Quick Answer (TL;DR)
Get Ghar Naksa Pass from your plot’s municipality/ward before building — it approves your drawings against zoning, setbacks, ROW, FAR and the National Building Code. Bring Lalpurja + Char-killa + Thapad Napi + malpot clearance + citizenship and architect/structural drawings stamped by a NEC-registered professional (soil test for 3+ floors). Fee ~Rs 10–25/sq ft residential; timeline 30–90 days for a clean file; issued as Asthai (plinth) → Sthai (full) → Completion Certificate.
What Is Ghar Naksa Pass?
Naksha = drawing, Pass = approval. The municipality’s sign-off that your proposed building complies with local bylaws (setbacks, height, coverage, FAR), road Right of Way (ROW), and seismic safety under the Building Act 2055. Construction without it is illegal — inspectors can impose a stop-work order, fine, or in serious cases demolition on the offending portion.
Who Issues It?
Since federalism, your municipality / rural municipality (not a central ministry) reviews, inspects and issues Naksa Pass via its engineering/building-permit section. KMC, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Pokhara, Butwal etc. each publish their own bylaws and fee schedules — hence requirements differ slightly.
- KMC / Lalitpur / Butwal: Electronic Building Permit System (EBPS) online submission + tracking (e.g., lsmcebps.gov.np) — still needs physical verification
- Smaller municipalities: in-person paper filing at the ward
When You Need It
- New construction of any size (even a one-room structure)
- Vertical addition (extra floor), horizontal extension, or major structural change
- Rebuilding after demolition (demolition papers required)
- Change of use (residential → commercial) where bylaws differ
Required Documents
Land & Ownership
Design & Professional
Step-by-Step Process
- Pre-consult at the ward: take Lalpurja to confirm zoning, FAR, setbacks, height limit and any planned road widening that could affect ROW.
- Engage a registered professional: drawings by an unlicensed draughtsman are rejected outright.
- Prepare drawings + documents: ensure title blocks, plot area, road width, setbacks, floor areas and structural grids match across every sheet.
- Submit at the ward/municipality: via EBPS online where available (KMC/Bhaktapur/Lalitpur/Butwal) or in person; pay the initial application fee (built-up-area based) and get an acknowledgement slip with an application number.
- Document & design review: municipal engineers check bylaws + National Building Code; you may receive a written correction notice.
- Site inspection: engineer visits the plot to verify boundaries, access and existing structures against the survey map.
- Approval → collection: collect the stamped approved drawing set + permit (keep originals on site — inspectors check them).
Asthai vs Sthai Permit
Fees
Because fees track built-up area and use, a 2-floor house and a 4-floor apartment on the same plot pay very differently. Confirm the current rate per sq ft at your municipality’s revenue counter before budgeting and include it as a separate line in your House Construction Cost estimate.
Timeline
Inspections During Construction
- Keep approved drawings on site — inspectors compare them directly to the structure
- Expect inspections at plinth/DPC and at mid-construction; notify the office as required
- Any setback/FAR/height deviation needs a formal revised Naksa Pass before building — building past an unpassed inspection is built at risk
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Starting excavation/foundation before the permit (stop-work/fine risk)
- Measuring setback from the visible road edge instead of the official ROW (ROW is often wider)
- Plot area differing across Lalpurja vs trace map vs drawings
- Missing joint-owner consent or old demolition papers for a rebuild
- Architectural vs structural drawings inconsistent (grid, floor area, stair)
- Submitting without a soil test where required, or with a generic report not tied to your plot
- Changing the design during construction without a revised permit
Checklist
- Lalpurja, Char-killa, Thapad Napi, malpot receipt — area and plot number consistent
- Citizenship + ward road/FAR/zoning confirmation
- Architect + structural engineer engaged (NEC-registered) + soil test if 3+ floors
- Drawings with consistent title blocks, scales and area tables
- EBPS online submission where available + acknowledgement slip saved
- Site inspection attended; Asthai → plinth inspection → Sthai → keep set on site
- Completion Certificate applied for after construction
Official Sources & Final Note
Sources: Building Act 2055, National Building Code, Local Government Operation Act 2074 (35-day rule), and your municipality’s building bylaws + EBPS portal (e.g., lsmcebps.gov.np for KMC). Document lists and fees change by municipality — confirm at your ward before printing.
Last updated: September 27, 2026. Bylaws and fee schedules are revised periodically. Verify the current checklist at your municipality’s building-permit desk. SolutionsNepal is an educational guide, not the municipality.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ghar Naksa Pass?
The municipality’s approval of your building drawings — confirming zoning, setbacks, FAR, road ROW and National Building Code compliance before you build. Without it, construction is unauthorised; banks won’t mortgage, and the municipality can fine or stop work.
Where do I apply?
At the ward office / municipality’s building-permit section where your plot lies (KMC, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur etc. each have their own bylaws and EBPS portal). Start with the ward for zoning/FAR/road-width confirmation before commissioning drawings.
What documents are required?
Lalpurja + Char-killa + Thapad Napi (Survey Office), malpot tax clearance, citizenship, architectural + structural drawings stamped by a Nepal Engineering Council-registered professional, and soil test for 3+ floors. Heritage zones add extra review.
Can I apply online?
Partially — KMC, Lalitpur and some other municipalities operate an Electronic Building Permit System (EBPS) for online submission/tracking. Portal domains change (lsmcebps.gov.np is widely cited for Lalitpur — verify the live link on your municipality's website before using it); physical verification + site inspection + final collection remain offline.
How much does it cost?
Charged per sq ft of built-up area by the municipality: commonly quoted as ~Rs 10–25/sq ft residential, up to ~Rs 45/sq ft commercial — but these are unattributed estimates as of October 2026, not a named municipality schedule. Confirm the current per-sq-ft rate paper at your ward's revenue counter before budgeting.
How long does it take?
The Local Government Operation Act is commonly cited as setting a 35-working-day decision window — confirm the current provision text. In practice, clean residential files are reported as 30–90 days (KMC/Lalitpur timelines vary by EBPS queue — confirm the current published turnaround at your municipality). Heritage-zone reviews take longer (10–16 weeks is commonly quoted but unverified — confirm with the heritage desk). Incomplete files add weeks per correction round.
What is Asthai vs Sthai?
Asthai (temporary) permit lets you build up to plinth/foundation; after plinth inspection you get Sthai (permanent) permit for the superstructure. A final Completion Certificate closes the process after construction.
Can an NRN apply from abroad?
Yes via a notarised Power of Attorney authenticated at the Nepali Embassy, authorising a trusted person to submit, pay, and attend the site inspection.
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