Property
Foreign individuals cannot own land; approved companies can
Foreign natural persons may not own land in Nepal. A company registered in Nepal with approved foreign investment may hold land needed for its industry, and long leases are otherwise used.
Governing law
- Land Act, 2021 (1964) with subsequent amendments
- Land Revenue Act, 2034
- Muluki Civil Code, 2074 (2017), Part on Property
In practice
The 2017 Civil Code consolidated property, contract and family law into one code, replacing the old Muluki Ain — a major recodification that renumbered much of Nepali private law, so older citations are frequently stale. Land ceilings apply by district and land type. Title is registered at the Land Revenue Office and mutation is the operative step; guthi (religious trust) land carries restrictions that can defeat an apparently clean transfer.