How to transfer land ownership in Nepal (rajinama)
जग्गा राजीनामा कसरी गर्ने
Buying or selling land in Nepal means a rajinama at the Land Revenue Office. Bagmati registration fees of 3% to 5.3%, capital gains tax and documents.
- Cost
- 3% to 5.3%
- Registration fee on the deed price in Bagmati for 2083/84, paid by the buyer. Highest in Kathmandu valley cities, lowest in rural municipalities.
- How long
- Same day
- Once the documents and deed are in order.
- Where
- Land Revenue Office
- Last checked
- 8 Oct 2026
- Awaiting official confirmation
What it is
A land sale in Nepal is registered as a rajinama (राजीनामा) at the Land Revenue Office (मालपोत कार्यालय) where the land is. The buyer pays the registration fee and the seller pays capital gains tax, both at the office. The land moves into the buyer's name the same day.
Registration fees are set by each province. In Bagmati for 2083/84 they range from 3% in rural municipalities to 5.3% in the Kathmandu valley's cities. The 2083/84 federal budget also raised capital gains tax on land sold by individuals to 7.5% if you've held it five years or more and 10% if less.
Who needs it
- Anyone buying or selling land or a house.
- For gifts within the family or splitting land among heirs, different deeds and lower fees apply. See the questions below.
What you need
- Official
The seller's original land ownership certificate (लालपुर्जा)
- Official
Original citizenship certificates and photocopies of buyer and seller
- Official
The current fiscal year's land revenue (मालपोत) receipt
- Official
If there's a house: a tax clearance letter from the local government
- Official
The sale deed (राजीनामा लिखत)
Usually drafted by a licensed deed writer (लेखापढी व्यवसायी) near the Land Revenue Office.
- In practice
Recent photos of buyer and seller
In practice items aren't in the official rules but are commonly asked for at the counter.
How it works
- 1
Check the land first
Look at the land records (स्रेस्ता) at the Land Revenue Office and the map at the Survey Office. Make sure the seller's name, plot number (कित्ता) and area match, and that there's no block (रोक्का) or loan on it.
- 2
Pay the land revenue for this year
The seller pays the current year's land revenue at the ward or municipality and keeps the receipt.
- 3
Get the deed written
A licensed deed writer drafts the sale deed with the price. The registration fee is charged on the price in the deed, and offices also check it against the government's minimum valuation for the area.
- 4
Register at the Land Revenue Office
Buyer and seller go in person with the documents. The office checks the deed and collects the registration fee from the buyer and capital gains tax from the seller. Then both sign.
- 5
Collect the new lalpurja
The land is moved into the buyer's name the same day and a new ownership certificate is issued.
Where to go
Land Revenue Office (मालपोत कार्यालय)
The office covering the land's location
dolma.gov.npSurvey Office (नापी कार्यालय)
Maps and plot checks before you buy
dos.gov.np
Cost and time
- Official fee
- 3% to 5.3%
- Registration fee on the deed price in Bagmati for 2083/84, paid by the buyer. Highest in Kathmandu valley cities, lowest in rural municipalities.
- Processing time
- Same day
- Once the documents and deed are in order.
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Sale registration fee (Bagmati 2083/84)Of the deed price, depending on the area | 3% to 5.3% |
| Capital gains tax on the seller, land held 5 years or moreRaised from 5% in the 2083/84 budget | 7.5% |
| Capital gains tax on the seller, land held under 5 yearsRaised from 7.5% | 10% |
| Gift to family within three generations, value over Rs 1 lakhBagmati 2083/84, by area | 1% to 2.8% |
| Partition among family (अंशबण्डा), value up to Rs 50 lakh | 0.3% |
Common problems
Can we write a lower price in the deed to save fees?
Offices check the price against the government's minimum valuation for the area, and under-declaring is an offence. It also lowers the buyer's recorded purchase price, which means more capital gains tax when they sell later.
I'm gifting land to my son or daughter.
Use a gift deed (बकसपत्र) instead of a sale deed. Within three generations the Bagmati fee is 1% to 2.8% instead of the sale rate. Gifts outside the family are charged much more, up to 15.3%.
Do I need to pay capital gains tax when selling my own home?
Generally yes, at 7.5% or 10% from 2083/84 depending on how long you've owned it. Some cases are exempt under the Income Tax Act, such as a home lived in for ten years or more, so ask the Land Revenue Office before you sign.
The buyer is in another district.
Deeds can be passed at a Land Revenue Office outside the land's district for an extra 10% on top of the fees, as long as you bring the bank voucher for the fees paid to the land's own office.
Real experiences
Been through this recently? Tell the next person which office you went to and what they asked for. Reports are published as community notes, apart from the official information.
Share your experienceSources
- Department of Land Management and Archive: Land Revenue Office citizen charterdolma.gov.np
- Bagmati Province Economic Act 2083: land registration and service fees for 2083/84giwmscdnone.gov.np
- Inland Revenue Department: Economic Act 2083 booklet (capital gains tax on land)ird.gov.np
Written from the sources above and last checked on 8 Oct 2026. Some details aren't confirmed against an official page yet, so check fees and documents with the office before you go.
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