Glossary
Nepal business terms, in plain English.
57 words you will meet at the OCR, IRD, SSF and local offices — with the Nepali term and a link to the guide or tool that goes deeper.
A
- AGM (Annual General Meeting)वार्षिक साधारण सभा
- The yearly shareholders' meeting that approves audited accounts, appoints the auditor and declares dividends. Held within six months of the fiscal year end.Annual compliance guide
- Annual returnवार्षिक विवरण
- The yearly filing with the Office of Company Registrar containing audited accounts, AGM minutes and shareholder details. Late returns are fined by paid-up capital.Late fine calculator
- AOA (Articles of Association)नियमावली
- The company's internal rulebook — meetings, directors, share transfers and decision-making. Filed with the MOA at registration.Registration documents
- Ashadhअसार
- The third Nepali month (mid-June to mid-July) and the last month of the fiscal year. Many renewals and the final tax instalment fall due by its end.Date converter
- Audit reportलेखापरीक्षण प्रतिवेदन
- The registered auditor's opinion on a company's financial statements, required every year for companies and NGOs and for the tax return.Audit support
- Automatic route (FDI)स्वचालित मार्ग
- The route under which foreign investment in 102 listed industry areas gets a certificate online from the Department of Industry without a separate approval decision.FDI guide
B
- Bikram Sambat (BS)विक्रम संवत्
- Nepal's official calendar, about 56 years and 8 months ahead of the Gregorian calendar. All government deadlines are set in BS.BS–AD converter
- Board of directorsसञ्चालक समिति
- The people elected by shareholders to manage the company. A private company needs at least one director.Companies Act guide
C
- CAMIS
- The Office of Company Registrar's online Company Administration and Management Information System, used for name reservation, registration and post-registration filings.OCR login guide
- Capital gains taxपूँजीगत लाभ कर
- Tax on profit from selling shares, land or buildings. For individuals in FY 2083/84: 7.5% or 10% depending on how long the asset was held.CGT calculator
- CIT (Citizen Investment Trust)नागरिक लगानी कोष
- A government-backed retirement fund. Contributions are deductible within the retirement limit (NPR 5 lakh or one-third of income).Income tax calculator
- Citizenship certificateनागरिकता प्रमाणपत्र
- The Nepali identity document required from Nepali shareholders, directors and NGO founders for almost every registration.
- Cottage industryघरेलु उद्योग
- A labour-intensive industry based on traditional skills or local resources, registered with the Cottage and Small Industry Office.Small industry guide
- CSIO
- Cottage and Small Industry Office (घरेलु तथा साना उद्योग कार्यालय) — registers and renews micro, cottage and small industries and many firms.CSIO fee calculator
D
- DAO (District Administration Office)जिल्ला प्रशासन कार्यालय
- Registers NGOs under the Association Registration Act 2034 and renews them every year.NGO registration
- Department of Industry (DOI)उद्योग विभाग
- Registers medium and large industries, approves foreign investment and registers trademarks, patents and designs.Trademark service
- DOCSCP
- Department of Commerce, Supplies and Consumer Protection — registers private (sole proprietorship) and partnership firms, including online.Firm vs company
E
- e-TDS
- The IRD's online statement of tax deducted at source, filed with each monthly TDS deposit within 25 days of month end.TDS guide
- Estimated tax (advance tax)अग्रिम कर / किस्ताबन्दी
- Income tax paid during the year in three instalments — 40%, 70% and 100% by the ends of Poush, Chaitra and Ashadh.Instalment calculator
- EXIM code
- The import–export identification code issued by the Department of Customs through the Nepal National Single Window, renewed every fiscal year.EXIM code guide
F
- FDI (Foreign Direct Investment)विदेशी लगानी
- Investment by foreign individuals or companies under FITTA 2075 — generally at least NPR 2 crore per investor outside exempt IT sectors.FDI checker
- Festival allowanceचाडपर्व खर्च
- One month's basic salary paid to employees each year under the Labour Act, usually before Dashain.Salary calculator
- Fiscal yearआर्थिक वर्ष
- Nepal's tax and accounting year, from 1 Shrawan to the end of Ashadh (mid-July to mid-July). FY 2083/84 began on 17 July 2026.Compliance calendar
- FITTA
- The Foreign Investment and Technology Transfer Act 2075 (2019), the main law for foreign investment in Nepal.FDI guide
G
- Gratuityउपदान
- 8.33% of basic salary set aside every month under the Labour Act 2074; part of the employer's SSF contribution for enrolled staff.Gratuity calculator
H
- Home leaveघर बिदा
- Paid leave of one day for every 20 days worked, accumulating up to 90 days under the Labour Act 2074.Leave calculator
I
- IBN (Investment Board Nepal)लगानी बोर्ड
- Approves and facilitates very large projects, including foreign investment above NPR 6 arba.FDI guide
- Industry registrationउद्योग दर्ता
- Registration of a business as an industry under the Industrial Enterprises Act 2076, by class: micro, cottage, small, medium or large.Industry classes
- IRD (Inland Revenue Department)आन्तरिक राजस्व विभाग
- Nepal's tax authority — issues PAN, registers VAT and collects income tax, VAT and TDS through its taxpayer portal.PAN guide
L
- Lagat (share lagat)शेयर लगत
- The register of a company's shareholders and their shares kept by the OCR; a 'lagat' extract shows who owns the company.Company search guide
- Liaison officeसम्पर्क कार्यालय
- A foreign company's office in Nepal that may only represent and coordinate, not earn revenue. Registered with the OCR for NPR 50,000.OCR fee calculator
M
- Micro enterpriseलघु उद्यम
- The smallest industry class: fixed capital up to NPR 20 lakh, up to 9 workers and turnover under NPR 1 crore.Industry class calculator
- MOA (Memorandum of Association)प्रबन्धपत्र
- The company's charter: name, objectives, registered office and authorised, issued and paid-up capital.Registration documents
N
- Name reservationनाम आरक्षण
- The first step of company registration: the OCR approves and holds your proposed name in English and Nepali.Name check guide
- NGOगैरसरकारी संस्था
- A non-profit association of at least seven Nepali citizens registered at the DAO; needs SWC affiliation to receive foreign funds.NGO planner
- Nice class
- One of the 45 international classes of goods (1–34) and services (35–45) used to register trademarks; each class is a separate application.Trademark guide
- NNSW (Nepal National Single Window)
- The online customs and trade platform used for EXIM code registration and import–export documentation.EXIM guide
- Not-for-profit companyमुनाफा वितरण नगर्ने कम्पनी
- A company registered with the OCR that does not distribute profit — an alternative to an NGO for associations and social enterprises.Company registration
- NRB (Nepal Rastra Bank)नेपाल राष्ट्र बैंक
- The central bank — records foreign investment inflows and approves repatriation of dividends and capital.FDI guide
O
- OCR (Office of Company Registrar)कम्पनी रजिष्ट्रारको कार्यालय
- The government office in Tripureshwor, Kathmandu, that registers and regulates companies under the Companies Act 2063.OCR guide
P
- Paid-up capitalचुक्ता पूँजी
- The share capital shareholders have actually paid in. It decides the OCR late-filing fine band and some licence requirements.Pvt. Ltd. guide
- PAN (Permanent Account Number)स्थायी लेखा नम्बर
- The nine-digit taxpayer number issued by the IRD to every business and to individuals with taxable income.PAN guide
- Partnership firmसाझेदारी फर्म
- A business owned by two or more partners under the Partnership Act 2020, registered with the Department of Commerce or local office.Structure finder
- Poushपुस
- The ninth Nepali month (mid-December to mid-January). The first tax instalment, AGM and OCR annual return fall due by its end.Compliance calendar
- Private limited company (Pvt. Ltd.)प्राइभेट लिमिटेड कम्पनी
- The most common company type: 1 to 101 shareholders, limited liability and no public share offering.Pvt. Ltd. guide
- Public limited companyपब्लिक लिमिटेड कम्पनी
- A company with at least seven shareholders that may offer shares to the public; higher minimum capital and stricter governance.Companies Act guide
R
- Registered officeरजिष्टर्ड कार्यालय
- The official address of a company recorded with the OCR, where notices are served. Changing it requires an OCR filing.
S
- Sole proprietorship (private firm)निजी फर्म
- A business owned by one person with unlimited liability, registered with the Department of Commerce or the local body.Business registration
- SSF (Social Security Fund)सामाजिक सुरक्षा कोष
- The contribution-based fund: 11% of basic salary from the employee and 20% from the employer, deposited within 25 days of month end.SSF calculator
- SST (Social Security Tax)सामाजिक सुरक्षा कर
- The 1% tax on the first NPR 10 lakh of taxable income; not charged to SSF or pension-fund contributors or on sole-proprietor income.Income tax calculator
- SWC (Social Welfare Council)समाज कल्याण परिषद्
- Coordinates NGOs and INGOs; affiliation is needed before an NGO receives foreign funds, and INGOs sign a general agreement with it.NGO service
T
- Tax clearanceकर चुक्ता प्रमाणपत्र
- The IRD's confirmation that a taxpayer has filed and paid; needed for tenders, licence renewals and repatriation.
- TDS (Tax Deducted at Source)अग्रिम कर कट्टी
- Tax the payer withholds from salary, rent, service fees, interest and dividends, deposited within 25 days of month end.TDS calculator
- Trademarkट्रेडमार्क
- A registered brand name, logo or slogan protected for 7 years at a time by the Department of Industry.Trademark service
V
- VAT (Value Added Tax)मूल्य अभिवृद्धि कर
- 13% tax on most goods and services; registration is compulsory above NPR 50 lakh turnover for goods or NPR 30 lakh for services.VAT calculator
W
- Ward recommendationवडा सिफारिस
- A letter from the local ward office confirming an address or business, often needed for firm, NGO and local registrations.Business registration
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