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You hand over your citizenship, your degree, your property papers — and trust a stranger's stamp to make them official. But that stamp is only worth something if the person holding it is actually licensed. Plenty are not.
In Nepal, a notary public must be licensed by the Nepal Notary Public Council under the Notary Public Act 2063. The licence is time-limited, has to be renewed, and can be checked — so a document sealed by an unlicensed or lapsed notary can be rejected outright.
This guide explains how a notary public license in Nepal works in 2026 — who can hold one, how long it lasts, how renewal works, and exactly how to verify that the notary handling your documents is genuine.
A notary public license in Nepal is issued by the Nepal Notary Public Council under the Notary Public Act 2063. It is valid for five years and must be renewed before it expires, with the prescribed fee. To verify a notary, check their certificate number against the Council's register of licensed notaries. A document certified by an unlicensed or lapsed notary may be rejected by banks, offices, and courts — so confirming a valid license protects you.
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Every document we certify is sealed by a currently licensed notary through our notary services in Kathmandu — so it is accepted the first time. Get your documents notarized in Kathmandu →
What Is a Notary Public License in Nepal?
A notary public license is the legal authority that lets a person certify documents, attest copies, administer oaths, and notarise affidavits and deeds. Without it, a person simply cannot perform notarial acts — and any "notarisation" they do has no legal standing.
The license is granted and regulated by the Nepal Notary Public Council under the Notary Public Act 2063. The Council — chaired by the Attorney General — licenses notaries, prescribes the official stamp and register, sets the fee schedule, and disciplines misconduct. For the bigger picture of the regulator, see our explainer on the Nepal Notary Public Council.
Key takeaway: A notary's authority comes entirely from a license issued by the Nepal Notary Public Council under the Notary Public Act 2063 — no valid license, no valid notarisation.
Who Can Become a Licensed Notary in Nepal?
Not everyone can hold the stamp. The Act sets a high bar, which is part of why a licensed notary's certification is trusted.
In broad terms, a candidate must be a Nepali citizen of good standing and meet an experience threshold — typically several years of legal practice as an advocate, or comparable senior government legal service — and then pass the Council's notary examination and training before a license is issued. The exam covers the Notary Public Act and Rules, the Evidence Act, and the Muluki Civil and Criminal Codes.
This is why most reliable notaries in Kathmandu are also experienced advocates. The combination of legal training and a Council license is what makes their certification stand up at banks, courts, and foreign institutions.
Key takeaway: A notary license is granted only after an experience threshold, a Council examination, and training — so a licensed notary is a vetted legal professional, not just a stamp-holder.
How Long Is a Notary License Valid in Nepal?
A notary public license in Nepal is valid for five years. It is not permanent — the notary must keep it current to continue practising. Once the five-year term ends, the authority to notarise stops until the license is renewed.
This matters to you as a client more than it might seem. If a notary's license has quietly lapsed, documents they certify during the lapse can be challenged or rejected. The five-year cycle is exactly why verification is worth a moment of your time.
Key takeaway: A Nepali notary license lasts five years and must stay current — a stamp from a notary whose term has expired can put your document at risk.
How Does Notary License Renewal Work?
Renewal keeps a notary's authority alive past the five-year term. The process is straightforward but time-sensitive.
| Stage | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Before expiry | The notary applies to the Council for renewal and pays the prescribed renewal fee |
| Grace period | If missed, renewal is usually still possible for a limited window with a late fee |
| Lapse | Beyond the grace period the license lapses, and the person may have to re-qualify |
The practical lesson for a notary is simple: renew before the term ends, not after. For a client, it means the notary you choose should be able to confirm their license is current — a professional notary will have no problem doing so.
Key takeaway: A notary must renew before the five-year term expires and pay the prescribed fee; letting it lapse can mean re-qualifying from scratch.
How to Verify a Notary Is Licensed in Nepal
This is the part most people skip — and the part that protects you. The Nepal Notary Public Council maintains a register of all licensed notaries, so a notary's standing can be checked rather than assumed.
- Ask for the certificate number. Every licensed notary has a Council-issued certificate with a number.
- Check it against the Council's register. The Council publishes lists of licensed notaries and can confirm a notary's current standing by their certificate number.
- Look for the official stamp and register entry. A genuine notarisation is recorded in the notary's register and bears the prescribed seal — it is traceable, not just a rubber stamp.
- When in doubt, contact the Council directly. The Council's secretariat in Kathmandu can confirm whether a person is a currently licensed notary.
If a notary cannot or will not confirm their license, treat that as a warning sign and take your documents elsewhere.
Key takeaway: Verify a notary by their Council certificate number against the official register — a genuine, current license is the single best assurance your document will be accepted.
Why Verifying Your Notary Matters
An unlicensed or lapsed "notary" is not a small technicality. The consequences land on you, not them.
A document certified without a valid license can be rejected by the bank, the office, the embassy, or the court you submit it to — often at the worst possible moment, like a visa deadline or a property closing. In our experience, a surprising number of rejected documents trace back not to the content but to who certified them. Worse, a fake notarisation can expose you to fraud.
Choosing a licensed notary — and confirming it — removes that whole category of risk. It is the cheapest insurance you can buy on an important document.
Key takeaway: The cost of an invalid notarisation falls on you through rejection and delay — a one-minute license check is worth far more than it seems.
Conclusion: Trust the Stamp, but Verify the License
A notary's stamp carries real legal weight in Nepal — but only when it sits behind a valid Council license. The license is time-limited, renewable every five years, and verifiable, and those three facts are what make notarisation trustworthy in the first place.
Before you hand over an important document, take the moment to confirm your notary is currently licensed. It protects your application, your money, and your time.
Every document we certify is sealed by a currently licensed notary and recorded properly, so it stands up at banks, courts, and foreign institutions the first time. See our notarization services or talk to our licensed notary advocates in Kathmandu. Get your documents notarized in Kathmandu →
Reviewed by: The Legal Team at Notary Kathmandu — Nepal Bar Council registered advocates
Last reviewed: April 2026
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice, advertisement, or solicitation. Notary Kathmandu and its team are not liable for any consequences arising from reliance on this information. For legal advice, please contact us directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Nepal Notary Public Council issues notary public licenses under the Notary Public Act 2063. The Council is chaired by the Attorney General.
A notary public license in Nepal is valid for five years and must be renewed before it expires to keep the notary's authority current.
Ask for the notary's Council certificate number and check it against the Nepal Notary Public Council's register of licensed notaries.
It is the legal authority, issued by the Nepal Notary Public Council under the Notary Public Act 2063, that lets a person certify documents, attest copies, administer oaths, and notarise affidavits and deeds. Without a valid license, a person's notarial acts have no legal standing.
A candidate must be a Nepali citizen of good standing who meets an experience threshold — typically several years of legal practice as an advocate or comparable senior government legal service — and then passes the Council's notary examination and training. This is why most notaries are also experienced advocates.
Once the five-year term ends, the notary's authority to notarise stops until renewal. A limited grace period with a late fee is usually available; beyond that the license lapses and the person may have to re-qualify. Documents certified during a lapse can be challenged.
The notary applies to the Nepal Notary Public Council before the five-year term expires and pays the prescribed renewal fee. Renewing on time avoids the late fee and the risk of the license lapsing, which can require re-qualifying.
The document can be rejected by the bank, office, embassy, or court you submit it to, because the certification has no legal standing. It can also expose you to fraud. This is why confirming a valid, current license before notarisation matters.
Not exactly. A notary public is licensed specifically to certify documents and administer oaths under the Notary Public Act 2063. In Nepal most notaries are also Bar Council advocates, but the notarial authority comes from the separate notary license, not the law practice alone.
The Nepal Notary Public Council maintains and publishes lists of licensed notaries. You can confirm a notary's standing by their certificate number through the Council, and when in doubt, contact the Council's secretariat in Kathmandu directly.
It is not permanent. A notary public license in Nepal must be renewed every five years. This is different from documents like a PAN, which is permanent — a notary's authority to practise depends on keeping the license current.
The Notary Public Act 2063 and the Notary Public Rules 2063 govern notary licensing, conduct, and the fee schedule. The Nepal Notary Public Council administers the Act, licenses notaries, and takes disciplinary action for misconduct.
Yes. The Nepal Notary Public Council has disciplinary authority under the Notary Public Act 2063 and can take action, including suspension or cancellation, against a notary for misconduct. This oversight is part of what makes a licensed notary's certification reliable.
Yes. It is reasonable and routine to ask a notary for their Council certificate number, especially for important documents. A professional, currently licensed notary will confirm it without hesitation; reluctance to do so is a warning sign.
A document notarised by a licensed Nepali notary is valid as a notarisation, but foreign use often needs further steps. Any onward government attestation or apostille required by the destination is a separate process you arrange directly with the relevant authority.
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