Naksha Pass Fee Calculator (Nepal)
This naksha pass fee calculator estimates what you will pay to get your building permit (naksha pass) approved in Nepal. Enter each floor’s area, choose residential or commercial use, and the calculator adds up the permit fee, the completion certificate fee, your design fee and any other charges. Pick your province, district and local body from all 753 local levels in Nepal (6 metropolitan cities, 11 sub-metropolitan cities, 276 municipalities and 460 rural municipalities). Where we found a published rate, it fills in automatically with its fiscal year shown underneath. For every other local body, the calculator asks you to enter the rate from your ward or municipality.
How the naksha pass fee calculator works
- Total built-up area: the sum of every floor’s area in sq ft.
- Permit fee: total area × the rate per sq ft for your building use.
- Completion certificate fee: total area × the completion rate.
- Total: permit fee + completion certificate fee + design fee + other charges.
Why naksha pass fees differ between local bodies
Nepal has no single national naksha pass rate. Each metropolitan city, sub-metropolitan city, municipality and rural municipality sets its own building permit fee every year in its finance act (Aarthik Ain), under the Local Government Operation Act, 2074. Rates can depend on building use (residential or commercial), construction type (RCC or cement-joint, mud-joint, wooden, tin roof), total floor area slabs, and the zone the plot is in. Most local bodies do not put their fee schedule online, so the calculator only fills in rates we could check against a published source. For the rest, ask your ward office or check your municipality’s finance act or eBPS portal.
Verified naksha pass fee rates
| Local body | Category | Rate (Rs/sq ft) | FY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lalitpur Metropolitan City | Residential, up to 5,000 sq ft total with plinth up to 1,500 sq ft | 12 | 2077/78 |
| Lalitpur Metropolitan City | Residential, larger than the above | 30 | |
| Lalitpur Metropolitan City | Commercial, residential-cum-commercial, apartment, institutional, school, hospital | 35 | |
| Lalitpur Metropolitan City | Old urban (core) area | 5 | |
| Lalitpur Metropolitan City | Revision; completion | 1; 1 | |
| Biratnagar Metropolitan City | Cement-joint building: up to 1,000 / 1,500 / 2,500 / 2,501+ sq ft | 7 / 12 / 20 / 24 | 2083/84 |
| Biratnagar Metropolitan City | Frame pillar with tin roof (truss), including prefab | 15 | |
| Biratnagar Metropolitan City | Mud-joint, all-wood, tin roof with cement/brick | 5 | |
| Kathmandu Metropolitan City | Residential; commercial, institutional or hotel; completion | 25; 35; 2 | Not stated |
The Kathmandu rates come from published summaries of KMC’s eBPS fee schedule. We could not open KMC’s own fee document. Biratnagar also charges a Rs 1,000 application file fee and Rs 5 per running ft for cement compound walls. The calculator applies Biratnagar’s slab rate to the whole built-up area, which is our reading of the finance act, so confirm with the municipality.
Design and drawing fees are not set by the municipality. Engineers and consultancies quote them, and industry estimates put them at about 2–5% of construction cost. Enter the quote you actually received.
Worked example: naksha pass fee for a 3-storey house in Kathmandu
A family is building a residential house in KMC with three floors of 800 sq ft each. Their engineer has quoted Rs 100,000 for the design. That quote is only an example.
- Total area: 800 + 800 + 800 = 2,400 sq ft
- Permit fee: 2,400 × Rs 25 = Rs 60,000
- Completion certificate: 2,400 × Rs 2 = Rs 4,800
- Design fee: Rs 100,000
- Estimated total: Rs 164,800
If the same building were commercial, the permit fee would be 2,400 × Rs 35 = Rs 84,000.
The naksha fee is only a small part of the cost of a house. Estimate the full budget with our house construction cost calculator for Nepal. Building without an approved naksha can be expensive too: read about the Building Act amendment with fines of up to Rs 10 lakh.
Naksha pass process in brief
Under the eBPS system you submit your land documents (lalpurja, trace map, tax receipt), the architectural and structural drawings prepared by a registered engineer, and the ward recommendation. Approval usually comes in two stages: a plinth-level permit, and then the permit for the superstructure. The completion certificate (nirman sampanna) is issued after the building is inspected. It is often needed for utility connections, bank loans and selling the property. Each stage can carry its own fees, which you can add under “Other charges”.
Tips to keep naksha pass costs under control
Hire a registered engineer or consultancy that already works with your municipality’s eBPS system, since mistakes in the drawings lead to revisions and repeat site visits. Check the bylaws for your plot first, including setbacks, ground coverage, floor area ratio and height limits, so the design is approved the first time. Building beyond the approved drawing can mean fines, demolition orders or problems getting the completion certificate later.
Assumptions and disclaimer
- Only Lalitpur and Biratnagar rates were read from official documents. The KMC rates are from secondary sources that cite the eBPS schedule. All other local bodies need a rate you enter yourself.
- Rates change with each fiscal year’s municipal finance act.
- Soil tests, stamps, ward fees and penalties for late or after-the-fact approval are not included unless you add them.
- Area is gross built-up area in sq ft. Your municipality may count balconies, staircases or mumty differently.
Disclaimer: this is an estimate only, not an official assessment. Your municipality’s fee assessment is final.
Naksha pass fee FAQ
How much is the naksha pass fee in Kathmandu?
The reported KMC rate is Rs 25 per sq ft for residential buildings and Rs 35 per sq ft for commercial ones, plus Rs 2 per sq ft for the completion certificate.
Is the design fee part of the naksha pass fee?
No. The design fee goes to your engineer or architect, and the municipality’s permit fee is separate. The calculator shows both so you can see your total cost.
Do other municipalities charge the same rate?
No. Each local body sets its own rates. For example, Lalitpur charges Rs 12 to Rs 35 per sq ft depending on use and size, and Biratnagar charges Rs 7 to Rs 24 per sq ft by area slab. Choose your local body in the calculator, and if no rate is listed, enter the one from your ward or municipality.
Do I pay for the completion certificate separately?
Yes. In KMC it is reported at Rs 2 per sq ft and is paid when the building is finished and inspected.
More tools: construction calculators.