A Nepali driving license is issued by the Department of Transport Management (DoTM), and the path to one has two distinct stages: a learner's license first, then a practical test before you're issued a permanent license. Knowing the sequence, and what actually trips people up, saves a lot of repeat visits.

Who issues it, and license categories

The Department of Transport Management, operating through Transport Management Offices around the country, issues and renews all categories of driving license in Nepal. Categories broadly split by vehicle type, two-wheelers, private four-wheelers (cars and jeeps), and various commercial categories for buses, trucks and other heavier vehicles, each with its own test requirements and minimum age.

Minimum age requirements

Nepal generally sets a lower minimum age for smaller two-wheelers than for cars, with commercial categories carrying higher age and experience requirements on top of that. Because these thresholds are set in transport regulation and get updated periodically, confirm current age and engine-capacity limits for your specific category with the DoTM rather than relying on an old figure.

Getting your learner's license

The process starts with an application at your local Transport Management Office, along with a written or computer-based test covering traffic rules, road signs and basic vehicle knowledge. Passing this test gets you a temporary learner's license, valid for a limited period, during which you're expected to practice before attempting the practical test. A learner's license typically comes with restrictions, like needing a licensed driver alongside you, until you pass the practical stage.

The practical driving test

Once you're ready, you book a practical test slot at the same office, where an examiner assesses your actual driving, or riding, ability on a set course or in real traffic conditions depending on the office. Long waits for available test slots are a well-known, genuine frustration in parts of Nepal, particularly in the busiest urban Transport Management Offices, so booking early and checking your appointment status rather than assuming a quick turnaround is worth planning for. Passing the practical test is what converts your learner's license into a permanent one.

Documents you'll need

For a first-time application, you'll generally need:

  • Your citizenship certificate
  • Recent passport-size photos
  • A medical fitness certificate, required for certain categories
  • Your learner's license, once issued, to book the practical test

Renewing an existing license

Permanent licenses in Nepal are valid for a set number of years and need periodic renewal rather than being valid indefinitely. Renewal is generally simpler than a first-time application, no retest is typically required if you renew before it lapses, but letting a license expire for an extended period can mean additional steps to reinstate it, so renewing ahead of the expiry date is the easier path.

Common issues to avoid

The most common delays are booking a practical test slot too close to when you actually need the license, incomplete medical certificates for categories that require one, and letting a license lapse long enough that renewal turns into something closer to a fresh application. Starting the learner's license process well ahead of when you actually need to drive, rather than right before a trip or job requirement, avoids most of the stress.

Keep your license category, ward and citizenship details organized offline alongside everything else in the Nagarik Nepal app.

Join the Waitlist

For current categories, age limits, fees and test booking, the Department of Transport Management's official site is the authoritative source.