How do I transfer land after a parent dies (aputali naamsari)?
अपुताली नामसारी कसरी गर्ने?
Transfer a dead parent's land to the heirs (aputali naamsari) at the Land Revenue Office. Documents, the 35-day rule and Bagmati fees from Rs 3,500.
- Cost
- From Rs 3,500 (Bagmati)
- Within three generations, for land valued up to Rs 50 lakh, under Bagmati's 2083/84 fees.
- How long
- Days to weeks
- Longer if a public notice and local verification are needed.
- Where
- Land Revenue Office
- Last checked
- 8 Oct 2026
- Awaiting official confirmation
What it is
When a landowner dies, the land doesn't pass to the heirs automatically. It stays in the dead person's name until the heirs complete an inheritance transfer, called aputali naamsari (अपुताली नामसारी), at the Land Revenue Office. Until then nobody can sell or mortgage it.
The Department of Land Management's charter lists the documents. If the heirs are the spouse or children, the papers above are usually enough. If more distant relatives claim the land, the office publishes a public notice and holds a local verification first. Bagmati's fees for 2083/84 depend on the land's value and whether the heirs are within three generations.
Who needs it
- The spouse, children or other heirs of a landowner who has died.
What you need
- Official
The original land ownership certificate (लालपुर्जा)
- Official
The current fiscal year's land revenue (मालपोत) receipt
- Official
The death registration certificate
- Official
A relationship certificate (नाता प्रमाणित) showing the heirs
- Official
A recommendation from the ward or municipality of the permanent address
- Official
Citizenship certificates of the heirs
- Official
A consent deed (मन्जुरीनामा) if there are several heirs
- Official
Public notice and local verification (सर्जमिन), if heirs other than the spouse or children are claiming
How it works
- 1
Register the death
Register the death at the ward. You'll need the death certificate for the land, bank accounts and almost everything else.
- 2
Get the relationship certificate
The ward issues a relationship certificate listing the heirs. Make sure every heir is on it.
- 3
Agree among the heirs
If there are several heirs, decide whether the land goes into everyone's name jointly or to one person with the others' consent. A consent deed records it.
- 4
Pay this year's land revenue
Pay the current year's land revenue at the ward or municipality and keep the receipt.
- 5
Apply at the Land Revenue Office
Take everything to the naamsari section of the Land Revenue Office where the land is registered. Once the process is complete the land moves into the heirs' names and new ownership certificates are issued.
- 6
Divide the land later if you need to
If the heirs want to split the land into separate plots, that's a partition deed (अंशबण्डा) with its own small fee, plus survey work for new plot numbers.
Where to go
Land Revenue Office (मालपोत कार्यालय)
Naamsari section, where the land is registered
dolma.gov.npWard office
Death registration, relationship certificate and recommendation
Cost and time
- Official fee
- From Rs 3,500 (Bagmati)
- Within three generations, for land valued up to Rs 50 lakh, under Bagmati's 2083/84 fees.
- Processing time
- Days to weeks
- Longer if a public notice and local verification are needed.
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Within three generations, value up to Rs 50 lakhBagmati Province Economic Act 2083, per file | Rs 3,500 |
| Within three generations, Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1.5 crore | Rs 5,000 |
| Within three generations, Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 3 crore | Rs 7,000 |
| Within three generations, above Rs 3 crore | Rs 10,000 |
| Beyond three generations, value up to Rs 50 lakh | Rs 7,000 |
| Beyond three generations, above Rs 3 crore | Rs 20,000 |
| Later partition among heirs (अंशबण्डा), up to Rs 50 lakh | 0.3% |
Common problems
One sibling lives abroad.
They can give a power of attorney or consent deed attested at a Nepali embassy, so the others can complete the naamsari without them travelling.
My father's name on the lalpurja is spelled differently from his citizenship.
The Land Revenue Office handles name corrections separately. Bring a ward recommendation stating it's the same person and expect a public notice before it's fixed.
There's a will.
A registered will (शेषपछिको बकसपत्र) goes through its own record transfer at the Land Revenue Office once the person has died. Within three generations it's charged like a family partition.
Is there inheritance tax?
No separate inheritance tax applies to land passed within the family. You pay the naamsari fee, and later capital gains tax if the heirs sell.
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 Land Management and Archive: Land Revenue Office citizen charter (naamsari)dolma.gov.np
- Bagmati Province Economic Act 2083: naamsari and partition fees for 2083/84giwmscdnone.gov.np
Written from the sources above and last checked on 8 Oct 2026. Some details aren't confirmed against an official page yet, so check fees and documents with the office before you go.
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