How to Apply for a Driving License in Nepal Online ? (2082/83)
- 3/9/2026
- Driving License
Applying for a driving license in Nepal is done through the Department of Transport Management (DoTM) online portal at applydlnew.dotm.gov.np. You sign up with your phone number, fill in your details, book an appointment, sit a written and trial exam, and collect a smart license card. This guide walks through every step, plus the age limits, fees, exam pass marks and rules you need to know.
Who can apply: age requirements
Your age on the application must meet the minimum for the category you want:
Category | Vehicle type | Minimum age |
|---|---|---|
A / K | Two-wheelers (motorcycle, scooter, moped) | 16 years |
B | Car, jeep, delivery van | 18 years |
C | Tempo, auto rickshaw | 21 years |
C1 | E-rickshaw | 21 years |
C2E | Rickshaw (Koshi) | 21 years |
D | Powertiller | 21 years |
E | Tractor | 21 years |
H (H1/H2) | Road roller, dozer | 21 years |
I (I1/I2/I3) | Crane, fire brigade, loader | 21 years |
J1–J5 | Excavator, backhoe loader, grader, forklift, other heavy equipment | 21 years |
The full category list is shown when you select a category on the portal. Two-wheelers are Category A/K; everything from C upward is classed as a heavy or special vehicle requiring the 21-year minimum.
Before you start: what you need
A mobile number registered in your own name — you cannot change it later, and only one applicant account is allowed per person
Your citizenship certificate (original + a scanned copy to upload)
Blood group card or medical report
A passport-size photo and your signature
A Rs. 10 stamp ticket for the office visit
Your original citizenship (and original license, if adding a category) to carry on exam days
Step 1: Visit the online portal
Go to the official DoTM portal: https://applydlnew.dotm.gov.np/login. This is the only official site — avoid third-party sites that charge to "register" you.
Step 2: Sign up with your phone number
Enter your mobile number (registered in your name).
Enter the CAPTCHA shown on screen.
Verify with the code sent to your phone, then set your login credentials.
You'll receive an applicant username to save for future logins and renewals. Do not create more than one account — duplicates can get your application cancelled.
Step 3: Fill in your personal information
Complete your profile exactly as it appears on your citizenship certificate. Any mismatch — name, citizenship details, mobile number, or date of birth — will cancel your application. You'll provide:
Full name, date of birth, gender
Blood group and contact details
Permanent and temporary address
Citizenship number, type, issue date and district
Uploaded scan of your citizenship (front and back)
Additional details (province, father's and mother's names)
Step 4: Choose your license category
Select the category you're applying for (see the age table above). To apply for more than one, add categories as instructed. Note: if you already hold categories D, E, F or G and want to add another, you must sit the written exam again.
Step 5: Select your Transport Management Office
Choose your province and nearest DoTM office. Offices verify details and take biometrics only on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (excluding public holidays), so plan around those days.
Step 6: Book an appointment (the quota system)
New application forms open on a 16-day cycle, at 7 AM, and stay open for up to 7 days until the category quota for that office runs out. Log in early — quotas fill fast.
Pick an available appointment date for biometrics and verification, then confirm. If you miss your appointment date, you can only re-apply after 15 days.
Step 7: Print the application form and pay
After submitting, download and print your application form, attach your passport-size photo and signature, and bring the printed slip to the office on your appointment date.
Step 8: Attend the DoTM office
On your scheduled date, bring:
Printed application slip with photo attached
Original citizenship (and original license if adding a category)
Blood group card or medical report
Rs. 10 stamp ticket
At the office you'll go through document verification, biometric capture (fingerprint, photo, digital signature), a short medical/eyesight test, and fee payment (which covers the written test and one trial attempt). You then receive your written-exam admit card.
Step 9: Written (Likhit) exam
The written test is computer-based and covers traffic signs and road markings, right-of-way rules, overtaking and speed limits, penalties, and safe-driving basics. It is available in Nepali or English.
Format: 25 multiple-choice questions; pass mark 13 out of 25.
Questions are drawn from the official DoTM question bank — study it directly, as questions repeat.
Results usually appear the same or next day. If you fail, you can retake after a short interval.
Preparing for this? See our companion guide: Driving License Written Exam Questions & Answers (PDF).
Step 10: Trial (practical) exam
After passing the written test you sit the practical trial.
Category A (two-wheeler): figure-8 track, narrow-lane balancing, signal following, slope climb/descend.
Category B (four-wheeler): figure-8, L-shape and U-turn tracks, uphill/downhill, parking, reversing, signalling.
Pass mark: 70 for both two- and four-wheeler.
If you fail, you may take a retrial up to 3 times within 90 days of your first failed date.
Exam-day rules: you must wear shoes for the practical exam, and mobile phones are banned in both written and practical exam centers.
Step 11: After passing
You'll get a payment notice for the final issuance fee. Fees can be paid online via Connect IPS, eSewa or Khalti, or at Rastriya Banijya Bank / NIC Asia counters — keep the receipt for every DoTM visit.
Driving license fees (indicative)
Category | New application | Renewal | Trial retest |
|---|---|---|---|
A (motorcycle) | Rs. 1,200 | Rs. 800 | Rs. 400 |
B (car / jeep) | Rs. 1,500 | Rs. 1,000 | Rs. 500 |
A + B combined | Rs. 2,200 | Rs. 1,500 | Rs. 800 |
C (light commercial) | Rs. 1,800 | Rs. 1,200 | Rs. 600 |
D (heavy vehicle) | Rs. 2,000 | Rs. 1,400 | Rs. 600 |
Lost-license replacement | Rs. 2,500 | — | — |
Fees vary by category and change with the annual budget — confirm the current amount on the portal before paying.
You may receive a temporary driving slip that legally allows you to drive until your card is ready.
Step 12: Collect your smart license
When you get the SMS, visit your DoTM office with your payment receipt and valid ID to collect your smart license card. It carries your details, category, validity and a QR code. You can also use License Print Check on the portal to see whether your card has been printed yet.
Adding a category to an existing license
If you already hold a license and want to drive another vehicle type, you apply for Add Category (वर्ग थप) — you don't start from scratch. The flow on the portal is:
Log in to your existing account. Your current categories are shown (e.g. "Your Categories: A").
Select the category to add from the full list (B, C, C1, C2E, D, E, H, I, J1–J5, etc.).
Select your Transport Management Office — around 40 offices nationwide, from Ekantakuna, Chabahil, Thulobharyang and RadheRadhe in the Valley to Pokhara, Biratnagar, Birgunj, Butwal (Rupandehi), Nepalgunj, Dhangadhi and beyond.
Choose your office-visit date from the available quota days.
Select a doctor for the medical check required at the visit.
Important: if your existing license already includes categories D, E, F or G, you must sit the written exam again when adding any new category. Carry your original citizenship and original license to the office on your visit day.
Step 13: Validity and renewal
Nepal driving licenses are now valid for 10 years from the date of issue, and renewals are also good for 10 years. This changed in August 2025, when the government amended the Motor Vehicles and Transport Management Act, 1992 (Clauses 54(3) and 56(3)) to extend both the initial licence and the renewal period from five years to ten — the amendment was published in the Nepal Gazette and is now in effect. Older licenses issued under the previous five-year rule remain valid until their printed expiry.
Renew online before expiry, pay the renewal fee, and attend a short biometric update; no written or trial test is needed unless the license is long expired.
How long you've let it lapse changes the process:
0–35 days expired: renew normally, no extra fine.
Longer lapse: an additional fine applies, otherwise the same process.
Very long lapse: you may have to reapply as a new applicant with the full written and trial test.
Application steps, age limits and exam rules reflect the official DoTM portal (applydlnew.dotm.gov.np) as of FY 2082/83. Fees change with the annual budget — confirm current amounts on the portal before paying.
