a Corporate Bank Account
After incorporation and applicable tax registration, the company can approach a licensed bank to open its corporate account.
Banks set their own account-opening requirements. Commonly requested documents may include:
Company Registration Certificate
PAN/tax-registration information
MOA and AOA
Board/director authorization
Identification documents of authorized signatories
Always confirm the current checklist directly with the bank you choose.
Step 10: Complete Local and Sector-Specific Requirements
Company incorporation is not the same as obtaining every business license.
Depending on the activity, you may need additional:
Local government/municipality registration or business permits
Industry registration
Sector regulator approval
Professional or operational licenses
Environmental or other statutory approvals
The exact requirements depend on the business activity and location.
Industry-Specific Licensing
Examples of sectors that may require additional approvals include:
Business activity | Possible authority/regulatory area |
|---|---|
Manufacturing/industrial activity | Department of Industry and applicable regulators |
Foreign-invested industry | Department of Industry / applicable FDI framework |
Banking/financial services | Nepal Rastra Bank and applicable financial laws |
Payment services | Nepal Rastra Bank |
Education | Relevant education authorities |
Tourism/travel | Relevant tourism authorities |
Healthcare | Relevant health authorities |
Telecommunications | Nepal Telecommunications Authority |
Other regulated activities | Relevant sector regulator |
This is an illustrative guide, not a complete licensing list.
Company Registration Fees in Nepal
The fee should be checked against the current OCR fee schedule before publication or budgeting.
Your earlier draft used the following table:
Authorized Capital | Previously stated fee |
|---|---|
Up to NPR 1,00,000 | NPR 1,000 |
NPR 1,00,001–5,00,000 | NPR 4,500 |
NPR 5,00,001–25,00,000 | NPR 9,500 |
NPR 25,00,001–1,00,00,000 | NPR 16,000 |
Above NPR 1,00,00,000 | Further slabs |
Editorial correction: I recommend not labeling this table “Official 2026 Fee Structure” unless the current OCR fee schedule is directly cited for each slab. OCR's current website and legal fee provisions should be the source of truth.
This distinction matters because registration fees, discounts, penalties and administrative arrangements can change through amendments or government notices.
How Long Does Company Registration Take?
There is no safe basis for promising every applicant a fixed 7–15 working-day completion time.
A practical timeframe depends on:
Name approval
Completeness of documents
Whether OCR requests corrections
Payment processing
Applicant responsiveness
Government-system availability
Additional approvals required for regulated activities
Therefore, treat 7–15 working days as a planning estimate only, not an official guaranteed processing time.
Post-Registration Compliance
Registration is only the beginning of the company's legal obligations.
Depending on the company and its activities, ongoing responsibilities can include:
Company compliance
Maintaining statutory records
Maintaining accounting records
Holding meetings required by the Companies Act
Preparing and submitting required company information/annual reports to OCR
Updating OCR when legally required changes occur
Maintaining beneficial-owner information where required
OCR currently publishes notices concerning annual reports, company information and beneficial-owner information.
Official source: OCR Services and Notices
Tax compliance
Depending on tax registration and business activity:
Income-tax compliance
VAT returns where registered
Withholding/TDS obligations where applicable
Maintenance of books and financial records
Other tax filings required by IRD
Official source: Inland Revenue Department
Audit and financial statements
Companies may have statutory accounting, financial statement and audit obligations. The exact requirements depend on the company type and applicable law.
Do not describe every company as having identical audit requirements without checking the Companies Act and applicable accounting/tax rules.
Common Mistakes That Can Delay Registration
Avoid:
Choosing a name that conflicts with an existing company
Submitting incomplete documents
Using inconsistent shareholder/director information
Writing objectives that do not properly describe the intended business
Incorrect capital/share information
Missing required signatures or supporting documentation
Assuming a generic online checklist applies to every company
Using outdated OCR forms or fee tables
Confusing company incorporation with industry or business licensing
Can Foreigners Register a Company in Nepal?
Yes, foreign investment is possible in Nepal, but the process is different from simply incorporating a domestic company.
The Department of Industry states that foreign investment is regulated under the Foreign Investment and Technology Transfer Act (FITTA), 2019 and the Industrial Enterprises Act, 2020.
The DOI's foreign-investment guidance describes the broad sequence as:
FDI approval/application where required
Company incorporation
Tax registration
Industry registration
Official DOI source: Foreign Investment in Nepal — DOI
Automatic Route
Nepal has also introduced an Automatic Route for eligible foreign investments and sectors. The exact sectors, conditions and limits must be checked against the current DOI notices and Gazette publications.
Official DOI sources:
Because foreign-investment rules can change, avoid publishing a blanket statement that every foreign investor must follow the same approval route.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can one person register a company in Nepal?
Yes. Nepal's company law permits incorporation of a private company with a single shareholder, subject to the applicable Companies Act requirements.
Always check the current OCR process and documentation before filing.
Is company registration available online?
Yes. OCR operates an online system for company registration and other company-related services.
Official: OCR Online Company Registration
Is VAT mandatory for every company?
No. VAT registration depends on the nature and level of taxable transactions and other compulsory-registration rules.
The IRD currently states thresholds of NPR 50 lakh for taxable goods and NPR 20 lakh for taxable services.
Official: IRD VAT FAQ
Can I change my company name after registration?
A company name can be changed through the legal procedure applicable under the Companies Act and OCR requirements. It should not be treated as an informal edit to the original registration.
Do I need an industry license after company registration?
Not necessarily. It depends on the company's business activity. Company incorporation and sector/industry licensing are separate regulatory matters.
Does company registration automatically make my business VAT registered?
No. Company incorporation and VAT registration are separate tax matters, although government systems are increasingly integrated.
Useful Official Government Links
Company Registration
Tax
Foreign Investment and Industry
Law
Nepal Business EMI Calculator
If you are planning to finance startup equipment, working capital or another business investment with a loan, you can use the Nepal Business EMI Calculator to estimate monthly repayments.
Important: An EMI calculation is a financial estimate. Actual borrowing costs depend on the lender's interest rate, fees, repayment structure and other loan terms.
Conclusion
Registering a company in Nepal in 2026 is increasingly supported by online government services, particularly through the Office of the Company Registrar's CAMIS system. However, incorporation is only one part of establishing a legally compliant business.
The safest approach is to verify the current OCR requirements first, complete the incorporation process, determine the company's tax obligations with IRD, and obtain any local or sector-specific approvals required for the actual business activity.
For legal, tax, foreign-investment or licensing decisions, always use the current government source rather than relying on an older blog post or an unofficial fee table.
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