How to register a birth in Nepal (janma darta)
जन्मदर्ता कसरी गर्ने
Register a birth (janma darta) at your ward within 35 days for free. Documents, single mothers, foreign parents and late registration.
- Cost
- Free within 35 days
- Registering later is still possible but a late fee applies.
- How long
- Usually the same day
- Where
- Ward office
- Last checked
- 8 Oct 2026
- Against the official source
What it is
Birth registration (जन्मदर्ता) is a child's first official record in Nepal. It's done at the ward office and is free if you register within 35 days of the birth. The certificate is needed for the minor identity card, school admission, a child's passport and later for citizenship.
Under the National Identity Card and Registration Act 2076, births, deaths, marriages, divorces and migrations are all registered at the ward of the person's permanent address or where the event happened. Giving false details is an offence under the Act.
Who needs it
- Every child born in Nepal, and children of Nepali parents born abroad.
- The father or mother registers the birth. If neither can, another family member aged 18 or older can.
What you need
- Official
A parent's citizenship certificate, copy
- Official
The informant's citizenship certificate, copy
The informant is the person reporting the birth, usually a parent.
- Official
Born in a hospital or health post: its birth report
- Official
Born at home: the child's vaccination card
- Official
If the father is missing or unknown: a police report
- In practice
A local tax receipt
Many wards ask for proof that the family's local tax is paid before registering anything.
In practice items aren't in the official rules but are commonly asked for at the counter.
How it works
- 1
Fill in the form online (optional)
You can fill in the registration form in advance on the Department of National ID and Civil Registration's public portal and take the token number to the ward. Ask your ward whether it uses the online system.
- 2
Go to the ward office within 35 days
Go to the ward of the family's permanent address, or the ward where the baby was born. Registration within 35 days of the birth is free.
- 3
Check every detail
The ward records the child's name, date and place of birth and the parents' details. Check every spelling before you sign. These details follow the child onto the minor ID card, citizenship and passport.
- 4
Get the certificate
The ward registrar issues the birth registration certificate, usually the same day.
Where to go
Ward office
Of the permanent address or where the birth happened
Department of National ID and Civil Registration
Online registration form and helpline 1147
public.donidcr.gov.np
Cost and time
- Official fee
- Free within 35 days
- Registering later is still possible but a late fee applies.
- Processing time
- Usually the same day
Common problems
We missed the 35 days.
Register anyway at the same ward and pay the late fee. The longer you leave it, the more questions you'll face. You'll need the certificate for school, the minor ID card and citizenship.
Do we need a marriage registration to register the birth?
No. The department says parents' marriage registration isn't required for a birth registration.
I'm a single mother and the father isn't known.
Register the birth with your own surname and permanent address. If the father is missing or his whereabouts are unknown, the ward may ask for a police report.
One parent is a foreign citizen.
If the father is Nepali, he registers the birth on his citizenship with proof that the mother is foreign. If the mother is Nepali and the father foreign, either parent can register it where the birth happened, with proof the father is foreign.
Our baby was born abroad.
Get the foreign birth certificate attested by the Nepali embassy there, then register at your permanent address ward within 35 days of arriving in Nepal. Some embassies also register births directly, such as the embassy in Canberra, free within 35 days.
There's a mistake in the certificate.
Apply to the ward that registered it for a correction. Do this before applying for anything else, because every later document copies the birth registration.
Real experiences
Been through this recently? Tell the next person which office you went to and what they asked for. Reports are published as community notes, apart from the official information.
Share your experienceSources
- Department of National ID and Civil Registration: registration FAQdonidcr.gov.np
- Department of National ID and Civil Registration: online registration portalpublic.donidcr.gov.np
- Embassy of Nepal, Canberra: registering births and deaths abroadau.nepalembassy.gov.np
- UN ESCAP: Nepal civil registration profilecrvs.unescap.org
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